Pancakes & Handguns: A cozy mystery with bite

by Nala Henkel-aislinn

Overview

If the Darwin Award existed as an actual trophy, I'd bet my favorite PS5 controller I'd win it. The dedication would read, To Lena Kozek, for bravely-and idiotically-holding a mob boss at gunpoint in a public library.

Because that's exactly what I'm doing, and it's making my upper lip sweat like a shot glass of Fireball on a humid summer's day.

Yes, I said gunpoint and mobster and library in one sentence. And yes, I'm standing here in my dead mother's dress, my favorite army boots, holding a gun that, three days ago, I didn't know I'd been trained to use.

Had it really only been three days? Back then, I'd been excited to pull the trigger on something completely different...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798331403454
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	07/09/2024
Series:	A Hitman's Daughter , #1
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Nala Henkel-Aislinn has always loved reading. Her heart exploded when she got her first library card and found out she could take home more as many books as she could carry. Her first love was "Encyclopedia Brown," and now she writes funny, quirky mysteries for anyone who loves unconventional heroines and broken heroes. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where finding the perfect cinnamon bun has become a new life goal.

She is also the author of the contemporary sweet romance series Cranberry Hill and the Maple Cove Dog Lovers' Society, as well as the Christmas-themed series, Magic at Snow Fox Lodge.

Editorial Reviews

I knew from the title alone that I was going to love Pancakes & Handguns, but I was not prepared for the sheer glory of the narrative style and the rollicking good time I had reading it, though I did suspect it by the end of the first chapter, which is one of the best hooks I've ever read.

Hot Tree Editing - McKinley HK

Pancakes & Handguns grabs your attention from the opening line and holds you rapt until the end... which is when you immediately start the countdown to the release of the next in the series. Lena's voice as a narrator is captivating, fierce, and hysterical, and Nala's writing is inventive and clever in a way that pays off in spades. Spice, action, mystery, a brave, bold heroine, and the ghost of a hit man—this book has everything you could want in a mafia romance and more.

Hot Tree Editing - Keeley C

Pancakes & Handguns kept me up late into the night! The author drew me into the story with an action-filled scene in the first chapter, building my curiosity to know who the characters were. The pacing is brisk, but as you read, you realize that there are multiple subplots within one story. If you like fast-paced mysteries with characters who are likely to do the unexpected, Pancakes & Handguns should be on your list!

Readers' Favorite Fiction Contest - Priya Mathew

The characters serve as the vehicle for Henkel-Aislinn's plot in this lively novel. Henkel-Aislinn is a skillful storyteller who creates thoughtful personalities rich with both charm and playful banter. Her polished writing is entertaining and smart, and their skill at using character's thoughts and actions adds appeal to the plot—and will keep readers invested from the start. Pancakes & Handguns has a charming feel that highlights character interiority as much as the primary mystery.

The BookLife Prize