It’s LAUNCH DAY! Malice, Matrimony, and Murder Anthology is Here!

May 23, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

Are you a savvy sleuth?

Do you enjoy collecting clues, identifying villains, and solving crimes? Are you drawn to shorter mysteries that are light on gore and language, and high on humor, entertainment, and happy endings? Then don’t miss out on Malice, Matrimony, and Murder, a limited-edition cozy mystery and cozy crime fiction anthology!

My short story, The Bride Wore Death is included along with so many others.

Twenty-six cozy mystery and cozy crime fiction authors have teamed up to create Malice, Matrimony, and Murder, a collection of brand-new, wedding-themed short stories that will keep you wondering whodunit and what’s next from the first page to the last. Between bad bridesmaids, conniving caterers, greedy guests, ill-mannered in-laws, savvy sleuths, and vengeful villains, this anthology has it all!

Our authors include Derringer and Daphne Award finalists, Agatha and Anthony Award nominees, Gold Seal of Excellence recipients, and members of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers’ Association, Crime Writers of Color, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society. There’s no shortage of talent here!

Malice, Matrimony, and Murder Anthology Launch Day is here!

EVENT: New Book Release – The Taste Of Rain

May 9, 2023May 20, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

The Taste of Rain by Barbara Howard

Release Date: June 6, 2023

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

ADDITIONAL RETAIL STORES

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

College student and part-time health aide, Amira Connors, wants nothing more than to graduate and successfully launch a non-profit with her latest crush, Attorney Darius Browne. But when a nursing home patient (Claire Stewart) shares shocking details surrounding her husband’s death, Amira pieces together the fractured memories and helps law enforcement identify the actual killer. But is he? Or have Claire’s ramblings entangled Amira into becoming the next target?

LONG DESCRIPTION:

In “The Taste of Rain”, we follow the story of Amira, a college student who works part-time as a health aide at a local nursing home. One day, she meets an elderly resident, Claire Stewart, who confides in her that her husband was killed years ago, but nobody believed her.

Amira is hesitant to believe Claire at first, but as she gets to know her better, she realizes that there might be some truth to her story. Amira decides to investigate the case and help Claire find the killer.

She must navigate through the complexities of the past and present to find the truth and bring justice for Claire.

Along the way, Amira faces challenges both personally and professionally. She must balance her college studies with her part-time job and her investigation. She also learns to confront her own biases and assumptions about aging and the elderly.

“The Taste of Rain” is a mystery that explores the themes of trust, aging, and justice. It is a heartwarming tale of the unlikely friendship between a young college student and an elderly resident, as they work together to uncover the truth, and solve a decades-old murder.

THE OPENING SCENE READ BY THE AUTHOR

THE TASTE OF RAIN BOOK TRAILER

New Crime Fiction Anthology – Malice, Matrimony, and Murder

March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

I’m thrilled to announce that I have a new short story coming out this year. It will be included with the Malice, Matrimony, and Murder anthology along with a bunch of other brand-new cozy mystery and cozy crime fiction stories written by my author friends.

The anthology will be starting off as a Kickstarter campaign, and I’d love to invite you to back it. Why would you want to? First, you will have early access to the anthology, which won’t publish until late this year. But Kickstarter backers will receive the ebook version at least two months prior to its public release. These are all brand-new stories, so you won’t be able to find them this early anywhere else.

Second, the Kickstarter gives you access to a bunch of extras, like a chance to have your name included in the book’s Acknowledgments section, and an exclusive guide to help you solve the overarching Wedding Whodunit woven throughout the anthology. You could also choose to have one of the Wedding Whodunit characters named after you or a loved one! These rewards won’t be available to anyone besides our Kickstarter backers.

Third, you’ll get to be a part of our publishing process. The Kickstarter not only comes with rewards for you, but for me and my fellow authors as well. A successful campaign will make it possible for us to publish a paperback version of the anthology and to pursue some advertising opportunities to help connect us with new readers.

So how do you support the campaign? It’s easy! Visit our Kickstarter page and click “Notify me on launch” so you’ll be informed when our campaign goes live in May. You may need to set up a free Kickstarter account if you don’t have one already, and clicking that “Notify” button in no way obligates you to anything. All it means is you’ll receive an email when our campaign launches. Since this opportunity will only be available for a limited time and once the Kickstarter is over so is access to all of the campaign extras, this will just help to make sure you don’t miss out. You can decide whether you’re truly interested in backing the campaign once it’s live and you can see all of the details for yourself.

Thank you for your interest and support! I’m excited for you to be a part of this journey with me.

Interview with Amira Cooper

March 4, 2023March 4, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

Anastasia Pollack’s blog, Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers, featured us on Book Club Friday! It’s an interview with the main character of my latest book, The Taste of Rain. Stop by and read what Amira Cooper had to say about me and all the shenanigans we got into together.

The Taste of Rain is available for pre-order here and on Amazon.

Synopsis: College student and part-time health aide, Amira Connors, wants nothing more than to graduate and successfully launch a non-profit with her latest crush, Attorney Darius Browne. But when a nursing home patient (Claire Stewart) shares shocking details surrounding her husband’s death, Amira pieces together the fractured memories and helps law enforcement identify the actual killer. But is he? Or have Claire’s ramblings entangled Amira into becoming the next target?

Festive Mayhem 3 Anthology

November 21, 2022February 16, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

The gang is back together again for another limited edition crime fiction anthology of crime fiction, Festive Mayhem 3.

Seven crime writers of color have teamed up for the third year running to offer you the gift of escape this holiday season. This limited-edition collection includes brand-new stories set throughout the year, as well as some reissued seasonal favorites. Whether you enjoy humorous cozy mysteries with plucky amateur sleuths, or hard-boiled noir starring gritty private investigators, this anthology is for you.

What you’ll find inside:

• “Black Easter” by Francelia Belton. In 1967, a militant husband and father tries to push his political views onto his wife’s conservative family at the annual Easter social—and things don’t end well.
• “A Deadly First” by Delia C. Pitts. Thanksgiving takes a fatal turn when New York private eye SJ Rook finds himself thrust into his first murder case in this darkly atmospheric tale of noir. (Originally published with the first Festive Mayhem.)
• “Whiteout Wipeout” by Paige Sleuth. A lost cat leads Cherry Hills, Washington, animal rescue maven and amateur sleuth Imogene Little to the body of a murdered man at the start of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.
• “The Troublesome Rich Girl” by Stella Oni. When Elizabeth agreed to look out for the rebellious teenager Tayo Adelaja and her cousin Angelica, she enlisted the help of the Mews hotel’s social media obsessed apprentice, Rosie O’Toole—only for the three to disappear!
• “Trace of Lace” by Barbara Howard. On the eve of his wedding day, Milo has to save his bride when news of a serial killer near Birston College puts the campus on lockdown.
• “A Christmas Tip” by Elizabeth Wilkerson. A surprise Christmas bonus becomes too tempting for Philadelphia nursing assistant Brianna Byers to resist—even if accepting requires some skillful skirting of the law. (Originally published with the first Festive Mayhem.)
• “Serenade for Suicide” by Carolyn Marie Wilkins. The melody turns deadly when music teacher Bertie Bigelow invites her Grammy-winning ex to give a songwriting workshop at an inner-city community college.

This short story bundle is only available for a short time, so grab it now before it’s gone. It would be criminal to miss it!

Get your copy of Festive Mayhem 3

New Release: A Cup of Secrets – A Trace of Lace

January 14, 2022February 16, 2023 | authorbarbarahoward

I’m so excited to share with you that my newest release includes two short stories! The release date is February 8, 2022, sold exclusively on Amazon. I love the cover, don’t you?

Enjoy two short stories from the Finding Home series featuring Milo and Jules. The couple is busy juggling time between preparing for Jules’ college graduation and Milo building their new business venture.

A Cup of Secrets — Debutante Chelsea Parker’s birthday celebration launched his catering business into an overnight success, but Milo is thrown into the center of a murder investigation before dawn with his business partner and love of his life as the primary suspect.

A Trace of Lace — On the eve of his wedding day, Milo gets the news of a serial killer near Birston College and the entire campus has been on put on lockdown. His guardian angel, Traci steps in as Milo prepares to do whatever is necessary to protect his fiance. Will they intervene in time to save Jules? Or, will Traci’s intuition lead them into another deadly confrontation?

Festive Mayhem 2 Cozy Mystery Anthology

September 17, 2021October 1, 2021 | authorbarbarahoward

I’m SO excited to share our brand new holiday anthology is being released on October 1, 2021. It has a culinary theme and includes a recipe for each short story. My contribution is a short spin-off from my Finding Home series, A Cup of Secrets and features Milo and Jules. Of course, Traci is involved with her usual high energy! I’ve enjoyed working with this group of authors and I’m sure you’re going to enjoy reading this collection of short stories. As always, I want to hear from you! Tell me what you think of a Milo and Jules spin-off?

F:ESTIVE MAYHEM 2: Seven crime writers of color have teamed up for the second year running to offer you the gift of escape this holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, Halloween to New Year’s, cozy mystery fans are bound to find a favorite holiday represented in this limited-time collection of exclusive, never-before-published seasonal short stories.

What you’ll find inside:
• “Nefarious New Year” by Paige Sleuth. A suspected poisoning leads Cherry Hills, Washington animal rescue maven Imogene Little to spend New Year’s Eve 1999 tracking down a would-be murderer.
• “The Brotherhood of Tricks and Treats” by Francelia Belton. A young man wants to fit in with his older brothers, but gets in over his head.
• “Cookies, Lies & Homicide” by Angela Henry. When lonely widow Mercy Davenport finds a lost dog, she has no idea searching for its owner will land her in the middle of a murder mystery, putting her in the crosshairs of a killer and on the radar of a grumpy local police detective.
• “Last Bite” by Rhoda Berlin. When Emily introduces her fiancé to her family, Thanksgiving comes to a fateful end.
• “A Praline for Pepe” by Carolyn Marie Wilkins. Carrie McFarland’s psychic powers are tested when a showboat featuring a racist revue brings a handsome stranger, a new cuisine, and a cold-blooded killer to Aaronsville, Indiana in 1921.
• “A Cup of Secrets” by Barbara Howard. Debutante Chelsea Parker’s birthday celebration launched his catering business into an overnight success, but Milo is thrown into the center of a murder investigation before dawn with his business partner and love of his life as the primary suspect.
• “The Jollof Rice and Crayfish Mystery” by Stella Oni. Elizabeth Ojo senses trouble when billionaire businessman Chief Arowolo, his wives and family come to celebrate his 75th birthday in the Mews, and she is not wrong as Chief collapses on the day of his celebration.

Bonus recipes are included for each story!

This anthology is only available for a short time, so grab it now before it’s gone. It would be criminal to miss it!

(Available in ebook format only.)

Book Tour & Giveaway: Finding Home Mystery Seres by Barbara Howard

April 29, 2021October 1, 2021 | authorbarbarahoward

Musings From An Addicted Reader

Final Harvest

Finding Home Book 1

by Barbara Howard

Genre: Mystery

Traci Simmons has been fired from another job and must decide if it’s time to give up her home and start fresh in another town. But, when her elderly neighbor dies mysteriously, she is pulled into leading a crusade to save the neighbor’s urban farm and find the killer. Through her new and unexpected relationship with these invisible people, Traci faces her own insecurities to learn what home really means.

Backdrop: Homelessness, anxiety, food insecurity, gentrification.

**Only .99 cents!!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

Charlotte’s Revenge

Finding Home Book 2

This is a continuation of the story of Traci Simmons. Her relationship with Officer Randall Wells unfolds and they embark on a new life together. As things get serious, someone from their past designs a scheme to ruin both of their lives…

View original post 295 more words