Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown (Book Giveaway, Review, Interview!)

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Paperback

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime

Release Date:
October 2012




Thanks to a messy divorce, Reagan Summerside is left broke and the center of gossip in Savannah, Georgia. All she has left is a broken down Victorian house and a collection of designer clothes. Desperately trying to get her feet back on the ground, she turns part of her home into a consignment shop called Prissy Fox featuring her collection of clothes. It doesn’t take long for her shop to be a success, but things take a nasty turn.

Her ex-husband’s young girlfriend turns up dead in the trunk of a Lexus. Did I mention that it’s the same Lexus Reagan lost in the divorce settlement? Did I mention that Reagan was the one who was driving the Lexus and found the dead body in the trunk? The evidence all points towards her ex and he’s immediately thrown in jail. Reagan doesn’t know what to believe, but when she learns he’s going to sell her Victorian home to pay for his legal expenses, she’s furious. His lawyer, Walker Boone, is the same one who made sure Reagan was left with nothing in the divorce settlement.

Reagan isn’t about to lose everything this time. She’s determined to find the killer so her ex won’t incur anymore legal expenses and will leave her home alone. Walker has his own investigation going and the two of them clash at every turn.

This is the first book of Duffy Brown’s “A Consignment Shop Mystery” series. It’s off to an amazing start with a very strong female lead. She’s not about to lose everything she worked for and wait for someone else to save her. She takes the bull by the horns and does it herself. She even gets herself a cute dog named Bruce Willis or BW for short.

The town is filled with zany characters and each one has something to hide. Reagan and Walker have their work cut out for them. One other character I must mention is Reagan’s Aunt KiKi. She not only helps Reagan run her consignment shop, but she helps her track down a murderer. She, also, has a Cher quote for every occasion which keeps me laughing.


The story is fast-paced and there’s a hint of romance tossed in the middle between Reagan and Walker. I’m looking forward to seeing if this relationship leads to anything. It has the makings of a sizzling romance.

I love a book that takes you into their world and away from your own hectic and stressful life. That’s what Iced Chiffon did for me and I’m more than ready to read book two.  A fun cozy mystery that cozy fans will devour!

5 out of 5 kitties!

FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

For reading challenge:

A-Z Reading Challenge

Author Interview with Duffy Brown

Interview with Duffy Brown

Please join me in welcoming author, Duffy Brown, to Socrates’ Cozy Café and Socrates’ Book Review Blog.  Duffy has a brand new cozy mystery series out in October and we are thrilled to have her join us today.

To get the ball rolling…

Hi, Everyone. Wonderful being at Socrates’ Cozy Café. I love cozies…the settings, fun characters, all the trouble amateur sleuths get into. And sometimes there’s even food! Nothing more fun than chatting cozies!

1)         What made you choose to write a cozy mystery?  Have you written other genres?

                     

I wrote romance for twenty years. Always there was a mystery in the romances and I realized I started liking the mystery part more than the romance. But I’m not into blood and gore. Part of by bio reads… While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. Read Sherlock when I was a kid, love the new BBC Sherlock, and even have Sherlok as my license plate. I think I need therapy!

2)         2)       Can you tell us something about the “Consignment Shop Mysteries”?  How did you come up with the idea?  Do you know how many books there will be in the series?

There are three books so far in the series: Iced Chiffon, Killer in Crinolines, Pearls and

Poison. Consignment Shop mysteries takes place in Savannah so you have the Southern flavor to the books and titles.

They say, write what you know. I work in a consignment shop…The Snooty Fox…and love it! So many great deals and great people. No dead people in the dressing rooms!

3)         Are you planning to start any other cozy series?

I’m getting ready to submit a new series this week. It’s set on Mackinac Island and the sleuth is from Chicago…nothing like the Consignment shop series. If Berkley takes the series I’ll tell you more about it.

4)         Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always thought about stories, making them up in my head, telling stories to my kids. I remember once asking my husband… So, what kind of stories do you think about? He looked at me like I was nuts.I assumed everyone thought about stories like I did. I didn’t start writing till the last of my four kids got in school.

5)         As a child, did you read much?  What types of books did you read?

I love Nancy Drew. Read the Secret in the Old Clock a bazillion times. I have my copy sitting right next to me now. Looking sort of beat up after all these years but want a book! Nancy was the first real female hero who didn’t wait around to let a man do the job. I loved that part most of all. I read the Hardy Boys and then Agatha and Sherlock.

6)         If you could recommend one book or author to our readers, what would it be?

Janet Evanovich, the Stephanie Plum series, One for the Money. I’ve read it so many times the pages are falling out of the book! The series is up to nineteen or so but the first three are brilliant…IMO. 

7)         Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Never give up! I’ve been at this for twenty years and have never seen the pub world as tough as it is now. Things will shake out. Also, after you write the first book and send it off, don’t sit around and wait to see what happens to it, start the second book! Editors always ask…So, what else do you have. You always want to have that next book to hand them.

8)         How did it feel when you first learned you’d be a published author?  What was your first published book?

It took me nine years to get published and I was just tired. People ask how did you keep at it for all that time? I had so much time and effort in trying to get published I couldn’t quit and throw it all away. Plus, I’m a big believer in the Ten-thousand Hour rule…you have to do something for the-thousand hours before you good at it. I’m finally getting the hang of telling a good story…I hope!

9)         Can you give us a preview of upcoming books to look for?

Iced Chiffon: To pay for rehabbing the dilapidated Victorian house she loves, Reagan Summerside opens the Prissy Fox consignment shop on the first floor and gets involved in the lives of her Savannah customers, neighbors, ex husband and the attorney who screwed her over in the divorce.

Killer in Crinolines: When Reagan Summerside is asked to make an emergency bowtie delivery for a wedding, she finds the groom face-down in five-tiers of icing and fondant, a cake knife in his back and her good friend and local UPS driver accused of the murder. Can Reagan find the real killer without winding up in the local swamp as alligator meat? Will Walker Boone, pain-in-the ass attorney and once-upon-a-time gang member, help her out or feed her to the alligators himself?

10)       How about booksignings?  Any coming up?

 I’m doing book fairs: Books on the Banks in Cincy in October, Kentucky  Book

 Fair in November,  and Buckeye Book Fair in October.

Thank you for taking the time visit with us, Duffy!

Thank you!

Go Cozies!!!

Hugs, Duffy

Book/Tote Bag/T-Shirt Giveaway!

And now...thanks to author Duffy Brown - I can offer one book to one lucky reader in a book giveaway. There will be an additional prize for a second winner. The 2nd place winner will get a tote bag and t-shirt.

Here are a few simple rules!

1) U.S. and Canada Residents Only!

2) Fill out the form below with a valid email address.

3) For an extra entry, leave a comment for Duffy here.

4) For an extra entry, please follow this blog (please let me know how you follow - older followers are fine, too!)

5) For an extra two entries, post this giveaway on your blog.

6) For an extra entry, follow me on Twitter. (Check the sidebar for my link!)

7) For an extra two entries, tweet about this giveaway.

That's it...the giveaway begins on Sunday, September 23rd (midnight est time) and ends on Sunday, September 30th.

A winner will be chosen using Rafflecopter. I will send an email to the winner, who must respond within 3 days or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway