Essentials of Murder – Kim Davis – Giveaway

Please join me today in welcoming author Kim Davis to the blog to share the inspiration behind her Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries, including Essentials of Murder!

ESSENTIALS OF MURDER by Kim Davis
SERIES: Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery (Clean)
PUBLISHER: Harbor Lane Books, LLC
RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2024
PAGES: 283

After a scandalous arrest in San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael has moved back to her small Southern California hometown to start over as she opens her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop and reflexology services. A tourist destination, Oak Creek Valley, seems the perfect place to put the past behind her, but it seems no one will let her forget. When she finds the man who threatened to drive her out of business murdered in her shop, Carissa becomes the primary suspect, especially when her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Despite her father’s position as Oak Creek Valley’s chief of police, most townspeople assume she’s guilty.

Refusing to run again, Carissa knows she must prove her innocence to save her shop and save her father’s career when the investigating detective turns his focus on her. With suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it’s up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it’s too late.

Includes essential oil and reflexology tips.

 

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the inspiration for aromatherapy apothecary mysteries

by Kim Davis, author of Essentials of Murder

Several years ago, after I’d published the first two books in my Cupcake Catering Mysteries, my literary agent (Dawn Dawdle, may she rest in peace and is sorely missed) offered me some writing advice. She said the market was flooded with culinary cozy mysteries and I should look for a new hook for a new series if I wanted to further my career…a non-baking hook, of course. As an avid reader and blogger myself, I knew that there are already tons of “hooks” in books already featuring bookshops, coffee shops, libraries, quilters, dog groomers, etc. You name it, it’s probably been done.

I didn’t immediately go out and start hunting but collected ideas in the back of my head, and hoped something said “pick me!” In the meantime, I continued writing my cupcake series, and being a part-time caregiver for my special needs granddaughter, Jaidyn, who has Rett Syndrome. Jaidyn was frequently sick, catching colds every 6 to 8 weeks, which I’d catch. Her mother came across a group of other Rett Syndrome moms who were using essential oils and aromatherapy on their daughters, so we started experimenting. One of the products we tried is called On Guard (from doTERRA*) to help boost your immune system response via a topical application. And what do you know… colds started decreasing in frequency and instead of them turning into sinus infections, Jaidyn and I managed to kick them in 7 to 10 days instead of them lingering 2 weeks or longer. We also found that lavender has many beneficial properties besides just relaxation, eucalyptus helps sinus congestion, and peppermint can help relieve headaches.**

And finally, a “hook” stood up and yelled “pick me!”. Not knowing much about aromatherapy and essential oils, it took a ton of research to feel comfortable weaving information into my story. I also added some reflexology, after experiencing the benefits from my masseuse, who keeps those writer shoulder knots from becoming debilitating. Again, I knew reflexology helped me, but didn’t know the basis of why or how. Thank goodness for Google, YouTube, and books!

As the story came together and my characters, especially the protagonist, Carissa Carmicheal, became like real people to me, I decided to place the setting in the small tourist town I grew up in, until a young teen. I changed the name (I didn’t want to be constrained by needing to be 100% factual on street names, locations, etc.) but kept the flavor of the town. Now even though my literary agent said to steer clear of writing another culinary cozy mystery series, I had to include a patisserie, with the character, Jasper, as a core character. Carissa visits the patisserie every day for Jasper’s Triple Chocolate Rolls…swoon! And the recipe just happened to find itself included at the back of the book, along with some aromatherapy tips.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Carrie! I appreciate the opportunity to introduce Essentials of Murder to your readers!

*I’m including a link to the doTERRA research in case anyone is interested:  https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/science-research-news-doterra-on-guard-study

** Please note essential oils should never be ingested, and should never replace the advice about treatment from your doctor

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series, and the middle-grade fantasy adventure The Board Game Chronicles series. She has also written several children’s nature articles published in a variety of magazines.

Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines. When she’s not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working on her blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share. Connect with Kim at her website.

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