Egg Drop Dead by Laura Childs- A Great Escapes Tour w/ Bonus Recipe/Giveaway

About the book 

In Laura Childs’s New York Times bestselling mystery series, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni—co-owners of the Cackleberry Club café—are back to track down another bad egg…

Maintaining good personal relationships with their suppliers is one of the secrets of the Cackleberry Club café’s success, so Suzanne doesn’t mind going out to Mike Mullen’s dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese. She’s looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer before heading back to their hectic kitchen.

But when she arrives, Mike’s nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight—the farmer’s dead body. Apparently not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club.

Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer’s murderer—but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer gets whipped into a frenzy and plans to put the squeeze on them…

RECIPES INCLUDED!

What others are saying 

The story starts off with a bang in the very first chapter, pulling you in to see if Suzanne can find the killer who brutally murdered a well-respected, elderly dairy farmer.
~Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder

Interview

Hello Laura!  I am honored to have you visit! I am so glad that you wanted to tour again with Lori and Great Escapes so I could have the chance to visit with you!

Thank you so much, Sherry, I’m delighted to be here with you.

Before we get into the soup do you mind if I ask a few fun and get-to-know-you questions?

Let’s do it!

So do your little Shar Pei’s keep you company when you’re working?

Always. Moosha and Asia lay (and snore) right beside me. I think of them as my wrinkled little writing muses.

What is their favorite treat?

Basically anything that’s kind of livery. (Ugh, huh?)  

And because the horse lover in me is coming out. English or Western?

I started out riding Western style when I was about ten and my Dad bought four Quarter Horses. After college, I switched to riding English style and learned to jump.

Here are my answers . . . Western. Quarter. Color (love Dunn’s and Paints)

But I have a special place in my heart for a couple of Bay’s.

Yes, Quarter Horses are wonderful. I used to do barrel racing at county fairs with my guy, Mocha Gent.   

Now for the fun question. If you could choose a cabin in the woods, an island, or the big city, which would you choose as the best place to write?

I’ve done a lot of my writing at a beach house in Carmel, CA. The sea air, the calming waves, the coziness of Carmel, are all very conducive to writing.

I hate to admit it but I met you this past Spring when I had the chance to read Pekoe Most Poison. I know. I have been under a rock or in a barn.

Thank you for reading that particular Tea Shop Mystery. I really hope you enjoyed it!  

But my question is – of all the mystery series that you write (Tea Shop, Cackleberry Club, and Scrapbook) can you give us the scoop and settle on which is your favorite?

My favorite is always the one I’m working on right now. That would be Glitter Bomb, my new Scrapbook Mystery, set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  

I have enjoyed the first few pages I’ve read of Egg Drop Dead and can’t wait to get further into it.  I have to admit I thumbed through to the end to the recipes. Can you tell us which is your favorite?

I’m all about the sweet stuff, so it would have to be my recipe for Apple Scones. (Always best when served warm with Devonshire cream) 

If we were to have dinner with one of the cast who would you suggest? What would we eat and drink?

Even though Suzanne doesn’t do the cooking at the Cackleberry Club, she’s actually a gourmet chef. I think she’d probably fix us a lovely dinner of French onion soup, coq au vin (red wine chicken) and a good Cabernet. For desert a chocolate soufflé.   

I’ve noticed that Egg Drop Dead is Book 7 in the series. If you were to choose one of the cast to star in a new series who would you choose?

I’d probably choose Drayton from the Tea Shop Mysteries. He’s a rather colorful and persnickety character who works in the Indigo Tea Shop dictating manners and creating his own tea blends. He’s also somewhat entrenched in Charleston, SC society and is quite the expert on art and antiques.

And another just for fun. You got the call there is going to be a movie!

Egg Drop Dead is hitting the big screen – can you believe it? You get to choose who will have the starring role of Suzanne – now who do you pick?

Hmm, tricky question. Maybe Kirsten Dunst or Ellen Pompeo?

And one more because I just thought of it . . . What will you be wearing on the red carpet?

Probably a Chanel dress. Although I recently saw a silk gown at the Gucci boutique that was covered with flowers and snakes!

This was really so much fun! I am truly honored and would love to have you visit again. Maybe you could bring Suzanne or one of your other characters along!

If you want us, we’ll be there with bells on! Totally loved your interview questions! 

Until then, ‘Farewell for now.’ Happy Tour!  And thanks for including the recipe!

Thank you!

Laura Childs is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Scrapbooking Mysteries, Tea Shop Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Find out more at www.laurachilds.com

Bonus Recipe

Bonus! Laura Childs’ Recipe for Apple Scones    

2 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. butter

½ cup apples, peeled and finely chopped

4 Tbsp. apple juice or apple cider

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Cut in butter.  Add apples.  Add enough apple juice to bring together a fairly stiff dough.  Do not over-mix.  Roll dough out on a floured surface to ½ inch thickness.  Cut into triangles and place on a greased baking sheet.  (You can also use a scone pan.)  Bake for approximately 10 minutes.  Yields 10 to 12 scones. 

And I thought
I was super excited when I was offered to review Egg Drop Dead. I briefly met Laura Child's earlier this year when I had the opportunity to read Pekoa Poison.  I loved my introduction and I knew that this new book would be just as good.  

And it was.

I loved it.  I loved meeting the characters.  I loved the small town feel which makes a great cozy.  

I loved that even though I had not read the previous 6 that I stepped smoothly in with no real questions or real need to read the others.  Although I did do long to read the others.  I am adding to my TBR list.  

I loved the plot and story most of it.  Here comes the part that I didn't like.  But the thing is it's real. I had to pause and think how 

am I going to write this review.  It took me awhile to wrap my head around it and put into words what I initially thought was negative.  

The fact is as I said it is real.  And sadly I am afraid it still happens.  The subject of people making a business out of  producing and selling horse meat.  I have no idea of there are still 'kill plants' in production.  I hope not. 

The fact is and I am sad to say it makes a real addition to the story and plot.  And without giving anything away.  All ends well. 

And the recipes at the end are a real treat!

And so Laura Child's you have my 5 Star rating and my gratitude for giving us a fun action packed book that provides some great hours of entertainment. 

I received a complimentary copy. 
This review will appear on retail sites where available.
This review will appear on Good Reads and My Reading Journeys.

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