Mary Lydon Simonsen's Blog: What readers are saying about The Second Date, page 11

Connections - Jane Austen and Three's A Crowd

Three's A Crowd is now available to Amazon Kindle Prime members for free. Please check it out.

Last week, I posted a part of an Amazon review from William Curnutt, an Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer, but there was more to the story. William is the husband of Austen Author Kara Louise. Kara and I were "chatting" by e-mail when she told me about William and Amazon. I asked if he read mysteries, and then I was sorry I did because I had put her on the spot. So I didn't say anything else, hoping she would forget I had asked. But then I was pleasantly surprised to find out that William had read my mystery and really enjoyed it. This was particularly gratifying because William is a former volunteer police chaplain, and I'll let him tell you about it. Here's the review in full:

My wife has gotten to know Mary Simonsen through her Jane Austen fan fiction writing. When Mary came out with this novel my wife suggested that I read it and provide a review as an encouragement to Mary. My fear was whether I would like the book or not, I didn't want to give a bad review :)

I was very pleasantly pleased with the Novel. Detective Patrick Shea provides us with a solid British Police Detective who is compassionate, loyal, strong willed and frankly, good at his job. Along with his partner Molly they provide a great dual of police work.

The book starts out with Shea and Updike on a stakeout to try and catch a 'cat burglar' who has been victimizing a particular community. Their efforts pay off and they catch the 'gentlemen' burglar as he is exiting his latest victims home. Upon being caught the burglar doesn't resist but instead offers a rose to Detective Shea for a job well done in catching him. Obviously this sets Shea up for all kinds of ribbing from fellow officers.

Detective Shea is writing up reports when an old friend shows up from a previous station that he worked. This friend wants to inform Shea that his former girlfriend has been assaulted and is in the hospital. Shea is concerned and goes to visit her. Upon entering the room he discovers that he still has deep feelings for her.

The book deals with police procedures, personal vendettas and romance. Each theme plays an important role in the short novel. Each theme is well developed and well written. The characters are well developed and you learn enough about each to draw you in and give you a firm position on which to either like or dislike a particular character.

What I found very intriguing is that Mary got the details correct. For more than 10 years I served as a volunteer Police Chaplain and during that time I learned how police officers work and the camaraderie that they develop. When you sit on a stakeout with someone for hours you get to know them. When you get shot at along side another officer you grow a loyalty and solid working relationship. As you solve crimes together you learn to understand your partner and his or her needs and how they work.

Mary gets the relationships. She builds them well and strings them together in a story that is very true to the real life that a policeman lives.

What I enjoyed most is that the crimes that Detective Shea was solving were not heinous, they were not vicious, they were the everyday small items that police officers handle all the time. They are the mundane. But Mary wrote the story in such a way as to draw you in, give you enough excitement to keep you turning the pages and enough reality to make you want to see a good outcome for both Detective Shea and his one time girlfriend.

This is a great story and I look forward to reading more Detective Shea novels.

Oh, and by the way, Mary does a great job in getting the terms correct for a British police novel. When you buy the book you might want to turn to the end of the book and read the glossary of terms first before starting the novel, that will help you understand the story a bit better.

If you know any police officers you might give them this book as a gift because they will "Get It" as they read.
Enjoy!

An Embarrassment of Riches

Authors love reviews. There’s nothing like a four or five-star review to brighten up a writer’s day. This is especially true of books that have been around for a while. In the past two weeks, I have received some terrific reviews for an older novel and short story and a new release. As a result, I am experiencing an embarrassment of riches.
The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Luthien at My Love for Jane Austen – 5 Stars:
I highly recommend any books written by Mary as it is truly an engaging read. My only regret is that I should have read [The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy] rather than waiting for more than a year later. I am looking forward to Mary’s next novel which is A Wife for Mr. Darcy.
Read Luthien’s full review here.
The Language of the Fan by Kimberly at Reflections of a Book Addict – 4 Stars:
Simonsen always leaves me wanting more, and that’s exactly how I felt upon completing The Language of the Fan.
Read Kimberly’s full review here.
Three’s A Crowd by Cinta Garcia at Cinta’s Corner – 4 Stars:
The characters are quite realistic. You feel you can meet them in the streets and have a chat with them. They have well-developed personalities… You really can get an image of them in your mind. A very enjoyable reading, I recommend it to everybody who likes a good mystery. I am already waiting for the next installment of Patrick Shea’s adventures.
Read Cinta’s full review here.
Three’s A Crowd by William Curnutt, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer – 4 Stars - William is a former volunteer police chaplain:
What I enjoyed most is that the crimes that Detective Shea was solving were not heinous, they were not vicious, they were the everyday small items that police officers handle all the time… But Mary wrote the story in such a way as to draw you in, give you enough excitement to keep you turning the pages and enough reality to make you want to see a good outcome for both Detective Shea and his one time girlfriend.
This is a great story and I look forward to reading more Detective Shea novels…. If you know any police officers, you might give them this book as a gift because they will "Get It" as they read Three’s A Crowd.
Read William Curnutt’s full review here.
It’s been a great two weeks. J

Anne Elliot - I'm a Tweaker

I wrote my novel, Anne Elliot, A New Beginning , about two and a half years ago. Since that time, I think I have improved as a writer. So when I went to update the back of the book where I post my "bio" and "other books by Mary Simonsen," I decided to reread the book. And the tweaking began. Although the story remains unchanged, it is tighter and more compact--not an unnecessary word in my retelling of Anne Elliot's story.
This novel is a unique Persuasion re-imagining in that Anne Elliot is a jogger. Yes, a jogger! Once she has been declared to be a spinster by her family, she decides to set off in a new direction. The confidence she gains from becoming a long-distance runner changes her life and the lives of everyone around her, including Captain Frederick Wentworth.
To reintroduce my novel to my readers, I have put the newly edited book on Kindle and Nook for $1.59. If you haven't read my story, I hope you will have a look.
On Anne Elliot’s 25th birthday, her family has declared her to be a spinster, but instead of being downcast by this change in status, she finds it to be liberating. As a result of her new-found freedom, Anne becomes a long-distance runner. Because this activity greatly increases her confidence and sense of self-worth, she is determined to set the course for her future even if it puts her at odds with her family and society. It is this new Anne who Captain Frederick Wentworth meets when he sees the love of his life after eight years of separation, and he finds that he is falling in love with her all over again. However, there is a complication. The heir to Kellynch, the Elliot estate, William Elliot, has also come back into the picture after being estranged from Anne’s father, Sir Walter Elliot, Baronet, and he has set his sights on Anne. Now living in Bath, Anne senses that something is not right, and with the help of a street urchin named Swoosh, she sets out to discover William Elliot’s true nature. Anne Elliot, A New Beginning, is a light-hearted comedic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion.


Available on Nook
Available on Kindle

Winner of Three's A Crowd

The winner of an e-book copy of Three's A Crowd is Suzan. Thank you to everyone who celebrated the release of my first mystery with me. I really appreciate it. Mary

Chance to Win E-Book of Three's A Crowd

I have received my second review for Three's A Crowd from Jakki at Leatherbound Reviews. She is also hosting a giveaway of a Kindle e-book. I hope you will stop by and visit. 

Three's A Crowd - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today, I have a post on Austen Authors to celebrate the release of my first mystery, Three's a Crowd in which I am interviewed by none other than the great one herself, Jane Austen. I hope you will stop by for a visit. 
From the back jacket: In Three’s A Crowd, we are introduced to Detective Sergeant Patrick Shea, a rising young star at the Hampden Station Criminal Investigation Department, and someone whose career is being fast tracked by the Metropolitan Police in London. With his eye on an appointment to a Murder Investigation Team with New Scotland Yard, Shea is doing everything by the book. Unfortunately, Patrick’s love life is a bit of a mess and gets messier when he learns that his former lover, Annie Jameson, has been assaulted on someone else’s patch. Will his involvement in the under-the-radar investigation of the attack on his ex-girlfriend put his career in jeopardy and possibly her life as well?
Below is an excerpt from Three’s A Crowd . If you leave a comment, you will be entered in a giveaway for a Kindle e-book of my mystery. BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS.  No e-mail address - no can win. The winner will be announced on June 25.
Chapter 4 As soon as his shift was over, Patrick drove to see Annie at Queen Mary’s Hospital, an ugly box of a building set down in the middle of Putney near Roehampton University. Before going up to her room, he bought a bouquet of flowers from the hospital gift shop, little changed from the last time he had visited it when he was stationed at Renwick. As a detective constable, he had spent untold hours in the accident and emergency room interviewing victims of car accidents, assault, and domestic violence or taking statements from young people who had gone out on a lash, drinking nearly toxic levels of alcohol. While he waited for the medical staff to finish treating the victim and/or suspect, Patrick passed the time by flirting with the nurses, counting on his reddish-blond hair and blue eyes to draw their attention. The endless hours coppers spent sitting in an A and E waiting room were the reasons why so many of them married nurses.When he entered the room, Annie was asleep, propped up on pillows, her head swathed in bandages. The right side of her face had taken the brunt of the assault and was bruised and swollen, and she sported a black eye usually reserved for boxers. He knew from the incident report that her assailant had landed a blow to the right side of her head causing nausea and disorientation. When her attacker had released her, she had pitched forward, banging her head, first into wrought-iron fencing, before catching the edge of a low brick wall supporting the railings. The impact had resulted in a mild concussion. In addition to the swelling, the skin on her right cheek had been scraped away, but the abrasions weren’t so deep that she would scar, and Patrick let out a sigh of relief. Nothing should mar Annie’s flawless complexion, and he remembered the coolness of her cheek resting against his own.Fortunately, the sound of Patrick moving one of the chairs was enough to awaken the patient and spare him any additional memories. When she saw him, she smiled, causing her to wince from the skin stretching over the cuts on her face that had already begun to heal.“Patrick, thank you for coming,” she said, edging herself up into a sitting position. Her voice was hoarse, but that was to be expected from someone who had had a forearm jammed up against her larynx. “John Stanley rang earlier and told me you might be coming by.”“My pleasure. Well, not actually a pleasure,” he said, stumbling, and then handed Annie the flowers to cover up his gaffe. “Sorry about all this.”“Yeah. Wrong place, wrong time,” she said, accepting the flowers.“So you’ve had a few visitors,” Patrick said, acknowledging the flora and fauna.“Tons. You just missed the Sisterhood,” a core group of six girlfriends, all of whom had grown up with Annie in Chelsea and had stayed in contact despite the tugs and pulls of family and work. “We were laughing so hard, Sister chucked them out as soon as visiting hours ended. So how did you get in, Patrick? Your smile or your warrant card? Never mind. I’m pretty sure you didn’t need to show your warrant card.”Annie knew Patrick to be an unrepentant flirt, but she also knew that if he was in a relationship, it was all smiles and talk for the ladies, but no action. For Patrick, fidelity was a core principle, and on that matter, he walked the straight and narrow and expected his girlfriend to do the same. No deviation, no excuses, the penalties harsh.“What were you doing on Old School Road?” Patrick asked, diving right in.“I’m taking night courses at Roehampton, and I have a flat near the university. I was walking home.”“When did that happen? The flat, I mean.”“About six months ago. I’m a graduate student in hospital administration, so it made sense to make the move.”“You quit the surgery?”“Yeah, I got tired of the whole Harley Streetplastic surgery scene.” Since graduating from university, Annie had worked as a medical assistant at a posh clinic where the rich went to have their noses shaved, faces lifted, tummies tucked, and fat sucked out of their butts... “Now, I work at a surgery in Hampden from 8:00 until 2:00. Those hours allow me time to do my coursework and get over to the university.”“Where’s your flat?” After giving him the location, Patrick made a face. While a copper at the Renwick nick, there had been an uptick in 999 calls coming into the station from Pullman Crescent, a neighborhood that had been cut in half when the motorway had been constructed, basically destroying the cohesiveness of a once prospering middle-class commuter suburb of London. He was less than thrilled with the idea of Annie living there. “You didn’t change the address on your driver’s license.”“No, officer, I did not. Are you going to arrest me? Did you bring the cuffs?” she said, holding out her hands.“I didn’t mean it like that,” Patrick quickly added. “Stanleysent me a copy of the incident report, and it shows your Hammersmith address.”“Like I said, I moved.”Patrick waited for more, and he was good at waiting. When a person came from a large family, you got used to waiting your turn. As a detective, it worked to his advantage. People hated prolonged silences, and the longer it went on, the more likely the person would start talking. Often it was like opening a tap, and the suspect wouldn’t shut up.“It’s convenient to my work and flat.” Patrick stuck with the silent treatment. “All right, I didn’t move to be nearer to uni. Last April, Daphne skipped out and stuck me with the rent. There was no way I could afford the flat on my own.”“Why didn’t you get another flat mate?”Annie rolled her eyes. There were two Patrick Sheas: the handsome man who had swept her off her feet with a smile and a few sentences and the copper—the man who was now asking all these questions.“Because I didn’t want it to happen to me again. So I decided to hell with it. I’d find some place I could afford on my own.”“Sorry. Didn’t know about any of that.”“How could you?” Annie said with a shrug of her shoulders. “But what I want to know is: Are you here as a friend or as a copper? Because if you are here in an official capacity, you can get all the details of the attack from DC Shakur, who was the one who interviewed me.”“Except that Detective Constable Shakur had you down as being mugged by a bag snatcher. There’s no way this was a mugging. You were assaulted.”Although he knew it would unsettle her, Annie had to know that bag snatchers didn’t forget to take the handbag or the mobile, and their crimes weren’t personal. Whoever had punched Annie in the head had whispered something in her ear. Muggers didn’t deliver messages. They grabbed the goods and hauled arse.“Do you remember what was said to you?”“No,” Annie answered, shaking her head. “He punched me so hard my ears were ringing. I only knew he was talking to me because I could feel his breath on my skin.”“Who would want to do this to you?”“No one.” Patrick stared at her, his eyes boring into her like blue lasers. “Stop looking at me like that.” But there was to be no reprieve. “I honestly don’t know anyone who would want to do this to me. I do not have enemies. Isn’t that the next question? Do you have any enemies? I have to assume it was random or my assailant mistook me for someone else.”“Boyfriend?” Patrick asked, ignoring her comments.“No.”“Recent breakup?”“No.”“Breakup within the past year?”“No, Detective Sergeant Shea,” an exasperated Annie answered.“Listen, Annie, I’m sorry I have to ask you all these questions, but someone pulled you by the hair, punched you in the head, and pushed you into a brick wall. I’m not the guy you should be pissed off at.”Annie stated once again that she had already answered the same questions with DC Shakur with a follow-up telephone call from Sergeant Stanley of the Renwick nick. “And allow me to reiterate: I don’t currently have a boyfriend. In fact, I haven’t had a serious relationship since…”“Since when?”“…since you and I broke up,” she said, shifting uncomfortably in her stiff hospital gown. “Other than a couple of dates with one guy months ago, there has been no one.”Patrick found it hard to believe that no man had stepped in to fill the vacancy created by their break-up. Even with her injuries, Annie was beautiful, her Scots ancestors having provided her with a fair complexion that served to enhance her thick black hair and dark eyes.“What about the bloke you threw me over for?”“As I mentioned at the time of our break-up, it was a fling, and it lasted only the one night. I have never seen him again,” Annie answered while staring at her hands. “Listen, Patrick, I know you are trying to be helpful. But it is the honest-to-God’s truth that I haven’t been with anyone since we broke up.” But then she went quiet for several minutes. “After I decided to leave the clinic, I enrolled at Roehampton to work on a master’s degree in hospital administration... Once that’s behind me, I’ll be back in the game. And it’s not as if I don’t go out. I do have girlfriends. I do go to clubs and put in my time at the neighborhood pubs, but I do not have a love interest.”. . . “If you don’t mind me butting into your business,” Patrick said, not waiting for a response, “I would rather you not go home until after I have checked out your flat. I want to have a look at the locks, outdoor lighting, places where a villain can hide, etc. Make sure no one can break in.”“Do you think someone would do that?” Annie asked, fear inching into her voice.“Because there is no way to know why this bloke assaulted you, we really can’t say what your assailant is capable of. Better safe than sorry.”“I have mates who can help me out.”“Yeah, but I’d feel better if I did it.”Annie reluctantly accepted his offer, but then she never wanted to experience anything like this ever again.“Now that the interview has concluded, why don’t you take off your policeman’s hat and just be a friend. I’d love to hear what Josh is doing. I miss him," she said of Patrick's eight-year-old son...“We talked about you the last time I had him for a weekend. Josh wanted to know if you were still at the surgery puffing up women’s lips and shaving off bits of bone from their noses. He keeps telling me it’s gross, but I think that’s the attraction and the reason for all the questions.”Annie laughed. “If he thinks that’s gross, he should watch a surgeon perform liposuction.”“Don’t ever say that to him or he’ll call your bluff. You’ll be ringing Dr. Tranh so Josh can watch one of his surgeries.”“Yeah, I can easily believe that. He’s curious about everything. Just like his dad which is why you’re such a good copper.”And why I’m a lousy boyfriend, Patrick thought. But he kept it to himself.
Available from Amazon on Kindle for .99.

Giveaway and Guest Post on English Historical Authors

I hope you will join me at English Historical Authors where I have a guest post on the history of Scotland Yard as a way of celebrating the release of my first mystery, Three's A Crowd . I will be giving away two Kindle e-books. So please stop by and enter. Thanks.

First Review for Three's A Crowd!

From So Little Time...:
Mary Simonsen has stepped out of the Austen world and into a modern English detective story with Three's a Crowd...  It’s a modern, edgy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed!Detective Sergeant Patrick Shea is one hot copper! He works for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in London's Metropolitan Police... 

I adore Patrick Shea! He’s cute, with a smile that would get him almost anything...at least from the ladies, but I didn’t find him at all cocky, just a genuine good-guy. He also has a good sense of humor which is a good thing because with his good-looks and that charming smile, the guys at the station (or nick as it’s called) often found something to poke fun at him with, especially after he receives a rose from a burglar that he has just captured! Three's a Crowd is a novella meant to introduce us to Patrick Shea. That does not mean it is lacking in any way; it felt complete. There are a few side stories (routine cases), which keep the story moving along as the main story builds. I found I really enjoyed getting to know Patrick and the rest of the characters in this story. I am looking forward to reading more in this series! 
To read the complete review, please visit Candy's blog, So Little Time...

4.5 Star Review from Books Like Breathing - Grace Lociano

I have never really read a book where the image of an Italian-American was positive. From my childhood I have been bombarded with images of the stereotypes of Italian culture. Mafia bosses, goons, murderers, whacking. Not at all what I have grown up with as an Italian-American… The Second Date was completely different. Not only were the people familiar but the behavior, the language, the dialect was all a page from my life. I found myself laughing out loud in many places because it was so familiar. It would be lovely to see a book like this sitting next to Mario Puzo’s novels as representations of Italian-American culture. Or better yet, replacing it altogether… The romance was also good. Nick and Sonia were so cute together. But it was the portrayal of Italian-American culture was the shining star in this book for me at least… I was really pleased with this novel. Grace

I was really pleased with this review because Grace is an Italian-American, and I wanted to be sure that I had struck the right tone on behalf of the Italian-American culture. I'm pleased that she thought I did.

Searching for Pemberley

Searching for Pemberley will be released on December 1, 2009, and I am very excited. This book was formerly titled Pemberley Remembered, but when Sourcebooks bought the rights,they retitled it Searching for Pemberley. The story is actually quite a bit different from the first edition. The first half is a condensed version of Maggie Joyce's story; however, the second part of the book is all new and continues Maggie's story where she has two love interests. Stay tuned.