Elena Hartwell's Blog, page 25
March 27, 2024
Never Fall Again: Romantic Suspense
Never Fall Again, romantic suspense by Lynn H. Blackburn
Guest Post + Book & Author Info + a Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
Never Fall Again
Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.
Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again.
Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger–but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.
Praise for Never Fall Again:
“What a fabulous story with characters who will live in your head–and heart–long after the last word.”
~ Lynette Eason, award-winning, bestselling author of the Lake City Heroes series
“Lynn Blackburn’s voice is unrivaled! A must-read.”
~ Elizabeth Goddard, bestselling author of Cold Light of Day
“This book had it all–a delicious romance, obsession, found family, redemption and reconciliation, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and the kind of ending we all root for!”
~ Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling and RITA Award-winning author
Book Details:
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: March 12, 2024
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780800745363 (ISBN10: 0800745361)
Series: Gossamer Falls, Book 1
To purchase Never Fall Again, click any of the following links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Baker Book House
An excerpt from Never Fall Again
Never Fall Again
They passed several offices before they reached an open door.
“Maisy. Stay.” That same deep voice from the intercom floated to the hallway.
“Oooh! A dog!” Eliza dashed into the room.
Her little sprite was fast and already halfway across the office before Landry realized what was happening. “Eliza, wait!” Fortunately, she stopped at Landry’s words.
“I know, Mommy. Never touch a dog without permission. I just want to see.”
Eliza turned her big brown eyes toward the man who had come around his desk and knelt beside a dog now quivering with excitement.
The man—Callum Shaw, she assumed—met her daughter’s eyes and said, “Your mom’s right. You can’t ever rush at a dog, even dogs as gentle as this big baby. But if it’s okay with your mom . . .”
His eyes, which were as blue as the Carolina sky, now met hers. There was humor and gentleness. And shadows. Something dark flitted across his gaze. But then he blinked and it was gone.
Landry nodded her permission, and he turned all his attention back to her daughter. “This is Maisy. She’s a golden retriever. She’s three years old. She loves long walks in the woods, sunbathing, peanut butter, and belly rubs.” He demonstrated the belly rub. Maisy melted under his touch, and Eliza crept closer. “You can pet her. Maisy doesn’t bite my friends.”
Eliza dropped to her knees beside Callum and held out her hand toward Maisy’s nose.
Maisy took a quick sniff and rewarded Eliza’s good behavior with a lick. Callum stayed where he was until it was clear to everyone that Eliza and Maisy were set, then he rose to his feet and extended a hand. “Ms. Hutton.”
“Landry. Please.”
“Landry. A pleasure.”
Landry kept the contact brief. “Sorry, my hands are rough.” She turned them palms up. “Hazards of the job.”
Why had she said that? What did it matter if her hands were a bit on the crispy side? She didn’t have to prove anything to this man. Embarrassment crept across her and burst through her pores, heating her neck and face, and now she had no idea what to do with her hands. Should she put them down? Tuck them behind her back?
Callum glanced at her hands and turned his own up. “Same here.” He heaved a dramatic sigh. “It’s to my eternal despair that I’ll never land that hand modeling contract I’ve always hoped for.”
His easy humor made it automatic to tease him back. “Well, there’s always ditch digging.”
“Good point. If this construction gig doesn’t work out, I’ll have something to fall back on.” Callum turned his attention to Eliza. “And I gather your name is Eliza?”
She giggled with the abandon unique to happy children. “That’s right, but sometimes Mommy calls me Liza or ZaZa, but never Lizzy because that’s too close to Landry, and it gets confusing.”
Landry tried to keep a straight face as Eliza parroted what she’d heard Landry say too many times to count.
“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Eliza.” Callum pressed a hand to his chest. “I’m Cal Shaw. I’ll answer to Callum, but not LumLum because”— he dropped his voice to a stage whisper—“that’s just not dignified.”
Eliza’s laughter filled the room. Bronwyn hadn’t been wrong about Cal Shaw. He was very good with children. Even now, he kept his attention on Eliza. “Are you good here with Maisy while your mom and I talk?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cal grabbed a legal pad and pen from his desk and took the chair opposite the one he directed Landry to sit in. From their seats, they could both see Eliza and Maisy.
She waited for him to start the conversation, but maybe she was supposed to go first?
“She’s a beau—”
“Land—”
They both stopped talking, and his smile seemed genuine as he nodded to her. “Please. Go ahead.”
“I was going to say your dog is beautiful.” She willed her body to stop flushing scarlet, but it refused to cooperate. She didn’t have to see herself to know that her face, neck, chest, and even her feet were on fire. This was why she did best behind the walls of The Haven. She could interact with the patrons there with minimal difficulty. But put her out in public, and she became a tongue-tied, socially inept disaster.
Cal’s grin held mischief, and he leaned toward her. “If all goes as planned, she’ll be pregnant soon. I bet Eliza would love a puppy for Christmas.” His voice was cajoling and teasing, but at least he had the good sense to keep it too low for Eliza to hear.
He winked in a way that was friendly and not flirtatious, and Landry understood why Bronwyn liked him so much. He leaned back and in a normal voice said, “I gathered from your conversation with Carla that you’re going to build nearby.”
“Yes. I have three acres on the edge of Pierce land.” She watched him carefully as she spoke and was unsurprised when his grip tightened on the pen at her words.
“How long have you lived in Gossamer Falls?”
“Long enough to know the Pierce and Quinn families don’t get along.”
*** Excerpt from Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn. Copyright 2024 by Lynn H. Blackburn. Reproduced with permission from Lynn H. Blackburn. All rights reserved.
Guest Post for Never Fall Again
by Lynn H. Blackburn
In order to introduce you to the hero and heroine of Never Fall Again, I wrote up some fun bios for them. I tacked mine on as well. 
Callum Shaw is the youngest of three brothers who all left home long enough to spend a few years as Marines and then returned home to Gossamer Falls to build houses. Despite what people in town say, there’s no truth to the story that they came home because they missed their mama, or that they couldn’t live without their Granny’s biscuits and gravy.
Cal loves his niece and nephews, his dog, Maisy, and electrocuting wood to make the unique designs that are the signature element of his handcrafted vases, bowls, and bookmarks. He drinks his coffee black, his tea sweet, and his hot chocolate with marshmallows. He claims to be the favorite grandchild, but this is disputable given that every one of his cousins think they are the favorite. And he has a lot of cousins.
Cal wants to find love, get married, and have a family. In pursuit of this goal, he rarely dates, spends most of his time with his cousins around their fire pit, works long hours, and has forbidden his family from setting him up on blind dates, or not so blind dates. It’s like he’s waiting for the perfect woman to just appear one day in his office. Weird!
***
Landry Hutton wound up in Gossamer Falls after her best friend offered her a job at an exclusive resort, The Haven, where she could create pottery, teach art classes, and hide from the world. If it was just her, she’d probably never leave the grounds of the resort, but she wants to build a home and a life with her daughter, Eliza, so now she has to be brave and interact with the people of Gossamer Falls.
Landry loves peanut butter with chocolate, pizza, waterfalls, and creating unique pieces of pottery to sell to the guests of The Haven. She has a bad habit of rambling when she’s nervous, and her skin is so fair that if she gets embarrassed her whole body turns pink and she can’t hide it, and then she rambles more, and then the pink turns to flaming red, and the rambling continues. It’s a vicious cycle.
Landry doesn’t want to be married or have any more of a family than the one she has with Eliza. She wants Cal to build her a house, and that’s all she wants from him. But somehow, she’s spending an awful lot of time with him, and getting jealous when other women want his number, and now Eliza is calling his parents Nana and Papa. What’s next? Definitely not a wedding. Nope. Never.
***
Lynn H. Blackburn has many quirks, but only a handful she’s willing to own up to. These include starting knitting projects she doesn’t finish, bingeing on books she’s already read, and having a favorite playlist with an alarming amount of boy band representation.
She’s made a solid reputation for herself with her ability to respond to texts with the perfect meme or gif and while she won’t unfollow you if you don’t like tacos, she will be open about the fact that she thinks you’re weird.
She writes romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but spies have to be brave and she’s terrified of dark basements, cockroaches, and running out of peanut butter M&Ms while on deadline.
She may or may not share about these fears in her newsletter, which you can sign up for at LynnHBlackburn.com or you can follow her on social media @LynnHBlackburn to see if she ever finishes the blanket she started in 2009.
Lynn H. Blackburn — Author of Never Fall Again
Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat, Malicious Intent, and Under Fire, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series.
She loves writing swoon-worthy Southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them into terrifying situations while she sits at home in her pajamas.
She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children.
To learn more about Lynn, click on any of the following links: www.LynnHBlackburn.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @LynnHBlackburn, Instagram – @lynnhblackburn, Twitter/X – @LynnHBlackburn, Facebook – @LynnHBlackburn
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
03/04 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
03/06 Showcase @ 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS
03/07 Showcase @ Reading is my Superpower
03/08 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
03/08 Podcast reading of the excerpt @ Books to the Ceiling
03/09 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
03/10 Review @ Splashes of Joy
03/11 Review @ dianas_books_cars_coffee
03/12 Guest post @ Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense
03/12 Review @ reviewsbyrudra
03/13 Review @ Wall-to-wall Books
03/13 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
03/14 Review @ Novels Alive
03/15 Review @ Avonna Loves Genres
03/15 Review @ The AR Critique
03/16 Review @ Inkwell Inspirations
03/16 Review @ Why Not? Because I Said So Book Reviews
03/16 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
03/17 Review @ The Page Ladies
03/18 Review @ melissas_bookshelf
03/19 Review @ ashmanda. k
03/20 Review @ The Book Review Crew
03/21 Review @ fuonlyknew
03/22 Review @ Lynchburg Reads
03/25 Review @ elaine_sapp65
03/25 Showcase @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
03/26 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
03/27 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Never Fall Again: Romantic Suspense appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 26, 2024
The Witless Protection Program
The Witless Protection Program, a Catering Hall Mystery by Maria DiRico
Mia Carina has steered her Italian-American family’s Astoria, Queens, catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the borough’s premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier—except her boyfriend proposing. There’s just one presumed-dead obstacle in the way . . .
A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she’d pine for a marriage proposal. Yet lately, with her beloved Shane, she’s on tenterhooks. It’s especially surprising, considering Mia’s first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost-at-sea after a boating disaster. But everyone knows what happens when you assume . . .
While working a huge wedding expo in Manhattan, Mia is shocked to spot the man who nearly destroyed her life. The one who’s supposed to be sleeping with the fishes. But she loses him in the crowd. And when it happens again the next day, it’s time for an emergency meeting with the family—and the Family. Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married . . .
Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. She’s dealt with enough police for a lifetime. Mia needs to be a divorcée, not a widow. But someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn’t discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane—or anyone else . . .
Italian recipes included!
The Witless Protection Program (A Catering Hall Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – New York
Kensington Cozies (March 26, 2024)
Mass Market Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496744624
ISBN-13 : 978-1496744623
Digital ASIN : B0C9W8W668
Hi, Mia Carina here. I’m the senior event planner at New York’s Belle View Banquet Manor, with its lovely view of the Flushing Bay – and the LaGuardia Airport runway.
I run parties and give tours that I hope entice people to hold their weddings/Sweet Sixteens/anniversaries/Bar or Bat Mitzvahs/funeral luncheons at our welcoming establishment.
The thing about Belle View, though, is it’s owned by the Boldano crime family. But it’s a legit business! Really! My dad, who was a lieutenant for “the Family,” got the Belle View – no relation to Bellevue, the infamous NYC psychiatric hospital – as payment for a gambling debt. If I’ve heard the joke, “You’re making me an offer I can’t refuse” once, I’ve heard it a bazillion times. But hey, if this place goes belly up, Dad’ll be back doing things he can’t tell me about, so I grit my teeth and laugh like it’s the first time I ever heard that Mob cliché. I want Dad to stay clean and Belle View to triumph as a premiere – and very legitimate – event destination.
Anyhoo, despite all this, I wake up every morning thanking the universe that I’m in Astoria, Queens, and not Palm Beach, Florida, where my cheating husband disappeared with his mistress, and I got pegged as a “person of interest” in said disappearance by the police. Lucky for me – but not so much for his girlfriend – a boat washed up with her body in it, and I was off the hook when the police declared Adam Grosso presumed dead by drowning.
But guess who’s suddenly showed up?! That’s right. Just as I’m about to embark on a lifetime of happiness with my new love, former model and fellow Belle View employee Shane Gambrazzo, Adam Grosso has reappeared determined to win me back. Trust me, it ain’t gonna happen. But that doesn’t mean Adam isn’t gonna make my life difficult.
One sobering thing I’ve learned since moving back to New York is this: if there’s ever a murder at your establishment or even within your vicinity, you can vehemently declare you’re not involved with “Family” activities in any way, and the police will still assume that you are. Which means you and your loved ones will end up primary suspects in said murder.
Especially when the victim is a husband whose very existence could ruin your life.
Maria DiRico — Author of The Witless Protection Program
Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award-winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is a first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father’s side.
She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother’s family in Queens and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection.
She’s a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.
To learn more about Maria, click on any of the following links: Website – Chicks on the Case – Facebook & Twitter a Rafflecopter giveawayVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
March 25 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
March 25 – Elicia’s Book Haven – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 25 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – The Mystery of Writing – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 27 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW
March 27 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 28 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Books to the Ceiling – PODCAST – SPOTLIGHT- EXCERPT
March 29 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
March 30 – MJB Reviewer – SPOTLIGHT
March 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 31 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
April 1 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
April 1 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 2 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 2 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
April 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 3 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW – EXCERPT
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post The Witless Protection Program appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 22, 2024
A Camelot Flowers Mystery: Poppies, Perils, and Poison
A Camelot Flowers Mystery: Poppies, Perils, and Poison by Erica Wynters
From author Erica Wynters comes another Camelot Flowers Mystery blooming with secrets, suspicions, and danger at every turn…
Things are finally looking up with florist Gwen Stevens’ family business, Camelot Flowers, which means her biggest problem now is making her heart choose between her lifelong crush on the charming Chris Crawford and her budding romance with Finn Butler, the new police detective who makes her want to stop and smell the roses.
But Gwen’s thorny love life takes a backseat when Shannon Wentworth, a newcomer to the small town of Star Junction, drops dead in the local coffee shop the day after she announces her candidacy for garden club president. Unfortunately, Margie Philips, Gwen’s surrogate aunt, has been garden club president for years and had threatened to win again this year at any cost—which suddenly puts her in the role of prime suspect in Wentworth’s untimely demise!
Determined to clear Margie’s name, Gwen digs deep and discovers a bouquet’s worth of secrets, including marital infidelity, a lawsuit threatening to ruin a local business, and even doubts about where Margie was right before the murder. With too many suspects all hiding something, will Gwen uncover the truth before the killer poisons her chances of a happily ever after?
Poppies, Perils, and Poison (Camelot Flowers Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Illinois
Publisher : Gemma Halliday Publishing (March 19, 2024)
Number of Pages – ~280 pages
Digital ASIN : B0CPKP9N3G
Let’s talk about setting
One of my favorite parts of writing the Camelot Flowers Mystery Series has been creating the fictional small town of Star Junction, Illinois. I love how the setting of a book becomes like another character, influencing how the other characters in the book act, who they are as people, and how we feel while reading it. For instance, I love the Sloan Krause series by Ellie Alexander in large part because I’m intrigued by the setting of the real-world town of Leavenworth, Washington, which was designed to mimic a Bavarian town in the mountains of Washington. In fact, my husband and I had a chance to take a day trip to Leavenworth for our anniversary a few years ago. That trip was one hundred percent inspired by Ellie’s descriptions in her books, and my desire to see the setting of a series I loved with my own eyes.
When I started writing the first book in the Camelot Flowers Mystery Series, I knew I wanted to create a place that readers would love, a town that felt like going home. I wanted Star Junction to be interesting, quirky, and rich with a history that made it feel like a real place. I grew up in a small, rural town in Wisconsin, which loosely serves as an inspiration for Star Junction, where our main character, Gwen Stevens, runs her family flower shop, works out her complicated love life, and more importantly, solves murders.
Setting, however, isn’t just descriptions of physical places. It includes how people talk, the town’s culture, even how the people in that place think about the world. One of the ways I’ve captured the culture of Star Junction in the newest book of the series, Poppies, Perils, and Poison, is through inserting Midwest rules into the narration. People who live in the Midwest or grew up there will connect with the unspoken social expectations that these rules represent, while those who have no personal experience will get a glimpse of what Midwest culture is like. Here are a few examples:
The other women on the planning committee and their husbands were already
cleaning up the leftover food, pulling linens off the tables, and putting away the chairs. Margie looked around and said, “No, I know you just got in today, April. Go on home and rest. We’ve got it covered.”
“Are you sure?” my mom asked, in true Midwestern fashion. Midwestern rule number thirty-two: always give someone a chance to change their mind.
“Nonsense,” my mom said firmly. “It was no trouble at all.”
Another Midwestern rule—even if something was a lot of work, it was important to pretend it wasn’t. In this case, however, it was the truth. My mom loved nothing more than to arrange flowers.
Have you ever visited the location of a beloved book? What kind of settings to do you love in the books you read? Small towns? Big Cities? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Here is a sneak peek of Poppies, Perils, and Poison with a glimpse into one of the classic settings of the series, the local coffee shop Just Beans.
Just Beans was crowded by Star Junction standards, which meant half the seats were filled. Penny found a table in the corner near the fireplace. I set my purse on one of the empty seats.
“Let’s order,” Penny said.
I studied the handwritten chalk menu hanging on the wall. “What looks good?” I asked.
“I’m going to get the turkey and pesto sandwich. It comes with chips,” Penny said. “I’ll try the BBQ chicken salad,” I said.
“Then we can talk about what you’re going to wear to the gala,” Penny said with delight.
I started toward the counter, but Penny remained sitting.
“Are you coming?” I asked.
“I’m going to save our seats,” Penny said, pulling a twenty-dollar bill from her purse. “Lunch is on me, if you order.”
It would be easy to argue that there was no need to save seats, but I wasn’t going to argue with Penny buying lunch. I approached the counter, where a woman with white- blonde hair cut into a stylish bob was talking to Amanda, the owner of Just Beans. The woman got louder, and I slowed my approach.
“I asked for a double espresso with two pumps sugar-free vanilla and a splash of heavy cream. This has two and a half pumps of sugar-free vanilla. I can taste it,” the woman snapped. “Two weeks in this Podunk town, and I haven’t had a decent cup of coffee yet.” The woman had yelled the last words, drawing everyone’s attention to the counter.
I’d never heard Amanda say a cross word about anyone in all the years I’d known her. She had a bright blue T-shirt on that sported the Just Beans logo with the words Make it a Great Day printed underneath. She had her dark-brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail and was wearing a blue headband that matched the color of her shirt. She gave the woman a tight smile and said, “I’m happy to remake it if there’s a problem.”
The other woman leaned forward and said, “The problem is you and your subpar coffee-making skills.”
Everything within me wanted to jump in defend Amanda with something like, If you don’t like the coffee, then maybe make your coffee at home, but before I could say anything, Amanda had already turned around to make another drink.
The woman turned while she waited and noticed me standing a few feet behind her. “What?” she snapped.
My mind went blank. The woman’s green-eyed glare cut right through me. “Beautiful weather we’re having today, isn’t it?” I stammered out.
The woman glanced toward the window, where a steady drizzle was coating the glass. The temperatures were in the low fifties. Cold and wet. The worst kind of weather. She rolled her eyes at me and muttered something about thinking a small town would be charming. I might have also heard the word idiot , but I couldn’t be sure.
Interested in diving into all that the town of Star Junction has to offer?
On March 19, 2024, Poppies, Perils, and Poison, the second book in the Camelot Flowers Mystery Series debuted.
Book 1 – Marigolds, Mischief, and Murder released in May 2023
Book 3 – Sunflowers, Scarecrows, and Scandal releases fall 2024
I love to connect with readers. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ericawynters. On Instagram at www.instagram.com/ericawyntersauthor. Or at my website at www.ericawynters.com.
Erica Wynters — Author of the Camelot Flowers Mysteries and Poppies, Perils, and Poison
Erica Wynters may have lived most of her life in the frigid Midwest, but now she spends her time in the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. She loves hiking, hunting down waterfalls in the desert, reading (of course), and napping.
Can napping be considered a hobby?
When not weaving tales of mystery with plenty of quirky characters, laughs, and a dash of romance, Erica works as a Marriage and Family Therapist helping others find their Happily Ever Afters.
To learn more about Erica, click on any of the following links: Website, Facebook & Instagram.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
March 21 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
March 21 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 22 – The Mystery of Writing – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 25 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
March 25 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW
March 26 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
March 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 27 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
March 28 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 29 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
March 30 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
March 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor
The post A Camelot Flowers Mystery: Poppies, Perils, and Poison appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 16, 2024
Murder in the Tea Leaves: A Tea Shop Mystery
Murder in the Tea Leaves: A Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs
It’s Lights, Action, Murder as tea maven Theodosia Browning scrambles for clues in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.
When Theodosia Browning reads the tea leaves on the set of the movie, Dark Fortunes, things go from spooky to worse. Lights are dimmed, the camera rolls, and red hot sparks fly as the film’s director is murdered in a tricky electrical accident.
Or was it an accident? Though the cast and crew are stunned beyond belief, nobody admits to seeing a thing. And when Theodosia’s friend, Delaine, becomes the prime suspect, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. But who among this Hollywood cast and crew had murder on their mind? The screenwriter is a self-centered pot head, the leading actress is trying to wiggle out of her contract, the brand new director seems indifferent, and nobody trusts the slippery-when-dry Hollywood agent.
Between hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea, a Poetry Tea, and trying to launch her own chocolate line, Theodosia doggedly hunts down clues and explores the seemingly haunted Brittlebank Manor where the murder took place. And just when she’s ready to pounce, a Charleston Film Board member is also murdered, throwing everything into total disarray. But this clever killer will go to any lengths to hide his misdeeds as Theodosia soon finds out when she and her tea sommelier, Drayton, get caught up in a dangerous stakeout.
INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!
Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
27th in Series
Setting – South Carolina
Publisher : Berkley (March 5, 2024)
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593200985
ISBN-13 : 978-0593200988
Digital ASIN : B0C777ZCXN
Gerry Schmitt, who writes under the pen name Laura Childs is now adding two more series that are harder-edged Wednesday February 26, 2014 in Plymouth. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that takes place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
Find out more about Laura by clicking the following links: Website – Facebook Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
March 5 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
March 5 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT
March 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 7 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
March 8 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 9 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
March 10 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 11 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW
March 11 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
March 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
March 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 13 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 13 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 16 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 18 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Murder in the Tea Leaves: A Tea Shop Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 14, 2024
Private Eye Eddie Shoes Returns!
Private Eye Eddie Shoes, out now in eBooks and paperbacks!
Book and Author info + Author Pet Corner!Find more new books, click the link here!I’m so pleased to have all three of my Eddie Shoes Mysteries available through Open Road Media!
One Dead, Two to Go
“This mystery featuring a crime-fighting mother-daughter duo is “smart, page-turning fun, with the most feisty and likable P.I. since Kinsey Millhone” (Deb Caletti, National Book Award finalist).
When private investigator Edwina “Eddie Shoes” isn’t fending off surprise visits from her troublemaking mother, she’s spying on cheating husbands, hoping to land hefty divorce settlements for their heartbroken wives. But when the latest mistress Eddie captures on film dies—and Eddie realizes she’s the last person who saw the woman alive—things begin to take a twisted turn. It doesn’t help that the detective on the case is her ex, Chance Parker, who’s none too happy with the way Eddie left things between them. So when Eddie’s mom, Chava, unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep, Eddie’s actually glad to see her for a change. Because there’s no one better acquainted with the criminal mind than her card-shark of a mother. And now that Eddie’s in deep with the dangerous crowd, she’s going to need all the help she can get . . .
“Mystery, murder and mayhem collide in this intriguing new series! An original, well written gum-shoe, readers will find an easy ebb and flow of sequences with just enough mystery to keep them guessing. From their strained past to their bumbling investigation skills, this quirky combination of a mother-daughter reunion turned crime-fighting duo will captivate readers…. Avid Alphabet series connoisseurs should flock to this kick-off series.” —Roberta Gordon for InD’Tale Magazine“Private eye Eddie Shoes and her cardsharp mother plunge the reader into a tale of fractured relationships, mayhem, and thrills.” —Deborah Turrell Atkinson, author of the Storm Kayama Mysteries“The writing is cinematic and vivid, the characters well-drawn, but the dynamic between Eddie and Chava, which reminded me fondly of Cagney and Lacey, is what makes the story. Fans of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich should definitely check out One Dead, Two to Go.” —Max Everhart, author of the Eli Sharpe series“A fast, memorable and entertaining read.” —Scott Driscoll, author of Better You Go HomeTo purchase One Dead, Two to Go, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble & Goodreads
When her best friend from high school turns up out of nowhere begging for help, private investigator Eddie Shoes is right to be wary. She hasn’t seen Dakota in years.
Maybe it’s nostalgia that has her bailing the woman out of jail. Eddie even reluctantly agrees to help Dakota find the person whose been stalking her. Of course, the moment Dakota is freed, she disappears, leaving Eddie on the hook with the local police, headed up by Eddie’s ex-boyfriend, Det. Chance Parker.
Now Eddie is hot on Dakota’s trail, wondering if she was kidnapped or if she just jumped bail. Either way, things are not looking good for Eddie, especially when her business card is found on the bodies of not one, but two murder victims. Even worse, all evidence suggests that the answers to this mystery are tied to Dakota and Eddie’s shared history.
Which means that in order to solve this case, Eddie’s going to have to face down her own demons. . . .
“Chava, the mother, is a hoot and Franklin is about as loyal and intelligent as a big dog can be. Chance, the now maybe lover, is attractive and the mystery is indeed mysterious pretty much up until the end. There are enough quirks in the characters and twists in the development of the story to keep things satisfyingly interesting all the way through. Elena Hartwell has conjured up a plausible protagonist and done a good job of plunking her into a setting and plot that nicely suit her.” —Diana Borse for Reviewing the Evidence5 Stars: “The characters are likeable and believable and Chava, Eddie’s card-dealing mom, is especially charming. It’s impossible not to root for them all through the story. Author Elena Hartwell showcases a delightful heroine in a story that promises pleasant romance and a hint of danger with a twist of an ending. This will keep one from ever putting this book down!” —L. Kane for InD’Tale Magazine“An engaging mystery that will keep you stumped to the very end. This novel had many twists and turns so that I was kept guessing all the way to the surprise ending. The characters are quite impressive and I enjoyed getting to know them. I could relate to Eddie and loved her quirky mother, Chava. However, Dakota’s character brought back unpleasant memories of high school and she made a great antagonist …. Although this novel is part of a series, it is a good standalone. For those who are fans of whodunits, this is a great read.” —Susan Sewell for Readers’ Favorite ReviewsTo purchase Two Heads are Deader Than One, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble & GoodreadsThree Strikes, You’re Dead
It was supposed to be a mother-daughter getaway but nothing is ever ordinary for private investigator Eddie Shoes and her unconventional mom, Chava. Especially when Eddie stumbles upon a stranger who is gravely wounded.
As a wildfire sweeps through the forest, Eddie struggles to save the man, who begs her to help him find his missing daughter before succumbing to his injuries. Now on assignment for a dead man, Eddie is short on clues. Of course, that doesn’t stop her mom from wanting to help out.
After all, Chava’s own illegal behavior makes her a criminal expert of sorts. And when Eddie’s mob-connected dad joins the search, Eddie starts to wonder if she and her family are the good guys or the bad guys. Either way, Eddie’s determined to get to the bottom of this mystery—even if it kills her.
“… a mother-daughter duo whose holiday weekend turns to crime-solving offers an “appealing portrait of rural Washington.” —Publishers Weekly “… another vivid adventure with the quirky, genuine private eye Eddie Shoes. As usual, author Elena Hartwell’s characters are so real you feel like you could run into them at your local dive bar. Three Strikes takes us even deeper into Eddie’s complex family relationships with her charming-but-deadly father Eduardo and hilarious mom Chava, giving us further insight into Eddie’s psyche. The laugh-out-loud moments are many in this vital third installment, and you’ll find yourself wishing you could stay longer in the world of Eddie Shoes.” —USA Today bestselling author LS Hawker“This one was hard for me to put down. Hope there are more to come.” —Long and Short Book ReviewsTo purchase Three Strikes, You’re Dead, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble & GoodreadsAuthor Pet Corner!
The crew keeps me grounded!
Dogs: Polar and Wyatt. Cats: Coal Train and Cocoa. Horses: Radar, Jasper, and Diggy.
We all live in relative harmony. Wyatt dearly loves Cocoa, but she is not so fond of him.
The dogs keep me company much of the day, while the cats come and go. The horses are right outside my window, and I love spending time with them, especially now the weather is getting warmer.
Best writing companions ever!
Elena Hartwell — Author of the Private Eye Eddie Shoes Mystery Series
Elena Hartwell spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. Her first series, the Eddie Shoes Mysteries introduces a quirky mother/daughter crime fighting duo.As Elena Taylor, she returns to her dramatic roots and brings readers more serious and atmospheric books with the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries. Starting with All We Buried, the series continues with A Cold, Cold World, launching August 6. Located in her beloved Washington State, Elena uses her connection to the environment to produce a forbidding story of small town secrets and things that won’t stay buried.Elena is also a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a developmental editing house, where she works one-on-one with writers to shape and polish manuscripts, short stories, and plays. If you’d like to work with Elena, visit www.allegoryediting.com.
To learn more about Elena, click on any of the following links: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter & Goodreads
The post Private Eye Eddie Shoes Returns! appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 12, 2024
Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens
Guest Post + Excerpt + Book & Author Info + Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour post! Click the link here.
Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
“Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog? We have bigger crimes to solve. Go find him yourself!” That’s what the Los Angeles Police Department told Basil Rathbone. The City Pound ridiculed him as well.
Asta, the dog from the popular Thin Man series, has also vanished, and production for his next film is pending. MGM Studios offers a huge reward, and that’s exactly what young private detectives Babs Norman and Guy Brandt need for their struggling business to survive. Celebrity dognapping now a growing trend, Basil also hires them to find his missing Cocker Spaniel.
The three concoct a plan for Basil to assume his on-screen persona and round up possible suspects, including Myrna Loy and William Powell; Dashiell Hammett, creator of The Thin Man; Nigel Bruce, Basil’s on-screen Doctor Watson; Hollywood-newcomer, German philanthropist and film financier Countess Velma von Rache, and the top animal trainers in Tinseltown. Yet everyone will be in for a shock when the real reason behind the canine disappearances is even more sinister than imagined.
Jump into Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, Book One of the Babs Norman Golden Age of Hollywood Mystery series, Finalist in the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards for Comedy and First Prize winner in the Chanticleer Review’s Mark Twain Awards for Comedy and Satire.
Purchase the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles on Amazon.
Book Details:
Genre: Golden Age of Hollywood Humorous Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 2024
Number of Pages: 299
Series: A Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery, Book 1
Guest post with Elizabeth Crowens — Author of the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
For those of you who aren’t connected to me on Facebook, I have two popular daily posts. In the morning, I have a caption contest. In the evening, I post a production still from a film or a behind-the-scenes image and ask people to caption it with deliberately wrong answers. In order to have the material I need for either one, I’ve had to compile a huge collection of digital photographs and am always looking for more.
However, what does this have to do with Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, the first novel in my upcoming Golden Age of Hollywood series? Often I create image or inspiration boards from these collected images to help me visualize the actors, the sets, the scenes, the locations, and costumes when I write my novels. That, and watching a lot of old movies and as many documentaries I can find with actors and directors away from the set. It always helps to hear people’s voices and dialogue that isn’t scripted.
Even when I’m watching Turner Classic Movies, often I’m busy taking notes looking for snappy dialogue or I might jot down what kind of clothes they are wearing or how someone styled their hair. Trust me, it comes in handy later. When it comes to wardrobe, I’m a bit of an expert. One of the many hats I wore in the entertainment industry was working as an independent consultant with costume departments on period pieces for films, television, and theater. An assistant designer would give me a list, and I’d either track down the items or pull them from the inventory I already owned. In retrospect, I could’ve made more money with costume rentals rather than selling them stuff outright. Oh well … At one point, I had hoped to open a business producing and designing vintage repro’s, but ran out of financing. I have, however, designed quite a few textile prints mimicking the vintage designs.
Why did I pick the 1940s for Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles? Lots of reasons. First of all, I had written extensively on Arthur Conan Doyle in my previous alternate history Time Traveler Professor series. It was only a natural offshoot with all that background knowledge, when I knew that I was going to center a mystery in Hollywood during the forties, I’d use Basil Rathbone, who was synonymous with Sherlock Holmes during that time period.
Another reason why I picked the forties was because my protagonist, Babs Norman, was inspired by my best friend who was an actress in Hollywood back then. Nobody famous. She did more modeling for print ads and magazines than anything else. Most of her actual film footage wound up on the cutting room floor. But she was a big fan of mysteries, especially the old ones you’d see on Turner Classic Movies, and I promised her I’d do this before she passed. I only wish she were around now to attend my book launch for Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles. She’d love the book and be proud as to what I did with her character.
To find out more, visit my website at www.elizabethcrowens.com
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter. I post these inspiration boards along with free eBooks of Best of the Caption Contests. On my website, I also post my book tour and convention schedules. If you happen to be at one, feel free to come up and introduce yourself.
My Facebook handle is: facebook.com/thereel.elizabeth.crowens
If you’re sending me a Friend Request and we don’t have a handful of friends in common, send me a private message and mention you heard of me from this guest post.
For Instagram: Instagram.com/ElizabethCrowens
Twitter/X: x.com/ECrowens
Read an excerpt of the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles:
Chapter 1
Flea Circus Hollywood, 1940
Babs bundled Miss Marple in a beach towel. Otherwise, she would get clawed. Her disgruntled partner flinched from fleabites while holding a box of kittens. She looked around the vet’s waiting room to see if she recognized anyone, but all she noticed were an unknown house frau with a French-cut Miniature Poodle, a uniformed nurse with a Cocker Spaniel, and a frumpy elder with a Shirley Temple hopeful hugging her Saint Bernard.
The front door flew open, revealing a tall, thin, but athletic gentleman with his chestnut hair slicked back. His striking profile rivaled classic sculptures, except for the sweat which dripped down his forehead. Under one arm were photostat flyers. Under the other, a folded-up copy of Daily Variety. Both featured photos of dogs.
Guy poked Babs in the ribs to get her attention. “Recognize him?”
She observed the newcomer, who explained his dilemma in haste to the assistant, but most of what Babs could see was from behind. “Who?”
“Rathbone…Basil Rathbone.”
“The actor who plays Sherlock Holmes?”
“Shush. Don’t advertise it to everyone on Sunset Boulevard.”
In a whisper, he disclosed the highlights of the actor’s resume. “That, and Captain Blood, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and more, not to mention quite a bit of theater. If we keep it discreet, maybe we can find out why he’s here.”
Basil approached the lady with the cocker and asked if he could scratch him under his chin. “Such a handsome boy. My Leo looks a lot like him, except his coat is a deep red rather than brown.”
He pointed to the bulletin board with listings for lost pets and adoptions and handed the front desk assistant his entire stack. “I’ll have more printed. Please give them to all of your clients. If I can’t find my poor Leo, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Babs saw this as an opportunity to get acquainted. She sprang from her seat, clutching the hissing fuzzball wrapped like a jellyroll. “Maybe I can help in your search.”
Basil narrowed his eyes. “Do I know you?”
“Babs Norman.” She attempted to extend her hand for a proper introduction, but struggled with the snarling feline. “Cast as an extra in The Adventures of Robin Hood.”
“Ah…with Errol Flynn, in the days when the studios always had me play the villain.”
She gleaned from the subtle shift on his face he didn’t care for his co-star.
He eyed her with sudden skepticism. “Refresh my memory. What scene were you in? Almost all parts were male.”
“When Sir Robin of Locksley revealed to Maid Marion that he saved the lives of desperate villagers. I played a peasant wife, but my back was toward the camera.”
“What a shame,” Basil said.
Babs blushed. “I used to be an actress, but not anymore.”
“What do you consider yourself now?” Basil asked.
The vet’s assistant came between them. “Miss, maybe he desires privacy.” He ignored Babs and asked Basil. “Sir, have you filed a report with the pound?”
“I tried, but I have little faith they can help. Everyone laughed and said, ‘Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog!’”
Babs cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. First, she addressed the rude assistant. “Excuse me, but you interrupted us before I could answer his question.” Then she turned to Basil. “The reason I’m no longer an actress is now I’m a private investigator. The gentleman next to me is my associate, Guy Brandt.”
Basil dismissed the employee’s well-meaning intervention. “Such an odd transition from acting. What compelled you to get into that business?”
She lowered her head. “It’s a long story.” He didn’t need to know the truth about her father’s murder. “I also have an acute talent for finding things, whether they are people…or pets.”
“You have an actual private investigator’s license?” Basil asked.
“In my purse.” She tried to fish it out while wrestling with the cat, who broke free from her grasp. Between Guy and another staff member, they corralled the anxious tabby into a handheld cage.
“I’m so sorry.” Babs looked around at the bedlam of barking dogs. “This stray doesn’t want to nurse her kits, and I think she has—”
“Fleas.” Basil scratched his arms. “Looks like we’re both having kittens.”
She also felt an oncoming rash. “Come again?”
“Ha! It’s a peculiar old English expression. People believed a witch’s curse caused painful pregnancies, but instead of a child, they thought the woman had kittens inside her, clawing to get out. Since I’m not expectant, it shows my uncomfortable position in more ways than one.”
Babs flushed; aware this was an awkward introduction for a potential client. Meanwhile, staff members brought the kittens into the back for examination.
She plucked her ID and her business card out of her purse. “B. Norman, Investigations. In case you need proof.”
He put down his copy of Daily Variety to accept her card. Babs swiped his tabloid, attracted by a photo of another dog on its cover.
“Someone else’s dog is missing.” Babs read the article out loud. “Skippy, the wire-haired Fox Terrier known as Asta in the Thin Man movies, has vanished. Production is supposed to start on the next film featuring the lovable detectives Nick and Nora Charles. A one-thousand-dollar reward. No questions asked.”
Guy whistled. “That’s one hefty jackpot.”
Basil looked at her business card one more time. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ll match that for the return of my red cocker. My wife will think I’m insane. I was offering one hundred.” He showed them his flyers. “For you, as professionals, I guess I’ll make an exception, since now it looks like I have serious competition from producers with studio funds. Is that enough of an incentive?”
“Our agency is on Hollywood Boulevard, close to La Brea,” she said with a confident smile.
“Let’s say I stop over tomorrow on the way to the studio. Perhaps I should trust your expertise if you say you’re so good with animals.”
Babs nodded and forced herself to contain her excitement. “Sir, do you mind if I borrow your newspaper?”
“Keep it,” Basil said. He handed her both his copy of Daily Variety and several of his flyers.
After he left, she turned to her partner. “Who says we can’t go after both Asta or Skippy and Leo?”
The vet returned with the verdict. “There’s no doubt your adult cat has a case of fleas, which might have also infested your furniture. The kittens are another matter. They’re too young to eat food on their own. The obvious issue you overlooked is the adult is not their mama, because she’s a he. Not so obvious with his long and thick matted fur. That’s why he wouldn’t nurse the little ones.”
Babs turned red. “I can’t believe I was so caught up in the moment that I overlooked something that simple.”
“A coincidence, I’m afraid. You must’ve put two and two together when you found this fellow near a box of abandoned kittens,” the vet explained. “The newborns will need around-the-clock attention, and Old Tom will need a few flea baths before he’s ready to go back to anyone’s home.”
Babs grimaced. She looked at Guy and then back toward the vet. “Can’t play nursemaid while running a business.”
“Don’t worry.” The vet reassured her. “Leave them here. My staff will handle it. We’ll find good homes for all of them.”
***
Excerpt from Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens. Copyright 2023 by Elizabeth Crowens. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Crowens. All rights reserved.
Elizabeth Crowens author of Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles
Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in the entertainment industry and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. She has three award-winning alternate history novels.
Awards include 2020 Leo B. Burstein Scholarship from the MWA-NY Chapter, New York Foundation of the Arts grant, an Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Awards, and two grand prize and five first prize Chanticleer Awards, including Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, the first in her Babs Norman Hollywood series, which is also a Killer Nashville Claymore Awards finalist and part of her three-book publishing deal with Level Best Books
To find out more about Elizabeth, click on any of the following links: Website, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
02/26 Interview @ Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense
02/27 Review @ Its All About the Book
02/27 Showcase @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
02/27 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
02/28 Review @ The AR Critique
02/28 Showcase @ 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS
02/29 Review @ Novels Alive
02/29 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
03/01 Podcast reading of the excerpt @ Books to the Ceiling
03/02 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
03/03 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
03/04 Showcase @ Nesies Place
03/05 Interview @ Cozy Up With Kathy
03/06 Review @ 5 Minutes for Books
03/07 Review @ Paws. Read. Repeat
03/08 Review @ Cozy Up With Kathy
03/09 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
03/11 Review @ melissas_bookshelf
03/12 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
03/13 Book Talk with Fran Lewis Radio Interview
03/13 Review @ Just Reviews
03/13 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
03/14 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
03/15 Mysteries to Die For: Toe Tags Podcast
03/15 Review @ Country Mamas With Kids
03/18 Review @ Comics Worth Reading
03/19 Review @ Scrapping and playing
03/20 Interview @ darciahelle
03/22 Review @ Confessions of the Perfect Mom
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 8, 2024
Double Scoop of Murder (A Coffee and Cream Mystery)
Double Scoop of Murder, a Coffee and Cream Mystery by Lena Gregory
From author Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure…
Danika Delany is loving running her uncle’s old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt.
Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Café join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure!
To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.
Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing (February 27, 2024)
Number of Pages 226
Digital ASIN : B0CKV7QQB8
People often ask me about the inspiration for the Coffee & Cream Café. Let me start by saying, I love ice cream. It’s my all-time favorite dessert. The thought of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Main Street in a small town brings to mind memories of childhood, when every concert, play, and dance recital ended at the local ice cream shop. It was not only a place to grab dessert, but a venue where local gossip ran rampant.
That being said, what better place to set a cozy mystery series? Watchogue is a fictional town on the south shore of Eastern Long Island, New York (exactly like the one I grew up in). And like many small towns on Long Island, the local businesses are the gossip hot spots. But Danika Delaney wasn’t content to take over her Uncle Jimmie’s failing mom and pop ice cream parlor. She wanted to create her own brand, a place where people could come in after a long day at work, or on their way to school, and kick back. So, the idea for the Coffee & Cream Café was born.
Since I worked at Friendly’s when I was young, as well as my grandfather’s small-town deli, I had a good idea of exactly the atmosphere I was trying to create. Even still, a lot of research goes into writing this series. I research everything from how to make homemade ice cream, to symptoms of cyanide poisoning. (Hopefully, no one will ever check my search history.) The Coffee & Cream Café is the perfect place for locals to relax, catch up on rumors, and discuss murder.
Lena Gregory — Author of Double Scoop of Murder
Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.
Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Learn more about Lena by following her on social media: Newsletter, Website, Facebook, Facebook Author Page, Twitter/X, Goodreads, Pinterest.Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
February 27 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
February 28 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 28 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
February 29 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 29 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
March 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 3 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
March 4 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 5 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
March 5 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 6 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
March 7 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
March 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
March 8 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 8 – The Mystery of Writing – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 9 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 9 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 10 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Double Scoop of Murder (A Coffee and Cream Mystery) appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 7, 2024
Black & White: A Parker City Mystery
Black & White: A Parker City Mystery by Justin M. Kiska
Book & Author Info + An Excerpt!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
Black & White: A Parker City Mystery
Parker City, 1985 . . .
A picturesque spring morning takes a disturbing turn when the frozen body of a young woman is discovered in a field on the outskirts of the city. As Detectives Ben Winters and Tommy Mason arrive on the scene, they have no idea upon what type of an investigation they are about to embark. With no identification, no breadcrumbs to lead them to the girl’s origins, or even a cause of death, they face a daunting task ahead as they take on their latest case.
As the investigation lingers in limbo, a surprise revelation connects it to a mysterious chapter from Parker City’s past. One that Tommy’s own uncle was a part of four decades early as a debonair private investigator working for the venerable Stride Detective Agency, tenaciouslysearching for the missing daughter of a former diplomat. It’s a connection that binds two generations of detectives in an intricate web of intrigue.
In this captivating new installment of Parker City Mysteries, both investigations unravel simultaneously, forging an unbreakable link between the past and the present. As Ben and Tommy navigate their way through the case, they must confront the truth to a secret that has remained concealed for far too long.
Book Details:
Genre: Police Procedural
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: February 2024
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: Coming Soon!
Series: Parker City Mysteries, Book 4
To purchase Black & White, click on either link: Amazon& Goodreads
Read an excerpt of Black & White:
Stepping out of the car, the weather was so nice, Ben left his suit jacket laying on the backseat where he’d tossed it before leaving the station. But, as he always did when he was about to enter a new crime scene, he placed his hand on the Smith & Wesson on his hip. The weight of the cool metal helped to center him so he could focus on whatever he was about to be confronted by. It reminded him how important his work was and the duty he believed so much in. It was thinking like that that earned Ben a reputation of being a Boy Scout. An idealist who truly wanted to protect and defend the people of Parker City. He always wondered how some people could make that sound like a bad thing.
Some of the older members of the department liked to live in a gray area of the law, while Ben tried his very best to always do what was right. It’s when what was right fell into those gray areas that Ben needed to rely on his partner to help make sense of what needed to be done.
Trying to imagine what they’d been called out for he knew no two crime scenes were ever the same. Sure, elements could be similar. There was always a tragedy overshadowing them, but each was unique. Which is why Ben walked into each with a completely open mind and a keen pair of eyes trying to take in every single detail. It was always the details that cracked a case. Which meant one never knew how important the smallest piece of evidence could really be. If something was out of place, it was important until it wasn’t. That’s how he thought. And sometimes-and this was often the more confusing part-the absence of something was just as important. If not more.
“Not putting your jacket on?” The voice of Ben’s partner, Tommy Mason, came from the other side of the car. “I didn’t realize this was a casual crime scene.”
Ben raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
The two were always picking on one another. It’s what they did. It’s what made their friendship so strong. When it came to what to wear as police detectives, there was a continuing debate between the two. Ben felt a suit and tie was most appropriate. Not only did it look more professional and attract a certain level of respect but, with his clean-cut babyface, it helped him look a little older than his thirty years. Though not much. Tommy, on the other hand, saw nothing wrong with wearing jeans and a T-shirt under a leather jacket. While he looked like a cop on one of the popular crime shows on television, Ben always pointed out that that was Hollywood’s version of a police detective. Since Ben technically was his supervisor and commanding officer, Tommy begrudgingly put a tie on every morning. Most days though, he usually left it loose with his collar wide open. Ben still took it as a victory.
Blowing a cloud of smoke into the air, Tommy dropped what little remained of his cigarette on the ground and stamped it out before taking his corduroy jacket off and tossing it back into the car. If Ben didn’t have to wear his jacket at the crime scene, he sure as hell wasn’t going to wear one.
“Doesn’t this feel much less constricting,” he asked with a grin. “And it’s so much easier to get to our guns in the event we’re in danger.”
“Shut up,” Ben said as he started toward the cluster of men in the field.
“I’m just saying. If your life was in danger, it would be so much easier for me to shoot someone to save you–which you know I would do–if I didn’t have to worry about my jacket getting in the way.
Those few precious seconds could save your life one day. Natalie would agree.”
Stopping and turning to look at his partner a few steps behind him, Ben asked, “Why exactly do you think it would have to be you saving me and not the other way around?”
“Because that’s just the way it is,” Tommy answered very matter-of-factly. “Think about how many times I’ve saved your life?”
Ben’s forehead wrinkled, a puzzled expression appearing on his face. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m the one that saved you at least two times that I can think of in the last year alone.”
“Clearly we remember things very differently.”
“You’re a pain in my ass. You know that, right?”
Smiling the thousand watt smile for which he was known, Tommy answered, “I like to think that I keep you grounded.”
So was the way of Detectives Ben Winters and Tommy Mason. More often than not, they sounded like an old married couple bickering about one thing or another. Completely devoted to one another, they were closer than brothers. They’d grown up together, gone to school together, joined the academy together, and when the order was given for a new Detective Squad to be created within the Parker City Police Department, they were tapped for the job.
As it was, for the last four years, they were the only two members of the department’s official criminal investigation team. Though Parker City was by no means a hotbed of criminal activity, they’d been involved in several major investigations which rocked the city. Two of which even attracted the national spotlight, making the pair famous for a few minutes. Most police officers could go their entire careers without being involved in the types of cases which had kept them up at night, but the two young men had earned their detective shields through trial by fire.
Catching his foot in a clump of thick weeds, Ben knew if he tripped and landed in the dirt, Tommy would never let him hear the end of it. Thankfully, he was able to quickly regain his balance and keep himself upright.
His hope that Tommy didn’t see the awkward contortion the lower half of his body performed to avoid hitting the ground was dashed when from behind him he heard the sarcasm-laced comment, “As graceful as a gazelle.” Which was then followed almost immediately by the unmistakable sound of something hitting the dirt. Hard.
“Sonofa…”
Ben turned in just enough time to see Tommy jumping to his feet and dusting off his pants.
“Not a single word,” Tommy admonished, vigorously shaking his head. “I’m well aware Karma’s a bitch.”
Deciding to take the highroad, Ben valiantly stifled the laugh fighting to burst free.
“You’ve got a little bit of something there on your…” Ben started, pointing to his partner’s pant leg.
“Shut it!” Tommy said. At which point Ben couldn’t contain himself. The laughter won and overpowered him.
As the two detectives reached the other men standing in the field, they recognized one of the patrolmen as a new officer who’d just recently joined the department and the other was one of Tommy’s least favorite people on the planet, Buck LuCoco. An overweight, lazy throw-back to the days when the police in the city did as little as they needed to. Neither Ben nor Tommy understood how he was still on the force. Or why he wanted to be with his attitude.
“LuCoco, Brown,” Ben said giving the uniformed officers each a quick nod of his head.
“How is it, Buck,” Tommy began, “whenever a body drops in this town, you’re the first man on the scene?”
“Just lucky, I guess” LuCoco said, mopping his sweaty brow with a wrinkled handkerchief from his pocket. “It could also be that the scumbags in this city do their dirty work at night and since I’m the first one outta the door in the morning, I get the call. Either way, it’s crap. I tell ya!”
“Being that it’s after lunchtime already–,” Tommy began to say before Ben placed a hand on his arm, giving him the signal to let it go.
Then, turning to the younger officer who appeared quite eager to give his report to the department’s chief detective, Ben asked, “What have we got?”
“This is Sam Ruppert,” Brown introduced the man, referring to his notebook. “He’s one of the city’s engineers. He was doing some routine work out here this morning when he found the body of a young female. D.O.A.”
Turning to Ruppert, a tall, beefy guy in a flannel shirt, jeans, and work boots, Ben took his own notebook from his shirt pocket. “Morning, Mr. Ruppert. I’m Detective Ben Winters. You’re with the city?”
“Public Works Department,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Almost fifteen years now.”
“What brought you out here today?”
“The city’s getting ready to do some work in this field and I needed to take a few quick measurements. We’ve been out here every day for the last week. I thought I’d be here and gone in a few minutes. Then I found…” His voice trailed off as he looked away toward something another twenty or so feet away.
“What did you find?”
“A body. She wasn’t there yesterday. I know that for a fact because I was here all day with a couple other guys. We were all over this place. We’d have seen her for sure.”
Pointing at the mound the engineer was staring at, Tommy asked, “Is that the body?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did one of you cover her up or did you find her like that?” Ben asked, referring to the tattered, green checked blanket.
“She was like that,” Ruppert said taking a deep breath. “At first, I thought it was someone in a sleeping bag or something. Thought maybe they’d slept out here last night. Sky was clear. They could see the stars. But when I got close and hollered, there was no… She didn’t move. When I got up close I saw… Geez. I’ve never seen anything like it. This isn’t how I thought my day was gonna go.”
Other than the occasional funeral, it was true, the average person didn’t have much exposure to dead bodies. But there was something in the way the man was acting that made Ben think there was more to the story. He was too shaken up. If one could be too shaken up after finding a dead body on the job.
“What is it you’ve never seen before?” Ben inquired, interested to hear the conclusion to Ruppert’s story.
“Oh, I think you should just see for yourself, Detective” LuCoco said interrupting, a twisted smirk on his fat face.
“What is it, LuCoco? Just tell us.” Tommy had no patience for the man. There was a time he used to hide his contempt, now he didn’t even try. Not that LuCoco was very observant. Or he just didn’t give a damn.
“Sirs,” Officer Brown interrupted, “let me show you.”
Walking the group over to the covered body, Brown knelt down and, using a handkerchief he’d had in his pocket, pulled the blanket back revealing the naked body of a beautiful young woman with dark wavey hair. But something wasn’t right. Not that the naked body of a woman in the middle of a field was right. But in this instance, it was her skin.
“What the hell?” Tommy’s reaction matched what Ben was thinking. “She’s blue.”
Blue wasn’t entirely accurate, but it was pretty close. The skin was a pale hue, almost white. And there was a frosty sheen to it, with small ice crystals visible around her eyes and mouth. Little droplets glistened on her eyelashes.
“She’s frozen,” Brown said, looking up at the detectives.
“It was cool last night,” Tommy said, kneeling down himself to get a better look, “but not cold enough to freeze to death.”
“No. I mean, she’s frozen like a block of ice.”
*** Excerpt from Black & White by Justin M. Kiska. Copyright 2024 by Justin M. Kiska. Reproduced with permission from Justin M. Kiska. All rights reserved.
Justin M. Kiska — Author of Black & White
When not sitting in his library devising new and clever ways to kill people (for his mysteries), Justin can usually be found at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, outside of Washington, DC, where he is one of the owners and producers.
In addition to writing the Parker City Mysteries Series, which includes Now & Then (Finalist for the 2022 Silver Falchion Award for Best Investigator), Vice & Virtue, and Fact & Fiction, he is also the mastermind behind Marquee Mysteries, a series of interactive mystery events he has been writing and producing for over fifteen years.
Justin and his wife, Jessica, live along Lake Linganore outside of Frederick, Maryland.
To learn more about Justin, click any of the following links:: Website, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
02/19 Review @ Country Mamas With Kids
02/20 Guest post @ Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense
02/21 Showcase @ 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS
02/21 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
02/23 Showcase @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
02/25 Review @ Books of my heart
02/26 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
02/28 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
03/01 Review @ Nesies Place
03/02 Review @ Paws. Read. Repeat
03/03 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
03/06 Interview @ darciahelle
03/07 Review @ Novels Alive
03/08 Review @ Why Not? Because I Said So Book Reviews
03/10 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
03/13 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
03/14 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Black & White: A Parker City Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 5, 2024
Lost Like Me: A Blue Water Mystery
Lost Like Me: A Blue Water Mystery by Ivanka Fear
Guest Post + Book and Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here.Lost Like Me
Two women’s lives intersect. One goes missing and needs to be found while the other must remain lost. Both their lives depend on it.
Following a horrific event twelve years ago, Cheryl MacGregor disappeared from the city where she grew up and moved to a remote northern town, assuming a new identity with her husband, Jim. She thought she was safe from the danger that led her to flee—until her parents’ deaths last year.
When Jim’s receptionist, Julia, mysteriously vanishes from her home Cheryl teams up with Detective Scott Evans for two reasons: to find Julia and to write the exclusive report that will forward Cheryl’s career as a journalist. While investigating the possibility that Julia’s disappearance may be linked to strange happenings at an abandoned mine, Cheryl uncovers a connection to her own former life, reminding her that the threat to her family is still out there.
As wildfires threaten the town, Cheryl and Detective Evans race against the encroaching smoke to find Julia before it’s too late. When the investigation hits too close to home, Cheryl must face the reality that she may never be lost enough to escape her past.
To purchase Lost Like Me, click either of the following links: Amazon & Barnes and NobleGuest Post with Ivanka Fear, author of Lost Like MeHow Setting Impacts StoryYou’re reading a novel and just can’t put it down. It’s as though you’re living it, embedded in the fabric of the plot, experiencing the emotions of the characters, immersed in their world. Long after you’ve closed the book, it stays with you.
What makes the book so memorable?
Take one of my favorite classics, Wuthering Heights. Is it the characters, setting, or plot that makes it unforgettable decades after I read it? Perhaps Bronte’s skillful combination of story elements and literary devices made an impression on me? Or was it something more elusive?
Wuthering Heights brings to mind the moors, the manor, unrequited love, tragedy, and revenge. But more than that, there is an eerie feel to it that leaves me haunted. What specifically caused that response?
Perhaps the atmosphere?
With this literary technique, various elements evoke feelings and pull the reader directly into the book. Plunging the reader into the main character’s world creates an emotional connection between story and reader. For me, setting and the natural environment, along with the character’s response to it is integral to the atmosphere of a novel. Deliberate description of the setting, imagery, and the character’s inner thoughts in relation to their surroundings helps to create that atmosphere.
The interaction between characters and the time and space they inhabit makes the setting come alive, as though it were a character in its own right. In Wuthering Heights, the desolate moors reflect Heathcliff’s gloomy disposition, and the societal expectations result in a tragic outcome. Without this character of time and place, the book simply wouldn’t be as memorable. That’s the impact of setting on a story.
In my latest mystery novel, Lost Like Me, my intent was to use setting to create two opposing emotions in the reader: a safe, cozy feeling upended with a sense of urgency, fear, and entrapment as danger imposes itself upon the small town of Lake Kipling. The imagery of the setting creates an atmosphere of uncertainty leading to terror as claustrophobia literally and figuratively presses upon the main character.
Following a traumatic event twelve years ago, Cheryl fled her former life to start fresh in the remote northern town surrounded by forests and lakes. But she is well aware that the past may pursue her wherever she goes.
The town’s distance from the city she fled and its isolation act as a buffer between her and the past, and also trap her. Lake Kipling is safe (for now), but it’s also her prison. Cheryl’s lovely family home is the last on a dead end street. A bird in a cage, she can never again return to the city of Hamilton that she loves.
The beauty of the terrain juxtaposed with the ruggedness in the area surrounding Lake Kipling reflects in its lakes and drives home the fact that looks can be deceiving: what appears as a charming place to live doesn’t change the fact that there is a constant threat of danger hanging over Cheryl. The vastness of nature provides the perfect spot to hide; when Cheryl’s husband’s receptionist, Julia, goes missing, it also serves as a frightening place to be lost.
To create an even more terrifying atmosphere, the hot, dry weather results in wildfires in the forests, furthering the feeling of entrapment. As flames and smoke encroach upon Lake Kipling from two directions, time is running out for Julia. When residents are warned of the possibility of evacuation from their homes, Cheryl may be forced to leave her safe place. One woman needs to be found; another needs to remain lost. The fire has the potential to destroy both their lives.
In the midst of forest and lakes is the Millcroft Mine, a focal point of Lake Kipling and the stage for several scenes in the book. Literally built on gold, the mine’s outbuildings are covered in yellow siding. The brilliance of gold clashes with concrete, gravel, and the dull grey sludge of tailings in the pond, reminding the reader that the beauty of the natural environment exists side by side with its darker side. The quiet and isolation of Millcroft adds a touch of eeriness to the atmosphere of the novel. A snowglobe with the mine’s headframe is beautiful and melodic, trapping the scene under glass.
Using the five senses, I hope to place the reader into the midst of Cheryl’s world where they can see the wilderness, hear the roar of the fire, smell the smoke, feel the isolation, and taste the fear. And perhaps when readers think of forest fires or hear about abandoned mines, they will remember Cheryl and her trauma.
With a different setting, the atmosphere may have been completely different. Imagine Cheryl living in NYC trying to lose herself in a crowd or Julia going missing in a city where people disappear every day. It wouldn’t be the same story.
And that’s how setting impacts the story, leaving an aura behind after the book is closed.
I hope you enjoy Lost Like Me and I would love to hear from you about your reading experience.
Author Pet Corner!
T. C. and Scruffy help promote Ivanka’s books!
Ivanka Fear — Author of Lost Like Me
Ivanka Fear is a Slovenian-born Canadian author. She lives in Ontario with her family and feline companions. Ivanka earned her B.A. and B.Ed. in English and French at Western University. After retiring from teaching, she wrote poetry and short stories for various literary journals. The Dead Lie, A Blue Water Mystery, was her debut novel.
Lost Like Me is the second book in the Blue Water series. Ivanka is also the author of Where is My Husband?, A Jake and Mallory Thriller. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Canada.
When not reading and writing, Ivanka enjoys watching mystery series and romance movies, gardening, going for walks, and watching the waves roll in at the lake. You can connect with her through her website: www.ivankafear.com
To learn more about Ivanka, click on any of the following links: Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok.Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
Header image from Pixabay
The post Lost Like Me: A Blue Water Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 4, 2024
Struck Dead: A Thriller by Andrea Kane
Struck Dead, a thriller by Andrea Kane
Guest Post + Excerpt + Book & Author Info + a Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tours, click the link here to read more!
Struck Dead
The fragile line between life and death… Families that will never be the same…When a tragic hit-and-run takes the life of a hardworking family man, multi-millionaire Christopher Hillington becomes the prime suspect, and the whole city of New York alights with speculation as to what happened.
But before the NYPD can establish Hillington’s guilt, he himself is brutally murdered in his own home. As he lays dying, he scrawls the name Casey Woods with his own blood, and the Forensic Instincts team is drawn into a complex mystery that has placed its president in the sights of a desperate killer.
A millionaire’s life is full of secrets and suspects. So as the baffled NYPD investigates Casey for the murder, and the body-count ratchets up, Casey herself becomes another potential victim. The FI team’s hardcore investigation has them twisting and turning through suspects and secrets, where the stakes intensify―and so does the collateral damage. As Casey and the team get closer to finding the killer, the unthinkable happens, and the life of one of FI’s own hangs in the blood-stained balance.
They say dead men tell no tales, but blood doesn’t lie. Peeling back layer after layer of deception, the team will cross whatever lines are necessary to solve the case, get justice for the families, and make their team whole again … unless the relentless killer gets to them first.
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Published by: Bonnie Meadow Publishing
Publication Date: March 2024
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 9781682320631 (ISBN10: 1682320634)
Series: Forensic Instincts (#10)
To purchase Struck Dead click on any of the following links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads
Guest Post by Andrea Kane author of Struck Dead
Why I Can’t Write a First Draft
I’m often asked how long it takes me to write a first draft. The answer? I’ve never written one.
Let’s start with the basics. Every author’s writing process is different. Some write detailed outlines. Others let their muse carry them in the direction that feels right. Many set a daily word count for themselves, not stopping until they’ve reached that magic number. And still others work on a time schedule, say, writing 6-8 hours a day.
There’s also the way they handle the flow of words. Again, every writer is different. Some just fly with their muse until it pauses for breath, others stop every so often to double-check what they’ve created thus far.
Then there’s me. I am totally obsessive in the way I write. Yes, I write outlines. Yes, I call on my muse (who doesn’t always answer, at least not fast enough for me). And, yes, I write long hours each day. But that’s where I go off in my own frenzied direction.
For starters, I can’t write without a title. The book must have a GOOD title, not a “working title”, in order for me to get off the ground.
Next: my characters. I have to know them inside and out, like my best friends (or my worst enemies) before I can start Chapter 1.
Third: I need a solid understanding of exactly what I hope to accomplish in at least the first third of the book. (Until the first third is well underway, I can’t fully tackle the 2nd and 3rd sections, since there are too many moving parts and new obstacles that come up.)
And fourth (which is necessary to accomplish “third”): I need to have several months of hard-core, in-place research done. Even though my research is ongoing throughout the book’s creation, I have to be on solid ground in a multitude of knowledge bases before I so much as begin. I’m an authenticity freak, and I try as hard as I can to bring the necessary realities and depths of realities to the pages of my book.
Finally, I’ve accomplished all of the above. Now I’m ready to tackle that terrifyingly blank Page 1. With it comes the truly obsessive part of Andrea Kane, author. I can’t write without a killer of a first sentence. I can’t write without editing along the way. Every day. Every chapter. I start each day by rereading (and editing) everything I wrote the day before so it flows the way I need it to. I re-familiarize myself with where my head, my characters, and my plot were when I said good-night. Then I go on from there—but not in a continuous fashion. I stop, rewrite, stop, reword, stop, re-engineer, stop, review details or red herrings previously created that need to glide seamlessly into my current scene.
Are you exhausted yet? There’s more.
Every 75 pages or so, I go back and read the book from the beginning, just to make sure the consistency is there and the evolution of character and plot feel natural. Tedious though that may sound, it’s not only necessary to my process, it kick-starts my mind into visualizing just what’s to come next and how it’s going to play out. So I smooth out some earlier wrinkles, focus on the current chapter, and jot down a few new notes about the pages yet to come—notes that, inevitably, skew my outline. That skewing happens a lot. My characters are very didactic, and often tell me I’m heading down a road not of their choosing. And that means stop! Time to reassess in order to move on. Which I do, even if it means rethinking and rewriting yet again.
I could go on and tell you that, if I get stuck on a particular word that doesn’t feel right and I know there’s another word out there which would be perfect, but which I just can’t wrap my mind around, I find it next to impossible to move on. I hate blank spaces, and my mind just won’t let it go. So I drive myself crazy yet again. Yes, sometimes I do have to move on with a question mark in my wake, but I’m not a happy camper, and it niggles at me until it’s fixed. I could tell you that, plus a whole lot more, but I think I’ll leave it here, lest you think I’m truly a crazy writer (which I suppose most of us are).
After 30+ years and 32 books, you’d expect that I would have taken it down a notch. But, no such luck. I’ve never truly written a first draft, and I doubt I ever will.
Read an excerpt from Struck Dead:
1
Offices of Forensic Instincts
Tribeca, New York
Main conference room
Monday, 9:40 a.m.
Casey Woods, the president of Forensic Instincts, stood at the head of the oval table, her jaw having dropped. She pressed her iPhone closer to her ear, and tried to reconcile herself, both to who the caller was, and the reason for her call.
She certainly didn’t sound like the Angela King that Casey knew. And why in the name of heaven was she reaching out to Casey, of all people?
Angela repeated her original demand: “I need you to meet me now—as in drop everything and get over here.” This time her voice was commanding but shaken.
Shaken? Angela King?
Casey’s mind raced.
Angela was a high-powered and aggressive criminal defense attorney at Harris, Porter, & Donnelly. A virtual barracuda. Rumor had it that she was next up to make partner. No surprise. She successfully defended the richest of the rich, from corporate executives, to wealthy entrepreneurs, to “businessmen” with rumored links to Organized Crime—a fact she chose to overlook since they were affluent enough to pay her fees. She and Forensic Instincts were on opposite sides of law enforcement. They’d battled it out more than once the criminals that FI had helped catch becoming the very criminals Angela would defend.
Needless to say, the FI team and Angela weren’t friends.
And yet, here she was, calling Casey on an urgent, time-is-of-the-essence matter—one she seemed incredibly high-strung about.
“Casey?” Angela repeated. “Did you hear me?”
Casey lowered herself into a chair. “I heard you. What is this about? And why me, of all people?”
“You’ll see for yourself,” Angela replied. She rattled off the address of a luxury skyscraper on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “Hurry. I’m jeopardizing my career by waiting to call 9-1-1. I can’t wait much longer. But you have to view the scene first and later provide me with some answers. No more questions. Just come. I have a key to the building’s back door. I’ll let you in. We’ll use the freight elevator.”
Casey’s common sense was urging her to refuse. 9-1-1 meant a crime scene, and questions meant involving her. Both those things were screaming for her to stay away. She pushed aside that inner voice. She was too intrigued to refuse. “I’m on my way.”
She shrugged into her wool winter coat as she called John Nickels, Forensic Instincts’ number one on their security team. Then, she blew out the front door, not waiting to fill the FI team in on where she was going. There was no time. Plus, they’d only try to talk her out of it.
Holiday decorations were glistening everywhere, and tiny snowflakes danced in the air.
Casey didn’t notice any of it.
John pulled around a few minutes later, and Casey hopped into the car, gave him the address, and urged him to hurry.
With a brief nod, John was on his way, navigating the FDR Drive in record time. He got Casey to her destination in thirteen minutes. He dropped her off around back, far from the doorman’s view. Then, he waited to return her to the brownstone once her meeting was over, as per her instructions.
Angela was pacing inside the building, and opened the door to let Casey in the moment she saw her. No matter how dire the occasion, Angela always looked stunning. An Armani cobalt blue pants suit that set off her dark skin, matching four-inch Louboutin heels, and long wavy black hair styled at the highest end salon. She carried herself like a queen. In short, she was a knock-out.
Now she looked more rattled than Casey had ever seen her.
“Let’s go,” she said. She led the way to the freight elevator, where she and Casey rode up.
“Tell me what’s going on,” Casey stated flatly.
Angela didn’t answer. She glanced at her Apple Watch, her gaze snapping up as the elevator stopped on the twenty-first floor.
The doors slid open.
Angela paused only long enough to ensure that Casey was right behind her. Then, she strode down the hall, made a turn, and halted in front of Apartment Twenty-One B. She unlocked the door, pulled Casey inside, and faced her to offer the first few words of an explanation.
“This is the home of my client, Christopher Hillington. We had a nine-thirty AM meeting scheduled to be held here.”
Casey’s brows rose. Christopher Hillington was a renowned and phenomenally wealthy managing director of the private equity firm YNE. He was also a major suspect in a vehicular homicide, and Casey knew through various news sources that he’d been questioned several times by the NYPD and was on the verge of arrest.
“I see you know of him,” Angela said. “Given the circumstances, I’m not surprised.” She gestured toward a breathtaking sunken living room. “In here.”
Casey bit back her question about what Angela had just said. She sensed she was about to get her answers. So she remained silent.
The two women stepped down and Angela stood to a side and waited.
Casey got the full view immediately.
Christopher Hillington’s body was crumpled on the Oriental carpet beside his desk, blood pooling out around him. His head was bashed in, clearly having been struck multiple times by a heavy object. The bloodied sledge hammer lying next to the body was obviously the murder weapon. Judging from the damage done, the killer had been, not only determined, but brutal.
Casey eyeballed the scene, feeling sickened as well as confused. She was about to ask Angela what this horrific scene had to do with her when she spotted the letters, written in blood, on the lower edge of the desk, right beside Hillington’s outstretched arm.
She walked over, careful not to touch anything, squatted down, and squinted. The two words were completely legible, and they made Casey’s blood run cold.
Casey Woods.
***
Excerpt from Struck Dead by Andrea Kane. Copyright 2024 by Andrea Kane. Reproduced with permission from Andrea Kane. All rights reserved.
Andrea Kane — Author of Struck Dead
Photographr InformationStevenson/Lupke
1924 Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, Pa 19103
215-627-3777
amandastudio@yahoo.com
Andrea Kane is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirty-two novels, including eighteen psychological thrillers and fourteen historical romantic suspense titles. With her signature style, Kane creates unforgettable characters and confronts them with life-threatening danger. As a master of suspense, she weaves them into exciting, carefully-researched stories, pushing them to the edge—and keeping her readers up all night.
Kane’s first contemporary suspense thriller, Run for Your Life, became an instant New York Times bestseller.
She followed with a string of bestselling psychological thrillers including No Way Out, Twisted and Drawn in Blood.
Her latest in the highly successful Forensic Instincts series, Struck Dead, showcases the dynamic, eclectic team of investigators as they hunt down a desperate killer who’s threatened one of their own.
The first showcase of Forensic Instincts’ talents came with the New York Times bestseller, The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, followed by The Line Between Here and Gone, The Stranger You Know, The Silence That Speaks, The Murder That Never Was, A Face To Die For, Dead In A Week, No Stone Unturned, At Any Cost, and Struck Dead.
Kane’s beloved historical romantic suspense novels include My Heart’s Desire, Samantha, Echoes in the Mist, and Wishes in the Wind.
With a worldwide following of passionate readers, her books have been published in more than twenty languages. Kane lives in New Jersey with her family. She’s an avid crossword puzzle solver and a diehard Yankees fan. Author Hometown – Warren, New Jersey
To learn more about Andrea, click on any of the following links.: Website, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
03/04 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
03/06 Book Talk with Fran Lewis Radio Interview
03/06 Review @ Just Reviews
03/06 Review @ reviewsbyrudra
03/07 Review @ Novels Alive
03/07 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
03/08 Review @ Country Mamas With Kids
03/08 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
03/09 Interview @ darciahelle
03/10 Review @ The AR Critique
03/11 Guest post @ Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense
03/12 Review @ elaine_sapp65
03/13 Review @ Avonna Loves Genres
03/14 Review @ Catreader18
03/14 Review @ Hott Books
03/15 Review @ Melissa As Blog
03/16 Review @ Pat Fayo reviews
03/17 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
03/19 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
03/20 Review @ Wall-to-wall Books
03/21 Review @ Review Thick & Thin
03/22 Review @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
03/24 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
03/25 Review @ fuonlyknew
03/26 Review @ The Book Review Crew
03/27 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
03/28 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
03/28 Review @ dianas_books_cars_coffee
03/29 Review @ bookwormbecky1969
03/29 Review @ Why Not? Because I Said So Book Reviews
030/23 Review @ Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Struck Dead: A Thriller by Andrea Kane appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
