I am thrilled to be part of the Omnimystery Mystery Book Promotions Virtual Tour for cozy mystery writers Rosemary & Larry Mild. (wow, that's a lot of "mystery" in one sentence, lol!) This is my first with this group and I am very excited. What a wonderful and fun book Boston Scream Pie was! Be sure to visit other tour stops for Boston Scream Pie - http://rosemary-larry-mild.omnimystery.com/
On with the review....
Boston Scream Pie (A Paco & Molly Mystery)
by: Rosemary & Larry Mild
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Hilliard & Harris Publishers (August 21, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1591332648
ISBN-13: 978-1591332640
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
Boston Scream Pie is the third in the "A Paco & Molly Mystery" series. Though I have not yet read the first two in the series, I found Boston Scream Pie to be delightful and enjoyable. I particularly fell in love with Molly and Paco. They are an elderly, newly married couple who are just so darn cute! Molly has a delightfully twisted vocabulary that is sure to bring the reader tons of laughs throughout. Paco has such an adoration for his wife and together they make the perfect super sleuth team!
In Boston Scream Pie, seventeen year old Caitlin, who years ago, lost her parents and twin sister in a terrible car accident, begins having nightmares. The nightmares are frighteningly real and leads Caitlin to seek out retired Detective Paco LeSoto to help her find the truth behind the vivid images. Between Caitlin, Paco and Molly, disturbing and shocking discoveries are made, turning lives upside down and casting an entirely new light upon many truths and secrets.
Intermingled with Caitlin's story is the story of the Newton's. Newlyweds Newton Boston and Delylah attempt to blend their families, consisting of her young adult daughter, Ellen, and son, Chester, and Newton's seventeen year old twin daughters, Lisa and Laura, in nearby Chesapeake Bay. There is much that Newton does not know about his new wife, however, including her many marriages before him and how each husband just happened to die while married to Delylah. Then when a tragedy occurs, questions arise whether this tragedy was an accident or a murder.
There are many twists and turns throughout Boston Scream Pie, which makes the story incredibly addictive. Though considered within the cozy genre, I would have to say that I found it to be a bit more on the "serious" mystery side, than many other cozy stories that I have read. There is humor, thanks to Molly, and the story isn't overly deep, but is very intriguing and well written. Authors Rosemary and Larry Mild have a great knack for storytelling and bringing their characters to life. I quickly fell in love with Molly and Paco, also Lisa and Caitlin. However, I greatly disliked Chester and Delylah - there were a few times I wished for the ability to reach within the pages of the book and slap them, to be quite honest. This, to me, is an example of great writing - to be able to engross the reader so fully in the story that they become emotionally involved.
I wanted to share a couple of passages that I enjoyed from the book:
Pg 55:
She remembered a French patisserie; and before that, a cafe with a tarot card reader. In that unlucky space, new eateries seemed to puff up and collapse like disheartened souffles.
*(I loved this description!)
pg. 75:
"My, what a lovely room," said Molly, taking in the velvet-upholstered Victorian furniture. "Looks like you had one of those interior definers come in and cooperate all the colors. May we?" Without waiting for a reply, she seated herself on the sofa. Paco sat next to her.
"Nope, done it all myself with the insurance money from my Leo. I lost him ten years ago to walking pneumonia."
"Sorry to hear that," said Molly. "Ammonia, that's a hard way to go."
Genna threw her a confused look. *(no, those are not typos, that's the way Molly's speaks - love it!)
I really enjoyed Boston Scream Pie (love the title, also)and truly look forward to reading more by these wonderful authors. I do have to admit that while I was reading, I kept picturing the authors and wonder if they are remotely like their sweet and wonderfully spunky characters of Paco and Molly!
*overall rating 4/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A bit about Boston Scream Pie:
Seventeen-year-old Caitlin Neuman, a Maryland high school student, is plagued by a series of bizarre nightmares about a horrific car accident on a snowy road. The lone survivor of a car crash that claimed both her parents and twin sister years earlier, Caitlin was too young to remember the details of that fateful night. But are these present-day nightmares simply Caitlin’s mind working out the past, or is there more to these vivid images that haunt her every waking moment?
As the harrowing images escalate, Caitlin takes matters into her own hands and seeks out the one source she knows can solve the mystery of the nightmares: retired Baltimore detective Paco LeSoto.
For any other detective, such a case would seem impossible. But for Paco LeSoto, nothing is impossible. Paco, after all, has both a keen ability to solve mysteries, and the loving support of his wife and biggest cheerleader, Molly, a woman whose deliciously skewed language, exquisite culinary skills, and shrewd cleverness are equaled only by her girth.
As Paco and Molly set out to find answers, they’ll uncover a string of unsolved deaths and a case of mistaken identity buried deep in the past. As the clues mount and the tension builds, Paco and Molly are led to a nearby family embroiled in a crisis of its own.
Newlyweds Newton Boston and his blonde bombshell wife Delylah are mired in their own family turmoil as Delylah’s adult children churn up trouble that threatens this already-fractured family. But what Newton doesn’t know is that four dead husbands lie in Delylah’s past. When another Boston family member dies under suspicious circumstances, all clues point to murder.
Can Paco and Molly stop another killing, bring justice to the culprits, and right an egregious wrong from the past—before it’s too late? As they uncover the sinister clues, Paco and Molly will either shed light on a long-hidden secret, or stir up a recipe for disaster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Rosemary & Larry Mild:
Co-authors Rosemary and Larry Mild write cozy mysteries, adventure/thrillers, short stories, articles, and essays. Their marriage has not only withstood the loss of their daughter Miriam, but the daily test of writing back to back in the same room. Rosemary is a career writer and editor. Larry is an electrical engineer turned writer. Both are members of Mystery Writers of America, Inc. and Sisters In Crime.
Rosemary, a graduate of Smith College, is a former assistant editor of Harper's, a managing editor of Chemical Times &Trends, and an engineering writer at Westinghouse. She is the author of the much acclaimed Miriam's Gift: A Mother's Blessings--Then and Now. She has published articles in The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, Washington Parent, Washington Woman, Senior Highlights, Smith Alumnae Quarterly, and elsewhere. She is a member of the National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Maryland Writers' Association.
Larry, a graduate of American University, designed and documented electronic equipment and systems for Honeywell, Alliant Techsystems, and Chesapeake Instrument Corporation. Earlier, he rode U.S. Naval ships as a global field engineer for RCA. Larry has written for and presented peer papers to government and professional organizations. He is a member of the Maryland Writers'Association and a former member of the Institute of Radio Engineers and the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers. He has also written an op-ed piece for the Baltimore Sun.
Additional works by Rosemary & Larry Mild:
Hot Grudge Sunday
Locks and Cream Cheese
and coming soon:
Cry 'Ohana
Death Goes Postal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special Giveaway!
“Rosemary and Larry Mild are giving away a signed copy of their book, Boston Scream Pie, to one lucky tour visitor.
Go to their book tour page, http://rosemary-larry-mild.omnimystery.com/,
- enter your name,
- e-mail address,
- and this PIN, 7222,
for your chance to win. Entries from Cafe of Dreams will be accepted until 12:00 Noon (PT) tomorrow. No purchase is required to enter or to win. The winner (first name only) will be announced on their book tour page next week.”
Autographed books may also be purchased by (clicking here)!
by: Rosemary & Larry Mild
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Hilliard & Harris Publishers (August 21, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1591332648
ISBN-13: 978-1591332640
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
Boston Scream Pie is the third in the "A Paco & Molly Mystery" series. Though I have not yet read the first two in the series, I found Boston Scream Pie to be delightful and enjoyable. I particularly fell in love with Molly and Paco. They are an elderly, newly married couple who are just so darn cute! Molly has a delightfully twisted vocabulary that is sure to bring the reader tons of laughs throughout. Paco has such an adoration for his wife and together they make the perfect super sleuth team!
In Boston Scream Pie, seventeen year old Caitlin, who years ago, lost her parents and twin sister in a terrible car accident, begins having nightmares. The nightmares are frighteningly real and leads Caitlin to seek out retired Detective Paco LeSoto to help her find the truth behind the vivid images. Between Caitlin, Paco and Molly, disturbing and shocking discoveries are made, turning lives upside down and casting an entirely new light upon many truths and secrets.
Intermingled with Caitlin's story is the story of the Newton's. Newlyweds Newton Boston and Delylah attempt to blend their families, consisting of her young adult daughter, Ellen, and son, Chester, and Newton's seventeen year old twin daughters, Lisa and Laura, in nearby Chesapeake Bay. There is much that Newton does not know about his new wife, however, including her many marriages before him and how each husband just happened to die while married to Delylah. Then when a tragedy occurs, questions arise whether this tragedy was an accident or a murder.
There are many twists and turns throughout Boston Scream Pie, which makes the story incredibly addictive. Though considered within the cozy genre, I would have to say that I found it to be a bit more on the "serious" mystery side, than many other cozy stories that I have read. There is humor, thanks to Molly, and the story isn't overly deep, but is very intriguing and well written. Authors Rosemary and Larry Mild have a great knack for storytelling and bringing their characters to life. I quickly fell in love with Molly and Paco, also Lisa and Caitlin. However, I greatly disliked Chester and Delylah - there were a few times I wished for the ability to reach within the pages of the book and slap them, to be quite honest. This, to me, is an example of great writing - to be able to engross the reader so fully in the story that they become emotionally involved.
I wanted to share a couple of passages that I enjoyed from the book:
Pg 55:
She remembered a French patisserie; and before that, a cafe with a tarot card reader. In that unlucky space, new eateries seemed to puff up and collapse like disheartened souffles.
*(I loved this description!)
pg. 75:
"My, what a lovely room," said Molly, taking in the velvet-upholstered Victorian furniture. "Looks like you had one of those interior definers come in and cooperate all the colors. May we?" Without waiting for a reply, she seated herself on the sofa. Paco sat next to her.
"Nope, done it all myself with the insurance money from my Leo. I lost him ten years ago to walking pneumonia."
"Sorry to hear that," said Molly. "Ammonia, that's a hard way to go."
Genna threw her a confused look. *(no, those are not typos, that's the way Molly's speaks - love it!)
I really enjoyed Boston Scream Pie (love the title, also)and truly look forward to reading more by these wonderful authors. I do have to admit that while I was reading, I kept picturing the authors and wonder if they are remotely like their sweet and wonderfully spunky characters of Paco and Molly!
*overall rating 4/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A bit about Boston Scream Pie:
Seventeen-year-old Caitlin Neuman, a Maryland high school student, is plagued by a series of bizarre nightmares about a horrific car accident on a snowy road. The lone survivor of a car crash that claimed both her parents and twin sister years earlier, Caitlin was too young to remember the details of that fateful night. But are these present-day nightmares simply Caitlin’s mind working out the past, or is there more to these vivid images that haunt her every waking moment?
As the harrowing images escalate, Caitlin takes matters into her own hands and seeks out the one source she knows can solve the mystery of the nightmares: retired Baltimore detective Paco LeSoto.
For any other detective, such a case would seem impossible. But for Paco LeSoto, nothing is impossible. Paco, after all, has both a keen ability to solve mysteries, and the loving support of his wife and biggest cheerleader, Molly, a woman whose deliciously skewed language, exquisite culinary skills, and shrewd cleverness are equaled only by her girth.
As Paco and Molly set out to find answers, they’ll uncover a string of unsolved deaths and a case of mistaken identity buried deep in the past. As the clues mount and the tension builds, Paco and Molly are led to a nearby family embroiled in a crisis of its own.
Newlyweds Newton Boston and his blonde bombshell wife Delylah are mired in their own family turmoil as Delylah’s adult children churn up trouble that threatens this already-fractured family. But what Newton doesn’t know is that four dead husbands lie in Delylah’s past. When another Boston family member dies under suspicious circumstances, all clues point to murder.
Can Paco and Molly stop another killing, bring justice to the culprits, and right an egregious wrong from the past—before it’s too late? As they uncover the sinister clues, Paco and Molly will either shed light on a long-hidden secret, or stir up a recipe for disaster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Rosemary & Larry Mild:
Co-authors Rosemary and Larry Mild write cozy mysteries, adventure/thrillers, short stories, articles, and essays. Their marriage has not only withstood the loss of their daughter Miriam, but the daily test of writing back to back in the same room. Rosemary is a career writer and editor. Larry is an electrical engineer turned writer. Both are members of Mystery Writers of America, Inc. and Sisters In Crime.
Rosemary, a graduate of Smith College, is a former assistant editor of Harper's, a managing editor of Chemical Times &Trends, and an engineering writer at Westinghouse. She is the author of the much acclaimed Miriam's Gift: A Mother's Blessings--Then and Now. She has published articles in The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, Washington Parent, Washington Woman, Senior Highlights, Smith Alumnae Quarterly, and elsewhere. She is a member of the National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Maryland Writers' Association.
Larry, a graduate of American University, designed and documented electronic equipment and systems for Honeywell, Alliant Techsystems, and Chesapeake Instrument Corporation. Earlier, he rode U.S. Naval ships as a global field engineer for RCA. Larry has written for and presented peer papers to government and professional organizations. He is a member of the Maryland Writers'Association and a former member of the Institute of Radio Engineers and the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers. He has also written an op-ed piece for the Baltimore Sun.
Additional works by Rosemary & Larry Mild:
Hot Grudge Sunday
Locks and Cream Cheese
and coming soon:
Cry 'Ohana
Death Goes Postal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special Giveaway!
“Rosemary and Larry Mild are giving away a signed copy of their book, Boston Scream Pie, to one lucky tour visitor.
Go to their book tour page, http://rosemary-larry-mild.omnimystery.com/,
- enter your name,
- e-mail address,
- and this PIN, 7222,
for your chance to win. Entries from Cafe of Dreams will be accepted until 12:00 Noon (PT) tomorrow. No purchase is required to enter or to win. The winner (first name only) will be announced on their book tour page next week.”
Autographed books may also be purchased by (clicking here)!
5 comments:
Great review of the book. I liked the way you threw in some of the "MollyProps". Definitely was an interesting book.
Sounds like my kind of read! tWarner419@aol.com
Thanks for such a fun review - I especially like that you added quotes. Molly sounds like a lot of laughs - can't wait to pick up the book!
I liked the review a lot. Never heard of this book but your thoughts definitely make me want to look for it. I think I will as soon as I get back on track with my reading.
P.S.
Thanks for all your support April, you're a great peson.
Sounds fun, and Molly sounds like a hoot!
nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com
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