Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder

May 03, 2024

Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder

Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder
(Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
by Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell

About Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder

Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Arizona
Independently Published (April 20, 2024)
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 271 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CW1GPJR7

It’s a rib cookoff…with a recipe for murder.

Nicole Earp and Emma Banefield are celebrating another birthday at the Dulce Inn with the added fun of a rib cookoff in the park. Not only are chocolate martinis in their plans, Nic has her heart set on winning the cornbread contest. But as the excitement bakes, someone is stirring up trouble for the inn and its employees.

Strange occurrences at the Dulce are on the rise. Slashed tires, menacing phone calls, and unsavory characters add a vibe that threatens the sisters’ anticipated fun-filled stay. When the hot-headed hotel owner is caught wielding a bloody letter opener over a dead coworker, the sisters are embroiled in a caper to help the one person who finds their sleuthing as welcomed as a rattlesnake in her bed. But is she innocent?

The Chocolate Martini Sisters are primed to find out. First, they’ll have to eliminate a host of suspects that includes a dishonest restaurant owner, a jilted girlfriend, an ex-wife, the barkeeper, and a masseuse with a crush. If they can stay off the radar of the surly chief homicide detective long enough, they can put out the fire…unless the killer burns them first.

The third book in this amateur sleuths, cozy mystery series will have you chuckling and on the edge of your seat as the sisters solve the murder.

About the Authors

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. She writes children’s books under the pen name, Brenda Sue. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Visit Brenda’s Website Facebook Twitter Blog Amazon Author Page Goodreads Author Page BookBub Instagram

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After hearing countless stories as a mental health professional, Joyce Proell retired to create her own tales. As an award-winning author, she writes historical romance and cozy mystery where all endings are guaranteed happy. She shares her home on the prairie with a husband and a little dog with a big personality. When she isn’t reading or writing, she likes to swim and finds baking almost as relaxing as a day at the spa.

Q&A With the Author: Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside

What was your inspiration for writing this book?

Joyce: Close friends suggested I write a story using my mental health background for one of the characters. The idea floated for a time, but never went anywhere until Brenda, a writing friend, suggested we collaborate on a book. She proposed a cozy mystery series about two sisters who celebrate their respective birthdays at a local historic Arizona Inn. This presented a prime opportunity to create a character with Emma’s particular training. The sisters share a love of mysteries, but their personalities are quite different. Nevertheless, they combine their talents and solve the mystery.

Brenda: My sister and I have chocolate martinis twice a year to celebrate our birthdays. We always go to the same historic hotel saloon in Prescott, Arizona each time. After a few years, we called ourselves the Chocolate Martini Sisters. That got my imagination in gear, especially as we people watched in the saloon. I knew it had to be a cozy mystery series, and I knew the perfect author to join forces with to write it: Joyce Proell.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Joyce: I love the amusing interplay between Nic and Emma. Also, getting to know the helpful hotel staff is fun. Their perceptive insights are instrumental to Nic and Emma who figure out the crime.

Brenda: I agree. The two sisters are best of friends but quite different. They have a great relationship. I have to say, because of the way Joyce and I write it, the two personalities are quite distinctive. I have so much fun having a partner in crime!

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about?

Joyce: Who likes to stop playing when they’re having a good time? Brenda and I love these books and have such fun writing them. The next caper occurs outside the Dulce Inn, but a visit to the Azul Restaurant and Saloon for a delicious chocolate martini is a must.

Brenda: This cozy mystery series is my number one priority right now. I have a few ideas percolating in my head, but we’ll see if I have the time in the coming year. Doubt it! Book four is aching to be written.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future?

Joyce: In addition to soon welcoming my first grandchild, I am busy plotting book four of the Chocolate Martini Sisters.

Brenda: Isn’t it cool Joyce is going to be a gramma? I love being a Nana to my one granddaughter. If her time is sidetracked from our book four, I will totally understand. Only then might I find the time to write the prequel to my MacKenzie Chronicles and get the Christmas book of short stories done that I’ve had on a backburner for three years.

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Joyce: We have had marvelous feedback on our stories. Readers enjoy Nic and Emma’s escapades as much as Brenda and I enjoy writing them. So, grab a book and have fun.

Brenda: Ditto on Joyce’s comment. Both books one and two have gotten 5 Star ratings from reviewers, and we’re excited about book three being even more enjoyable.