Driftless Spirits ~ Great Escapes Book Tours Spotlight & Giveaway!

DRIFTLESS SPIRITS

(Secrets in Casten's Horn, Book One)

By KAREN RINGEL

Cozy Mystery / Ghosts / Suspense

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casten House Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 30, 2025

Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR A GIVEAWAY

About Driftless Spirits

Charlotte Burke can’t shake her recurring dream.

Over and over again she dreams of finding a mysterious journal on a candlelit desk while wandering through a strange house in the middle of the night. Every dream has shown her a framed picture of an old woman sitting at the same desk, except the latest version. Last night, the woman stood and offered Charlotte a keyring. In the morning, Charlotte woke up with her car keys in her hand.

Her best friend is worried but skeptical when Charlotte insists the house is real. The dream is metaphorical, Ivy says, reflecting Charlotte’s restless state. Ivy gifts her a journal and urges her to take the trip her subconscious is demanding before she wakes up behind the wheel. A roadtrip of self-discovery will help Charlotte figure out what she really wants.

Charlotte agrees to the roadtrip but not for Ivy’s reasons. To her, the house, the journal and the woman in her dream are all too real. She sets off to do the impossible. If she can find the house and uncover its secrets in time, she might save far more than her driftless life.

BUY THE BOOK

Universal Link ** Amazon Kindle ** Amazon Print

Apple ** B&N (ebook and print) ** Kobo

About the Author

In 2020, Karen Ringel retired from an engineering career to settle in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin with her husband. After taking some time to adapt to the rural lifestyle, she started creating the fictional Casten’s Horn, imagining how a small town might have been founded in the secluded valley she lives in. Always a researcher at heart, her books include references to real bits of history and traditions in an effort to enhance her stories. She writes what she likes to read: small-town mysteries with a cozy feel.

Visit Karen's author website, where she blogs about writing and the Driftless area of Wisconsin and her Goodreads author page, where "Ask the Author" is enabled, and she's happy to answer questions!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

One winner receives a paperback copy of Driftless Spirits (Secrets in Casten's Horn) by Karen Ringel + a $25 Amazon gift card!

(US only; ends 4/6/26)

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 23 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT 

March 23 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 

March 24 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST 

March 25 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 26 – Sarandipity's – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 27 – Hall Ways Blog – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 31 - Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

April 2 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Because I said so - adventures in parenting. - REVIEW

April 4 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

April 5 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Want to Book a Tour? Click Here

Murder Most Eastern ~ Great Escapes Book Tour First Lines Spotlight & Giveaway!

 

MURDER MOST EASTERN

Great Maine Mysteries, Book One

by NELLIE H. STEELE

Cozy Mystery / Psychics / Series Starter
Setting – Maine
Publisher ‏ : ‎ A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages

Scroll Down to Enter the Giveaway!

------- 🕮 -------

About Murder Most Eastern

A seaside Victorian. A skeptical artist. A cat with secrets. And a murder that won’t stay buried…

When struggling artist Emily Harper inherits a charming but creaky Victorian on the rugged coast of Maine, she expects a fresh start—what she doesn’t expect is cryptic notes, eerie visions, and a cat with an uncanny sense for trouble.

But nothing unsettles her more than the bracelet. A striking piece of tourmaline jewelry left behind in the house, it sends shivers up her spine whenever she wears it. At first, she chalks it up to stress—until she visits West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and is struck by a chilling vision of a man begging for his life. The next day, his body is found.

With a storm brewing, long-buried secrets rising to the surface, and a killer who will do anything to keep the past hidden, Emily must embrace the unexplainable—or risk becoming the next victim.

Fans of Ellery Adams and Carolyn Hart will love this twisty, atmospheric paranormal cozy mystery full of seaside charm, ghostly intrigue, and a heroine who refuses to back down—no matter how haunted her past may be.

Read now and sleuth the clues today.

BUY THE BOOK

Spotlight!

------- 🕮 -------

About Author Nellie H. Steele

Nellie H. Steele is a storyteller who doesn’t just write books—she writes the stories her characters tell her. With distinct voices and minds of their own, her characters often take over, guiding her through tales of romance, mystery, adventure, and suspense.

A lifelong bookworm, Nellie vividly recalls sitting on the concrete floor of her childhood library, eagerly devouring Nancy Drew books and dreaming of solving mysteries of her own. Now an award-winning author, she spends her days crafting immersive worlds and unforgettable characters that feel like old friends. Her house is a zoo—literally—thanks to her rescue animals who seem perfectly happy napping while she writes.

Nellie’s writing process often involves background TV she never actually watches because she’s too wrapped up in her characters’ antics. When she’s not spinning stories, she works as a professor of statistics, where students who know her as an author are often surprised to find she really does teach math.

If you love twisty mysteries, soap-opera-style romance, and thrilling adventures, dive into Nellie’s books today and discover worlds you won’t want to leave. Connect with Nellie —she loves chatting with readers about characters, stories, and more!

Website   Facebook   Instagram   Goodreads

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER receives the first four eBooks in the Great Maine Mysteries series: Murder Most Eastern, Murder Most Scenic, Murder Most Quiet, and Murder Most Wild

(US only; ends midnight 9/5/2025)

*******************

------- 🕮 -------

VISIT THESE OTHER GREAT TOUR PARTICIPANTS' BLOGS:

August 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Hall Ways Blog – REVIEW
August 29 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 31 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
August 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 2 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 2 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
September 3 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
September 3 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 4 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
September 4 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
September 5 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 5 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
September 6 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

Pleats and Poison: A Craft and Ghost Cozy Mystery ~ Great Escapes Book Tours Spotlight & Giveaway!

PLEATS & POISON

A CRAFT AND GHOST COZY MYSTERY

A Dress Designer Cozy Mystery Series

Book Three

by LUCINDA RACE

Cozy Mystery / Paranormal / Suspense

Publisher ‏ : ‎ MC Two Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 6, 2025

Page Count‏ : ‎ 222 pages

About Pleats & Poison

Enjoy this humorous, small-town, psychic, cozy mystery by best-selling and award-winning Lucinda Race.

A fashion-savvy psychic, one haunted Thanksgiving, and a pleated skirt that’s dressed to kill.

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for seven guests—and one ghost—is all in a day’s work for Claudia Grant. Between whipping up her famous mac and cheese and debuting her boutique’s latest fall fashion, Claudia’s ready to impress her visiting mom and stylish grandmother. Her cozy coastal town of Drakes Bay is the perfect backdrop for family, food, and fresh starts—especially when Gram falls in love with a pleated skirt and sweater ensemble from Claudia’s shop.

But when a spilled glass of orange juice leads to a shocking discovery—a guest at the neighboring Whistlers Inn is found dead, and the very same pleated skirt wrapped around her neck—Claudia’s holiday cheer unravels fast.

Now, with her best friend Beth and a ghostly sidekick in tow, Claudia must piece together a tangled mystery before the killer skips town… and before the secrets hidden in the folds come back to haunt them all.

She’d rather be sewing hemlines than following clues—but if Claudia can’t stitch together the truth in time, someone else might be the next to check out… permanently.

Pleats & Poison is the third book in the A Dress Designer Cozy Mystery series from award-winning author Lucinda Race. Cozy up, settle in, and prepare to be haunted… in the best possible way!

Purchase Links
Amazon     Kobo    Barnes & Noble Smashwords

Google Play    Goodreads    BookBub

About Lucinda Race 

Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction who fell in love with cozy mysteries and romance novels as a young girl. While her childhood friends dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers, Lucinda was already dreaming of crafting captivating novels filled with heart, hope, and happily ever afters.

Though her writing journey began with nonfiction, her passion for storytelling never wavered. She returned to her true calling—creating the beloved McKenna Family Romance series and the Paranormal Cozy Nook Bookstore Series—writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Whether she’s weaving a heartwarming romance or a cozy mystery, her fingers practically fly across the keyboard.

Lucinda lives in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts with her little dog— a shih tzu mix rescue—who is always by her side. When she’s not immersed in writing mystery, suspense, or romance, she’s curled up with a book, devouring everything she can get her hands on.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

Tweets by LucindaRace

Website https://lucindarace.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LucindaRaceAuthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lucindaraceauthor/

Goodreads – Lucinda Race– https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10174985.Lucinda_Race

YouTube Lucinda Race https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lucindaraceauthor/

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/lucindaraceauthor.bsky.social

Universal Link https://books2read.com/ap/xyYO2g/Lucinda-Race

Bookbub Lucinda Race https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucinda-race

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM

Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/118597305361578

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucinda-race-947099140/

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER receives a print copy and swag bag!

(U.S. Only; giveaway ends midnight, EDT, 9/9/25)

******

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

Visit the Great Escape Tour Page or go directly to the blogs below:

August 26 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 26 – Hall Ways Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 27 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Deal Sharing Aunt– AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 29 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 31 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
September 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 2 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST OST
September 3 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
September 4 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 7 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library ~ Great Escapes Spotlight & Giveaway!

MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE

MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY

(Mrs. Christie Series, Book One)

by AMANDA CHAPMAN

Mystery / Amateur Sleuth / Series Starter

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley

Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 26, 2025

Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages

Audiobook: Narrated by Patti Murin; 10 hours

Scroll Down to Enter the Giveaway!

------- 🕮 -------

About Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library

Book conservator Tory Van Dyne and a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie on holiday from the Great Beyond join forces to catch a killer in this spirited mystery from Amanda Chapman.

Tory Van Dyne is the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family. For one thing, as book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, she actually has a job. Plus, she’s left up-town society behind for a quiet life downtown. So she’s not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder— that has not yet happened.

But as soon as Tory determines that this is just a fairly nutty Christie fangirl, her socialite/actress cousin Nicola gets caught up in the suspicious death of her less-than-lovable talent agent. Nic, as always, looks to Tory for help. Tory, in turn, looks to Mrs. Christie. The woman, whoever or whatever she is, clearly knows her stuff when it comes to crime.

Aided by an unlikely band of fellow sleuths —including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits—Tory and the woman claiming to be her very much deceased literary idol begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer’s devious mind. Because, in the immortal words of Miss Jane Marple, “murder is never simple.”

------- 🕮 -------
PURCHASE LINKS
PenguinRandomHouse – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Bookshop.org – Kobo

------- 🕮 -------

About Amanda Chapman

Amanda Chapman (aka Amy Pershing) is a lifelong mystery lover and wordsmith. Under the name Amy Pershing, she is also the author of the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries. An enthusiastic fan of traditional mysteries and of New York City, she found herself wondering, “What if someone recreated Agatha Christie’s personal library -– even to the furnishings and architecture — in New York City? What would happen in that space?” And thus MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY — the first in a new series — was born.

Website ⬣ Facebook ⬣ Instagram ⬣ Goodreads 

------- 🕮 -------

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER

Receives a print copy of

Mrs. Christie and the Mystery Guild Library

(US only; ends midnight, 8/31/25)

------- 🕮 -------

TOUR PARTICIPANTS (Click here for direct links on the tour page.)

August 18 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
August 18 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
August 18 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 20 – Salty Inspirations – COCKTAIL RECIPE
August 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 22 – Hall Ways Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 24 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
August 25 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
August 27 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW
August 28 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 29 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
August 30 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT
August 31 – From the TBR Pile – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Want to Book a Tour?

Click Here

Turning Toward Eden ~ Great Escapes Tour Spotlight & Giveaway!

TURNING TOWARD EDEN
by Cate Touryan

Mystery / Coming of Age / Historical Mystery

Publisher: ‎ Winged Publications

Publication Date: ‎ May 6, 2025

Print length ‏: ‎ 350 pages

Scroll Down to Enter the Giveaway!

------ 🕮 ------- 

An evocative story laced with mystery, Turning Toward Eden weaves nostalgia with grit, sorrow with humor, and despair with faith, offering hope to anyone who has sought to belong in a world that rarely plays fair.

“Chasing the truth, huh? Sure you’re not running from it?” Hollis might be her only friend, a lanky boy Mama calls her beau, but Eden Lewis has no time for his hogwash. She’s got a mystery to crack. For most fourteen year olds, California summers in the early 1970s mean sun and surf, despite the Cold War chill. Not for Eden. Her AWOL father has sent her life into a tailspin, landing her in a shabby beach town, stuck caring for her severely disabled brother, Dex. Caught in her parents’ own cold war, Eden ditches Dex at every chance—pier fishing with Hollis, playing poker with the grizzled card sharks, and caterwaulin’ in the church choir, laying plain to the Almighty that singing terms ain’t the same as speaking terms, what with the hand he’s dealt her.

Then Raven arrives mid-ninth grade—an elusive Soviet girl rumored to rain black-winged curses over the fearful town. When a rash of petty crimes escalates to bloodshed on the beach, suspicion falls on the “commie”—and then Eden. Desperate to prove herself innocent, and Raven guilty, she embarks on a reckless game of chase. But for the truth to set her free, she must risk Dex’s life. Will she go all in, no matter the cost?

“This is storytelling at its most atmospheric—brimming with quirky, well-drawn characters, razor-sharp prose, and the kind of setting you can almost smell. The writing is lyrical, grounded, and often laugh-out-loud funny—even in the midst of deeply poignant moments. With a cast of endearing misfits and a tone reminiscent of Southern Gothic charm, this story lures you in from the very first line and doesn’t let go. Cate Touryan has a truly original voice, a rare gift for language, and a special ability to render a world so vivid you feel baptized in it.” — Zena Dell Lowe, Screenwriter, Story Coach, and Founder of The Storyteller’s Mission

BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON

Audiobook Coming Soon! 

The audiobook edition of Turning Toward Eden is in production and on its way to Audible, iTunes, and beyond. Stay tuned for a richly narrated experience, perfect for readers who love stories on the go. 

------ 🕮 ------- 

About Cate Touryan

Cate Touryan writes fiction and creative nonfiction that reach for the story beyond the story and the beginning beyond “The End.” Her complex, realistic narratives often touch on themes of faith. While she avoids gratuitous violence and profanity, keeping any romance clean, she does not shy away from portraying the grit and beauty of real life, instead writing the truest story she can, infused with heart and humor. Her fiction will delight young adults and adults still young.

Cate invites you to journey with her into lives both real and imagined, wherein might lie glimpses of your own story beyond the story and an ending redeemed.

website ❂ facebook ❂ instagram ❂ x

------ 🕮 -------

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

One Winner: $25.00 Amazon gift card.

Three Winners: eBooks of Turning Toward Eden!

(US only; ends 8/14/2025)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

------ 🕮 -------

VISIT THESE OTHER GREAT TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

July 30 – Hall Ways Blog – SPOTLIGHT
July 30 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
July 30 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
July 31 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
August 2 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 7 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
August 8 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 10 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 12 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here