In Night Train to Memphis by Elizabeth Peters, Vicky Bliss, an assistant curator at Munich's National Museum, may not be an Egypt expert, but her Ph.D. in crime-solving comes in handy when an intelligence agency recruits her for a luxurious Nile cruise. Amidst the backdrop of the majestic Sphinx Vicky must navigate her personal frustrations and the deadly charms of a cunning criminal hiding in plain sight.

Colleen Gleason, who also writes as Colleen Cambridge, is an award-winning, USAToday and NYT bestselling author. She’s written more than fifty novels in a variety of genres, but her current favorite to pen is historical-set mystery, usually featuring a famous person for the amateur detective’s sidekick, mentor, or friend. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages, and have been bestsellers in several foreign markets.

An avid gardener, amateur mixologist, and vegetarian gourmet, Colleen lives in the Midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always working on her next book.

Her latest book, Death Down the Aisle comes out October 27, 2026!

Our drink this week is one of Colleen’s signature drinks, the French Bluet Martini!

Ingredients

• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Crème de violette
• 0.5 oz Vodka
• 0.5 oz Lillet Blanc
• Ice cubes

Instructions

1. Add the gin, crème de violette, vodka, and Lillet Blanc into a mixing glass or cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Stir (do not shake) until drink is chilled.
3. Fine-strain the mixture into a chilled martini or coupe glass.

• 4. Serve immediately