I am happy to shine my spotlight on
Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure

About Off The Rails 

Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure
Middle Grade Fiction
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 – 12 years
2nd in Series
Setting – Montana
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hastings Creations Group
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 204 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952371236
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952371233
Digital will be available too.

After planning a fun experience for a year, two Texas cousins make their first trip to Montana. When their train stalls, the boys leap from it into the white wilderness, beginning a perilous run for their lives.

As a blizzard hits, the boys spend a miserable night trying not to freeze. They struggle along the tracks to find shelter, but a disaster leaves them exposed to the elements and every famished wild creature.

Frustrated by their too-real situation, Davy and Anderson struggle to endure. Instead of vacationers at a wolf sanctuary, they become players in an unplanned survival experience.

Just because your cousin jumps from a train in the wilderness doesn’t mean you should too.

About Susan Count

Susan Count is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Texas Association of Authors. She takes studying the craft of writing seriously. Revision is her super-power.

Ms. Count has published Texas Boys Adventures, Dream Horse Adventures, and Dream Pony Riders. All series are for young readers ages 8 – 14.

Susan is a life-long equestrian and owned by a Rocky Mountain Horse that is kind-hearted enough to take her on long, forested trail rides. She says the only thing more fun than riding might be writing adventure stories for children.

Answer to why did I write Off The Rails

Ten of my novels are horse books for girls. But on the rare occasions that I do an event book table, I’m inevitable asked if I’ve written any books for boys. So, I wrote this two book series (Texas Boys Adventures) because you asked and kept asking. You and my four grandsons. Finding wholesome books that will engage 8- to 12-year-old boys is a parental challenge.

I’m so old school. Let the kids keep their childhood for as long as possible. I believe in protecting their young hearts and minds. Give them adventures where they learn to build friendships and be the hero of their own stories. Capture their interest and then encourage and strengthen them to grow into the arrows they are destined to be.

Social Media Links
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September 3 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 4 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
September 4 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 7 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
September 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 10 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT
September 11 – Book HookUp – REVIEW

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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.

The post Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure by Susan Count #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @susancountauthor appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

Welcome to Flashback Friday!
According to GoodReads, I read this book back in 2011,
but didn’t post a review.
I think that was an error, because I didn’t remember
anything about this book.
Beyond the Page reissued this series in 2021,
and that is the only copy I have.

Organize Your Corpses
(A Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : Beyond the Page
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 18, 2021
Print length ‏ : ‎ 233 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1954717237
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1954717237
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1954717220
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09418HBNV

Professional organizer Charlotte Adams finds herself caught up in a very messy murder . . .

After freeing herself from a cheating fiancé and the other useless clutter in her life, Charlotte Adams moves back to her hometown in Upstate New York to make a fresh start as a professional organizer. But she’s about to learn that foul play can creep into even the most well-ordered life.

Eager to get her new career started, Charlotte agrees to take on a job from the former high school teacher who filled all her students’ lives with chaos and confusion. But no sooner does Charlotte begin digging through years of accumulated junk than she finds her first client dead—and herself named as the main suspect.

While any number of the victim’s former students had a motive for murder, Charlotte knows that death is rarely that tidy, and she can’t help meddling in the investigation to prove herself innocent and repair her sullied reputation. But the killer has a to-do list of their own, and the first item is to clean up a little mess named Charlotte Adams . . .

Organizing Tips Included!

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

Charlotte Adams needs a new start. She’s getting rid of the clutter in her life, including her cheating fiancé. She has moved back to her hometown and is ready to offer her organizing tips to the public. Her first client is a former high school teacher who made her students’ lives miserable. Hopefully, now that Charlotte is an adult, they will be able to get along because the woman has an enormous project for Charlotte to handle.

Before Charlotte can even begin to tackle the job, she finds her client buried under the clutter and her the police’s number one suspect. She knows she can build a long list of potential suspects: the woman’s years of tormented students, all with more motive to kill. She just needs to organize that list and determine who did in Miss Helen “Hellfire” Henley before they can wipe her out.

Ms. Maffini introduces a very interesting protagonist in Charlotte Adams. She is relatable and clever, with a keen mind tuned to organization and not afraid to take on monumental tasks like investigating a murder. Her friend, Sally, has her hands full with her three “darlings”. Her husband, Benjamin, wishes there was more organization to the chaos in his home. So, maybe Charlotte can help him out, and Sally can help her investigate. Her landlord, Jack, is also willing to help follow clues, run interference, or whatever Charlotte needs, when he is not trying to get Charlotte to adopt another dog. Speaking of dogs, Charlotte already has two lovable mini-dachshunds; the black one is Truffle, and the red one is Sweet Marie. Former best friend, now Detective Sergeant Pepper O’Day Monahan, seems to have it out for Charlotte and has no problem hauling Charlotte in for questioning. For the first book in this series, the characters were very fleshed out while leaving plenty of room for growth.

The mystery was complex and well-plotted with great twists and turns, and a very surprising one at the end. The killer was a planner and took their time for pieces to fall into place. They also had no problem with adding to the body count. I enjoyed the author’s descriptive writing style. She brings each person and setting to life without being overly wordy. The clues were shrewdly placed, as were the comedic moments. I had a delightful time following along for each one.

Organize Your Corpses sets this series off to a fun and entertaining start with engaging characters and a well-written whodunit. I enjoy how Ms. Maffini tells a story with depth, suspense, and humor. I may be late to the party on this series, but I have added book 2, The Cluttered Corpse, to my wish list. I hope I can squeeze it into my reading schedule soon.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Beyond the Page and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About The Author

Mary Jane Maffini is the award-winning Canadian author of three mystery series: crochety lawyer Camilla MacPhee sleuths around Ottawa. Failed romance writer, Fiona Silk hides out in West Quebec, and professional organizer Charlotte Adams sorts out people and crimes in upstate New York. Bad things happen. And sometimes funny things happen. It’s a mystery.

The six Charlotte Adams professional organizer mysteries have recently been optioned for television. Book five, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder, won the RT award for amateur sleuth in 2012. The recently released sixth Charlotte book, Death Plans a Perfect Trip, unfolds in Europe, and the trip gives us a glimpse of the dangerous sides of Paris, Lisbon, and Cinque Terre. The first five in the series were recently reissued with great new covers by Beyond the Page.

As Victoria Abbott, MJ co-writes the book collector series with her daughter, Victoria Maffini.

MJ lives in the tranquil village of Manotick, Ontario, with her long-suffering husband and two princessy dachshunds. Along with brave little Lily, she is a school volunteer in the Ottawa Therapy Dogs R.E.A.D. program.

Find out more about Mary Jane Maffini and her books on her website HERE. 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.

The post #FlashbackFriday – Organize Your Corpses (A Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery) by Mary Jane Maffini #Review #AmazonGiftCardGiveaway @maryjane.maffini appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

I recently learned that Darlene Joy Ryan passed away on February 26, 2026. You may not recognize her by her real name. Darlene is known to cozy mystery lovers as Sofie Ryan and Sofie Kelly. As Sofie Ryan, she wrote the Second Chance Cat Mysteries (12 Books), and as Sofie Kelly, she wrote the Magical Cats Mystery Series (16 Books). She also wrote several Young Adult books and A Mother’s Adoption Journey, as herself. I loved every Magical Cats Mystery. Hercules and Owen are wonderfully frisky and magical felines. Sadly, I have only read the first Second Chance Cat Mystery. The others are waiting patiently on my To-Be-Read bookshelf.  Darlene brought so much joy to so many people with her cozy mysteries, releasing the final Second Chance Cat Mystery in March of 2025—a great legacy. May she rest in peace.

In Loving Memory of
Darlene Joy Ryan

1958 – 2026

The post Rest in Peace Darlene Joy Ryan appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!

I am delighted to feature and share my thoughts today about
Eat, Drink, and Get Buried (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle.

Eat, Drink, and Get Buried (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
by Cleo Coyle

About Eat, Drink, and Get Buried

Eat, Drink, and Get Buried (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
22nd in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 22, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593642317
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593642313
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593642320
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GC3CJTMX
Audiobook
ASIN B0GTS1W181
MP3 CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228950139

When the Village Blend caters a glittering rooftop party, their creative coffee concoctions are eclipsed by a shocking murder in this thrilling new Coffeehouse Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Years ago, when master roaster Clare Cosi was a newly divorced mom raising her daughter, Joy, Ava Welsh became Joy’s best friend. Now the painfully shy girl next door has grown into a successful New York businesswoman, and Clare is delighted to be catering Ava’s coffee-themed party, especially when her boyfriend, Ryan, confides his plan to propose that very night.

Then a scream shatters the celebration. A woman is thrown off the balcony to her death, and Ryan–who abruptly flees the party–is accused of murder. Clare vows to help Ava clear his name.

Her digging uncovers suspicious connections to a deadly event from which a teenaged Joy and Ava barely escaped with their lives. The stakes rise ever higher as a ruthless killer attempts to keep the ugly truth buried–even if it means sending Clare and her caffeinated crew six feet under.

Recipes Included

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

The Village Blend is catering a rooftop birthday party for Ava Welsh’s boyfriend, a young woman Clare has known for years, and her daughter Joy’s best friend. Ava has grown by leaps and bounds over the years; she is now the corporate event manager for the high-profile MacGill Hospitality and Entertainment. Clare is excited about the coffee-themed party for several reasons. It is great for the Village Blend’s bottom line and advertising. Her daughter Joy is coming to the city for the party. And Ava’s boyfriend, Ryan, has revealed he is going to propose to Ava during the party.

Everything at the event is going smoothly. Clare makes the rounds, making sure her employees have everything they need, making adjustments to some decorations, and visiting with party attendees. Then a “loud shriek of terror” brings the party to a screeching halt. Clare soon learns a woman was thrown 15 stories off the balcony; she is dead below in the alley. Ryan quickly left the party knowing he was going to be accused of her murder.

Clare, with the help of her family and friends, is determined to help Ava prove Ryan’s innocence, not knowing she would have to revisit a terrifying event from their past. Danger mounts the more she reveals. She may not get out of the one alive.

Wow, just Wow! This writing team continues to bring it, topping themselves with each new book in this series.

First, the characters they are created for this series are complex and layered, as are their relationships. Clare’s employees are her family. Respect runs both ways, and they all genuinely care about each other. Matt’s mother, “Madame” Blanche Dreyfus Allegro DuBois, is not only Clare’s mentor, but also a friend and confidant. She is also up for anything when it comes to helping Clare with her investigation. She is an inspiration. Matt is pushed to step it up in this story, especially when he learns about the danger surrounding Clare, Joy, and Eva. Village Blend’s assistant manager, Tucker, was also very involved in the investigation. Dante, Esther, and Nancy do their part searching social media for info and keeping The Village Blend under control while Clare follows leads. I loved that Joy was home, and in addition to being by Ava’s side through all the drama, she has concerns of her own. Being the 22nd book in this series, I have become very invested in these characters’ lives and look forward to each visit.

Next, the mystery is complicated and clever, blending past misdeeds and corruption with present ones. The guilty are determined to keep the secrets buried, at all costs, even if it means burying a few more bodies. An attempted murder by car kicks things off, then the murder, and then hold on tight as Clare travels all over the city and beyond, chasing down clues, fighting off criminals, and saving loved ones. Twist after twist, I found myself on the edge of my seat. Cleo Coyle is an expert at writing this genre, so in between all the suspense, moments of comedy are perfectly placed. Madame had a moment that had me laughing out loud.

Each new book in this series becomes my new favorite. I finish it and can’t imagine what these authors will come up with for The Village Blend crew next. Well, Eat, Drink, and Get Buried knocked my socks off. It kept me glued to my seat and up late. I truly couldn’t put it down. Well-plotted, well-written, checks every cozy mystery box, and more. It’s another Dollycas’s Best Read. I highly recommend the entire series, but new readers can jump in with this book. I promise you will want to go back and read more.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Cleo Coyle, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Cleo Coyle

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating more than 20 years in print, and the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. With more than one million books sold, their works have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; received multiple Best of Year selection honors from reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, wrangle their rescue cats, drink a lot of java, and cook like crazy. Connect with Cleo at CoffeehouseMystery.com

Author Links
Webpage     Free Newsletter     Facebook     Twitter (X)
BookBub     Goodreads    Instagram

Purchase Links:

The Rest of the Series

Also written by Cleo Coyle

Coming September 29, 2026

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
September 1 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW
September 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 2 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – The Editing Pen – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
September 7 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT
September 10 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 11 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 11 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT
September 12 – Book Hookup – REVIEW
September 13 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT 
September 14 – deal sharing aunt – SPOTLIGHT

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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.

The post Cozy Wednesday featuring Eat, Drink, and Get Buried (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @cleocoyle_author @BerkleyMystery appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

The wedding never happened. The murder did.

Bookstore owner and former English teacher Felice Mendes expects nothing more mysterious than family drama when she arrives at historic Briar Hill Estate for the wedding of the season. But before the bride can walk down the aisle, the groom is found dead—and suspicion quickly falls on the wrong man.

Felice knows better than most that every story has more than one side. With the help of her friends, the Blackboard Belles—a sharp-eyed circle of retired educators who never lost the habit of asking questions—she begins sorting fact from gossip and following clues others have overlooked.

What they uncover reaches far beyond one disastrous wedding: old family wounds, a historic mill worth fighting for, forgotten documents, broken promises, and a trail of quiet observations someone has been preserving for years.

In Cartwell, Virginia, the past has a long memory—and someone was counting on its secrets staying buried.

With an innocent man’s future at stake, Felice and the Belles must piece together the story before the wrong person pays for a murder he didn’t commit.

Perfect for readers who love clever amateur sleuths, independent bookshops, close-knit friendships, charming animal companions, small-town secrets, and traditional cozy mysteries where every clue matters.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The historic Briar Hill Estate in Cartwell, Virginia, is a wonderful place for a wedding and apparently a murder as well.

Retired teacher and now bookstore owner Felice Mendes arrives at the wedding with her book favors ordered by the bride right after the guests are seated and just before the groom is found with an elegant letter opener stabbed through a contract and into his chest. Thirty years of teaching had trained Felice to assess situations before reacting, but with Gerald Holt dead, there would be no wedding, and any of the 200 guests could have killed him, but the police have their focus on one man, the wrong man. This is a clear case for the Blackboard Belles, a group of retired educators with keen investigative skills. They will dig deep to uncover all the connections and unearth every secret and clue so an innocent man doesn’t find himself behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit.

I was pulled in by the characters Ms. Noble created for this story. Felice, a former English teacher; Fiona, a former high school teacher; Ramona, a former school librarian; and Maureen, a former elementary teacher, are joined by Samuel, a retired science teacher, and are the Blackboard Belles. We also meet Myrtle the cockatiel, Pickle, a beagle, and a tuxedo cat named Captain Whiskers. All are unique and have their own talents. I felt I was missing some history because it was said that “Cartwell had eventually started calling them the Blackboard Belles.” The retired educators “gathered around Forget Me Not Books and somehow found themselves untangling other people’s mysteries”.  Since this is the first book I have read by Ms. Noble, I don’t know if they were introduced in another series.

The mystery was complicated and needed every Belle’s input. I thought using a blackboard as a murder board to keep track of each connection, clue, and theory was fun. What surprised me was that it was on full display in the bookstore. Usually in stories like this, they are kept hidden. There is a lot of repetition as Felice goes over the evidence and clues to bring them together and to move the investigation forward. There were also a few editing errors that gave me pause but not enough to ruin the story. I enjoyed how everyone worked together and that while Deputy Okafor isn’t happy about the Belles investigating, he was open to accepting information from them. I would have loved to meet Cora Alcott, a now deceased housekeeper, who kept, saved, and recorded everything; every transaction, every agreement, and she kept meticulous records. Records that were key to solving the case. My kinda lady!

The Briar Hill Wedding Murder is filled with genuine small-town characters and charm. I had a great time tagging along with the Blackboard Belles and look forward to visiting Cantwell again soon. Pressed Between The Pages, the next book in this series, was recently released, and as I write this review, it is FREE in the Kindle format. I will be reviewing it soon.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

Samantha Noble is the author of the Hazelwood High Jinx and Purrs & Puzzles Cat Café cozy mystery series, where the gossip is juicy, the animals sometimes seem smarter than the humans, and the bodies always seem to turn up at the worst possible time.

Set in small towns bursting with secrets (and the occasional sass from a parrot or a dog or a cat), Samantha’s mysteries blend humor, heart, and whodunits that’ll keep you guessing. Whether you’re following a curious innkeeper, a determined cat café owner, or a parrot with a taste for drama, you’re in for a delightful dose of cozy crime-solving.

When she’s not writing or wrangling plot twists with her editors or VA Chad Penwright, or getting suggestions from her Beta Team or ARC team, Samantha is likely sipping something caffeinated, daydreaming about her next book cover, or driving around town plotting murders (fictional ones—promise!).

Author Links – Website – Instagram – Facebook – GoodReads – TikTok – X – BookBub – 

Find ALL of Samantha Noble’s books HERE. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.

The post The Briar Hill Wedding Murder: And The Women Of The Archives (Blackboard Belles Cozy Mysteries) by Samantha Noble #Review #FREEBOOK @samanthanobleauthor appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

Welcome to My Reading Itinerary Monday!

Where are your books taking you
this week?

I will be traveling to Idaho, Washington State, and California!

Here’s what I read and what I have planned for this week.

Escapes Completed

The Briar Hill Wedding Murder: And The Women Of The Archives (Blackboard Belles Cozy Mysteries)
by Samantha Noble
Release Date – July 16, 2026
Setting – Virginia
My Review will be up tomorrow!

Eat, Drink, and Get Buried (A Coffeehouse Mystery Book)
by Cleo Coyle
Release Date – September 22, 2026
Setting – New York
The Great Escapes Book Tour stops here this week
for Cozy Wednesday!

Organize Your Corpses (A Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery)
by Mary Jane Maffini
Release Date – May 18, 2021
Setting – New York
My #FlashbackFriday Read and for my Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Scheduled Escapes

Eight Enchanting Elixirs (Kitchen Witch Mysteries)
by Lynn Cahoon
Release Date – July 28, 2026
Setting – Idaho
For Review

Apple Pies and Poisoned Lies at the Cider Falls Festival. (A Cider Falls Orchard Mystery)
by Traci Hall
Release Date – August 25, 2026
Setting – Washington State
I will feature this book on Cozy Wednesday next week!

A Fall to Remember (Half Moon Bay)
by Ellie Alexander
Release Date – September 1, 2026
Setting – California
For Review

Possible Future Escapes

August 30 – September 5, 2026

Happy Reading!!

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Remember – This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.

The post My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #36 – 2026 appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an
informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers.
It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature.
You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
~ It’s a chance to share news~
A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!

Losing Dolly Parton this week hit the world’s hearts extra hard. She was such a genuinely kind woman who saw the best in everyone she met. I admire and appreciate all the good work she did during her lifetime, and I’m thrilled that many of those things will continue.

She had many memorable quotes on several topics.

Here are a few on Books and Reading:

“My daddy just loved it when all the little kids would call me ‘The Book Lady.'”

“Don’t judge me by the cover, ’cause I’m a real good book.”

“The seeds of dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” 

“I’m the Little Engine that Did! Because I’m the little engine that did. I always say that ‘I thought I could, I thought I could’ and ‘I think I can, I think I can, and I still think I can.'”

“I always loved books. I don’t remember learning to read, it was just something I always did. I was hungry for knowledge, I guess, and information; I was a curious kid. I still am.” 

It was another busy week around here.

Last Saturday, football season started for Remington. It was an exciting game. Remi plays wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense. I didn’t realize how fast he could run. I guess running track last Spring paid off. He caught a pass midfield and ran it in for a touchdown, leaving everyone behind him in the dust. They lost the game 14 – 16, but for their first game, they looked really good.

On Sunday, the girls and I attended Natalie and Rylynn’s mom’s bridal shower. Guests were asked to wear black and/or white. It was a fun day!

Wednesday was Charlotte’s 7th birthday and the 1st day of school for her and Thomas.

A couple of weeks ago, I had an appointment to see about getting a pair of diabetic shoes. With the paralysis on my right side, my right foot swells quite a bit. I usually have a regular shoe on my left foot and a slipper or sock on the right. They took measurements and a form of each foot and said they would do their best. I wasn’t optimistic. On Friday, we returned to see what they came up with. Well, lo and behold, I left there with a shoe on each foot, and they matched! I have them for a 2-week trial. They are not high fashion, but it would be great to wear actual shoes to the upcoming wedding.

I saved the best news for last! Last week I shared that our family was growing with Daughter #1 expecting a bundle of joy in March. Well, now I have been given permission to share that Son #2 and his wife are also expecting a baby in March. In fact, their due dates are only 1 day apart. Charlotte and Thomas are very excited. Athena is going to be a harder sell, as she is mama’s girl.

We are going to have a whole bunch of littles with Rylynn, Korbyn, and these new grands. It’s said grandchildren keep us young. I hope that’s true because I want to have many years of joy with all my children and grandchildren.

_____

Weekly Rewind – August 25 -29, 2025

Monday – My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #35 – 2026

Tuesday – And Then There Were Bun: A Noodle Shop Mystery by Vivien Chien #Review @VivienChien @MinotaurBooks

Wednesday –  Cozy Wednesday featuring Killer Donuts (A Deputy Donut Mystery) by Ginger Bolton #Review #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks @ginger_bolton

Thursday –  Murder at Rosecliff (A Gilded Newport Mystery) by Alyssa Maxwell #Review #ARCGiveaway @KensingtonBooks @Alyssa__Maxwell

Friday –  The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries) by Lila Blake #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour

Saturday –  Mummy’s Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries) by Nan S. Russell #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @nan.s.russell

Ayesha at Last is on sale on Amazon for $1.99!

The post Sunday Salon / Sunday Post – A Week in the Life of Dollycas – Weekly Rewind – New Arrivals appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

I am happy to shine the spotlight today on
Mummy’s Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries)

About Mummy’s Locket

Mummy’s Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York State
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Next Chapter
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 25, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 482417029X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-4824170293
Paperback
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8195110321
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GZ8JW9P4
Digital
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GZ6XLDDB

The truth doesn’t stay buried forever.

After losing everything, Mallory Grayson retreats to a quiet town, hoping a vintage shop and a fresh start will help her rebuild her life. But when the mummified body of her long-missing great-grandmother is discovered, Mallory is pulled into a mystery.

Clues hidden in heirlooms, a secret room, and a past lover’s return offer answers … if she’s willing to risk everything to uncover them. In a story steeped in secrets and history, her courage may be the only thing that can break the curse.

The past and present collide in MUMMY’S LOCKET, the first book in the Mallory Grayson Mysteries series by Nan S. Russell.

Enjoyed it! Bottom Line: Mummy’s Locket by Nan S. Russell is an engaging start to the Mallory Grayson Mysteries, especially for those of us who can’t resist secrets that have been waiting generations for someone to uncover.
~Reading is my Superpower

About Nan S. Russell

With both a bachelor’s and master’s in psychology, Nan S. Russell was fired from her first professional job. Taking a minimum wage position to pay the rent, sixteen promotions later, she decided to end a successful corporate career as a Vice President of a multibillion-dollar East Coast company, to pursue a life dream to live and write from the Rocky Mountains, first in northwestern Montana and now along the Front Range of Colorado. With a desire to help others live their dreams, too, she turned her real-world experience into writing award winning non-fiction career and business books and articles, and became a speaker and consultant on leadership, trust, and culture development. But she always knew she wanted to write fiction, too. That point arrived during the pandemic pause which provided the catalyst for rethinking her writing and its purpose, sparking the decision to move towards fiction with more time to study the craft, take online classes, hone skills and work on her first novel. Now, she is living her second dream: Writing mysteries. Mummy’s Locket is her debut novel and the first in her Mallory Grayson series. More at www.nanrussell.com.

Author Links
Website      Blog     Facebook    Twitter/X     Threads    Instagram      BlueSky      LinkedIn      Pinterest    Etsy   GoodReads Link

Purchase Links:

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
August 17 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
August 17 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 18 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT 
August 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 20 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 20 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 21 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 21 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 24 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
August 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 26 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 28 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

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The post Mummy’s Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries) by Nan S. Russell #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @nan.s.russell appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

I am pleased to shine the spotlight today on
The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries)

About The Filbert Steps

The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sutro House Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 31, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8951746016
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H52YDTRG

A body on the steps. A neighborhood that saw nothing.

Vivian Salvatore came back to Telegraph Hill with a cat, a divorce settlement, and a book she cannot seem to write.

At fifty-two, newly single and trying to rebuild her life, she has settled into the rhythms of San Francisco’s most beautiful staircase: coffee at the corner café, morning walks on the Filbert Steps, old neighbors on three corners, and the comforting illusion that everyone knows everyone.

Then, on a bright October morning, Vivian finds one of the city’s most ambitious developers dead on the third landing.

The police are ready to call it a fall. But Vivian spent twenty-seven years reading teenagers’ faces for a living, and she knows when a story does not fit. A coat buttoned wrong. A cigarette ground out where it should not be. Storefronts quietly sold to a post-office box in Delaware. And a neighborhood full of people who had reason to want one man gone.

As Vivian begins asking questions, she discovers that Telegraph Hill has been keeping secrets for years — about money, loyalty, grief, and who really gets to call a place home.

The Filbert Steps introduces Vivian Salvatore, a sharp-eyed, warm-hearted sleuth who notices everything and forgives almost as much.

Perfect for readers who love older women sleuths, atmospheric San Francisco mysteries, neighborhood secrets, found community, and fair-play cozy mysteries with literary depth.

Great Escapes Praise

This fair-play mystery gives experienced armchair detectives plenty to work with, letting readers solve the case alongside the sleuth. The plot is simple, but the descriptive setting and complicated characters will captivate the reader. I loved this page turner and can’t wait for Lila Blake’s next Telegraph Hill Mystery.
~Storybook Lady

Rating –
This was such a beautifully atmospheric cozy mystery. The setting was so vivid.
The writing style was immersive. The clues were subtle but satisfying, and I enjoyed piecing them together alongside Vivian.
~bibliophile_foodie

About Lila Blake 

Lila Blake writes San Francisco neighborhood mysteries about foggy stairways, old houses, found family, and the secrets people keep when a place begins to change. Her Telegraph Hill Mysteries begin with The Filbert Steps, a literary cozy mystery featuring Vivian Salvatore, a fifty-two-year-old former teacher rebuilding her life after divorce. Lila is published by Sutro House Press, an independent fiction imprint based in San Francisco.

Author Links: Website   Goodreads

Purchase Links:

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
August 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
August 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 24 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
August 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – RECIPE
August 25 – @bibliophile_foodie 
August 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 26 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW -NO POST YET
August 27 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Ruff Drafts – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 30 – Book Hookup – REVIEW
August 31 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
August 31 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

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When a troublemaking party crasher is found dead in a fountain during an elegant soiree in Newport, Rhode Island, newspaper editor Emma Cross Andrews must clear her own society reporter from suspicion of murder…

August 1903. Emma and her husband Derrick are among the men in white tie and tails and the women wearing white gowns from the House of Worth at Tessie Oelrichs’s Bal Blanc, or White Ball, at Rosecliff, her grand cottage on Bellevue Avenue. There to cover the event of the season is young Ethan Merriman, society reporter for the Newport Messenger, the newspaper owned by Emma and Derrick.

It’s an utterly charming affair until a stranger intrudes flaunting a green-striped necktie and matching vest in defiance of their hostess’s theme. But his fashion crime is a mere misdemeanor compared to his intention to blackmail Mrs. Oelrichs by producing a compromising document supposedly signed by Tessie over a decade ago.

Insisting it’s a forgery but terrified of scandal, she agrees to his terms, but the blackmailer will not live to see payday. His body is found face down in a fountain before the party’s end. Beside him stands a very wet Ethan, who was seen being confronted by the man earlier in the evening. Coming to the aid of their luckless cub reporter, Emma and Derrick must sort through the white lies and blackened reputations to discover the identity of the true killer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Tessie Oelrichs is hosting her Bal Blanc, or White Ball, at her beautiful residence, Rosecliff, and Emma Cross Andrews and her loving husband, Derrick, are in attendance at the grand event. Their employee Ethan Merriman is there to cover the wondrous affair. Everyone is enjoying the food and dancing until an ill-mannered and horribly dressed stranger crashes the party and approaches Mrs. Oelrichs. He claims he has a document she needs to see and that she will need to pay him dearly. She insists the paper has nothing to do with her, but a scandal worries her greatly. She regretfully decides to pay the man so that he will go away. Though before she can gather the funds, her blackmailer is found dead, face down in a garden fountain. And Ethan Merriman, a very wet Ethan Merriman, is standing over the body.

Emma and Derrick know Ethan would never kill anyone; they just need to find the evidence to prove it.

Ms. Maxwell has created such strong layered characters for this series. Emma has always been an independent woman, but her marriage to Derrick gives her even more confidence; together they make an excellent team for anything life throws at them, including investigating a murder. They can move freely between the classes and are liked and well-respected. They run a comfortable household with just Nanny and Katie to cook, clean, and take care of their daughter, Annamarie. They have always been family to Emma, and it was Derrick who was welcomed in. It is why they are so concerned about their employee. It is just who they are; they care about everyone connected to them.

To clear Ethan’s name, it will take some legwork and clever questioning. Several people at the party communicated with Solomon Wheeler. Some cannot be accounted for during the time the murder was committed. They need to find who was connected to the dead man and how, and who had the most to gain from his death. The whole process is made more difficult by lies, half-truths, and omissions. When Emma has a harrowing event, they know they are getting close.

What makes the books in this series so outstanding is how Ms. Maxwell blends actual people, places, events, traditions, and attitudes from history with her complex mysteries. Her Author’s Note at the end of the book details the true lives of the new people featured in the book. In Murder at Rosecliff, Emma and Derrick continue to work toward their dream of building a school for girls next to Gull Manor, and by the end of the book, they are one step closer, which brings another new character to the pages.

I appreciate how hard Alyssa Maxwell works to bring these books to her readers. It must take hours and hours of research to bring these stories to life. Murder at Rosecliff is another extraordinary installment in this series. With endearing characters, notable locations, and a fabulous mystery filled with history, this reader was captivated from the first page to the last. Thank you, Ms. Maxwell, for another Perfect Escape.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

Alyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She has worked in publishing as a reference book editor, ghostwriter, and fiction editor, but knew from an early age that she wanted to be a fiction author. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain and Ireland fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She and her husband have make their home in South Florida. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers.

Author Links 
 Facebook – Webpage – GoodReads – Facebook Sleuths In Crime – Instagram – Threads  – BlueSky

I am giving away an ARC review copy of Murder at Rosecliff!
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 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”

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