A Richness of Covers, plus #GIVEAWAY

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Edith/Maddie here, sweating it out during New England’s hottest week yet this year.

News Flash: Christine Fox and Debbie Pruss are our randomly selected winners of the two ARCs! Ladies, congratulations, and please check your email.

/I’m declaring a “richness” to be the group-name for book covers. And I have three to reveal to you! In celebration, I’m going to give away my last two ARCs of Murder in a Cape Cottage, book #4 in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, even though all three covers are from the Country Store Mysteries. More richness, I guess.

You might remember that my novella “Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse” released in 2019 in the Christmas Cocoa Murder collection. Like Barb, I am lucky enough to have my novella re-release as a standalone ebook, which will be out September 27. (That’s the same day my new novella, “Scarfed Down,” comes out in Christmas Scarf Murder, and also the same day Murder in a Cape Cottage releases – more riches from Kensington!)

I just got the ebook cover and wanted to share it with you.

Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the depiction of Robbie’s country store porch all decorated for Christmas, including Birdy with his knitted scarf (not that any self-respecting cat would leave a scarf on long enough to get his picture taken, but, whatever).

Here’s the novella description:

ʼTis the season to indulge in hot chocolate and irresistible holiday treats—until too much of a good thing turns downright deadly . . .

When local businessman Jed Greenberg is found dead with a chocolate Lab whimpering over his body, the police start sniffing around Robbie Jordan’s country restaurant for answers. Was it something in Robbie’s hot cocoa that killed Jed, or was it Cocoa, the puppy? As the suspects pile as high as her holiday tree, Robbie attempts to get to the bottom of the sickly-sweet murder . . .

But when I was poking around Amazon, what should I find but an audiobook release of the novella, and it already came out last month! I had no idea. Maybe my editor told me. If so, I’d lost track of the news. Here’s the cover for the “Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse” e-audiobook.

It’s also a fun cover. Neither novella cover includes the chocolate Labrador puppy named Cocoa who is important to the story, but that’s okay. Just remember, if you’ve already read the novella in the collection, this one will be exactly the same. (That is, save your money for new books…)

Finally, I don’t think I’ve shared the cover for the next full-length Country Store Mystery, Four Leaf Cleaver, which will be out at the end of January. As you might guess, it’s a St. Patrick’s Day mystery.

Look at Birdy with his green bow tie!

An Irish cook-off is held in Pans ‘N Pancakes. And somebody is killed. And Robbie, no surprise, gets involved. But more about that when we get closer to the date. Big kudos to fan Grace Koshida who suggested the fabulous winning title after I sent out the request for punny names on my Facebook page.

All three of the stories behind these covers are up for pre-order (or order, if we’re talking about the audiobook). Preorders really help the author. As our friend Hank Phillippi Ryan says (only half joking), it’s only my career. Now, how do I paste in a winking emoji?

Readers: Which cover do you like best? Are you all caught up on the Country Store series? How about the Cozy Capers books? I’ll send two commenters an advance copy of Murder in a Cape Cottage.

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Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

118 Thoughts

  2. Your covers are excellent, Edith! For Cozies, recent research showed that of the top 500 covers on Amazon, 81% were illustration / vector graphic instead of realistic images. Spot on!

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  4. I love both covers, Christmas Cocoa the best! Very inviting little store. You’re right, it would be hard to keep a scarf on a cat lol! Stay cool!

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  5. I love the cover for FOUR LEAF CLOVER!

    And yes I’m all caught up on the Country Store Mysteries (as if I could do anything less).

    I am technically all caught up on the officially released Cozy Capers books as well. I have that ARC of MURDER IN A CAPE COTTAGE but I haven’t read it yet. It’s next up on the “schedule” though.

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  6. I love the bright colors and whimsy in all the covers. As a proud Irishman, though, I love Four Leaf Clover which is awash in shamrocks! Three leaves, four leaves, it’s all good luck!

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  7. Love Four Leaf Cleaver! Beautiful green color! Not caught up yet on either series!

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  8. I like all 3 covers, but there’s just something extra about Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse. It looks so inviting – just curl up on the porch with some hot cocoa and linger for awhile.

    I love both series, and look forward to reading each new release.

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  10. I like the richness of the top cover ,but the cuteness of the original cover is my favorite. The green cover is very eye catchy too!

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  11. Four Leaf Clevers is also my favorite! I feel your pain with the weather! I live outside of Boston and it has been awful! I spent the weekend in NH where it wasn’t as bad but close! I’ve only read your Country Store series (not quite finished it). This weekend was a great weekend to read because it was too hot to do anything else! Have a great day!

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  13. Great covers, Edith! But I do have a soft spot for the Four Leaf Cleaver cover. Birdy looks very dapper in his green bowtie. And I am chuffed that punny title suggestion was used for this latest Country Store mystery!

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  14. Congratulations to you on all the wonderful covers, Edith! My Irish heritage compels me to pick Four Leaf Cleaver as my favorite, though they’re all fabulous!

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  15. That cover of the porch is so close to what I pictured in my mind when I read the books. Love it!!

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  16. I like them all but there’s something about the ebook Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse. And I can’t wait to read Four Leaf Cleaver next year. What a great title!

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  18. Probably because we are suffering the extreme heat and humidity of summer in the south, my favorite is the CHRISTMAS COCOA AND A CORPSE the best. Love everything about it from the things you mentioned to the sign on the door and the cups of cocoa out by the sign. Looks like the dictionary picture to describe Christmas. Definitely a place that if I saw it in real life that I’d just have to stop in and check it out. That being said, I love them all! No surprise there because I love all your covers and the books they cover.

    Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of “MURDER IN CAPE COTTAGE”, which I’m dying to read.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  19. Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse is calling me! It is so very pretty. And i long for that time of year as we swelter through this end of July.
    Congratulations in all your new covers!

    As for being caught up on your series…not yet

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  20. I like the first Christmas cover and can’t wait to read the new ones! I just finished the last two this weekend. I love Robbie’s adventures and I love all the characters in South Lick. Congrats on the new books!

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  22. I love your ebook cover of Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse! The porch is just so wonderfully cozy! They are all beautiful though.

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  23. I love the Country Store series! Both covers look great, but my favorite is “Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse”. Lots of holiday atmosphere. Guess I’m in a Christmas in July mood.

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  24. I love the Richness of Covers – a perfect group name! All of the covers are wonderful, but I have a weakness for Christmas decorations so the e-book cover is my favorite. Birdy’s scarf is a bonus, I wish my cat would wear my knits 😉! (I once saw a cat costume in a store, the packaging said something like Your cat will love this & my thought was In what world?)

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  26. Love both covers, Edith, but I’m partial to the Christmas one. I never knew the Country Store had stone steps! I’ve not yet read the novella, so – off to pre-order. A cooling Christmas book to look forward to 🙂

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  29. The top cover with Birdy in the scarf is my favorite by far. I love all the Cozy Capers covers because I love the Coastal New England look.

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  30. I love all three covers. Each has their own special touch! I can not pick just one. I am caught up on the series and can not wait for the next installment is each to come out. I

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  31. I like Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse cover the best. It’s so warm and welcoming it makes me want to go in and have a cup of cocoa even if there is a corpse. LOL.

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  32. I like the cover with the porch best. Very inviting. However, it is not at all how I have pictured her porch in my mind. It’s like reading a book and then seeing the movie.

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  34. All three of these covers are lovely. I think my favorite cover is Three Leaf Cleaver! I have read most of the books in these two series. I may have missed one or two.

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  35. Those covers are nice. I really like the one for the Christmas novella. (No need to enter me in the giveaway.)

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  36. I liked both covers very much. If I had to choose only one, it would be Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse, but the Four Leaf Cleaver cover is a close second. Although I am not caught up with the Country Store Mysteries, I am working on that now. I love the way that Birdy is on your book covers! Please, please keep writing!

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  37. I love the Four Leaf Cleaver cover and title!! I am so glad it has turned into a favorite long running series!!

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  38. Love them all but Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse is awesome! Maybe because of this heat wave! I am also reading a lot of books that take place at the shore! I am currently caught up on the Country Store and the Cozy Capers books! Enjoying the outdoors by proxy through the books! Looking forward to the next ones!

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  39. I want to go sit on that front porch with a cup of hot cocoa. So cozy.

    No need to enter me. I’ve already pre-ordered
    Murder in a Cape Cottage. Looking forward to reading all of these. You are the best!

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  40. All great covers! “Four Leaf Cleaver” is my favorite, makes me want to pick up the book and start reading. I’m behind on both series.

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  42. The Christmas Cocoa ebook cover and the Four Leaf Clover cover are so cute! Very cozy looking. Unfortunately, I am not caught up in the series yet. There are just so many books and so little time. I find that as I am growing older I also read slower than I used to. Not giving up though. Eventually I will get through those cozy book towers.

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  43. I love the cover with the front of Robbie’s store. The clover one is nice also. I am caught up on both series and can’t wait for new books to come out!

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  44. I love the Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse cover. I haven’t read the series yet but it is in my TBR pile.

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  45. I love the Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse cover! So cozy and inviting. Thanks so much for the chance!

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  47. They’re all wonderful, Edith!

    Funny note: I got a review on NetGalley for the upcoming LIE DOWN WITH DOGS, the cover of which features a mountain range (both because mountains are key in the Laurel Highlands and because I reference a fictional dog-racing track in West Virginia named Blue Mountain). The reviewer was puzzled why there were mountains on the cover when so much action took place in city/suburban areas. Just goes to show what we think of when we come up with cover concepts will not necessarily mean the same thing to our readers!

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  48. CONGRATULATIONS on your upcoming books Maddie! I am all caught up, and chewing my nails (not really 🙂 ) waiting for the new books! Thank you for sharing your writing skills with us eager readers! Luis at ole dot travel

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  49. Edith, you have been so very BUSY!! I love the covers, especially Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse. Fantastic! I love novellas. I had no idea until recently that I love them, but I do. So, I have to have your novellas. I am going to check out the audiobook since you say it’s already available. Yee-ha!!

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    1. Edith, I pre-ordered the audio-book. I like the reader. The cover of the e-book is amazing.

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