Angela: It looks like most people have enjoyed the book. This is so exciting. I made graphics to introduce tonight’s guests. I adore these two women. Ms. Richards reads and Ms. Leaf. Thank you for joining us tonight. I’m Angela your hostess and I’m honored to be joined by have Lori and Stephanie. Tonight, we will be discussing have our book of the month, The Cracked Spine. To kick things off, I’m going to ask, what did you think of the book?
Stephanie: I think it jammed a lot into one first book.
Angela: True. But, overall, I liked it. Oh my goodness.
*looks at comments*
You already have somebody who agrees exactly with what you just said.
*looks at comments*
Welcome to The Cozy Mystery Book Club. I’m so glad you guys are here. So Stephanie mentioned earlier, before we went live, that she has already read this before. This is her second time reading book one and she’s already read two additional books in the series.
Stephanie: Yeah, I think if you liked this one, you’ll like the rest of the series. But I think if you didn’t really like this one, you probably won’t like the rest of the books. They’re pretty much in the same vein, but I just love the Scottish setting and the bookshop. I really, really liked it.
I gave it four stars and I liked it a little bit more the second time.
Angela: There was a comment I was about to click on it. You love that it was in Scotland. I don’t know how many other cozy mysteries are set in Scotland.
I remember in Murder, She Wrote, she went abroad. I know she goes to England quite a few times. Jessica went to Ireland, but I don’t think she ever went to Scotland. I feel as if Scotland is an underrated place when it comes to cozy mysteries.
*gestures to pullover*
I had to wear my University of Glasgow sweatshirt in honor of Scotland. I need to go buy some Scottish insignia.
Stephanie: on my dad’s side are all from Scotland. My grandma was the first one born. I loved that it was set in Scotland and I’ve kind of made my month, a Scottish month and I’m reading a few other Scotland based books.
Lori: I also have family that was from Scotland and they went to Nova Scotia.
Angela: More Scottish books! We have to look into that. I’m going to have to do some research and come up with a TBR for y’all.
I mean, we were almost in Kansas though. I was intrigued by the fact our leading lady just sort of goes looking for a job, a help wanted sign sort of thing online. And her first thought is, yeah, I’ll just move to Scotland on a whim. I couldn’t just go.
I was very impressed by that. All of a sudden, she is in Scotland and we have the best taxi driver in the world. Elias. What did you think of him?
Stephanie: In real life, I feel like I would be more like stranger danger if they, I met them and then they just invited me to live in their guest house, but it’s a cozy mystery. So I was all for it.
Angela: Kind of suspended disbelief there, but I loved them. I thought they were so sweet. They were adorable. What did you think, Lori?
Lori: Like, I love them, but like, you’re just going to go live in the backyard of somebody you just met. That’s very weird. I thought it was funny how he didn’t mention that. The first time he met her, when she said she’s going to be looking for a residence, but then the second time around, then he mentions it. So it was kind of. I don’t know. I mean, maybe he was testing the waters a little bit before he brought it up, but I thought that was intriguing. How he sort of was holding back that information.
I feel as if he’s also more than just the cabbie, they’re renting out their cottages. He’s her tour guide. He’s her body guard. I think this guy has he’s welcome while again, yeah. Say her like adopted Scottish brother or something looks out for, oh my gosh. I, so everyone needs to like them. That makes me so happy.
Angela: I thought Aggie was adorable. Oh my gosh. I love how she’s a grown woman, Delaney our heroine, she’s telling the bus driver take care of her. You got to make sure that she gets off on this. It reminds me of a child going to school for the first time. Brilliant. I don’t know why that just made me so happy is had nothing to do with the mystery, but I love it.
Stephanie: Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I was going to say, I like what Martin magical ministry just said that she wonders if they’re part of a developing paranormal theme that I’ll start coming. And that’s one thing like that was weird. Like it kept mentioning little parts of, you know, the voices she hears and all the ghosts, but then nothing ever really came of that. So it’s like, is this supposed to be a paranormal? Is that going to happen? In other books that I thought was a little weird in this one?
Angela: I mean, usually when someone says they’re hearing voices, you think asylum; butterfly nets coming for them.
I was hoping that there was an actual paranormal component to this. I was a little confused and very glad when the voices came back to her in the end.
*looks at comments*
Lori: In that culture they’re very into their folklore and history. So I think it’s more embraced maybe than it is in places here.
Angela: I thought it was cute that she actually told her father she heard voices.
Stephanie: It comes up in the next books. The paranormal, it grows. So by books, two and three, as someone who’s read them, it becomes more pronounced.
Lori: Did anyone else think I see dead people?
Stephanie: I love that.
Angela: We also talking about the fact that it wasn’t just her remembering quotes. It was having conversations with the characters, which is where I was getting a little confused for a moment. I wanted more information about that.
*pauses*
Angela: We have to talk about a certain Scottish man in a kilt.
Stephanie: I saw a comment up there about, I want to have a pint with him.
Angela: It reminds me how some women have a certain thing for firemen. According to this book, there are women who have a certain thing for kilts. I think Delaney likes kilts.
Stephanie: After their first date, he says, I’ll wear the kilt next time. And it’s so funny. She’s like, are you real, did I imagine you you’re just so perfect.
Angela: Anybody else get Outlander vibes because of Scotland. I was waiting for that reference, but didn’t come. We got a lot of Shakespeare though. Very different than the sci-fi romance versus Shakespeare.
We have to talk about the mystery: the folio. Did people solve the mystery or were you guys surprised with this mystery?
Lori: I don’t know that I was invested. More so than cozies. Oh my gosh, who is the killer? Just cause there’s so many different people.
Stephanie: It wasn’t who I thought it was, I thought it was going to be Hamlet the whole time.
*looks at the comments*
Angela: It looks like a lot of people did not solve it.
Okay. That makes me feel better because I was going down a totally different road with this cozy mystery.
We didn’t really see the repercussions of Jenny’s past as a drug addict. Other than she apparently stole some items from her parents’ house and they just disowned her; but they were multi-millionaires. As a reader, I didn’t think that was enough of a bad moment. I thought maybe she had a baby or something, and that baby was going to be Hamlet.
That is where I was going with my theory. I don’t know why my brain was going down that road to fill in the gaps.
Hamlet had the letters. He seemed to really like her. I was thinking maybe he was trying to get the courage to tell her he was her long-lost son.
*looks at the comments*
Stephanie: I don’t think anybody’s solved it.
Angela: What do you want to talk about when it comes to the mystery?
Stephanie: I don’t know, the whole thing was just kind of weird. Like the whole folio of how they got it. Just it’s something that’s millions of dollars is just tiny under her bed. I mean, that’s one of my questions. You hid it under the mattress?
Lori: Yeah, I don’t think I would put my trust in Jenny. This is a good question. Would you have trusted Jenny with this practically priceless folio? No. No, you, I mean, I understood why he was trying to do it, show his support, but. I mean, it’s not just an item that would be relevant to their family or have, you know, I’m, I’m attached to it for my sake or the family’s sake.
[00:15:58] I mean, Shakespeare has relevance to everyone across the board. I mean, museums and everything else. I mean, it’s not just a matter of him showing his faith in her, it’s him and every single English scholar in the world that was let down. So I was disappointed and then they ruined it at the end. Like why
[00:16:21] can we just acknowledge too? Nobody really talked about that. He just kinda shrugged it off. Like, ah, it was just money. No, it was.
[00:16:36] Stephanie: Yeah. So one thing I do with almost all my books, society go Google stuff.
[00:16:44] Angela: So I thought it was interesting, like the actual Sage spear first folios, there are fewer than 750 copies that were printed 233
[00:16:54] Stephanie: survived today of which 82 are in the
[00:16:57] Angela: Folger Shakespeare library. I’m in there just for your information.
[00:17:03] I actually did not know that, but I have to admit it is a little, when you go, they have the display case. I mean, so you can just see the page and they’ll actually change the pages depending on things, but you can just look and see the page. It was a little bit of a let down, but it is cool that they have it.
[00:17:22] I got to go there when it was Shakespeare and Jane Austin, it was a hybrid combination of having again, Jane Austin. Back down to the goddess. I love that was one of the other motivating factors for that one. But yeah, I was when you seen it and you know how important it is, I mean, the tour guide, I’m pretty sure it was just one of those Logies with heart eyes when she was talking about it.
[00:17:46] And so I had this image of the tour guide and then he stabs it and ruins it. And he also had the page, even before he stabbed it, he had the paper sticking out in the drawer. He was not taking care of this folio.
[00:18:01] Stephanie: No. Yeah. It
[00:18:04] Angela: wasn’t that part cool part was just weird that that heard. Yeah. I mean, yeah.
[00:18:11] Everyone in the comments. Yeah. I mean, we’re the book lovers. We get it.
[00:18:20] Oh my gosh. There’s you guys are praying with the comments that’s made me so happy. Oh, yes. The date with Tom, we talked about loving Tom, but he was super adorable in regards to just, he went and made a special visit. And I thought that was really cute. And I thought the name of the pub great
[00:18:44] Stephanie: connection. I loved that it was her name.
[00:18:46] Angela: Yes. Did you like the adventure sort of thing when she w there were different characters for sort of different adventures? We had Tom getting to go to the pub. We got to go to the Irish restaurant. Then we had Hamlet who took her to the site where they supposedly found the folio. So did you guys have a favorite outing or character sort of moment like that, or, or was it the date?
[00:19:09] Like the date was the date, but I did like the exploring
[00:19:15] Stephanie: that they did. I thought that was a nice way to tie in the city in the setting. Instead of just staying mostly in the bookshop,
[00:19:24] Angela: right? Yeah. I love man. I love this comment. The bar is high. Yes. This remember the whole you’re in a relationship with fictional characters.
[00:19:35] Yeah. Tom might be one of those books. Boyfriends. I might have to read the rest of the series just so I can appreciate him and his adorable name. Oh yeah. We got to shut up. Thank you, Michelle. What about the police? What did you guys think about the, okay. Lori made her face. What did
[00:19:56] Stephanie: you say? It’s just, I mean, with solicitors and I know this one was funny that they’re all like, no, we’re not going to go tell
[00:20:04] Angela: the police.
[00:20:05] Oh no, we don’t need to go tell the
[00:20:06] Stephanie: police. We’re never going to go tell the police. It was just kind of, usually they’re working together a little bit to get
[00:20:14] Angela: clues with each other. Yeah.
[00:20:17] Stephanie: Or they’ll like find answers and then share it. And this one, it was very
[00:20:23] Angela: separate, which was very odd to me. Yeah. I just saw this comment too.
[00:20:31] Yeah. I was waiting for this to come back and then he doesn’t reappear till I mentioned again. Oh yeah. The, yeah. We have a lot of side characters that were very memorable. The weird neighbor Gregory. We got the, we didn’t even know the hit and run guy at first, but we get a lot of context with him. So he could say characters that you guys are just loving.
[00:20:58] I mean, even though he was super sketchy, I thought the fact that Gregory was, he was gone. Yeah. If you want to buy me a whiskey, I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Of course he lied, but he was there for the whiskey. Yeah, that was very kind of creepy scene. Yes.
[00:21:21] Stephanie: Hanging
[00:21:21] Angela: out in the dark, waiting for ya. Yeah, that was, that was, yeah, that was one of those red herring moments where you’re going. Okay. Now you’re on the suspect list because that’s not normal behavior. Nobody came to check on it and they knew he might’ve been there. But still, I don’t know if you guys just heard the little girl.
[00:21:42] I think max agrees with you.
[00:21:46] Stephanie: Shh. Sorry.
[00:21:48] Angela: All yours down here too. If you hear me. Well, we did have a dog who was apparently a little mini bear and shrug and R who had a bow in his hair at one point. Well, it was a Hector, I think. Yes. I was like, I thought he was gonna have one of those. I thought he was going to be Hamlet or Macbeth or some sort of other name that was literary.
[00:22:16] Yeah. I think that was a missed opportunity.
[00:22:23] Stephanie: Yeah.
[00:22:25] Angela: Oh, she was? Yeah. You don’t wait at someone’s door late at night, especially a woman. You don’t do that. And then yeah, the entire apartment building, I even wrote his name down. We never see this guy again, but we have Waldo the bodybuilder and then it was just a very random interaction. I don’t think we see anyone else besides him really mean neighbor and then Gregory, but I don’t really want to meet anyone else.
[00:22:54] Where was that one lady? I don’t remember if. Lived in
[00:22:57] Stephanie: the building, but it was when she and Elias or in the car. And the lady was like, you don’t want
[00:23:03] Angela: to go in there, just leave. She was very odd to two. Yeah. That everyone was saying, oh, that place is bad. I mean, there was a TV show. One time it was called 6, 6, 6 apartments or something.
[00:23:18] And I mean, did they think that was what this place was about? It, it was as if, you know, that was the middle of the pentagram. Like, I mean, what it was going on with this building. Yeah. Well, and I thought it was weird that they repeatedly brought up how quiet it is at night. Like they were prettily brought that up, but that was just one of those other things that they brought
[00:23:42] Stephanie: up and never even discussed any further.
[00:23:48] Angela: It’s like, are they all ghost in there or what? Oh yeah, that would be interesting. You can make that paranormal. Oh, you want more Benny against I character. We gotta have, we need more of the, I don’t even know what to make of this flesh market. Bizarre club. I mean, was the very off-putting as
[00:24:12] Stephanie: well.
[00:24:19] Angela: I love this move out of the place. Like, yeah, we’ll go there. Hang out. Ah, I ha I was really concerned nursing. I was really concerned about that place. I thought maybe there was going to be some sort of, I mean, yes, the manager was a terrible person and the, he was the one distributing drugs, but I almost thought after everything that was a little bit of a let down, like I thought this place was going to be, you know, the hell now of the Buffy, like one of those things or
[00:24:47] Stephanie: something.
[00:24:50] Yes. Yeah.
[00:24:53] Angela: Yep. What did you guys did early was going to say the other character I really liked was Hamlet, even though he was suspicious. I liked him. I didn’t, I liked him when he went missing. I was concerned. Yeah, the bad guy and I didn’t want him to die and be the next victim. I mean, you’ve read the future books.
[00:25:14] I don’t want anything to happen to him. He might be my, you know, little we’re going to protect you. He’s such
[00:25:19] Stephanie: a cinnamon roll.
[00:25:22] Angela: That’s exactly what I was thinking. And again, that’s even in my notes.
[00:25:30] Oh, all the animals. I love everyone here is a for like, uh, for mama, we got the, for babies. She’s very opinionated today. Yeah. This, I don’t know if y’all can see, I got the little tail here and his treat is bigger than his head that he’s knocking on, on my lap. So I’m just hoping. Fingers crossed. Thank you for getting the helmet with a reference.
[00:25:55] I appreciate that. My inner Buffy fan girl.
[00:26:02] Oh, you wanted another murder? Okay. That would’ve been interesting. I would, I mean, as long as long as it wasn’t Hamlet, I would’ve been okay. Yeah. Do we actually, would you have told the police about the folio? I probably would have
[00:26:20] Stephanie: just, cause I would’ve been scared to death of getting in trouble cause I’m a chicken like that.
[00:26:27] Angela: Yeah. I was. I w when Edwin withheld that information, was he impeding their investigation? I, I’m not sure because technically speaking, she was killed, but it wasn’t because of the folio, but he did steal the folios. That was evidence of the crime. So maybe.
[00:26:50] Stephanie: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it’s a huge motive right there. So just because of how valuable it was, I would have
[00:26:58] Angela: told him, okay, Lynn, I agree with you. What is Delaney is job description. Cause she sees, she goes along well, and at the beginning
[00:27:10] Stephanie: I kind of set it up like she was getting ready for not being at the shop.
[00:27:17] So as she like getting ready to take over for him, they didn’t really mention it
[00:27:23] Angela: that much. And she’s organizing a shelf here and there. I love how she’s gone. Oh, there’s a shelf of 36. I organized 12 and I do not know why I remember those numbers. And I can’t remember since I characters names, um, she could make her own hours.
[00:27:38] Like she just makes her own anger dream job. So one thing I wondered with, with this one is.
[00:27:48] Stephanie: You know, you hire an American, which has gotta be expensive to put her up in a hotel, to
[00:27:53] Angela: pay for a visa, travel over there. What are all these
[00:27:57] Stephanie: special talent? She had to sort a few
[00:28:00] Angela: books. I mean, I wrote it down. It’s said she had the master’s degree in history and another master’s in English.
[00:28:08] Was that it? So she’s not an archivist. I mean, she’s not classically trained in that regard, but she worked on exam, but the music based on her description of the new museum, and then the, I mean, I was just picturing like the lost Ark of the covenant with, you know, I was thinking Indiana Jones or national trends and they all of a sudden put the lights on and it just keeps going with the treasure.
[00:28:33] He has a warehouse of things that seems a little bit more in depth than what she was originally expecting.
[00:28:45] Stephanie: She got to make
[00:28:46] Angela: executive decisions about closing the shop. Yeah. I like how she actually says,
[00:28:54] Stephanie: oh my
[00:28:54] Angela: goodness. You guys are so cute.
[00:28:59] Never to go ahead. Oh, I was going to
[00:29:01] Stephanie: say, uh, somebody
[00:29:03] Angela: Tracy.
[00:29:04] Stephanie: Yeah. Wondering if she was somehow hired because Edwin sensed her special gift, which would fit in with the paranormal ish
[00:29:16] Angela: stuff.
[00:29:22] Yeah. I love that you guys are okay. Yeah. I, um, I thought it was interesting. It kind of gave me Rebecca vibes that not for the same reasons, but we have a murder victim and she never actually eats Jenny. She just learns about Jenny secondhand. So the, yeah, the murder was a little different. Yes. He wants to apparently say hello, I don’t know a little face.
[00:29:47] Well, and
[00:29:47] Stephanie: not only the, not
[00:29:50] Angela: only the
[00:29:51] Stephanie: books or the murder being different with someone she didn’t even know, but how she went about sleuthing. It wasn’t the normal, tricky slew thing. It was more like,
[00:30:01] Angela: oh, I’m
[00:30:01] Stephanie: just
[00:30:02] Angela: writing an article or whatever. Just
[00:30:05] Stephanie: asking some questions.
[00:30:11] Angela: Yes. Oh my goodness. Yeah. So the murder was definitely different than what I thought it was going to be. Again, I did not solve this, um, as he, he’s on my notes, he’s balancing history on my notebook. So I’m gonna, I’m gonna move this. He’s gonna get mad.
[00:30:40] Okay. I don’t think that I had the microphone far enough away where I don’t think you just heard him grow. Um, he said he’s so mean to me sometimes. So is there, I know that there were some, um, there was a comment on Twitter. I actually did not know who to whom she was referring. There was, oh, I lost it. Oh no, here it is.
[00:31:00] Different window. Um, cause I asked what if there was something particular people wanted to discuss? And the tweet is I would like to discuss how it seems like a certain character was in the book. So little. So it was mind boggling when they revealed what they did about that character. I’m trying not to give spoilers in case some are still finishing up the book, but I hope you know which character, I don’t know which character you’re referring to, but I’m guessing it’s the killer because he was not in the book as much
[00:31:24] Stephanie: probably, but I
[00:31:25] Angela: would think, yeah.
[00:31:27] What did you think? I mean, because again, he’s really not in the book that much, so nobody solved the mystery as far as we can see in the comments and with our discussion. So. Yeah, by that one,
[00:31:41] Stephanie: I think it would have been a much better constructed mystery if he had been more in,
[00:31:49] Angela: because
[00:31:49] Stephanie: normally with cozies, I feel like in these discussions, you get a mix of people that solved it and didn’t solve it.
[00:31:56] And then here everybody’s like I had no idea includes me.
[00:32:02] Angela: So I feel like
[00:32:02] Stephanie: if we had gotten him more, maybe we would’ve gotten more clues and it would have tied in better.
[00:32:10] Angela: I’m moving. I’m trying to just arrange my legs and sit in different way. And he’s growling at me and all the fun. Can we just also appreciate how big this treat is in comparison to his body?
[00:32:23] I mean, okay, I’m going to hold you up. You’re going to be the happier. Yeah. It’s
[00:32:32] Stephanie: pure joy on his face when he looks at that. Treat this
[00:32:35] Angela: hilarious.
[00:32:37] Stephanie: I think. Yeah. I, I,
[00:32:39] Angela: you, you gotta do what you gotta do. It’s one of those, I feel as if it’s the equivalent of putting the kid in front of the TV for a little bit going, oh, mama has something to do.
[00:32:48] Now I need to do the laundry. You’re gonna sit there. Like, I’m going to give you a tree. You’re just going to mind your own business for, you know, while we’re doing the live stream. I liked the, so I like this.
[00:33:00] Stephanie: Yeah. I say, I like that theory that you just put a pin dub. That’s a good one.
[00:33:10] Angela: I would be a cool theory
[00:33:12] Stephanie: or a cool storyline. Yeah.
[00:33:18] Angela: Yes. Max and his treat. I’m glad you guys get, get a kick out of him. I mean the one, the one I wanted more. Was Hector. I wanted more of the adorableness. I sh he just sort of was there and then he went away. And we’re also not talking about the fact that she apparently brings us dog with her everywhere, including the hospital at the very end.
[00:33:40] I don’t know how you get an animal in the hospital, unless it’s a service animal, but
[00:33:47] all the first edit, I assume the main character was going to have Hector because he’s on the cover. And then she doesn’t have him. And it’s like,
[00:33:59] Stephanie: Cozy
[00:34:00] Angela: companions. I mean, even if he was the, the bookstore, I mean, this place is also not a bookstore. I’m not even sure what that shop is. I don’t know. I mean, I know he’s rich, but it does not feel as if they make money. Cause he’s actually giving items away too. So that’s a whole separate conversation topic, but I thought maybe a bookstore dog or something like that.
[00:34:19] Cause we had all over from it. Then there were crumbs who was the town dog. So I was thinking, oh, maybe it’s the bookstore dog, but no, this is Rosie’s dog. This is not anyone else’s dog.
[00:34:36] Stephanie: Yeah. So
[00:34:40] Angela: I’m just looking down. Yeah, there was an entire little gossip section with our little session, not section session with a police officer. So there were a lot of characters and a lot of moments. Ah, you guys are so cute at a lot of characters. Yeah. Did you ever, I’m not trying to punch it up in your bills.
[00:35:02] Like, did you ever get confused going home? Cause there were two inspectors and I, and guess I kept getting them confused, like which one is the one who thinks, you know, halo today. Who’s the one who’s trying to be her friend. And then he was at the door. There were a lot of characters in this book. Yeah. It was hard to keep track of them all.
[00:35:18] Okay. So it wasn’t just me again. I helped
[00:35:23] Stephanie: well and I listened to it on audio and I think not seeing the names makes it a little harder when there’s so many characters to you, there’s something about actually reading the name that helps it stick more.
[00:35:38] Angela: So it will say
[00:35:39] Stephanie: I went back and forth between the audio and the book.
[00:35:44] And I loved the audio, especially for the accents of the different actors. And I love the narrator.
[00:35:51] Angela: I don’t know who it was, but I loved her. She, okay. I thought she had a sort of stern tone near the beginning. So I was trying to get used to her, but then as soon as she slipped into doing the accents, I’m going, nobody else in the narrator for this book, she nailed, I was so impressed by this.
[00:36:07] And I don’t mean this in a bad way, but she nailed the men’s voices. I don’t change her voice like that. I cannot make my voice sound manly in any way, shape or form. And the fact that she was able to do different mans, like different men, like male voices with accents was so impressive to me. Yeah. So the
[00:36:28] Stephanie: narrator was carrying tin McDuffy.
[00:36:33] Angela: Hmm, bye. Like, yeah, she did great.
[00:36:39] Okay. Yeah. So it is the first book in the series. So I will give you that. I think that it’s very difficult when it comes to cozies and I got to give her credit too, because she didn’t make them all unique. So even if I got confused by which name I knew who she was referring to in the scene, so I think that’s really fair, but yeah, that’s something a lot of first books in this series have to deal with.
[00:37:00] It’s very hard to do that. So I always give credit authors who are able to make the characters, you know, stand apart from one another. So even if I didn’t remember Gregory’s name and that scene, I knew that was bathrobe guy.
[00:37:15] Stephanie: Yes. Yup.
[00:37:21] Angela: Oh, interesting. So you liked the narrative’s voice for everyone except Delaney. I think I agree with you a little bit. Cause I think she sounded a little stern for some reason. Maybe that’s just my interpretation, but I think, I think that was. Maybe because she does the American accent and just stay, you know, between going back and forth with the Scottish.
[00:37:44] I just wanted more Scottish
[00:37:46] Stephanie: maybe. Yeah. I can understand that. It didn’t really bother me that much, but I, um, I think I’m less picky than other people when it comes to audio books.
[00:38:01] Angela: She was, yeah. I, I always delay, I love how we’re talking and I’m like the comments come in. So I want to throw it to you though.
[00:38:11] When it comes to you, was there something in particular that jumped out at you seeing dialogue, something where you guys are gone? We got to talk about this tonight. Was there something jumped out at you?
[00:38:25] Stephanie: No, I think of the big thing that just jumped out of me was like, just introducing all this kind of paranormal stuff that was never addressed.
[00:38:37] That was just the big thing that is like, wanting to talk about, which we already have, like, what is this going to be paranormal? Is it not? We will see.
[00:38:49] Angela: Yeah, we already, so we had, um, for the Instagram, cause I asked the question as well. So, uh, Regina, the Southern east does said she had questions at the end.
[00:38:59] So did you have any lingering questions at the end of the book that you wanted more information on? I mean, I want to know more about Hamlet just cause I love him.
[00:39:12] Stephanie: Yeah. And then
[00:39:14] Angela: like you already said more of the paranormal, like more of how that works.
[00:39:23] Can we just talk about that again, if this was any other book aside from a cozy mystery, you think that something terrible is going to happen to her? She becomes their surrogate daughter in a weird conspiracy theory sort of way, if this was anything but a cozy mystery, it would be very, very problematic or, you know, red flags everywhere.
[00:39:50] So maybe you can answer this question about more, the bookish voices for books, two and three, or do more books. Talk to her in two and three. I feel
[00:39:59] Stephanie: like they do. It’s been so long since I read them, but I, I think I remember it gets explored more in the following books. I’m going to have to reread them.
[00:40:11] Cause I also, um, that was when I was kind of first starting to get into cozies.
[00:40:18] Angela: So I didn’t really. Like you were converted. Yes. And I think I was
[00:40:26] Stephanie: looking it up earlier, but I think there’s like seven books
[00:40:29] Angela: out now in this series. That’s impressive. So people have definitely stayed with the series because otherwise there would not be that many in the seat.
[00:40:39] I was going to say, I forget what, oh, there was that many it’s like, okay, maybe I’ll give it a few more. Oh, this is interesting. Mary’s question. Do Tom and Delaney have a real relationship because it is, it does seem very much an instant attraction. I mean, less is not the same thing as love. I think they’re
[00:41:03] Stephanie: just like approaching a relationship.
[00:41:08] I don’t think they really got enough time to get into
[00:41:10] Angela: one thing. The Twitter page. I love how at the very end, when he goes, I can go tell your parents in person. And she goes, oh yeah, sending a hot Scottish guy to my parents who might have kissed once. That would be a real conversation between us.
[00:41:28] Stephanie: Good idea.
[00:41:31] Yeah. Okay. Hopefully
[00:41:35] Angela: did you, did you, did anyone know the answer to this? Because they did just go silent on her, her, her paranormal gift failed. did you F did you solve that? I mean, that’s a secondary mystery in a way.
[00:41:50] Stephanie: No, it just went away. And then all of a sudden it’s back
[00:41:58] Angela: Vanessa, longer game. She knows that the seventh one is coming out in April thing is audit. Yeah. Other people are curious. Why did they go silent? I mean, was it just because the folio, I don’t know what her connection to the folio would be. I mean, that seemed to be. The reason it was, as soon as she found the folio, she was able to hear them again.
[00:42:18] But unless she was named, I mean, I was thinking if her name was Cordelia or something Shakespearian, and there was a connection or something along those lines, but I’m not really sure why her gift was connected to the fully out. I’m hoping that’s explored more later. Yeah, that was,
[00:42:38] Stephanie: yeah. This definitely feels like, which I know it is, but the first book in a series, cause I feel like there’s so much, she had to set up that some of these things just don’t get answered.
[00:42:48] Angela: So you’re left with questions and sketchy people. Yeah. Market. Okay. I, again, I’m originally from Massachusetts and Salem is right next door. I mean, you don’t call it, you know, which murder Ville or something like, I mean, which up in flames. I, yes, I understand. It’s a part of the history. But that’s not exactly a very attractive part of the history.
[00:43:17] You’re all very wealthy people, hire creative individuals to brainstorm better names. Also, where did they all get their money? Where they all just family money? Because that I forget how many people are in or I put, is it seven people in their little random group? They’re all very wealthy people. That lady dropped.
[00:43:33] What, $50,000 on a random painting that she had no idea about until two minutes before she spent the money. But
[00:43:44] yeah.
[00:43:51] Yeah. Okay.
[00:43:56] Stephanie: Um, it doesn’t really fit in with the cozy
[00:43:58] Angela: vibe. What’d you do? He knocked something off the chair.
[00:44:06] Stephanie: There we go.
[00:44:08] Angela: It was my phone. It did not break. I have the cover on it. Cute and functional. Apparently we can just put the little guy up there. So was there something else that you wanted to talk about? Something about the story, the mystery. I mean, I thought that this had a little bit more of a, I think someone used the word grit.
[00:44:31] I saw that at some point with the comments and I think that’s a very fair way of saying it because we have the lighthearted fun cozies. But as soon as you start saying she has the drug history and oh, that building is, you know, I, as soon as she would go anywhere near my antennas up, it was not a lighthearted.
[00:44:49] Oh, let’s go skipping sort of, I don’t know where that came from, but what did you think about that? Was it a little darker for you? Oh, yeah,
[00:44:58] Stephanie: this kind of reminded me more of, um, Julia Buckley’s writer’s apprentice that one’s a little more dark to you. Like it’s kind of on the edge, outer edge
[00:45:09] Angela: of cozy
[00:45:11] Stephanie: to me
[00:45:14] Angela: as I’m trying to move a little bit, I crossed my legs and he was like, I was like, okay, babe, you gotta reposition yourself. Oh, that’s a good,
[00:45:27] Stephanie: Ooh.
[00:45:32] Angela: Yeah. What was, who was the person in all gold. I mean, that’s one way to flaunt your wealth saying I have gold everywhere for
[00:45:40] Stephanie: me.
[00:45:42] Angela: Okay. So other people did.
[00:45:47] I thought maybe it was just me because I had gone from reading kinda. Yes. He, he just looked at my hand, like I’m part of the treat that I’m holding for him. Um, I just gone from reading more Eve called her with, and then there were crumbs and I’m reading. Um, what is it? Sugar and virus. So I was very much in the lighthearted cozy.
[00:46:04] And then we go to this one. So just have a different feel because yes, there’s coffee, which we have reference, but we don’t actually have, oh, I love baking. I love this. We get Shakespeare. He’s dark, dark. So I think maybe that plays into it a little bit too. I mean, I think Titus Andronicus traumatized me.
[00:46:27] So I don’t know if you get that reference. Yes. Thank you for flattening. I, um, that one was that one scared me. So maybe I think Shakespeare is darker anyway.
[00:46:40] Stephanie: Yeah. And I didn’t think this one was too dark though. Cause there’s another series that it’s advertised as a cozy, but it doesn’t feel like a cozy cause it’s just
[00:46:50] Angela: so dark.
[00:46:53] Stephanie: Um, so I think this was a good balance.
[00:46:58] Angela: I like this common in Scotland was the star of the book fully agree. I mean, everyone in the Outlander family, I think Outlander somehow made Scotland’s we have, I think it kind of goes up and down randomly with pop culture.
[00:47:14] We have Braveheart, there’s a spike. I think certain things will randomly draw interest to Scotland. I think that’s great. We need more killed. Apparently the world will be better with more. Yeah. You say for Delaney? I think that would be her dream having men on a runway with Kilz. I think that would be your ultimate.
[00:47:36] Um, okay, so you like the slightly darker, cozy,
[00:47:45] there’s another, um,
[00:47:46] Stephanie: cozy mystery series by Hannah. Read
[00:47:48] Angela: that sentence Scotland.
[00:47:51] Stephanie: Um, the first one is called off-kilter and it’s really cute. Um,
[00:47:59] Angela: I have it around your summer. Carlene O’Connor. Is that with. Yeah, no, that’s another one. Yeah.
[00:48:07] Stephanie: They know I’ll be right back
[00:48:14] Angela: my library. I was trying something new for y’all cause I always have the same backdrop and I love, I didn’t even realize this with the positioning of the camera, but you got Sean Spencer, like right behind me.
[00:48:25] Stephanie: It’s just his face right there.
[00:48:28] Angela: Perfectly in the corner. Like he’s going to join the live stream.
[00:48:32] Yes. He’s excited to be here too. Okay. Oh yes. Yes. Oh, she’s got books. What’s she got?
[00:48:46] Stephanie: Oh yeah.
[00:48:47] Angela: I loved that one. I
[00:48:50] Stephanie: haven’t read that. That’s in my month of Scottish. I know that Siri said in
[00:48:55] Angela: Scotland also.
[00:49:00] I I’m, I’m like losing track. I got to look calm. I lit up, I was doing things. I haven’t some, but yes, Tracy. Cause that’s Tracy hall, the writing. Cause there’s Tracy. Okay. I’m going to, I don’t want to mess this up and I don’t want to get it wrong. So there’s Patricia and Tracy. So they do the writing duo for Tracy hall.
[00:49:21] I think so there’s two women, but they’re both super sweet. Who do the writing? I mean, they joined, Chili’s a cozies. They were probably one of the first to join blast time. I organized it. I love their emails cause they’re just so sweet and supportive. So. They’re not just, you know, writing a series outside of Scotland there.
[00:49:39] Great people do so shout out for them.
[00:49:42] Stephanie: I believe I won this at 12 days of cause he’s
[00:49:44] Angela: this hero.
[00:49:49] Oh, well, speaking of giveaways, you just reminded me. So if anyone is going to malice, I only have two things here. So I put this aside as we leave, I’m donating one of the auction baskets. And so this is the auction basket. Let me make an angle this properly. So we had a basket put together. So if you’re going, we have that, the basket there, all the stickers and swag.
[00:50:15] And then I have something else when I love how to keep losing stuff front of me, I put together little bags so that if you see me and say, hi, I have a little gift for you for being a part of the Christmas drama club. And because you’re awesome. And I just love you guys. So there’s a lot of there’s little candies.
[00:50:29] There’s the tea. I have different gifts in here. So we have an enamel pin. I am obsessed with these pens. I almost didn’t want to give them away because I love that they have the diamond on top and they say slither on them. So we have little, the bags are all different, but they all have the similarities of having some special insights.
[00:50:46] So something that they’re. So please say hi to me. If you see me there, I’m really excited for the comments she’s going to.
[00:50:59] Oh, thank you. I’m glad you liked the basket. I worked really hard on it. Thank you. Okay, so it’s called malice domestic. Yes. Next he went on the floor and I think he wants to back up in the lap. So can we, it’s going to be in, I believe it’s the best of Maryland. So I think it’s also the 22nd to 25th. If I’m remembering correctly, I’ve got my head.
[00:51:22] Yes.
[00:51:23] Stephanie: Where’s your trick that
[00:51:30] Angela: I have to throw it. I think. I’m talking to my daughter
[00:51:35] Stephanie: for me
[00:51:39] to say
[00:51:39] Angela: hi,
[00:51:44] I love the Paul.
[00:51:57] You have such a cute, beautiful, horrible, like, can I hug him virtually? Yes. I did also want to mention, so we have next month is on borrowed crime and I’m very, I love these graphics. I spend way too much time doing them, but I am so happy and we officially have our entire 20, 22 TBR. And I feel as if that’s a mic drop, I am so proud of us.
[00:52:30] I am so happy with the response on Twitter. I think we broke a hundred votes for pretty much all of them, except for like maybe one or two. And my mind was just blown by that fact sort of the participation, like the participation, the people chatting about them. It has just been amazing. And I’m so appreciative of that.
[00:52:47] So I have the list for you guys that is now the pin tweet, and there’s a lot of coziness here to enjoy. So please add these, please, please add them to future because library visits, there’s a lot going on. Yeah, I
[00:53:01] Stephanie: love that you have the whole rest of the year planned. That makes it so
[00:53:05] Angela: easy. I think it’s been a very interesting progression.
[00:53:11] So it went from having sort of what is it, two weeks. So then as soon as the live stream happened, then that was on the voting ended. And then you had, you know, a week to get the book. And then that was the system for awhile. And I liked the quarterly system that was working out very well. But I think like this whole doing it a whole year and letting each poll be live for a week at a time, he wants me to throw his toy.
[00:53:38] I like, I think that this is going to work out well, and I’m happy about that. I love
[00:53:46] he’s running away. He doesn’t even want me to throw it. He just wants me to know he has the toy.
[00:53:52] Stephanie: He’s so
[00:53:52] Angela: cute. I’m so mean. Apparently I’m not allowed to talk to you. He’s very possessive. You are done. Yes, he’s in charge. Okay. We also appreciate the fact that this toy is pretty much his size. Okay. Now he’s going to run and hopefully that will keep him busy for him.
[00:54:15] It was like, go enjoy yourself. It’s like having a toddler, but he does not grow out of the toddler phase. He’s toddler and yeah, he’s he’s eight years old. He doesn’t look around for a toddler. That’s what, that’s a good way to put it. We gotta do that as a new cozy mystery theme. Cause he can’t the terrible twos.
[00:54:42] Stephanie: Oh my
[00:54:42] Angela: goodness. Oh, we also have, um, I don’t, I know some people are still doing it, but we do have soothing Tuesdays with your Sherlock hamsters. I am very good and proud of this graphic. So I’m almost shouting out the graphics, but yes, I did want to just mention that as well. So if you’re a Democrat, only person that you covered with that.
[00:55:00] So I think those are the new graphics that I added for the most part. Although we do have a giveaway tonight, which I am super pumped about, so awesome with the comments, I love your comments and I get to go through them all and randomly choose a winner for the entire seaside cafe series seven paperback books.
[00:55:21] I think that is an incredible giveaway and poisoned pen press. I want to bow down to you and thank you and give you all the shout outs and love, because that is so generous and kind, and whoever wins this, I don’t even have all the books in the series. I’m I’m jealous. So you guys ever wins this? I hope you’re happy.
[00:55:40] Such a good series. I, yeah,
[00:55:43] Stephanie: I just finished this series
[00:55:46] Angela: last year. I cried, but so whoever wins, this has been one of my
[00:55:52] Stephanie: favorite. I love this series.
[00:55:56] Angela: I’ve I’ve, I’ve read your caption. And again, this is why I’m going to put you up on there. So w we’re going to help,
[00:56:04] she had a post and I thought it was absolutely durable the way you said all of the things must come to an end. I’m just going, oh my God.
[00:56:11] Stephanie: That’s a perfect way of saying that.
[00:56:13] Angela: I’m just gonna put stuff so well, like you, I, my introduction to cozy mysteries was Hannah Swenson read. I started with my grandma and she’s like, oh, you need
[00:56:27] Stephanie: to read this book.
[00:56:29] Angela: And I have read every single book and I love it to
[00:56:34] Stephanie: death, but there are some series I think, need to wrap
[00:56:39] Angela: up. So I was very glad to see this one wrap up, but I love it was a perfect end. I actually
[00:56:48] Stephanie: have
[00:56:49] Angela: three of them over there. I only have three. I have the first three as paperbacks, but the rest are eBooks.
[00:56:54] Um, I think you just hit the nail on the head with that one. So I, I, there’s something about international television channels and international authors when they just, I know Brie baker and AKA Julian Lindsay is local, but I always get the biggest takeout of how they know like, oh, we’re just going to do a season here.
[00:57:14] We’re going to do a mini series and Americans are going, we’re going to have Grey’s anatomy on forever. We’re never ending this TV show.
[00:57:25] I’m getting Julianne Lindsay or AKA Brie baker, AKA Jacqueline Frost, AK, whatever other name there, because I know I’m forgetting one, um, credit for knowing it’s time to, we’re going to tie a pretty bow on this because sometimes you’re going okay. Now they’re gathered up now we’re we have this random character who was introduced now they’re gone.
[00:57:43] So the way you said it was. Giving one or the shot out.
[00:57:47] Stephanie: Yeah. And I
[00:57:48] Angela: watched an interview
[00:57:49] Stephanie: with her and said that she actually got lucky and knew that would be the last book. So she got to, she knew it was going to end, or some authors. They don’t really know that she was able to make it
[00:58:04] Angela: special. I, that is the worst.
[00:58:07] And authors don’t know that a series is ending and they leave cliffhangers. That drives me nuts as a reader.
[00:58:17] Stephanie: Yup. Yeah.
[00:58:21] Angela: Yeah. So
[00:58:21] Stephanie: whoever wins you are very
[00:58:23] Angela: lucky and you better read them off and let me know how you think, right, Keith? Um, I, yeah, I, I think it’s one of those I haven’t, so I haven’t read the last one on the series yet, but again, it’s one of those you want to be able to save her because you’re not going to be able to read it for the first time again.
[00:58:43] You want them, you want it to start. You just gotta be in the mental health space for this serious coming to a close so that you it’s like losing a family, a family member or friend or something, but at least you can always go back and reread
[00:59:02] ninja. Yes. I absolutely love that series, but
[00:59:06] Stephanie: it needs to end. I’m sorry.
[00:59:11] Angela: Oh yeah, whoever wins. It should come with a little kid chocolate and maybe other things to brighten your day. Once you hit close on that book, right? Oh my goodness. I’m trying to think if there’s any other announcements, but if you guys have any questions, please comment with them now.
[00:59:29] Um, I will just mention, I know one of the other comments was how to sign up for the newsletter and where’d she go? Red Lori.
[00:59:44] Okay. I did not kick her out of it. I’m looking at a totally different screen. That was not my fault. Just for the record. That was not my fault. I have my iPad set up here and I’m looking at the images. I’m not taking the fall for that one. That is, that is the internet. So hopefully she’ll be able to come back and say goodbye before we wrap up.
[01:00:05] So fingers crossed. She can rejoin, but, well, we’re figuring that on this side, I will just post that. If you want to sign up for the newsletter, there are, there are quite a few different ways to do that. So there is the cozy mystery book club website at the very bottom of the page, you can submit your email address and go that way.
[01:00:23] I have it on my own personal website, right on the home page. That is the giant pink box there for you. And then if you’re on Instagram, um, there’s the link to. It was called the link tree link. That feels very repetitive. I don’t, I don’t like saying that, but there is a landing page there to click on as well, because I do have some really cool things coming up in this newsletter.
[01:00:45] And I’m so excited to announce I work on things behind the scenes and I wait until they’re all perfectly ready to go. And then I announce things and she’s
[01:00:57] Stephanie: on my phone. Now.
[01:01:01] Angela: I was, I thought I was looking at the screen. I’m going, I did not touch anything. Everybody in the comments
[01:01:06] Stephanie: is like, oh, this is the next book. This is the next mystery.
[01:01:09] Angela: Where did Lori go?
[01:01:14] Yeah, that would, yeah, that would have been actually a really good title. What happened to Laurie? Very cozy mystery esque. So I know that was one of the questions that I wanted to answer because I get that in DM sometimes, but there is a lot of exciting stuff coming up that I’ve been working on. Um, I love how I’m just kind of excited to tell you guys when it finally happens.
[01:01:38] So there’s things that, that have been happening and I’m really excited to finally reveal them because one of the things has been in the it’s been on the back burner for going on over like two years. And it’s funny because I finally was talking, so Ben is involved in the first installment of this button books.
[01:01:57] I love him. He’s adorable, shout out. And so I pulled up the Fiverr order for one of the things and it said August 20, 21, I’m going bad. That was one that, that went through. So I can actually look back at the day it’s and going back and see the progress that has been coming. So I’m really excited to finally, you know, I’ve been, I try and do things.
[01:02:19] I try and do things to keep you happy and cozy. Um, you just reminded me too. If you guys posted a photo of the book of the month, Um, this is not the month. There we go. That was when max was doing stuff. So if you posted a photo of the cracks, fine, let me know, send me the link, whether it’s a DM on Instagram, Twitter email, I will send you a bookmark as a thank you.
[01:02:45] And I’ll include extra swag because that’s just what I do. So let me know, because you’re entitled to a hashtags with your bookmark and there’s somewhere on this table at this point, and I’ve lost track of them. So did anyone have any other comments about the book or about the book club? If there’s something you guys are thinking about where you want to know more about it, if there’s something you guys want to mention when it comes to the book and throw it out to you.
[01:03:13] Stephanie: Thanks for having us on there. It was super fun to talk about. I’ve been looking forward to it.
[01:03:19] Angela: Yeah, well, I’m excited to finally be a part. I’m really excited to get a shout with you guys. It was so funny too. So I told my mom and she goes, oh, I actually went on the Instagram and I saw Laurie isn’t she, she follows, she goes on every so often.
[01:03:35] She’s not a follower, but she’ll click on the link. She goes, oh, it was Lori or the one who posted that photo. And then she, and then I mentioned Stephanie and she goes, oh, she was really great. The last time you had her on. So
[01:03:48] thank you. I was so happy when I was, when you said yes, because when I asked, I always get nervous. You can see the little hurted, you know, baby eyes, bunnies going, you going to say yes, I was really, really excited when I got your response. And I also plan on inviting you for future live streams and this side project, I am going to be asking you to potentially do something that definitely in for all of it.
[01:04:17] Yeah. And so cozy. And I’m going to put you guys on again. So you guys got already falling following Stephanie. We got her Twitter, Instagram, and then again, I love my graphics for you guys. You guys are so great and you deserve all of the graphics we have reading with Mrs. Leaf. Apparently max wants to agree with that and he gave you a little growl.
[01:04:37] So I am very, apparently max is like stamp of approval. So I’m so grateful and so appreciative that you took the time to join me and shout about this book. And I love how you guys, whenever I ask people to do the guest hosting, they’re then responsible for reading the book. So I appreciate you reading the book, thinking about it, trying to make notes of, oh, this is what I want to mention.
[01:05:00] Oh, this is the character. So I appreciate you putting in the little extra effort with that. So shout outs, gold stars for that one. Oh my goodness. And then I just want to see if anyone has any other comments or questions. Oh, you guys are so sweet. So if there’s any other comments, any other questions, comments, please let me know.
[01:05:21] What I am going to do is this video is going to remain public. And I’m also going to, I’ve been working on this as well. Now I’ve been trying to make sure that the episodes remain accessible because there was an incident this summer where my YouTube channel was down, but I got it back up. Thank God. Um, so that was really, that was really traumatizing, but I’ve been converting all of our live streams into podcast episodes so that they’re in a different platform, different space, so that if anything ever happens to YouTube, we have a backup system.
[01:05:50] And we’re also having all the live streams transcribed for yes. Starting for the 20, 21 live streams. So for 2021 and 2022 transcriptions. So I’m going to keep you guys up to date. So if you ever need any information there, I got you covered. So all the coziness and. So just shattered again, I’m going to post this, so please make sure you go check out Laurie and Stephanie’s pages.
[01:06:17] They are awesome and so sweet. And when you read their comments there, so you guys just have an authenticity that I appreciate so much, and you have the love of literature that speaks to my heart. So again, shouting out, thank you for joining me tonight and reading this book and you guys are welcome back anytime you really do so much.
[01:06:36] And so I just want to say, thank you guys for joining. It has been incredible to see the number of comments I am so excited to go look for the entries for the giveaway and organize. I always, I actually write them up by hand. So every single person’s name with the comments, I always write your names out and I’m so excited to go read your comments because there’s been so much participation tonight.
[01:06:55] And I just want to say, thank you for that. That makes me so happy. And it makes me feel as if you know, the time and energy I spend organizing things. So. More than you guys taking part in this, you guys commenting. So thank you for brightening my day. I appreciate it. So I think it’s, I live a max. Want to just, I don’t know if the microphone picked up on that, but he did a little kind of bark.
[01:07:20] It wasn’t park. So he agrees as well. So I’m going, I must there’s anything else you guys want to add? And we’re going to say good night. Can I thank you guys for joining and happy reading slew thing and stay safe and cozy. Have a nice night guys.
