Cozy Authors Gayle Macklem and Beverly Kaplan

What happened here?

What happened in your small town?
You never could have imagined it when you moved here. What mystery ebbs and flows behind the beach houses, the waft of raspberry pie coming out that kitchen window? Something is afoot.

We think we might know what's going on, so keep reading...

Gayle Macklem

Gayle Macklem is a psychologist. She's the author of four academic books on psychology topics, a book for parents on bullying, and has edited a book of Lessons from School Psychology for parents and teachers. She has lived in the small New England town of Manchester, MA with her family for most of her life. Her favorite cozy mystery authors are Barbara Ross, Katherine Hall Paige, Maddie Day, Kate Carlisle, and Joanna Fluke.

Beverly Kaplan

Beverly Kaplan is a business consultant. A renaissance woman, Beverly has worked as an English teacher, a nurse, and a marketing manager. She now lives in New York with her family but lived for years in Salem, MA. Beverly's leisure activities include travel, visits with family and friends, culinary activities (baking and cooking), participating in book groups, and community service volunteering.

Murder Can Be Cold

Dale Robertson and Sophie Arnold live in a quiet New England seaside village where the biggest news of the summer is a dog running loose on the beach. As members of the Dine and Discuss Book Club, Dale and Sophie love to read cookbooks, try new recipes—and gossip. It's a horrible shock when the best friends find the body of Martin Peckman in a Porta-Potty on the public golf course. No one liked Martin, but that’s no reason to flush his life away.

Martin and his wife Ellie own the local ice cream shoppe, and Sophie was hired as a consultant to improve the business. But Martin's demise complicates matters, especially when the death is determined to be murder. Everyone in town believes the store and property will be sold, and they battle for control of the valuable site. Dale and Sophie, eager to support Ellie, find themselves becoming much too involved in her chilly business. And if this isn’t bad enough... The murderer is becoming more desperate and there is an approaching Nor’easter.

from the story Murder Can be Cold
by Gayle Macklem and Beverly Kaplan

RECIPES

Spice is the spice of life...

RASPBERRY PIE

Ingredients:
1 baked pie crust
4 cups of fresh raspberries
3 Tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Mix cornstarch with water in saucepan. Add lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar.
2. Add fresh raspberries.
3. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until thickened (about 5 minutes).
4. Cool the berry mixture to lukewarm.
5. Add to prebaked; cooled pie crust.
6. Serve at room temperature.

Topping suggestions:
1. Whipped cream: Fill piping bag with whipped cream. Pipe design on top of pie just before serving.
2. Using ½ pint fresh raspberries, top whipped cream with fresh raspberries