Today it is my pleasure to host a look at Best-selling author MARY BURTON's newest release, THE SEVENTH VICTIM. As well as sharing an excerpt, Mary's also sharing some of her wonderful recipes for you to enjoy over the Holidays!
We'll also be doing a giveaway for a paperback of Mary's novel, so do leave a comment and your email address for us to contact you!!
Now, a peek at the novel:
EXCERPT FROM MARY BURTON’S THE SEVENTH VICTIM
He
pushed his cup away from him. “I’m not
sure how much more Texas coffee I can stomach.”
“I
made this latest batch. It will be
good.”
“Good
coffee in Texas? I don’t think so.”
She
cocked a brow. “Be right back.”
Before
he could answer, Danni vanished behind the counter. She grabbed a new cup and carefully poured
coffee into a mug. She moved toward him
with quick, purposeful steps and then set the mug in front of him. “That’s good coffee.”
“Really?”
“I
can’t write legibly, and I can’t cook a lick, but I can make coffee.”
He
took a sip and found he was pleasantly surprised. “Good.”
“Puhleez. It’s the best.”
“I’m
from Seattle. We are ground zero for
coffee.”
“As
long as I’m on duty the coffee will be good.”
She took the half-full cup and set it on her tray. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks,
Danni.” As she turned he said, “Hey,
didn’t that girl that was killed work here?”
Danni’s
eyes grew suspicious. “Yeah. You a reporter?”
Raines
shook his head. “God, no.”
“Cop.”
“Do
I look like a cop?”
Danni
arched a brow. “Yeah.”
“Nice
to see I haven’t lost that.” At her
confusion he added, “I used to be a cop.
Long time ago. I guess the case
caught my eye. Hard not to ask
questions. Sorry.”
His
honesty appeared to disarm her. “No
harm. And for the record, I didn’t like
what they said about her in the news today.”
“Straightforward
enough.”
“I
guess I just didn’t like the way they boiled her life down to bare facts. She was so much more than that.” Anger hardened her face, but there was no
hint of tears. “Her uncle is flying in
tomorrow to claim her.”
“I
feel for them. I wouldn’t wish losing a
child on my worst enemy.”
“Yeah,
well.”
“What
can you tell me about her, so I’ll remember more than the basic newscast?”
Danni’s
voice grew softer. “She was kind of
corny. Liked pink and singing Lady Gaga
in the kitchen. She was moving to New
York. I was kinda jealous of her.”
“You’ve got
nothing to be jealous of, Danni. You
strike me as a sharp kid.”
She snorted a
laugh.
“Was there anybody
who might have wanted to hurt her?”
“Mack and I were
talking about it, and none of us can think of anyone. Like we told the Rangers, we’re all thinking
it was some random guy.” A customer at
another table caught her attention.
“I’ve got to go.”
He watched as she
moved toward another table and began to gather up plates. Danni was a tough nut and no wilting
flower. Just like his daughter.
He could almost
hear his wife now. “That girl of ours is
going to be a general one day.”
He sipped his
coffee, thought of his wife, Susan, and how much he missed her, their daughter,
and home. Pushing aside a pang of guilt,
he redirected his gaze to the patrons.
Within seconds he
spotted a slight blond woman enter the café. She wore jeans, a T-shirt, and
sandals and had a backpack slung over her shoulder. She was as slight as a teenager, but she
moved with a confidence that only came with maturity.
Lara Church.
Beck had been
right. She wasn’t the meek girl who’d
fled Seattle seven years ago. As a man
approached her, Raines noted slight stiffening in her back as she extended her
hand. Her handshake was firm and her
gaze direct.
She laughed as the
graying gentleman in his fifties spoke.
After what looked to be a question, she pulled out a notebook and made a
note. They chatted another half minute
and then she made her way to the diner register, where she ordered a
coffee. Just as quickly as she came, she
was gone.
Lara Church, the
Seattle Strangler’s last victim, had managed to rebuild her life.
©Mary Burton
THE SEVENTH
VICTIM
Mary Burton
Zebra Books/Mass
Market Original/Fiction
February 2013/On
Sale 1-29-13/$7.99 ($8.99 Canada)
978-1-4201-2505-4
The tradition continues! Baker
extraordinaire and bestselling author Mary Burton is once again sharing her
favorite holiday recipes. This treat honors the protagonist of her next novel, THE
SEVENTH VICTIM, with a recipe both delicious and memorable.
Lara’s Church Lady Maple Cookies
1/2
pound (two sticks) butter
1 cup
brown sugar
1 egg
1/4
cup maple syrup
1/2
teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2
cups all purpose flour
1/2
teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon baking soda
1 cup
toasted walnuts (optional)
Cream together butter and brown sugar.
Add the egg and
mix well.
Add the maple
syrup and vanilla.
In a separate
bowl mix together flour, salt and baking soda.
Slowly blend
dry ingredients into butter- sugar mixture.
Spoon cookies
onto a greased baking sheet, leaving room between them because they will
spread.
Bake at 325
degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Sit back and
enjoy!
It’s true. I’ve
forgotten how many people I’ve killed already but the number keeps rising—least
in my novels. I’m delighted to say that
no one has yet expired as a result of my passion for baking.
This
one’s a family favorite that the kids expect to see multiple times during the holiday
season.
I
hope your family and friends enjoy Lara’s Church Lady Maple Cookies as much as
mine do.
Dressed In White Chocolate Coconut Cookies
1 cup
(2 sticks) butter
1-1/2
cups sugar
1
teaspoon coconut extract
1 egg
1/2
teaspoon baking powder
1
teaspoon baking soda
2-3/4
cups flour
1 cup
white chocolate chips
1 cup
coconut
Confectioner's
sugar
Cream
together butter and sugar.
Blend
in coconut extract and egg.
In a
separate bowl mix baking powder, baking soda and flour.
Mix
dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture.
Add
white chocolate chips and coconut.
Spoon
onto a baking sheet.
Bake
at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Dust
with Confectioner's sugar.
Enjoy!
The
romance between coconut and chocolate has made this recipe one that’s asked for
time and again by my family and by those on my always growing holiday cookie
list. Even a few friends who say they
don’t like coconut have a soft spot for these.
I
always set a few dozen aside so we still have some left to enjoy as we ring in
the New Year. We pour the eggnog and
champagne, sprinkle (probably too much) Confectioner’s sugar over them, and try
to imagine what the next year will hold.
Happy
Holidays and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
Mary
THE SEVENTH VICTIM
Mary Burton
Zebra Books/Mass Market Original/Fiction
February 2013/On Sale 1-29-13/$7.99 ($8.99 Canada)
978-1-4201-2505-4
This sounds devine! Thank you for sharing your the absolute best! I totally loved the excerpt it rocks! Excellent work!
ReplyDeletedesere_steenberg(at)yahoo(dot)com
Exciting and delicious as well! ven123star (at) yahoo (dot) com
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt...can't wait to read the book. My tbr pile just got a little bigger. The recipes are wonderful, if only I could find someone to make them for me (husband fixed my oven 15 years ago = no oven still)!
ReplyDeletekcnrhtx at charter dot net