It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reads) GIVEAWAY: Christmas Candy Corpse (+ guest post)

today’s book: Christmas Candy Corpse

Happy Saturday once more! As you doubt know by now, we are continuing our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads! Christmas is only 21 days away, so… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and continue your bookish Christmas list! Oh… and did I mention there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)

Today’s next featured book is a Christmas cozy mystery, and author Rosemarie Ross shares a yummy recipe!

CHRISTMAS CANDY CORPSE by Rosemarie Ross
SERIES: Courtney Archer #3
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Kensington
RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2021
PAGES: 269

Christmas has come early to the beautiful Poconos resort that’s the setting for the American Baking Battle’s holiday special, where chef Courtney Archer is on hand to sample festive fare—and lift the lid off a killer . . .

Six ambitious bakers are competing for glory and a grand prize, showcasing their most delicious candies, cookies, and desserts. Courtney detects some on-set grinchiness from her coworkers, especially judge Shannon Collins, but she’s hoping the sweet treats will restore everyone’s festive spirits. That Christmas wish swiftly fizzles when assistant director Kinzy Hummel is found strangled—with an apron from Shannon’s new product line . . .

Shannon insists she’s innocent. Meanwhile, Kinzy had been under pressure from a disgruntled attorney to settle her late grandfather’s estate. But could that be a motive for murder? The show must go on even as Courtney sifts through competitors and crew for likely suspects. But unless she can quickly get to the truth, there’ll be another helping of homicide amid the pinwheel cookies and fruitcakes . . .

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cherry chocolate bars

by Rosemarie Ross, author of Christmas Candy Corpse

Courtney Archer is a chef and host of the American Baking Battle. Although, Courtney isn’t a judge, she does get to interview contestants and sometimes sample the contestant’s challenges.

The recipe below is something one of the contestants makes in the third book of the series, CHRISTMAS CANDY CORPSE. This recipe is a ‘mock’ recipe for a regional candy bar in the book and real life! My family made this recipe every year at Christmas time. It was special to me for two reasons. The Twin Bing candy bar is a favorite of mine. And its manufacturer, Palmer Candy Company, was in a city close by my childhood home. As a child who loved candy, I was really impressed I lived so close to a candy company!

I hope you try the recipe and enjoy as much as Courtney and her coworkers do in the book.

Cherry Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• ⅔ cup evaporated milk
• 12 large marshmallows
• ½ cup margarine
• 1 10 oz package cherry chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 11.5 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup salted peanuts chopped

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, milk, marshmallows and margarine in a saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and add cherry chips and vanilla.
4. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch lightly greased pan. Allow to cool and set up.
5. Melt chocolate chips. Stir in peanut butter and chopped peanuts. Mix well.
6. Spread over the cherry mixture. Chill in fridge until set.

Rosemarie Ross is offering a print copy of Christmas Candy Corpse to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Christmas Candy Corpse by Rosemarie Ross?