Pralines and Creamed
Sweet Dreams Mysteries #2
by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Teen sleuth Genevieve Winterland is back in the second book of this sweet new YA cozy mystery series!

It’s the spooky season in Pinewood, Arizona, and when Genevieve Winterland isn’t creating killer new recipes for Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, she’s helping BFF Brandon Summers prep for the most lit party of the year. Brandon’s parents own Hidden Treasures Bookstore, where famed horror writer Jack Kelley is launching his latest novel on Halloween night.

Brandon’s dad isn’t thrilled that the arrogant Kelley, who was once sweet on Mrs. Summers, has chosen their store for his big event. Still, there’s no denying the author draws a huge crowd… which makes it hard to narrow down a suspect list when Kelley drops dead onstage—the victim of a shocking murder straight out of his own book.

Fresh off Pinewood’s last cold case, Genevieve is happy to let the police handle this one. But when frosty Detective Christie zeroes in on Brandon’s dad as her prime suspect, Genevieve decides to take matters into her own hands. Can she get the scoop and solve the mystery haunting her hometown?

5 out of 5 fairies

I was so excited to return to Pinewood with Genevieve and friends, and Naranjo didn’t disappoint. It might be getting chilly here, but this cozy mystery will have you intrigued and craving ice cream all at once. Pinewood just feels like the ideal small town, until you get a little closer and see the tension running along beneath the surface. This time it’s a mystery right out of a book (literally), but that doesn’t make it any less intriguing. I got so wrapped up in trying to solve the mystery alongside Genevieve and Brandon that I lost track of time more than once. I loved getting to know both of them a little better, and seeing them work together to try and clear Brandon’s dad’s name was heartwarming. I can’t wait to see what new mystery will pop up in Pinewood next, and I must admit I’m a little disappointed I can’t visit Pinewood or any of the shops irl! A final note – although this works fine as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading book one too, as it’s just as sweet and mysterious as this installment.

Pralines and Creamed is now available to purchase in print and as an e-book at Amazon.com. 
Add it to your Goodreads reading listing as well.

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.

Elizabeth can be found online:

https://www.elizabethmarianaranjo.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8124819.Elizabeth_Maria_Naranjo

https://twitter.com/emarianaranjo