Elena Hartwell's Blog, page 39
April 19, 2023
The Tip Line: New Thriller
The Tip Line: A Novel, by Vanessa Cuti
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any debut author interviews. Click the link here.The Tip Line
Perfect for fans of Hannah Morrissey and May Cobb, Vanessa Cuti’s debut is an unsettling thriller that asks just how far you should go to find love.
Eager to get married, thirty-year-old Virginia Carey lands a job as an operator at a police tip line, where she thinks finding a husband will be easy. There’s Charlie Ford, a surprisingly sweet homicide detective, and charming police chief Declan “Deck” Brady. But just as Virginia’s plans begin to fall into place and she can almost picture a ring on her finger, she answers a call from Verona—a mysterious woman who provides a tip about four bodies on a remote local beach.
Verona, a sex worker, also gives Virginia details on sordid and raucous parties attended by law enforcement officers, and on the strange fetishes of cops she has been involved with. Then comes an explosive tip: Verona thinks it’s a police officer who is responsible for the killings.
But it can’t be true—the cops Virginia works with are marriage material, even if they are a little rough around the edges. While Verona trusts that her tips are being heard because she and Virginia have formed an unusual connection, Virginia realizes that the key to solving the case is ultimately in her hands.
The tip line will reveal the truth about those murders. So long as Virginia is willing to hear it.
To purchase The Tip Line , click on the following link: Amazon, Penguin Random House, IndieBound, Barnes & Noble.Interview with Vanessa Cuti — Author of The Tip LineThe Tip Line has been called an erotic thriller. What does that description mean to you?I actually wanted to look up the term erotic thriller before I answered this because the definition was a bit hazy to me.
I came across a really interesting story in Jezebel and though it’s focused on film, it has this perfect definition: “Bodily danger and pleasure must remain in close proximity and equally important to the plot.”
The Tip Line centers on Virginia Carey. What would you like readers to know about her?I think Virginia is complicated. She’s not 100% good or likable, the same way that people in real life tend not to be.
She’s confused and obsessive. She definitely has flaws. But I think flawed characters make for interesting characters.
Law enforcement officers are part of Virginia’s focus as she works to solve four murders in The Tip Line. What drew you to that theme?I worked as an operator at an anonymous tip line and it was so fascinating to me. It’s just such a taut and intimate exchange. I knew I wanted it to make its way into a novel in some way.
You also write short stories. How does writing short stories compare to writing a novel?I think the whole idea of the weight of time is different in a short story. A short story can focus on one hour of a day or the most minute look exchanged between two people and can sustain that momentum for its entirety. I think that’s really tough to do well in a novel.
What are you working on now?I just went out on submission with a new novel. Here we go again!
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Just keep writing what you like—I think you really have to make yourself happy with it first. And try to become comfortable with rejection, at least to some degree, because it never ends.
Author Pet Corner!
Teddie!Teddie is our three year old Pomeranian.
She barks.
A lot.
Vanessa Cuti — Author of The Tip Line
Vanessa Cuti’s fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2021, The Kenyon Review, AGNI, West Branch, Indiana Review, Cimarron Review, The Cincinnati Review, Shenandoah, The Rumpus and others.
She received her MFA from Stony Brook University and lives in the suburbs of New York. The Tip Line, her debut novel, is forthcoming from Crooked Lane Books in April 2023
To learn more about Vanessa Cuti, click on any of the following links: Website, Instagram, Twitter & TikTokElena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
The post The Tip Line: New Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 17, 2023
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead, a Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery by Toni LoTempio
Spotlight + Book & Author Info + Giveaway
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead (A Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery)
A former chef gets mixed up in murder when she moves back to her Southern home town in the first Tiffany Austin food blogger mystery – a culinary cozy that will make your brain work and your stomach rumble! Food critic and blogger Tiffany Austin has the best job in the world: she gets to eat for a living.
At least, she hopes she has a job. Her trial period at Southern Style magazine is up – and rumors are swirling that management are making a choice between Tiffany and a rival columnist: the ambitious Jenny Lee Plumm. Former chef Tiffany knows she has a battle on her hands . . . but she didn’t realize it was to the death!
When her rival’s body is discovered after the two have a very public argument, Tiffany finds herself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. The lead detective might be very hot – but Tiffany’s definitely not ready to go down for a crime she didn’t commit. Ably assisted by Hilary, her best friend and partner in (non) crime, and bolstered by the unconditional love of her Siamese cat Lily and King Charles Cavalier puppy Cooper, Tiffany plunges into an investigation of her own.
After all, she has a degree from the CIA – the Culinary Institute of America – and she’s not afraid to use it. But can she find the real killer before she’s served up to the cops on a silver platter?
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead is a great pick for fans of delicious culinary cozies by Joanne Fluke, Lucy Burdette, Krista Davis and Jenn McKinlay – if you like smart, savvy female sleuths, twisty mysteries and delicious food, why not give it a try!
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead (A Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery) [image error]
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting – Georgia Severn House; Main edition (April 4, 2023)
Hardcover : 256 pages ISBN-10 : 1448310024 ISBN-13
978-1448310029 Digital ASIN
B0BKLFX3V5
To purchase Eat, Drink and Drop Dead click any of the following links: Amazon – B&N – Google Play – Kobo – Bookshop.org
Read an excerpt:
“Well, all I can say is it’s a good thing Longo doesn’t know the real reason you left that hotel and New York. That way he can’t spill it to Jenny Lee.”
I threw up both hands. “She can’t ever find out. She’d manage to twist it all around and it would end up being a disaster of epic proportions, not only for me, but for Jeff.” I sighed. “I couldn’t do that to him.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll never tell.” Hilary mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key. Her gaze was pensive as she asked, “Have you ever wondered what might have happened if you’d stuck around. Told Jeff the truth?”
I folded my hands in front of me and looked her straight in the eye. “Actually, I have. More times than I can count. Bottom line, in retrospect, I probably should have done that, but I was much too naïve, and Leonardo too intimidating. Anyway, it’s all water under the bridge now. That ship has sailed, so to speak.”
“How do you know?”
I exhaled a deep breath. “Because I saw Jeff and Fiona’s engagement notice in the Sunday Times last week.”
Hilary’s hand shot out to cover mine. “Oh Tiff! I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you call me?”
“Hey, like I said. That ship has sailed. The good news is, there’s nothing more Leonardo could hold over my head. He got what he wanted. Me out of the way.” I fluffed out my napkin and laid it across my lap “Enough of this. Let’s eat, shall we?”
We ate in silence for the next few minutes. The tartlets were divine: buttery and fresh all in one bite. The Caesar salad was delicious too, the lettuce crisp, the dressing tangy. As I ate, I could feel myself calming down. Food always had that effect on me.
The server returned to collect our empty plates and then the main course rolled in. The garlic chicken was suburb, seasoned just right, succulent and tender. I stole a bit of Hilary’s fish stew and found that to be divine as well. I jotted notes on my phone in my lap as I went along. Three bites into the polenta, I reached down and undid the top button on my pants.
A different waiter sidled up to our table and placed shiny dessert menus in front of us. He was younger and seemed far more affable than the other man. “I don’t know,” I murmured. “I’m pretty stuffed.”
“Are you sure?” He pointed to a picture on the menu. “We have strawberry whipped cream pie in a graham cracker crust, and a delicious key lime cheesecake. We also have fried ice cream, chocolate, vanilla or pistachio, and the traditional favorite, flan. The flan’s on the light side,” he added with a wink.
Both Hilary and I groaned, and Hilary made a show of rubbing at her stomach. I smiled up at him. “Do they taste as good as they look?” I asked.
He leaned forward and said in a stage whisper, “Better.”
“Sold. I’ll take a slice of the strawberry cream pie and the cheesecake to go,” I said. I looked at Hilary. “What about you?”
Hilary passed her menu over to the waiter. “You’ve talked me into it. Make that two orders to go.”
The waiter gave us a knowing smile and withdrew. I took that opportunity to glance over at the table where Jenny Lee and Chef Longo had been seated. To my surprise, it was empty.
I got Hilary’s attention and inclined my head toward the empty table. “When did Chef Longo and the Dragon Lady leave?”
Hilary suppressed a chuckle. “When we were about halfway through the polenta. From the little I saw, they appeared to be engaged in an argument.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really? That seems odd. I didn’t think Jenny Lee would deliberately alienate someone who could prove a possible ally.”
Hilary shrugged. “I mean, I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. Jenny Lee’s face looked like a thundercloud and Chef Longo’s not much better. They paused over there, by the bar. He laid his hand on her arm and she shook it off and marched away.”
I shook my head. “And you didn’t alert me? I would have liked to have witnessed that.”
“It all happened very fast. Jenny Lee marched off in one direction and Chef Longo in the other.”
“Curious. I didn’t think they’d known each other long enough to fight.”
“With Jenny Lee it only takes a nanosecond, you know that.” Hilary shot me a mischievous grin. “Maybe he made a pass at her and it wasn’t well received.”
I chuckled. “If anything, it was probably the other way around.”
The waiter returned with two large plastic bags. He set one in front of each of us, and then deposited the check square in the middle of the table. I picked it up, looked at it and let out a low whistle. “Good thing these review meals are comped to the magazine’s account,” I said. I whipped out my wallet and slid the company credit card into the case. “So much for the cheap part of the name. The meal was definitely pricey, but worth it.”
Hilary ran her hands along her curvy hips and let out a soft moan. “Man, I am so fat! I have got to lose ten pounds. It’s all your fault, you know. Have I mentioned that getting free food is one of the best parts of your job, and by extension, mine?”
I looked pointedly at the bag in Hilary’s hand. “You could have said no to the dessert goodie bag, you know.”
She sighed. “I know. I’m weak. No will power. So shoot me.”
“No thanks.” My gaze swept over her. “You’re not fat, you know no matter what you think. You’re curvy. There’s a difference.”
“Yeah? Tell that to Arleen.” Arleen was Hilary’s sister. The girls were total opposites. Hilary was five two, big chested and curvy, and Arleen was five ten, long wavy blonde hair and thin as a rail.
“Arleen is too fixated on appearance.”
Hilary pulled a face. “I guess she has to be.” Arleen wanted to be an actress and was a drama student at Mercer University. She’d recently gotten rave reviews for her portrayal of Blanche in the University production of Streetcar Named Desire.
“Exactly. She can look like a stick if she wants. But you, my friend, have substance.”
“Yeah, well, I’d still like it if I were about fifteen pounds less substantial.”
The waiter took the packet containing my card and returned in a few minutes to drop it back in front of me. I signed the slip, adding a generous tip, and then slid the card back in my wallet. I reached for my plastic bag. “Okay, time to go.”
We scraped back our chairs and headed for the lobby. “So what’s the verdict? Four stars? Five?” Hilary asked. “Personally, I’d give it six.”
“So would I.” I grinned at her. “But I’ll let you know definitely after I sample that cheesecake.”
We walked outside and I paused for a moment, taking in the beautiful Georgia evening. “It’s a perfect night, isn’t it,” I remarked. “No humidity, not a cloud in the sky—“
I stopped as the sound of angry voices reached our ears. I glanced over to my left and sucked in my breath. Jenny Lee Plumm stood there, her face like a thundercloud, her hands on her hips. She was engaged in a rather heated argument with a tall, swarthy looking man.
Hilary poked me in the ribs. “Oh, ho, maybe that’s the reason she dumped Longo. She was double-booking dates.”
I frowned at the couple. “He doesn’t look like her type, does he?”
“Heck no. This guy looks like a bouncer. See that bump on his nose? I bet it’s been broken a few times. Definitely not her type.” Hilary gave her head an emphatic shake. “She’s usually on the arm of a guy who could pass for a GQ model. He does seem familiar though,” she added, tapping at her chin. “But I can’t place him.”
A dark convertible suddenly screeched to a stop next to them. I was too far away to tell the make, but it looked expensive. A woman was driving it, but the scarf she wore wrapped around her head and the dark glasses made discerning her identity impossible. I expected the man to get in the passenger seat, so I was surprised when Jenny Lee opened the door. Before she hopped in, though, she raised her fist at the man. Her voice was loud enough so Hilary and I heard every word.
“You’ll be sorry, Roberto. Mark my words, you’ll pay!”
Jenny Lee slid into the passenger seat. She leaned over, whispered something to the driver, and then the convertible sped off like a rocket.
“Hah. It’s not me who’ll pay!” Roberto shouted into the wind. I started to turn away, but something made me look back. I bit back a gasp as I saw Roberto make a cutting motion across his throat, then turn on his heel and vanish into the night.
***
Excerpt from [Eat, Drink and Drop Dead] by Toni LoTempio. Copyright 2023 by Toni LoTempio. Reproduced with permission from Toni LoTempio. All rights reserved.
Toni LoTempio — Author of Eat, Drink and Drop Dead
While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic.
She and her cat pen the Nick and Nora mystery series originally from Berkley Prime Crime and now with Beyond the Page Publishing.
They also write the Cat Rescue series from Crooked Lane and the Pet Shop series, originally published by Midnight Ink and rebranded last year as “Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries.”
Book six in the Nick and Nora mysteries, A PURR BEFORE DYING, is released this February from Beyond the Page.
There is also a new series, Tiffany Austin Food Blogger, coming out in April.
To learn more about Toni, click on any of the following links: ROCCO’s blog, Website Facebook & Twitter @RoccoBlogger
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
April 5 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 11 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 13 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
April 14 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 15 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 15 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 16 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 17 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot , a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
The post Eat, Drink and Drop Dead appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 12, 2023
No Time to Breathe: New Mystery
No Time to Breathe: A Lisa Jamison Mystery, by Lori Duffy Foster
Spotlight + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any posts on publishing. Click the link here.No Time to Breathe
Journalist Lisa Jamison wants to blow off some steam after an argument with her boyfriend, so she heads to her friend Ricky’s kickboxing studio for an early morning workout.
She expects to find Ricky alone, setting up for his first class of the day, but someone was there before Lisa, uninvited. Ricky is dead, shot only moments before she arrived, and now Lisa is a suspect in his murder. Lisa wants two things: to clear her name and seek justice for Ricky. But the deeper she digs, the more the danger mounts. Can she find Ricky’s killer before the killer eliminates the last obstacle, silencing Lisa for good?
“With grit and heart, investigative journalist Lisa Jamison takes on the worst crime has to offer to clear her name and seek justice for a friend in this tense and twisty new mystery from Lori Duffy Foster. No Time to Breathe has it all: taut suspense, complex characters, clean romance, and a surprising plot that will keep you turning the pages well past your bedtime. ” – Kelly Oliver, bestselling author of The Jessica James Mysteries
“No Time to Breathe is a compelling mystery that builds to a heart pounding finish. The story begins when journalist Lisa Jamison is thrust into a murder investigation, and it quickly escalates as the personal and the political converge with deadly consequences. This author knows how to deliver on suspense, as the narration takes one hairpin curve after another in a tale of greed, corruption, and deception. Lisa’s relentless pursuit of the truth extends to every aspect of her life. It’s what drives her, what haunts her, and ultimately, what enables her to move beyond her troubled past and toward a more confident future. No Time to Breathe is a well-plotted suspense novel that delivers on multiple levels.” – Lori Robbins, author of the On Pointe Mystery Series
To purchase No Time to Breathe , click on the following link: Amazon.Author Pet Corner!
Ash!
Marco!
Lola!In the fall of 2020, we promised our twins we would adopt another dog if school went virtual again. It did. So, along came Lola, our COVID dog. Lola was also 18 months old when she became part of our family. We think she is an American fox hound/coon dog mix, but who knows? She runs like a deer and is incredibly loyal and protective. We adore her.
Marco is our teddy bear. He came to us from a rescue nearly nine years ago at 18 months old. The vet’s best guess is that he is part border collie and part black lab. He’s the gentlest creature on the planet.
Ash. Good ole’ Ash. I have always loved other people’s cats, but I never wanted one of my own. I was pretty adamant about it. Then this gray ball of soft fur started following my mother-in-law’s cat into her house. The kids ganged up on me. My husband ganged up on me. My mother-in-law ganged up on me.
Now, Ash owns me, as I knew she would. One of her favorite spots is on my desk while I am working or writing. She was born feral. She lived in the wild for her first six months. But, as you can see, she has acclimated well to life as an indoor cat.
Lori Duffy Foster — No Time to Breathe
Lori Duffy Foster is a former crime reporter and the award-nominated author of the Lisa Jamison Mystery Series. NEVER LET GO, her debut thriller, released in December from Level Best Books and NO TIME TO BREATHE, book 3 in her series, releases in April.
Lori writes from the hills of Northern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and four children. She was born and raised in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, where a part of her heart remains. For more than a decade, she worked at The Post-Standard in Syracuse, N.Y., She then lived in Phoenix and Cincinnati before settling in Pennsylvania.
Lori is a graduate of SUNY-Oswego and Binghamton University.
She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, The Historical Novel Society, International Thriller Writers, Private Eye Writers of America and Pennwriters.
To learn more about Lori Duffy Foster, click on any of the following links: Website, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook, and Goodreads.
Elena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
Header image by PellisierJP on Pixabay
The post No Time to Breathe: New Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 11, 2023
The Instructor: Debut Thriller
The Instructor, debut novel by T.R. Hendricks
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here.The Instructor
Derek Harrington, retired Marine Force Recon and SERE instructor, is barely scraping by teaching the basics of wilderness survival.
His fledgling bushcraft school is on the cusp of going out of business and expenses are piling up fast. His only true mission these days? To get his ailing father into a full care facility and to support his ex-wife and their son.
When one of his students presents him with an opportunity too good to be true—$20,000 to instruct a private group for 30 days in upstate New York—Derek reluctantly takes the job, despite his reservations about the group’s insistence on anonymity. But it isn’t long before the training takes an unexpected turn—and a new offer is made.
Reaching out to an FBI contact to sound his concerns, Derek soon finds himself in deep cover, deep in the woods, embroiled with a fringe group led by a charismatic leader who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
When what he wants becomes Derek’s head, the teacher is pitted against his students as Derek races against time to stop what could very well be the first attack of a domestic terrorist cell.
To purchase The Instructor, click any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, TargetAuthor Interview — The Instructor The Instructor focuses on retired Marine Force Recon and SERE instructor Derek Harrington. What should readers know about Derek?Fans of the genre won’t be disappointed with the intangibles Derek brings to the table. He has all of the attributes and skillsets of a Special Operations veteran; a practitioner of human and counterintelligence; HALO and SCUBA qualified; an expert in wilderness survival to name a few; plus being seasoned in combat operations after serving with some of the U.S. military’s most elite units.
Yet even with all that, I think what sets Derek apart more than other characters of the same background is the human reality of where he is in his life. Those in the ranks of Special Operations are a different breed, seemingly on the precipice of the next step in evolution, but they are still very much regular people with everyday concerns that we all face. Derek is retired from the military and finds himself at a difficult crossroads as he tries to reintegrate with civilian life.
That reintegration is where I think Derek’s humanity comes through. He can’t hold a corporate job. He’s divorced, trying to salvage relationships with his ex-wife and only son, and his father has early onset dementia that’s rapidly requiring around the clock care. The bushcraft school he founded is fledgling and on the verge of going under, and the bills and expenses are piling up as a result.
All of these stressors compound to trigger unaddressed mental health issues resulting from a lifetime of sustained combat. Derek wrestles with his external circumstances and his internal trauma, all while being thrust into the impossible situation that develops throughout the story. That’s what I want people to know. Yes, Derek is a highly qualified badass, but he’s also a regular person. He could be your friend, neighbor, brother or cousin. Someone you want watching your back as you’re kicking down doors, but could just as easily be at a BBQ with while talking football.
How did your history as a former Army tank platoon leader and military intelligence officer inform The Instructor ?I drew heavily on my own military experience and deployments to Iraq, as well as my reintegration issues and resultant struggles with PTSD, in forming Derek as a character and the scenes and situations he finds himself in. This covers everything from specific engagements I might have experienced and repurposed for the story, tactical and technical aspects of how the military operates through the lens of my service, and everyday interactions that I’ve stored in my messed up brain for use later on. (See the baseball game chapter.)
Authenticity is something that is really important for me in my writing, especially when dealing with the complex issues that my characters might face. It’s why I hope that the moniker, “write what you know” rings true with THE INSTRUCTOR. While it is a work of fiction and there has to be some leeway with certain aspects for the sake of the story, creating something as near to reality as possible is what I always strive for. I want my readers to say, “this guy gets it” versus rolling their eyes and saying, “that would never happen.” Pulling from my service and life afterward is the best way I can achieve the former.
You also worked as a Security Staff Agent. Did that career also inform the writing of The Instructor ?Working as a Security Staff Agent (aka Executive Protection or Professional Bodyguard) was a unique experience that I feel fortunate to have had, even if it was just for the approx. two years that I was in that field. The firm I worked for recruits heavily from former military ranks because of the translatable skills such as heightened discipline; attention to detail; physical fitness; calm under pressure; and dedicated vigilance. A lot of these elements have found their way into my characters, and while THE INSTRUCTOR may not have specific situations from my SSA time, there’s always the possibility that future works will include some (insofar as my non-disclosure agreement will allow, lol.)
Jetting across the country while protecting A-list celebrity clients is something most won’t ever get to do, so I’m grateful for the time that I did just that. Ultimately I chose to leave the profession as I found it wasn’t conducive to family life with a toddler at home, but a tip of the cap to those men and women who work tirelessly day in and day out sacrificing their own safety for that of those who they are entrusted to secure. As my former firm always says, “Protection is a noble profession.”
Tell us about the road to publication for your debut novel:How much time do you have? Lol.
My long and winding road is most likely very reminiscent to that of 90% of authors out there. I’ve always enjoyed writing as an escape and a hobby, but didn’t really start pursuing it as a legitimate goal until 8-9 years ago. At the time I was writing short stories and the more of them I shared, the more positive feedback and encouragement I received. While I was creating short stories I was also working on full length novels. My first manuscript that I felt confident enough to query, probably my fourth overall, failed epically. And rightfully so. I had no idea what I was doing, no real concept of the industry, the established processes, and even simple things like how to format query letters and my submission pages. (Note to all you writers out there, single spaced manuscripts without your name in the header and no page numbers is NOT the way to send your work out into the world.)
While that MS (obviously) didn’t find a home, the lessons I learned about how to give my work the greatest chance of success were invaluable. So the next time around when THE INSTRUCTOR was ready to go, I had an entire depth of knowledge as well as a thought out strategy on how to get it into the hands of agents that would be most interested in representing my novel.
And even with that, all but one agent passed on me. Landing an agent can very much be at times a confluence of many factors. The writer’s talent; the story they put together; an agent’s current stable of authors and if their works are similar to the submitted MS; books out in the market or forecasted to be out similar to the MS, etc. The list goes on and on. Having that perfect storm of conditions come together is part of a submission’s success, but making your work the best it can be and conforming to submission requirements is what you’re able to control in that storm.
After a revise and resubmit, my agent Barbara Poelle of IGLA signed me. We went through another 1-2 rounds of revisions before going out on submission, where Robert Davis, my editor at Tor/Forge acquired THE INSTRUCTOR. From there it was off to the races, and as I sit here typing this we’re roughly a month away from pub day!
What are some of your favorite woodworking projects?
Let me preface this by saying that I am no carpenter by any stretch of the imagination. Everything I have put together has been through self-taught trial and error and following instructions I found on Pinterest. While I greatly enjoy the pride and accomplishment that comes with finishing a project, the real purpose behind woodworking is the therapeutic quieting of my mind. I found that, especially when I was struggling with PTSD fueled intrusive thoughts, things like the exactness of measurements and attention needed when operating various power tools pushed everything else into the background.
There was just the project, and that relief became something I sought out as often as I could and still do when time allows.
Pictured are a few of my favorites. The destination sign post was one I always wanted to do dating back to my time on active duty, and one of the first I did when I got out.
The corner stand was also an early work, and while I would have rather thrown it on the firepit when done, to this day I am told that it must never suffer that fate.
Does the wine cork bulletin board convey the amount of drinking I used to do? Probably, but the board sure came out great.
And last but not least, the lemonade stand was all the rage for one summer at birthday and block parties.
What are you working on now?I have just recently turned in the sequel to THE INSTRUCTOR to my editor, and as I mentioned earlier, with pub day just weeks away at this point it’s all about the marketing and publicity for the launch of my book baby. That said, I’m eager to get back into the creative trenches. So much time has been devoted to editing as of late that I’m really looking forward to putting together a new draft. I have some research that has already been gathered for the early chapters of book #3 in the Derek Harrington series, so that’s most likely where I’ll be headed next. Unless a sudden urge to write about vampires overcomes me…
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Besides putting page numbers on your manuscript submissions? Lol
The best wisdom I can give; Don’t. Quit.
Publishing is a slow burn, a slog at times, and you need to be prepared for a marathon not a sprint. Find yourself a critique partner/writing group/beta readers, or all three and constantly work to perfect your writing and take it to the level an agent and editor will be hungry for. Follow the established protocols when approaching an agent. Don’t get cute or try to reinvent the wheel. (Also, don’t be creepy and ask out an agent in your query letter. This is publishing not Hinge.)
Be punctual in your responses and early in meeting deadlines. Along with this, be patient. Agent and editor time is valuable, and they have a tremendous amount of tasks to accomplish day in and day out. You may be the next Shakespeare, but if you’re constantly hounding people about your submissions your stuff will end up on the rejection pile before it even gets looked at. (In other words, don’t be a jerk.)
But really, never giving up on your dream is the best advice I can impart. Believe in yourself and your work. Rejection stings, but it’s a big part of the process. Give yourself a few hours or a day at the most to feel sorry for yourself. Then learn from it, roll up your sleeves, and get back to work. Champions are made as much through grit and determination as they are through pure talent.
Great advice! Congratulations on your debut, and thank you for your service.Author Pet Corner!
Thor!
Baxter!Baxter (terrier): aptly named after the dog star of Anchorman, Baxter acts like a circus canine every time you walk through the door. Affectionate and a fan of cuddling up against you, Baxter is also a consummate digger, loves getting out of the yard, and has the absolute worst breath you will ever smell on a dog. He’s a schmuck, but he’s our schmuck.
Thor (dachshund): while diminutive in size, he possesses god-like powers of cuteness and personality. Also a fan of cuddling, Thor will readily lean over and present his belly for rubs, climb onto your chest for face licks, and bark/growl until you pay attention to him. While his namesake is the god of thunder, Thor often acts like Loki the trickster, especially when it comes to knocking the garbage can over and scattering trash across the kitchen floor in search of a snack. Despite this, his pure handsomeness spares him from any ill will, thus encouraging the low-rider rascal to repeat his nefarious actions.
T.R. Hendricks — Author of The Instructor
T.R. Hendricks is a former United States Army Captain who served as a tank platoon leader, and then as a military intelligence officer, where he was an advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior’s National Information and Intelligence Agency.
When not working or writing in his home in upstate New York, Hendricks is most likely reading, woodworking, or watching his beloved San Francisco 49ers. The Instructor is his first novel.
To learn more about T.R. click on any of the following links:trhendricksauthor.comTwitter: @TR_HendricksIG: @readtrhendricksTikTok: @readtrhendricksElena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
The post The Instructor: Debut Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 10, 2023
Murder in Postscript: Book Review
Murder in Postscript: A Lady of Letters Mystery
Book Review + Book & Author info + Rafflecopter Giveaway!
Don’t miss any book reviews! Click the link here.
Murder in Postscript
When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess Amelia Amesbury, who secretly pens the popular Lady Agony column, has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a charming new historical mystery series.
Amelia Amesbury—widow, mother, and countess—has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady’s maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes he mistress has been murdered—and then ends up a victim herself—Amelia is determined to solve the case.
With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London’s docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation—and her life—on the line.
Murder in Postscript (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Victorian London, 1860
Berkley (March 28, 2023)
Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593548760
ISBN-13 : 978-0593548769
Digital ASIN : B0B5D5HW3K
To purchase Murder in Postscript, click any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, IndieBound, Audible .
My Thoughts on Murder in Postscript
London, England, 1860. Mary Winters hooked me with the opening words of Murder in Postscript.
Set in the Victorian era, countess Amelia Amesbury has her work cut out for her. She’s a young widow and now stepmother to her late husband’s ten-year-old niece, Winifred. While Amelia’s husband did make her a wealthy woman, he also saddled her with the societal expectations of the times that go hand-in-hand with marrying an earl.
To make matters worse, she’s bored. Bored with the society she’s tasked with infiltrating, for Winifred’s sake if not her own. Bored with wearing black, forced into the role of grieving widow. She misses her husband, but also wonders about the life she might have had before she married a dying man. To liven things up, she takes on writing the advice column of an agony aunt, with help from an old friend and editor at a local penny paper.
Lady Agony, as she’s known to her eager readers, solves problems for everyone from scullery maids to high society matrons. But no one can know her true identity. Not even her best friend Simon, the Marquis of Bainbridge. Deftly able to navigate the rules and mores of his station, Simon promises to guide Amelia through the murky waters. Or will his presence just complicate matters? He’s handsome and dashing, making his assistance a distraction as much as a help.
It’s not long before a murder lands in Amelia’s lap through her alter ego Lady Agony. A lady’s maid writes to her favorite advice columnist, convinced her mistress was murdered, and Murder in Postscript is off and running.
Filled with exquisite details of the place and time, Winters creates dynamic characters who race from clue to clue, overcoming killers and controlling matrons with equal aplomb.
Both daring and inquisitive, Amelia Amesbury is exactly the kind of amateur sleuth cozy readers crave. She’s smart enough to get out of trouble, but impulsive enough to risk everything to solve the puzzle.
Lovers of historical fiction, mysteries, and a well-written tale will fall in love with the first of what we can only hope is a long-lived series.
Excerpt from Murder in Postscript
Chapter 1
London, England 1860
Amelia Amesbury hated to admit it, but she was bored. Mind-numbingly bored. She supposed this was what contentment felt like: a beautiful young charge, bless her heart, playing the pianoforte; a governess, prim and proper, turning pages; and three tiers of cakes to choose from in a tastefully papered drawing room. But if she was so content, why was she itching for the afternoon’s post?
She glanced at the portrait of her dead husband above the fireplace mantel. She could put the brunt of the blame on him, bless his heart, too. When they met, she had no idea who he was. He presented himself like any young man in Somerset, looking for a room at her family’s respected inn, the Feathered Nest. Well, not exactly any young man. His manners were a little too refined, as were his features: smooth skin, straight nose, good teeth. When he revealed he was an earl, after she’d accepted his proposal, she was surprised, yes, but assumed that’s how it was done. Wealthy aristocrats had to protect themselves and their fortunes. Like Lancelot, Edgar Amesbury had come in disguise, and the subterfuge hadn’t bothered her in the least. In fact, it added to the excitement.
Amelia set down her flowered teacup with a plunk, earning her a glance from the governess. Despite her last name, Amelia was no Amesbury. Yet here she was, now the widow of one of the wealthiest families in London, with a country manor in Cornwall besides, responsible for the upbringing of Edgar’s niece, Winifred. She was the reason he’d chosen a wife so quickly—that and his degenerative illness, which took him just two months after their marriage. He had wanted Winifred cared for when he was gone, and Amelia was doing a good job, if she did say so herself. Smart, well behaved, and kind, Winifred was, in every aspect except blood, her daughter. As Winifred tinkled her way through Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, Amelia was so proud. And yet, there was the afternoon post at the door!
“I’ll get it, Jones,” Amelia called to the butler. Winifred paused at the instrument. “Please continue, dear. You’re doing wonderfully.”
The letters she’d been waiting for all afternoon were here, the letters addressed to Lady Agony, her secret pseudonym and life-giving alter ego. Amelia’s black dress rustled noisily as she alighted for the door. She opened it before the deliverer could knock.
“Good afternoon,” greeted Amelia. “A lovely day to poke your head out for a breath, isn’t it?”
The man blinked. “My lady.”
Amelia inhaled the thick London air—and choked. It was no matter to her whether it was smoke filled, smelly, or rank, however. It was the thrum of the city that had enticed her to leave Somerset without protest. Mells, the small village where she grew up, delivered newspapers directly to the Feathered Nest—and into her small hands. She spent many afternoons poring over news from the city, young dreams arising in her heart even then, and when Edgar asked her if she would move to London, she answered with a resounding yes. “I’ll take that, thank you.”
The deliverer bowed wordlessly, and Amelia shut the door, returning to the drawing room as she opened the parcel and thumbed the correspondence: one, two, three letters. They requested advice on love, labor, and life. Well, mostly love, but letters all the same. Correspondents needed help traversing the murky waters of life’s greatest unsolved mystery, and who better to guide them than a member of the social elite? Her title was the reason her responses were so popular—that and her honest advice. Times had changed, and readers were desperate to change with them, reaching for the next rung of the social pecking order. Plus, they and the ton wanted to know who Lady Agony really was and how she had become involved in writing in the first place.
It was her childhood friend and fellow newspaper fiend, Grady Armstrong, now an editor at one of the most popular penny weeklies in London, who put her in touch with the task. No one but he and Amelia knew the true story. A year ago, his office was flooded with letters addressed to the magazine’s agony column, called such because of the angst in the letters. When the writer became discouraged with young people’s outrageous behavior and quit, Grady had neither the time nor the talent to respond. That’s when he asked Amelia—who needed something to occupy her hours after her husband’s death—if she would be interested in the chore. He knew she enjoyed reading and writing. Would she enjoy a secret job at the weekly magazine? Did the queen enjoy tea? She agreed in a heartbeat. Now Grady’s office was busier than ever before, but in a good way. Her unconventional wisdom and mysterious identity kept readers hooked—and buying more magazines.
“Letters!” exclaimed Winifred, leaving the pianoforte. “Are any for me?”
Amelia slipped them into the crevice of the chair. “I’m afraid not. But your performance was top-notch. I’ve hardly enjoyed Mozart more.”
“Really?” Winifred pushed a fair lock of hair from her face.
“Really.” The Amesburys were known for their handsome hair, and Winifred’s was no exception. Winifred would grow into a beauty before long, but for now Amelia was enjoying the plumpness of her cheeks, the crookedness of her smile, and her enthusiasm for life. At ten years old, Winifred was at that precious age between child and young woman, and Amelia was going to savor every moment.
Unlike Winifred, Amelia had long auburn locks with honey highlights that hung to her waist when it wasn’t swept up, which was only at bedtime. Her hair, streaming behind her as she rode into the inn’s stable, was the first thing Edgar had noticed about her. The second was that she wasn’t riding sidesaddle.
The governess tsked from the corner. “Lady Winifred, you’ve not been excused from the pianoforte. The last page went dreadfully fast.”
“That’s all for now, Miss Walters,” said Amelia. “I’d like to have a cup of tea with Winifred before I reply to my correspondence.”
Miss Walters bowed deeply, her light brown bun a perfect swirl. “As you wish, Lady Amesbury. Please send her up to the music room when you’re finished.”
Winifred jumped into the patterned chair next to Amelia, her feet not touching the floor. She reached for a strawberry tart, then drew back her hand, waiting for permission.
When Miss Walters was gone, Amelia turned to Winifred. “Would you like a sweet?”
“Yes, please, and tea also.”
Amelia poured out the tea. “Do you like playing the pianoforte?”
“Very much,” answered Winifred. “Three sugars, please.”
Amelia raised her eyebrows but dropped in the sugars. “I can tell. I can feel it when you play.”
“Governess Walters said I played it too fast.” Winifred took a bite of the strawberry tart, closing her blue eyes as she savored the sweetness. Only a child could enjoy the full pleasure of tartlets.
“She knows best.” Amelia placed the girl’s tea next to her. “She’s been classically trained.” It was one of the reasons Amelia had hired her; also, she was terribly good at French. Winifred had a talent for music, and Amelia wanted to make sure her musical instruction was taken seriously. Much to Amelia’s delight, Winifred performed for her every afternoon in the drawing room. Most of the practice went on in the music room, so the performances were a treat. They also helped Amelia keep an eye on her lessons.
“Amelia, may I ask you something?” asked Winifred. When no one was around, she called Amelia by her Christian name.
“Anything, dear.” Amelia took a sip of her tea.
Winifred leaned in. “What’s really in those letters?”
Amelia paused, her cup at her lip. Children were smart, and she and Winifred had spent a lot of time together since Edgar’s passing. In some ways, they’d weathered the tragedy together. There was no lying to the girl. First, she would know it, and second, Amelia respected her too much to deceive her. “The most wonderful things. Secret things that I cannot discuss with you today.”
“But someday?” Winifred gulped her tea.
“Yes, someday I will tell you. I will show you.” Amelia set down her empty cup. “For now, it must be enough to know they bring me pleasure, as your pianoforte brings you pleasure. And for that reason alone you must keep quiet. Can I trust you?”
Winifred popped the rest of the tart in her mouth and nodded.
“I know I can,” said Amelia. “Now you had better be off to see Miss Walters. She’ll be wanting you to rework those last measures.”
Winifred gave Amelia an impulsive hug, and Amelia breathed in the beautiful strawberry scent of the child. Edgar hadn’t given her love—he wouldn’t risk passing on his degenerative condition— but he had given her his dear niece, and for that, Amelia would always be grateful.
When the girl was gone, Amelia took the letters into the library, her favorite room in the house. It was something else Edgar had given her that she’d enjoyed very much—a home with books. While the Feathered Nest had plenty of room for dining and entertaining, it did not afford much room for books, just the special theatricals the family loved and performed. One of her favorite performances was Romeo and Juliet, probably because she and Grady were central characters. Most times her eldest sister, Penelope, took the lead roles. Indeed, Penelope was better at memorizing lines, but Amelia was better at improvising.
She stopped and inhaled a breath. The room smelled of cloves and paper and past cigars. Hundreds of leather-bound tomes filled the wooden bookshelves that lined the two-story room. She bypassed the books and made for the large rosewood desk, situated in a bright alcove of windows. It faced a dark green couch, striped chairs, and an ornate oval table. In a nearby corner was a smaller table, with heavy crystal glasses and fine liquor. And on the far wall was a grand stone fireplace, surrounded by two soft damask chairs, comfortable enough for reading and dozing. She’d spent many nights there doing just that.
Slice went the letter opener, revealing the contents for her eyes only. She scanned the penmanship: hurried, sloppy, and slightly smudged from tears. Definitely a relationship problem. Settling into her chair, she began to read the letter.
Dear Lady Agony,
You are a lady of repute. Please tell me what to do. I love the boy next door, but he’s unaware of my feelings. I am certain we possess a special bond, for he smiles at me so. But he’s going to ask another girl to marry him. He told me his plan on the way to the well. I stumbled away, confused, but how I longed to tell him the truth of my feelings. Am I too late?
Devotedly,
Too Late for Love
Amelia dunked her quill in the ink. This one was easy, a drop in the bucket of love letters. She began her response, which would be printed in the magazine. Readers’ letters weren’t included, and a good thing, too. Amelia had a feeling many writers would be embarrassed later by the emotion they’d poured into their requests.
Dear Too Late for Love,
It’s never too late for love. In fact, I prefer the old, and perhaps wiser, adage, Better Late than Never. In your case, it cannot be truer. You love the boy and are late to admit it. Yes. However, there is still time. He hasn’t asked anyone to marry—yet. Best he knows your true feelings before he proceeds. Even if he does not reciprocate them, you will feel secure in the knowledge that you told him. And that is a feeling you can live with. The other is not.
Yours in Secret,
Lady Agony
The next letter was just as clear-cut. It was from a reader who was jealous of her friend’s hair, though she didn’t say so outright. The letter accused the friend of spending too much time dressing her long, blonde, thick locks, but it was obvious to Amelia that the letter writer wished for the hair herself.
Another dunk into the inkwell, and Amelia was poised to respond.
Dear Hair, There, and Everywhere,
Some women are born with great hair. Others are born with great wit, vivacity, or kindness. Cultivate one of the latter. Or purchase a wig. The choice is just that simple.
Yours in Secret,
Lady Agony
She waited a moment before opening the last letter, savoring the unknown contents. It would be tomorrow afternoon before she received more letters, the mysteries that made up her day. Because of the popularity of the column, Grady made certain the letters arrived daily so that she wouldn’t fall behind.
She turned the envelope over in her hands, positioning it in front of the light. A few drops of spring sunshine shone through the windows, making burgundy flecks on the wall as it bounced off the nearby decanter of brandy. Soon a housemaid would be in to start a fire, to warm the chill brought on by the late afternoon. Then Amelia would enjoy a glass of sherry before dressing for dinner, a complicated affair that she had never quite mastered.
She noted the seal of the envelope had been hastily done. Dashed out at the last minute, perhaps, the letter might contain time-sensitive information. Amelia unfolded the paper. The handwriting, no better than chicken scratch, was hard to decipher. Written at a slant, possibly in this morning’s rain burst, it was wrinkled and marked. Yet the writer’s desperation was clear from the first sentence. Amelia scanned the letter twice before dropping her quill, splattering ink on the desk. She grabbed her spectacles and read it a third time. Her eyes must be deceiving her. It was indeed dated this morning.
Dear Lady Agony,
You are my last hope, for I have nowhere else to turn. Could you meet me at St. James’s Park at nine o’clock this evening? Make sure no one follows you. I believe someone is following me. I’ll be at the bench by the pond. You will know me by my red hat. Please make every effort. I’ve witnessed something dreadful, and I fear the worst.
Devotedly,
Charlotte
Postscript: I think my mistress was murdered.
***
Excerpt from Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters. Copyright 2023 by Mary Winters. Reproduced with permission from Berkley. All rights reserved.
© Julie Prairie Photography 2016Mary Winters — Author of Murder in Postscript
Mary Winters is the author of Murder in Postscript, the debut novel in A Lady of Letters Mystery series.
A longtime reader of historical fiction and an author of two other mystery series, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip!
To learn more about Mary, click on any of the following links: Website, Blog, Facebook, Instagram & Goodreads
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
March 28 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
March 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Elza Reads – REVIEW
March 30 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 31 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 31 – Diane’s Book Journal – REVIEW
April 1 – Just Another Teen Reading Books – REVIEW
April 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
April 2 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Lisa Ks Book Review – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
April 4 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
April 5 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
April 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 6 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
April 8 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
April 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 –The Mystery of Writing – REVIEW
April 10 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
The post Murder in Postscript: Book Review appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 6, 2023
Four Parties and a Funeral: Cozy Mystery
Four Parties and a Funeral, A Catering Hall Mystery by Maria DiRico
Four Parties and a Funeral (A Catering Hall Mystery)
In this fresh and witty cozy mystery series set amid an extended Italian-American family in Astoria, Queens, catering hall owner and amateur sleuth Mia Carina must solve a murder on the set of a reality show.
The June events schedule at Belle View is busting out all over—proms, graduations, and of course, weddings. There are unexpected bookings too, including a casting call for the pilot of Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. But soon, Mia’s fears about the cheesy reality show are confirmed . . .
Belle View quickly becomes the site of a sea of wanna-be goombahs and phony girlfriends, and some of Mia’s friends insist on getting in on the action. The production company owner and his executive producer ex-wife—who’s also very minor British royalty—have assembled a motley crew that does as much infighting and backstabbing as the on-screen “talent.” Even so, it’s a shock when a dead body is found in the pool house of a local mansion rented by the show . . .
Murder might boost the ratings. But Mia intends to make sure the killer gets jail time, not airtime . . .
Italian recipes included!
Four Parties and a Funeral (A Catering Hall Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – New York
Kensington Cozies (March 28, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496739701
ISBN-13 : 978-1496739704
Digital ASIN : B0B6DBV3WV
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 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/Ellen click on any of the following links: Website – Chicks on the Case – Facebook – Twitter Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
March 29 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
March 30 – I’m Into Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 30 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
March 31 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 31 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
April 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
April 1 – Mythical Books – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
April 2 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – FUONLYNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
April 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 6 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 6 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
April 8 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
April 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
April 10 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
Elena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
The post Four Parties and a Funeral: Cozy Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 5, 2023
The Dead Lie: Debut Mystery
The Dead Lie, a debut mystery by Ivanka Fear
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author Interviews! Click the link here.The Dead Lie
You can run. You can hide. But in the end, the past catches up with you.
Lana, a young mother who suffered a traumatic event 11 years ago, has been living under an assumed name. When she visits her hometown to check if it’s safe to reclaim her identity, Lana suffers several mishaps. Then her parents are killed in a car crash. Lana blames herself and her past mistakes until she discovers her mom and dad weren’t who they claimed to be, leading her to suspect their secrets may be responsible for their deaths.
Lana returns to her family’s native Croatian village to visit her grandmother in hopes of learning the truth about her parents and the reason they died. When she meets the villagers, they slam their doors in Lana’s face at the mention of her father. Meanwhile, the near misses that happened back home follow her to Croatia, as does a tall, dark stranger.
Lana probes into the village’s past and uncovers a cold case and a decades old curse, bringing out the ghosts of the past and putting herself in the same danger her parents ran from years ago.
To purchase The Dead Lie, click on the following link: AmazonThe Dead Lie — The Interview The Dead Lie starts in Canada and travels to Croatia. Tell us about the choice to set your debut novel in two different countries.The Dead Lie is the first in my Blue Water Mysteries, all of which are set by the water.
My novel begins in Ontario, Canada, because that’s where I live and what I’m familiar with, so my main character, Lana, also resides there. I chose the city of Hamilton as her hometown since it’s on Lake Ontario.
She travels to a small Croatian village on the Danube River, where her parents were born, to learn more about her roots. I was born in Slovenia, near the Croatian border. I believe writing is more authentic when you draw upon your own experiences and surroundings.
Croatia was the best choice for my character’s background because it borders Serbia, and Croatian/Serbian conflict plays a role in my main character’s story. One of the themes of the The Dead Lie is that the past drives the present and future, so Lana returns to her parents’ birthplace to search for answers when tragedy strikes.
The Dead Lie centers on Lana, a young mother. What would you like readers to know about her?Lana is innately naïve and introverted, but her curiosity and determination override her shyness.
She sticks her nose into other people’s business, making her a good reporter and amateur sleuth. She is fiercely protective of her family and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
Because of her past actions, she fears retribution, which could result in danger for her husband and children. She is happy with her life as a wife and mother, reporting for the local newspaper in a small town.
But the mistakes she made years ago haunt her every day. She must live with them and their repercussions when what she longs for is a normal life. Fate, however, has other plans for her.
Tell us about your road to publication:It has been my dream to be a writer ever since I can remember. After retirement, I found the time to pursue that dream. In the summer of 2018, I began to write as a hobby, but my husband insisted my poems were good enough to be published, so I submitted them to literary magazines, then expanded to short story writing. After finding success with poetry and story publications, one of my short stories led to an idea for a novel. The short story became a series of 5 novels, and the ideas for more keep coming.
When I completed my first novel, I began to query agents while continuing to write. With the help of beta readers and critique partners, I improved my books. After 15 months of querying and many rejections, I signed with my agent. Several months later, I received an offer from a publisher for my 5-book series. In addition, I signed a contract for another 3-book series.
You also write poetry and short stories. How does your process differ between the different forms?A poem or story usually takes me a day or two to write, and I don’t spend as much time planning or editing, so I don’t have as big an investment in that.
A novel means a major time commitment and if it doesn’t get published, I leave myself open to a lot more disappointment. With a novel, I need to do a lot of thinking ahead of time to ensure I have enough ideas and material to begin writing. Novels also require much more research, revision, and editing.
But for all forms of writing, one thing is the same. I need to be inspired to write. Whenever an idea comes to me, if I don’t get in in writing as soon as possible, I lose my train of thought and there is the possibility I won’t get back to that project. My poems and short stories flow freely without an outline, whereas novels require more planning. However, I consider myself more of a ‘pantser’ than a ‘plotter’, and once I begin to write, things keep on rolling.
Prior to publishing The Dead Lie , you worked in education. Tell us about that career and how it impacts you as a writer:I taught all grades from 1 to 8 at different points in my teaching career, and I enjoyed all of them. Children of all ages have something special to contribute, and whichever grade I was teaching at the time was my favorite. I have been inspired by my experiences to write some poems about teaching and learning.
My main character in Blue Water Mysteries becomes a teacher, and in my other series, the main character is a teacher’s aide.
My post-secondary education led to degrees in English and French, with a focus on literature, so the classic books I read contributed to my love of reading and writing, which began in childhood. I’m sure that helped me to be a better writer.
What are you working on now?I recently completed another novel for a new series, and that is in the hands of my agent. I’ve begun the third book of my second series and written a couple more short stories which I submitted to contests.
Also, I’m spending a lot of time editing my other novels and reviewing novels for fellow authors.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Don’t give up. If you feel the need to write and love to do so, then keep on. If it gives you satisfaction, it’s worthwhile to write for yourself.
If you want to be published, either traditionally or self-published, be prepared to put in a lot of time and hard work to get there. Whatever your goal, stay true to yourself and write from the heart. But most importantly, do what you love.
Great advice!Author Pet Corner!
Lucky
T.C and Scruffy!We have two cats, T.C. and Scruffy, both of whom were strays we took in. T.C. has been with us for about 8 years, and Scruffy for almost 4 years.
They love living with us as much as we love having them. They have brought much love and comfort to us.
Their favorite activities are sleeping, eating, playing, snuggling, and looking out the window.
Sadly missed is Lucky, our little black cat who was with us for a short time but will live in our hearts forever.
Ivanka Fear — Author of The Dead Lie
Ivanka Fear is a Canadian writer, born in Slovenia.
She earned her B.A. and B.Ed. in English and French at Western University.
Prior to pursuing writing full time, she enjoyed a long career in education.
Her debut novel, The Dead Lie, is the first in her Blue Water Mysteries series. Ivanka is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.
She resides in Ontario, Canada, with her family and the stray cats that wandered in.
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.
To learn more about Ivanka, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram, Goodreads & PinterestElena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
Header image by JPlenio on Pixabay
The post The Dead Lie: Debut Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 3, 2023
Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World
Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World, the debut release by Eva Moon
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here.Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World
Becoming real was only the start. Pinocchio got his wish, but finds there’s more to being human than having the right kind of body. Inside, he still feels like that same wooden puppet.
In the wake of WWI, his struggle to fit into a human world leads to a deadly fight with a fascist officer and flight from the only home he’s ever known.
From tramp steamers to stifling sweatshops, from love to bitter heartbreak, he can’t outrun his puppet past. Returning home years later, he discovers his beloved papa, Geppetto, was spirited away in the middle of the night into a Germany newly in Hitler’s grip.
On his perilous journey, he finds a motley crew of allies, love, and an unexpected enemy who knows a secret about Pinocchio’s own magical origins that could help her enslave humanity.
Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World is a tale of friendship, love, and, ultimately, what it means to be real.
To purchase Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble & IndieBoundEditor’s Pick, BookLife Reviews: “Moon’s richly inventive debut novel proves as enchanting—and as darkly surprising—as the original fairytale from which it takes inspiration.”
IndieReader: “Eva Moon manages to balance humor, adventure, and drama in Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World and the warm humanity of her characters helps illuminate one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century.”
Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World — The Interview Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World is a historical fantasy novel that takes the original story of the famous wooden boy and turns it on its head. What drew you to using that particular fairy tale as the launch point for your debut? Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World came about, in part, by your decision to undergo major surgery due to the BRCA1 genetic mutation and high potential for cancer. Tell us about how that experience impacted your work as an artist.I’ll answer both of these questions together.
People often ask me why I’m so fascinated by Pinocchio. I’ve written a play and now, a novel about him. I don’t feel that I chose Pinocchio so much as he chose me.
The original story ends when he gets his wish to be a real boy, and the assumption is that he lived happily ever after. But it’s a funny thing about wishes. Can you ever really know now what will make you happy in the future? My wish list for future happiness certainly did not include having a double mastectomy, full hysterectomy, and losing my mother to cancer in the span of three months. And yet, I am happier and more fulfilled in ways I could never have imagined or achieved had I not survived those trials.
So, I’ve wondered what happened to Pinocchio after he got his new body. Was it all he imagined it would be? Did it satisfy the longing in his heart? Perhaps he didn’t feel as different as he hoped. Perhaps he even felt like an impostor – human on the outside, but still the same wooden boy inside. How would he integrate his old self with his new self?
We make many emotional demands of our bodies. We want them to live up to impossible standards, to make us happy and loved, to reflect our ideal selves. And so often, they let us down. Perhaps we’re asking too much of them.
Writing about Pinocchio, not as a wooden boy, but as the human adult he presumably grew up to be, has allowed me to explore these questions and come to some understanding of what it means to be oneself in the world.
Describe the time period in Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World. What kind of research did you do for the era, even though your work is fiction?The novel is set in Europe in the years between the world wars, but primarily at the beginning of the 1930s, as fascism was on the rise but before the threat of war. As a European Jew, this era is especially heartbreaking. Opportunities to oppose the forces that led to atrocities were missed again and again. I remember relatives with concentration camp numbers tattooed on their wrists. We are currently living in an era of rising nationalism, division, and populism, so the time frame of the novel feels especially urgent and relevant. Perhaps there’s still time to change the course we’re on now.
The world in the book has a strong magical undercurrent, but the places and histories are as accurate as I could make them. I read and researched extensively and consulted with experts in many different fields. I’ve spent time in London and Tuscany – two important locations in the book. Just before the pandemic, I spent a frantic ten days on a research trip to Germany. Some elements are fictionalized, but all the places exist. I could probably give an interesting travelogue on hidden Germany.
In addition to writing novels, you also write short stories and musical compositions. You’ve also been a musician, screenwriter, playwright, performer, and done stand-up and improv. How have all those different art forms informed your writing?Once an idea fizzes into existence in my head, I’m done for. The only thing I can do is let it have its way. The tale knows whether it wants to be a short story, a song, a film, a play, or a novel. My stories can be quite bossy sometimes. I’ve learned not to fight them.
What can we find you doing when you aren’t creating art, music, or stories?I live in Redmond, WA with my husband. We have two elderly children who are off living their own lives. I’m really into baking sourdough bread and knitting. But I find it hard to follow recipes or patterns. I always need to give it a twist. I also love hiking in the Pacific Northwest and swimming in icy mountain lakes on warm days.
What are you working on now?I’m in early drafts of a science fiction novel loosely based on The Little Mermaid, but set in a post-climate disaster future.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Embrace the vomit draft. Turn off the inner critic as much as you can and just hurl words at the page. No matter how much clean-up it needs, it still beats trying to edit blank pages.
Make peace with rewrites. That’s writing too. And when you’ve taken it as far as you can on your own, get a few trusted and experienced pairs of eyes on it. Resist the urge to argue. Hear it all, let it sit for a while, and then trust yourself.
Author Pet Corner!
I have two naughty tabby kitties.
Sprocket is only a little naughty.
But Samosa is always into something.
They both love band practice night.
They race up and down the stairs to our livelier songs and when we take a break, they make love to the bass.
I don’t know why.
Eva Moon — Author of Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World
Eva Moon is an author, humorist, songwriter, internationally produced playwright, award winning, optioned screenwriter, and performer.
She is a former blogger for the Huffington Post.
Her plays and musicals have been staged across the US and UK, and her solo musical show, “The Mutant Diaries: Unzipping My Genes” is available streaming on Amazon.
Her first novel, which follows the adventures of a grown-up human Pinocchio in fascist Europe between the world wars, came out in March 2023.
To learn more about Eva, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook, GoodReads, Twitter, Instagram. , LinkedIn & YouTubeElena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
Header image by Qimono on PixabayThe post Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
April 1, 2023
The Dead Certain Doubt: Hard-boiled
The Dead Certain Doubt, the latest release by Jim Nesbitt
Spotlight + Book & Author Info + Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
The Dead Certain Doubt
Revenge, Guilt, Redemption & Gunsmoke
When Doubt Is Your Only Friend
Ed Earl Burch, a cashiered Dallas murder cop, is a private detective facing the relentless onslaught of age, bad choices, guilt and regret. Smart, tough, profane and reckless, he’s a survivor who relies on his own guts and savvy and expects no help or salvation from anybody. But he’s also a man who longs for the sense of higher calling he felt when he carried a homicide detective’s gold shield. He seeks redemption and a chance to make amends to a dying old woman he abandoned decades ago when she needed him most. When he sees her again, she has the same request — save her granddaughter from the vicious outlaws on her trail and bring her home for a final goodbye.
Easier said than done because the granddaughter is a hardened hustler and gunrunner, hellbent on avenging a lover who got chopped up and stuffed into a barbecue smoker by cartel gunsels and a rival smuggler. To fulfill the old woman’s last request, Burch heads back to the borderlands of West Texas on a mercy mission that plunges him into a violent world of smugglers, cartel killers, crooked lawmen, Bible-thumping hucksters, anti-government extremists and an old nemesis who wants to see him dead.
The odds are long and Burch has his doubts — about himself, the granddaughter, old friends and the elusive nature of grace from guilt. Truth be told, doubt is the only thing he’s dead certain of.
Grace Or A Desert Grave?
Book Details:
Genre: Hard-Boiled Crime Thriller
Published by: Spotted Mule Press
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 260
ISBN: 978-0-9983294-5-1
To purchase The Dead Certain Doubt, click the following link: Amazon
Jim Nesbitt — Author of The Dead Certain Doubt
Author Bio:
Jim Nesbitt is the award-winning author of four hard-boiled Texas crime thrillers that feature battered but relentless Dallas PI Ed Earl Burch — THE LAST SECOND CHANCE, a Silver Falchion finalist; THE RIGHT WRONG NUMBER, an Underground Book Reviews “Top Pick”; and, his latest, THE BEST LOUSY CHOICE, winner of the best crime fiction category of the 2020 Independent Press Book Awards, the 2020 Silver Falchion award for best action and adventure novel from the Killer Nashville crime fiction conference and bronze medal winner in the best mystery/thriller e-book category of the 2020 Independent Publisher Book Awards. His latest book is THE DEAD CERTAIN DOUBT, which was released in early March.
Nesbitt was a journalist for more than 30 years, serving as a reporter, editor and roving national correspondent for newspapers and wire services in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C. He chased hurricanes, earthquakes, plane wrecks, presidential candidates, wildfires, rodeo cowboys, migrant field hands, neo-Nazis and nuns with an eye for the telling detail and an ear for the voice of the people who give life to a story.
His stories have appeared in newspapers across the country and in magazines such as Cigar Aficionado and American Cowboy. He is a lapsed horseman, pilot, hunter and saloon sport with a keen appreciation for old guns, vintage cars and trucks, good cigars, aged whiskey and a well-told story. Nesbitt regularly reviews crime fiction and history on his blog, The Spotted Mule, and his author web site, as well as Facebook, Amazon and Goodreads. He now lives in Athens, Alabama.
To learn more about Jim, click on any of the following links: JimNesbittBooks.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @edearl56 & Facebook – @edearlburchbooks
Read an Excerpt from The Dead Certain Doubt
Seven
Watch your six, Sport Model.
A dead partner’s whispered warning. A triggered twitch of muscle memory and street cop reflexes. The split-second dive to the right. The graceless tuck and shoulder roll that slams and skids your ass across the greasy linoleum floor of a roadside tienda.
Left hand full of a Colt’s cold comfort. Hammer back. Eight Fat Boys in the mag. One in the pipe. Hardball .45 ACP and Flying Ashtrays. Find the source of that buckshot blast meant to blow your head into red mist, skull fragments, hair and brain matter.
Ignore the screams, shouts, clumping footfalls and Dios Mios of customers and clerks exiting rapido to safety. Smell the cordite but pay it no mind.
Ignore all that shattered bottle glass and the ketchup, mustard, mayo, salsa picante and salsa verde splattered across the floor, your jeans, your belt buckle and your best Nocona boots. A swirling mess of red, green, white and yellow that just doesn’t matter.
Find that shooter. Listen for the telltale shing-shing pumping more buckshot into the chamber. Pray he’s old school. Pray the shotgun isn’t a semi-automatic with the next round already in the pipe.
Shing-shing.
Answered prayer. The sound rises from the next aisle to his front left. The Colt tracks the echo, sights panning across the shelves facing him. Jarritos, Jumex, Sidral Mundet, Big Red, 7 Up. Spam, Underwood Deviled Ham, Starkist. Valvoline, Havoline, Pennzoil.
A boot sole scrapes the linoleum. Front corner of the next aisle. Right behind the 10W30. Colt centers on the sound. Front blade splits a quart of Havoline. Blast five shots. A grunt, a groan and the clatter of dropped gun metal. Ears ring.
Quick crab crawl to the opposite corner.
Sneak a peek. Shooter on his knees. One hand covers his bloody gut. The other reaches for his pump shotgun.
Fuck you, old school. Three more blasts from the Colt. Squeeze the trigger like a lover until the slide locks back and smoke curls from the breech. One round cores a Third Eye in the shooter’s forehead.
Quema tu culo en el infierno, pendejo. No last rites. No absolution. Straight to the flames. Spit a sour green ball of phlegm on the floor.
Shuck the empty mag. Slap home a fresh one. Trip the slide. Shake out a Lucky and stick it on a dry lip.
Light the nail with a Zippo and a shaky hand. Drag the smoke down deep to smother the stench of gunsmoke and blood. Dial 911 on the black rotary phone next to the cash register and wait for the gaudy post-mortem show to start. No popcorn.
Give thanks to the whiskey gods you survived another gunfight. Thank those old reflexes, too. They’re the second cousins of doubt —the only thinkg you’re dead certain of.
*** *** *** ***
Dealer’s choice. Jacks or better to open. Check, raise, bluff or call in a round of liar’s poker with a lawdog Burch knew but hadn’t seen in almost a decade. Didn’t know if he could trust the man who held all the high cards. And the badge. Best to play it close to the vest.
“I see you still worship at the Church of John Browning. Bet you still follow the lessons they taught you at the Hollow-Point Charm School.”
Raise with a bluff and smartass bluster.
“Dance with who brung ya, Sheriff. And not much charm to this deal. Just a shitload of lead. Muchacho there tried to make me a headless horseman with some double-ought. I begged to differ and let Brother John’s best do my talking for me.”
“Old gun.” Call.
“Old man shootin’ it. Only gun I can hit anything with.” Re-raise.
“And you had to come all the way out to my county to prove you still could. Why the hell is that?”
Burch smiled but didn’t answer. A quiet fold. The sheriff was deeply annoyed but wasn’t ready to throw him in a jail cell. Yet.
Burch stood about five feet away from the shooter’s corpse, dripping ketchup, mustard and salsa on the tienda linoleum. Half-assed trying not to fuck up the sheriff’s crime scene while smoking another Lucky pacifier.
His eyes scanned the body, sprawled face first in a dark, spreading pool, left arm flexed out like it was plowing a path for a body that would never follow.
His brain automatically picked out and filed the details. Once a murder cop, always a murder cop. Gold badge or not.
Detail: The last hollow-point he fired blew out the back of the man’s skull. Filed.
Detail: A scorpion tattoo on the left forearm. Black ink only. Lines still sharp. Filed.
Detail: Shooter’s gun a Remington 870 pump. Twelve gauge with a sawed-off barrel. Common as rocks and sand in West Texas. Filed.
He studied the left side of the man’s face, the side that wasn’t marinating in blood and brain pulp.
Detail: Smooth bronze skin, left eye showing the eight-ball bulge.
Detail: Lips locked back over a pearly white grimace. Silver cuff on the left earlobe. Maricón? Maybe.
Details and question filed. Nothing rose from his memory banks. Noted and filed.
His eyes returned to the gaping hole in the back of the man’s skull.
Gotta love them Flying Ashtrays. Did damage to a man. Hardball knocked him down and hollow-point chewed up his innards and cored out his skull. The Big Adios. One-way ticket. Paid in full.
The sheriff squatted on his boot heels near the dead man’s right hip, using the eraser end of a pencil to lift the bloody tail of a denim shirt to study an exit wound. A muttered oath. English or Spanish. Burch couldn’t tell.
More muttering. A wallet fished out of a back pocket with a hand gloved in latex. A glance at the driver’s license. A quick riffle through a thick sheaf of greenbacks.
Detail: Helluva lot of lettuce in that wallet. More than your average greaseball carries. Noted and filed.
Sheriff Sudden Doggett gave one shake of the head then pinned Burch with dark, angry eyes framed by the underside of a faded, stained and dented Resistol that might have been dark gray in its younger days.
“Why the fuck is it every time you cross the Cuervo County line you have to announce your presence by painting the walls red?”
“Only the second time I’ve visited your fair jurisdiction, Sheriff. And the first time was a few years back. Seven or was it eight?”
“Not long enough if you ask me. Why can’t you be like every other tourist passing through and keep trucking over the river for some bad tequila and cheap pussy?”
“Because I’m on a job. Was on my way to see you when this happened.”
“Well, fuck me runnin’. Worst news I’ve had all day. Fuckin’ angel of death is what you are. And my morgue’s already full. Last thing I need is another gun hand racking up body count.”
“Startin’ to sound like your old boss.”
“You can just take that talk and jam it straight up your ass, pendejo. Go clean yourself up some. You look like Ronald McDonald with that shit smeared all over you.”
“Good to see you again, too, Sheriff.”
“Bite my ass, Burch.”
Risky to poke a stick at Doggett with the thin hand he held. Might wind up in a jail cell for his trouble. But the reaction he got was worth it – genuine pissoff with no hesitation or trace of guilt. Told him he just might be dealing with a straight shooter. Hope so. We’ll see.
The lawman kept his eyes locked on Burch as he barked an order.
“Get this fuckhead out of my face before I run him in lookin’ just like the clown he is. Take him out back. Ruby’s got a garden hose out there. Let him use it and get cleaned up while I check out this mess. Leave his Colt on the counter.”
A blade-faced deputy with acne scars and the flattened nose of a bad boxer stepped up and grabbed him by the elbow. Burch shook his arm free, gave him a glare and walked toward the back door of the store.
Anger flushed out the shakes. He felt better, but not great. As good as it gets after killing a man.
****
Excerpt from The Dead Certain Doubt by Jim Nesbitt. Copyright 2023 by Jim Nesbitt. Reproduced with permission from Jim Nesbitt. All rights reserved.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
03/14 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
03/15 Interview @ Mythical Books
03/17 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
03/18 Review @ Urban Book Reviews
03/23 Interview @ Hott Books
03/28 Review @ Paws. Read. Repeat
03/29 Interview @ darciahelle
04/01 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
04/05 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
04/06 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
04/07 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
04/07 Showcase @ Im Into Books
04/09 Review @ Just Reviews
04/12 Podcast Interview @ Blog Talk Radio
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot , a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook.
The post The Dead Certain Doubt: Hard-boiled appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
March 31, 2023
Murder at Jaipur: A New Mystery Copy
Murder at Jaipur: A Maya Mallick Mystery, by Bharti Kirchner
Spotlight — Book & Author InfoDon’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here. Murder at Jaipur : A Maya Mallick Mystery
“Kirchner’s descriptive writing soothes like warm tea. Murder at Andaman is a lovely mystery that immerses the reader in Indian culture and hides the outcome until the very end.” (Robert Dugoni, New York Times Bestselling Author)To purchase Murder at Jaipur : A Maya Mallick Mystery, click on the following link: Amazon
Bharti Kirchner — Author of
Murder at Jaipur
:
A Maya Mallick MysteryBharti Kirchner is the author of the forthcoming (in June 2023) Murder at Jaipur: A Maya Mallick Mystery (Book 3 in the series). An award-winner, she has published eight previous critically acclaimed novels (in various genres, such as historical, literary, and mystery) and four cookbooks, including the best-selling The Bold Vegetarian.Her most recent mystery novel is Murder at Andaman: A Maya Mallick Mystery (Book 2).Bharti’s work has been translated in German, Dutch, Spanish, and Marathi, and she has been widely read in the EU countries.Her short story “Promised Tulips,” first published in the anthology Seattle Noir, was recognized as a top noir story by Publisher’s Weekly and it reappeared in USA Noir. She is a popular teacher at writer’s conferences.To learn more about Bharti, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook, Twitter, & WebsiteElena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook. Amazon #1 bestseller
Header image by Katzbach on Pixabay
The post Murder at Jaipur: A New Mystery Copy appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
