Guest Post: Meet Character Grams Dingler by Barbara Silkstone

If you enjoy a cozy that reads like an episode of I Love Lucy chasing a tornado, have I got a book series for you! Lavender Toes is the latest book in the Cold Cream Murders series.

Olive’s newly found cousin is murdered out at Digby’s Bees when Olive and her crew visit for a morning of lavender picking. That she is found barefoot is only one of the odd, not necessarily the oddest, clues surrounding her death. A bumbling misogynist police chief and his lazy deputy has Olive investigating the death on her own. She needs to try to piece together a murder, a jewel heist, a shady land developer, and dying bees in order to save the day ( and still find time to be a chauffeur!).

There is not a single boring or place holding character in this entire book. Even the pets are larger than life. I imagine that Lizzie’s grandmother, the nonagenarian known to friends and family alike as Grams, with her ace reporting, ancient (classic) Edsel, and mind-boggling antics could fill a whole book on her adventures alone as you can probably guess by reading her guest post below. Nothing seems to phase her as she rushes headlong into life. Luckily she has Lizzie and Olive to keep her out of trouble. They manage so well without being obvious about it, they have obviously had some practice. Not sure when these ladies find time to run their business.

Despite being the fifth of a series this reads well as a stand-alone. I immediately felt like part of the family and just held on for the ride. That is the charm of the Cold Cream Murders.

Continue on to meet Grams Dingler and to click the big red button for your chance to win a prize from Barbara Silkstone. It is truly a pleasure to have both Grams and Barbara with us on the blog today.

Video ~ Click to play
https://animoto.com/play/yLBQOULDz1YsUgYHfuSwdg

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Grams Dingler

Hi! * waving *
My full name is Emily Ann Dingler, but you can call me Grams.

Many thanks to the good folks we invited me here today. They must have read some of my Pullet’s Prize winning stories in the Silverfish Gazette — Catch the news before
it crawls away. There’s always a lot to write about in and around Starfish Cove, Florida. For a small beachside burg, we get more than the average oddball murders—and I cover them all. I’m an ace reporter, bodyguard, and fashionista.

I’m Lizzy Kelly’s grandmother. She’s a partner with Olive Peroni in Nonna’s Cold
Cream shop on the beach. They feature secret recipes for miracle and magical face
creams and homemade beauty stuff like lip gloss and blusher. Despite being sweet
gals they’re magnets for trouble. If it isn’t one dead body it’s another.

Olive used to be a psychologist in New York City. But now the only time she uses her
training is as a profiler for the Starfish Cove Police Department.

Those two ladies have solved the wackiest murders. I’m their backup on the tougher
cases. None of us carries a gun, pepper spray, or any of those tricky things.
Somebody might get hurt. Instead, Olive usually arms herself with a can of
hairspray. One spritz in the face slows up the most determined thug. WonderDog is
at Lizzy’s side. Soppy as a rain-soaked stuffed toy, that dog is fierce when confronting
a villain. I carry a brass candlestick I pinched from a crime scene. I’ve yet to use it
but you never know.

I’m going to share things with you about my past that will boggle your mind. Most of
them are true or as close to the truth as I can remember at my age. Listen carefully
cause I’m not going to repeat it. This is a soundproof blog, right?

In the swinging 60s, I used to hang with that skinny British fashion model. Her name
is on the tip of my tongue. She had big blue eyes, short blonde hair, and was skinny
as a stick. Was it Sticky?

I can see the doubt on some of your faces but it’s the truth. In my younger days
London was my playground. Why do you think, John, Paul, George, and Ringo came
to the USA? It wasn’t for the screaming girls. All four of those guys were sweet on
me. When I moved back to the States they followed.

You won’t believe this but I was the one who cut their hair the first time. Yup! Those
styles made them into stars. I did Ringo first. Got out my dressmaker’s shears and bobbed his hair, even cut his bangs. Once his mates caught sight of him they begged
me for the same style.

Here’s a short scene from one of the murder mysteries I was involved in. It’s told
from Olive’s point of view. Remember to check out Barbara Silkstone’s links. You
don’t want to miss a single adventure.

Sun Scream – Book 4 COLD CREAM MURDERS

The bell over the door tinkled. Grams tottered in lugging her brass candlestick. She
wore a man-sized black T-shirt that ended below her knees, the short sleeves
reaching her wrists. Her support hose were a dark taupe and ended in black
orthopedic oxfords. She’d stuck a second label on the REPORTER hatband of her
fedora. The blue and white sticker read ARMED BODYGUARD.

In a display designed to impress, she gave the candlestick a twirl but lost her grip.
The brass baton clunked to the floor, barely missing her shoes while leaving a gouge
in the wood.

Lizzy rushed forward and lifted the candlestick. She put her arm around Grams.
“This is my grandmother. Grams Dingler meet Olive’s Auntie Maria.”

Grams narrowed her eyes taking in what was visible of Sophia under the floppy hat
and giant sunglasses. She broke free of Lizzy’s grip, took a few bold steps towards
the actress and looked up at her. “Auntie Maria my eye! This here is Sophia Napoli.”

~*~

Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a SAVE THE BEES sweatshirt.
Lavender Toes contains a subplot about saving the bees. The sweatshirt will remind
folks that we need honeybees as much as they need us.

COLD CREAM MURDERS Bundle link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MDWGHYV

About Barbara Silkstone

Author of the Florence Nightingale Comedy Mystery Series, The Giggling Corpse, The
Killer Corset, and The Cheeky Corner, Barbara Silkstone is also the creator of the best
selling Mister Darcy series of comedic mysteries ~ 9 Books plus 10 Regency novels
and novellas, all with a light, humorous touch. She is also the author of the Wendy
Darlin Comedy Mysteries – 5 Cozy Romantic Adventures reviewers describe as Nick
and Nora Charles meet Lara Croft.

Most books are available in paperback and audio!
Barbara Silkstone’s Amazon Author’s page

http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Silkstone/e/B0047L8A8W

~*~

Barbara Silkstone is the author of the COLD CREAM MURDERS cozies, also the
Florence Nightingale Comedy Mystery Series, light-hearted Victorian cozies.

Silkstone is also the author of the best selling Mister Darcy series of comedic
mysteries ~ 9 Books~ plus an additional 10 Regency novels and novellas, all with a
light, humorous touch.

Please check out her Wendy Darlin Comedy Mysteries – 5 Cozy Capers.

I love hearing from my readers!

You can reach me on FaceBook, Twitter, and at the Second Act Café

https://www.facebook.com/barbara.silkstone

https://twitter.com/barbsilkstone

Sign up for my occasional newsletter 

https://secondactcafe.com

Please follow me on Book Bub 

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-silkstone

 About The Book:

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Lavender Toes (A Cold Cream Murder Mystery) by Barbara Silkstone

Someone dear to Olive is found dead—toes up and barefooted—in Digby’s Bees lavender field. Olive and Lizzy team up with WonderDog to find the killer. Digby’s hives are home to the wondrous Soprano bees. The little buzzers are the source of the secret ingredient that powers their Nonna’s Cold Cream—a fountain of youth in a jar.

Finding the killer becomes more of a challenge as the gals protect Digby’s bees from a determined land developer who wants the beekeeper’s farm. The clock ticks as saving the honeybees becomes every bit as important as finding the cousin-killer.

While Olive and Lizzy buzz about, Grams, nonagenarian ace reporter for the Silverfish Gazette, takes on the story of a diamond heist in nearby Sarasota. Can the gals protect Grams from another near catastrophe or can the feisty lady handle it alone?

Help the Cold Cream gals solve the mystery of the Lavender Toes while once again bailing Grams out of trouble. And what about those bees?

Every book comes with a recipe for a homemade beauty product.

Book Links: Amazon

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