Christa Nardi's Blog, page 66

Blog Stop: Frankie Y. Bailey and WHAT THE FLY SAW (Detective Hannah McCabe)

Today it's my pleasure to have Frankie Y. Bailey as my guest. She's provided a perspective on WHAT THE FLY SAW from the perspective of Detective McCabe's Little Black Dress...

   I’m Detective Hannah McCabe’s Little Black Dress. You can call me LBD. McCabe bought me one day when she was out shopping with her best friend, Chelsea. McCabe needed a dress to wear to a police department dinner. Chelsea (who owns a vegetarian restaurant with her husband, Stan) is a smart shopper. She knows her zucchini, and she knows a classic LBD with great style when she sees one. She spotted me and insisted McCabe try me on. I’m sleeveless, a light wool blend, perfect with a jacket or sweater in fall/winter, a shawl in spring, and a necklace in summer.

   On the evening of the police department dinner, McCabe looked lovely. She’d taken the time to go to a salon instead of twisting her hair into a curly knot on top of her head. The elegant chignon that the hairstylist came up with was perfect for me. But I had my first hint that the evening might not go well when McCabe paused right in the middle of stepping into me and just stood there for at least five minutes. Then she almost tripped over my hem when she tried to walk. She cursed and zipped me up and then grabbed her ORB to tag her partner, Mike Baxter. He was in the middle of pulling on his jacket, but he stopped what he was doing when she told him what she’d realized about their crime scene. The crime scene in their latest murder investigation.

   After she’d finish her conversation with Baxter and rung off, McCabe was so preoccupied that she didn’t even glance in the mirror to admire herself in me. She just grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Well, first she put a gun into her purse. And then we headed for the door. When we got to the dinner at the hotel in downtown Albany, she didn’t even notice that she was turning heads wearing me. She barely acknowledged the compliments she received. She spent the evening looking around the room for whatever it was she was trying to see. And Baxter never showed up. And then we left, and we ended up in that horrible place. . .

   Did I mention where I am right now? I’m on the counter at the dry cleaners. The woman behind the counter just told McCabe that they’ll probably be able to save me. I have blood and dirt and smells in my fibers. I was not designed to be worn under a protective vest while crawling.

   McCabe usually treats me with more respect. She isn’t one of those TV police detectives who run around in high heels and silk blouses. She has sensible work clothes.

   That evening, I had hoped that Ted Thornton, the billionaire industrialist, might be at the police department dinner. The mayor was going to be there. I thought Thornton might be, too. I was hoping McCabe and I might get invited back to his mansion. Of course, I did hear McCabe mention his Maine Coon, and it would have been really annoying to get covered in cat hairs. McCabe’s dog is bad enough. She and her father, Angus, adopted a puppy, a Great Dane mixed with who knows what. I’ve been terrified McCabe would forget when she was wearing me and let him get too close.

   But better gigantic paw prints than blood stains.

   McCabe is about to leave me here at the dry cleaners. I hope they treat me more gently than she did. McCabe may feel called upon to protect and serve, but she also has an obligation to be careful of her clothing. Obviously, she never listened to those lectures her mother used to give her about being a “wild child.”

   Well, to be fair, she really didn’t have the time to think about me. But, really. Blood? On her LBD?

   Thank goodness this is the year 2020, and they have the technology to save me. Otherwise, I’ll be as dead as one of McCabe’s bodies.

Very interesting! Want to know a little more about WHAT THE FLY SAW? Keep reading...
Synopsis for WHAT THE FLY SAW

Albany, New York, January 2020

The morning after a blizzard that shut down the city, funeral director Kevin Novak is found dead in the basement of his funeral home. The arrow sticking out of his chest came from his own hunting bow. A loving husband and father and an active member of a local megachurch, Novak had no known enemies. His family and friends say he had been depressed because his best friend died suddenly of a heart attack and Novak blamed himself. But what does his guilt have to do with his death? Maybe nothing, maybe a lot. The minister of the megachurch, the psychiatrist who provides counseling to church members, or the folksy Southern medium who irritates both men—one of these people may know why Novak was murdered. Detective Hannah McCabe and her partner, Mike Baxter, sort through lies and evasions to find the person who killed their “Cock Robin,” But McCabe is distracted by a political controversy involving her family, unanswered questions from another high-profile case, and her own guilt when a young woman dies after McCabe fails to act.

Review
Set in 2020, the story of Novak's death includes many twists and turns as projected to be possible in 2020. Obvious differences are evident in police procedurals, communication, zombie hippies, and the motive for Novak's death. Bailey injects some interesting, yet subtle reflections on life and mental health. Detective Hannah McCabe is a strong female character. Readers who enjoy a touch of fantasy/science fiction with their crime drama will enjoy WHAT THE FLY SAW.  This is the sequel to THE RED QUEEN DIES but can easily be read as a stand-alone.

About Frankie Y Bailey

Criminologist Frankie Bailey has five books and two published short stories in a mystery series featuring crime historian Lizzie Stuart. The Red Queen Dies, the first book in a near-future police procedural series featuring Detective Hannah McCabe, came out in September, 2013. The second book in the series, What the Fly Saw came out in March 2015. Frankie is a former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America and a past president of Sisters in Crime.

Website URL: www.frankieybailey.com

Twitter: @FrankieYBailey

Purchase link for WHAT THE FLY SAW

AMAZON 


PJ Nunn
Publicist, BreakThrough Promotionsp:972-825-1171 | e:pj@breakthroughpromotions.net | w:http://breakthroughpromotions.net | a: Waxahachie TX      

Blog Tour: PLATEFUL OF MURDER (The Terrified Detective Book 1) by Carole Fowkes

Synopsis:
Private Detective Claire DeNardo is afraid of everything. Simple things like balloons, roller coasters, and hairpieces make her knees knock loud enough to be a band’s rhythm section. Unfortunately, the only job Claire can find is working for her Uncle Gino in his seedy detective agency. Until now, her cases have all been middle-aged men with trophy wives who needed watching. But Claire gets swept up in a murder case despite being afraid of conflict, bodily harm, and hurting anyone’s feelings. She enlists a jaded security guard, Ed, to help her. But when Ed is attacked and left comatose, Claire must stumble along by herself. Both the client who hired her and the handsome police detective want her off the case. When the wrong person is charged, it’s up to the terrified detective, to summon all the courage she can to find the true killer.

Review:



Claire is well out of her league, and even recalling her Uncle Gino's warnings or creating her own to meet the situation doesn't stop her from getting too involved with her client. His sister is dead, her aunt loves him, and he cooks and bakes the best creations. The handsome detective isn't so sure and Claire isn't to sure what signals he's sending. Then there's the security guard who wants to get paid for information that may help identify the killer and is willing to accept $17.95 as a down payment - a lay-away plan for the snitch.

This is an engaging cozy mystery with a steady pace and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Claire has a good heart and strong desire to avoid a career at the family bakery with spreading hips. She's trying to make it on her own as the killer makes it clear he or she knows where Claire is, her sense of family kicks in.  A good read, and I look forward to reading KILLER CANNOLI and BAKE ME A MURDER.
About This Author
Carole Fowkes is the author of the cozy mystery series, “The Terrified Detective.” She has also had stories in a number of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books and other ).similar anthologies. She’s a registered nurse and lives with her husband in Dallas, Texas.

Author Links
www.carolefowkes.com,

https://www.facebook.com/carolefowkes,

https://twitter.com/CaroleFowkes,

https://www.goodreads.com/carolefowkes

Purchase Links
Amazon

Be sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway! In addition, one copy (print or ebook) of PLATEFUL OF MURDER will be given away to someone leaving a comment here (random drawing. Please leave your email and which you prefer - print or ebook!

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Guest Post: ELAINE FABER Author of Mrs. Odboddy, Hometown Patriot

It's my pleasure to share information on Elaine Faber's new cozy mystery series. She provided an interview with Mildred Haggenbottom to provide insight into Mrs. Odboddy...

MRS. OD0BODDY - HOMETOWN PATRIOT
Elaine’s latest novel, Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot a WWII of chicks and chicanery, suspicion and spies is a riotous romp with Agnes Odboddy, a self-appointed scourge of the underworld. Agnes fights WWII from the home front, collecting cans, volunteering at the Ration Stamp office and knitting argyles for the troops, while seeing conspiracies and Nazi spies around every corner. When Mrs. Roosevelt unexpectedly comes to town to attend a funeral, Agnes is called upon to prove she is, indeed, a hometown patriot.

Interview with Mildred by Elaine Faber
I’m Mildred Haggenbottom, Agnes’s best friend. I understand that Agnes and I are in Elaine Faber’s latest WWII novel, Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot.

So you want to know about Agnes? We’ve been friends for over twenty-five years. She’s the cat’s meow…as the young people say. How we met…? Let me see.

It was in 1918. That was WWI, you know. Agnes and I were assigned a top secret operation in Paris. We spent three days hiding in a bombed-out building with our handler, Godfrey. Believe me, after 72 hours in a life or death situation, you come out either hating someone’s guts or friends for life. Godfrey and Agnes got quite close…too close, if you ask me, but, that’s another story… He came back to Newbury last week, looking for a million dollars in missing Hawaiian money and wanting to reignite his relationship with Agnes. It’s all she can do to keep him at arm’s length. I don’t think she’s trying very hard, if you know what I mean. Romance at the age of 70? The very idea!

The Paris episode changed Agnes. She’s been paranoid, eccentric and fanatically patriotic ever since. She’s determined to root out injustice, regardless of the consequences. I could hardly believe what she plans to do about the black market ration book scam she thinks she discovered, and when the watch tower burned down at the ocean, who is she kidding, saying she can’t explain it because of National Security? I’ll bet she burned that sucker down, herself.

Let’s just say, Agnes tends to see conspiracies and spies under every rock. She believes Nazi spies have infiltrated Newbury, and drives Chief Police, Chief Waddlemucker, crazy with her notions. She’s usually wrong, but her heart is in the right place.

Agnes lives with her granddaughter, Katherine, who works at the Curls to Dye For Beauty Salon. She does the hair and make-up down at the Whistlemeyer mortuary. That certainly turned into quite an adventure, but you’ll have to read the book for the details. Spoiler alert, you know.

Fair warning to the Nazi spies out there. If you really are skulking around Newbury, planning nefarious deeds and you’ read this, I suggest you peddle your papers somewhere else, because if Agnes stumbles onto you, between her and Chief Waddlemucker, your name is toast! 
Synopsis of MRS. ODBODDY - HOMETOWN PATRIOT

Since the onset of WWII, Agnes Agatha Odboddy, hometown patriot and self-appointed scourge of the underworld, suspects conspiracies around every corner…stolen ration books, German spies running amuck, and a possible Japanese invasion off the California coast. This seventy-year-old, model citizen would set the world aright if she could get Chief Waddlemucker to pay attention to the town's nefarious deeds on any given Meatless Monday.
Mrs. Odboddy vows to bring the villains, both foreign and domestic, to justice, all while keeping chickens in her bathroom, working at the Ration Stamp Office, and knitting argyles for the boys on the front lines.

Imagine the chaos when Agnes’s long-lost WWI lover returns, hoping to find a million dollars in missing Hawaiian money and rekindle their ancient romance. In the thrilling conclusion, Agnes’s predictions become all too real when Mrs. Roosevelt unexpectedly comes to town to attend a funeral and Agnes must prove that she is, indeed, a warrior on the home front.

Christa's Review
This was a fun read, with Agnes' antics and tall tales. Agnes sees conspiracies and Nazi spies everywhere. She volunteers in various ways to help support the home front as the boys fight in WWII. Mixed in there is a touch of nostalgia with her friend Lily taken away because of her Japanese heritage, boys killed in the war effort, and rationing of food, gas, and other items. 
Propriety and fashion of the time, as well as references to her service as a secret agent in WWI, add to the lively story. Her lost love comes into her life with his blue eyes and romance is in the air for both Agnes and Katherine. Excitement builds when Mrs. Roosevelt is to attend a funeral, and the mortuary is the place to be.

Agnes calls wolf so often she's not usually believed, even when telling the truth. Agnes' personality is complex and her apparent foolishness adds a humorous component. Then again, perhaps she's not all that foolish an old woman after all. 
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
ELAINE'S BIO
Elaine Faber is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Elaine’s novels include Black Cat’s Legacy; Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel and Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot, - all available at Amazon.

Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband and four house cats, the inspiration for her Black Cat Mysteries. The Agnes Odboddy character is a figment of Elaine’s vivid imagination and not at all based on her own quirky personality.


URLs for Contact Information

Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries.com (e-mail)

http://www.mindcandymysteries.com (Website)

Books Available at Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm Black Cat’s Legacy

http://tinyurl.com/lg7yvgq Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer

http://tinyurl.com/07zcsm2 Black Cat and the Accidental Angel

http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot

Blog Tour & Book Review: CANCELLED VOWS by Lauren Carr

Book Description for Cancelled Vows:
Police Chief David O’Callaghan and Chelsea Adams’ wedding day is fast approaching. Unfortunately, at the last minute, David discovers that there is one small problem to be taken care of before he can tie the knot—divorce his first wife!
Lauren Carr takes fans of the Mac Faraday mysteries to the Big Apple in this nail biting adventure. In Cancelled Vows, David, Mac, and Gnarly, too, rush to New York City to dissolve David’s marriage to an old girlfriend—and he’s got five days to get it done. When murder throws up a road block, it is up to David’s best man, Mac Faraday, and Gnarly, K9-in-waiting, to sort through the clues to get David to the church in time!
Review:
Mac Faraday takes his role as best man seriously and he is determined to get David divorced and back home to marry Chelsea, while Archie as matron of honor is working to keep Chelsea on track. First Gnarly swallows the rings, then the ex-wife may not want to be an ex-wife, and just when it looks like David might get that signature, Gnarly does his thing and finds a body in the wall. 
The story moves at a rapid pace and has a bit of everything - romance, humor, and suspense with several other murders after the body is discovered. A few surprises along with the tension both at home and in New York. Carr does an excellent job of developing her characters and providing back story while maintaining a quick pace. Well worth the sleep I gave up to get to the end. 
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.​
Buy the book here: Amazon

Author's Bio:
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday and Lovers in Crime Mysteries and the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real live Gnarly!) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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Blog Tour Guest Post & Review : DEATH AND THE BREWMASTER'S WIDOW (An Auction Block Mystery) by Loretta Ross

Today's post is from Loretta Ross, author of DEATH AND THE BREWMASTER'S WIDOW:

A Small-Town Girl's City Adventure
I had the most ridiculous conversation with a young man at a gas station on the outskirts of Nashville last fall.

It was early October and I was on my way to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend my first Bouchercon. If you're not familiar with Bouchercon, it's also known as the World Mystery Convention. Since 1970, mystery fans, authors, and industry professionals gather every autumn in a different city for a long weekend packed with panel discussions, awards presentations, social events, and what my friend Terri Lynn Coop would call "shenanigans".

A dedicated homebody with little travel experience, I had unwisely decided to make the drive by myself in two days. On the map, it looked easy, but then the map, unlike the countryside, was flat. I left early, planning to make Nashville by suppertime, but there was a bridge out in southern Illinois. After a long, meandering detour and a nerve-wracking grind through the worst highway work zone I have ever seen, I found myself entering Music City well after dark.

I live in rural Missouri, and by "rural" I mean "I can't see the nearest dirt road from my house". I had been worried about driving the interstate through downtown Nashville since I first mapped out my route. My house is between two towns, both county seats for their respective county. 

Clinton, where I went to high school, has about 10,000 residents, three pizza places, two grocery stores, and a town square where the kids hang out. Warsaw, where I work, has fewer than 3,000 residents, one three-story building, three fast-food restaurants, and one stoplight. It's the only stoplight in the county.

There were no stoplights at all on Interstate 40, but there was, I think, more traffic than my little dirt road has seen probably since we moved here in 1970. It was moving at least ten miles an hour faster than I'm comfortable with and between keeping up to speed, being sure to maintain my distance from the other vehicles, and worrying about getting in the wrong lane and winding up in Texas by mistake, I was a nervous wreck. Really, it's a miracle there aren't handprints permanently imprinted in my steering wheel.

I had gotten a boost to my confidence through an odd coincidence as I approached Nashville. You could almost even see it as a sign. While I was fighting my way through the construction zone, a pickup truck passed me that had one of those memorial signs in the back window. It said, "in loving memory of Jerry Hicks". As chance would have it, I had an older half-brother named Jerry Hicks. Sixteen years older than me, he served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam and was the reason I made my character, Death Bogart, a member of the Corps. My Jerry passed away in 2011. He lived halfway across the country from me and we didn't see each other often. The last time I saw him was when I drove him back to the airport after our mother's funeral.

He told me I was a good driver.

So driving through downtown Nashville, in spite of my nerves, I dared to peek over to my right as I passed for fleeting glimpses of the city. Really, how could anyone help it? Massive, fantastic buildings rose like phantasms against a backdrop of clouds that painted an illusion of dark hills. In the October mist they took on a surreal, ghostly glow. The city looked spectral, like a mystical fairyland, a magical place that could enchant you, entice you in and then never let you go.

I still had to go on to Knoxville, where a hotel room waited for me, so I could only look longingly at all the passing lights. The flashing billboards and neon signs advertised restaurants and live music shows, movie theaters and stage plays, entertainment venues, museums, tours, shopping centers. More choices than I could even count. My fuel needle was dipping towards empty, though, so once I had navigated my way past the worst of the traffic, I found a place to pull off.

I stopped at an establishment that had a convenience store, two fast-food restaurants, and more gas pumps than all the gas stations in Warsaw combined. As I was filling my tank a young man came around, riding a golf cart, to check on the pumps. I wanted to know anything he could tell me about the rest of my route that night, so I engaged him in conversation. After chatting about traffic and roadwork for a few seconds, I said to him, "you know, I didn't get to see a lot of it, what with the seventy-miles-an-hour and being terrified and all, but I couldn't help but notice that you have a really beautiful city here."

The kid gave me a funny look and frowned thoughtfully.

"Really?" He shrugged and shook his head. "It's okay, I guess. But there's nothing to do here."
Thank you Loretta for sharing this! 

About The Author
Loretta Ross is a writer and historian who lives and works in rural Missouri. She is an alumna of Cottey College and holds a BA in archaeology from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She has loved mysteries since she first learned to read. Death and the Redheaded Woman was her first published novel.

Website: http://www.lorettasueross.com.

Blog: http://lorettasueross.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorettasueross

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/236665.Loretta_Ross

Twitter: @lorettasueross – https://twitter.com/lorettasueross


Now for DEATH AND THE BREWMASTER'S WIDOW Synopsis:
They call it “the Brewmaster’s Widow”; the abandoned brewery where Death Bogart’s brother died in an arson fire.

With his girlfriend, Wren Morgan, Death goes home to St. Louis to take on a deeply personal mystery. When Randy Bogart went into the Einstadt Brewery, he left his broken badge behind at the firehouse. So why did the coroner find one on his body? Every answer leads to more questions. Why did the phony badge have the wrong number? Who set the brewery fire? What is the connection between Randy’s death and the mysterious Cherokee Caves, where the opulent playground of 19th century beer barons falls into slow decay?

Not understanding how and why he lost his brother is breaking the ex-Marine’s heart. But the Brewmaster’s Widow is jealous of her secrets. Prising them loose could cost Death and Wren both their lives.

Review:
Two brothers, one a fireman and one a marine - both believed dead but one, Death, survives and can't face the death of his brother Randy. He opens a PI/Bounty Hunter business a few hours from his childhood home and hooks up with auctioneer Wren. Things get weird when Death is sent Randy's badge but with the wrong badge number. Death has PTSD and some health issues, but goes home to check it out and Wren follows a little later to help him settle Randy's estate. There are lots of twists and turns, tear jerking scenes, and humor. Self-defense by mustard and a well-concealed sling shot go right along with the unusual names and their history. 

I can't say more without spoiling it for you. This was a quick afternoon read while traveling - it's a good thing I was on the plane as the tension built or I might have missed the boarding announcement. I already backtracked and the first in the series, DEATH AND THE REDHEADED WOMAN is on my kindle.


FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Purchase Link:
Amazon B&N



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Blog Tour Spotlight: CITY OF GOLD by Carolyn Arnold

 
City of Gold(Matthew Connor Adventure Series Book 1)Hardcover: 314 pagesPublisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc (November 27, 2015)ISBN-13: 978-1988064666ASIN: B016LLDQIY SYNOPSIS

Action-adventure books for the mystery lover. In this series, modern-day archaeologist and adventurer Matthew Connor travels the globe with his two closest friends to unearth treasure and discover legends the world has all but forgotten. Indiana Jones meets the twenty-first century.

Finding the Inca’s lost City of Gold would be the discovery of a lifetime. But failing could mean her death…

Archaeologist Matthew Connor and his friends Cal and Robyn are finally home after a dangerous retrieval expedition in India. While they succeeded in obtaining the priceless Pandu artifact they sought, it almost cost them their lives. Still, Matthew is ready for the next adventure. Yet when new intel surfaces indicating the possible location of the legendary City of Gold, Matthew is hesitant to embark on the quest.

Not only is the evidence questionable but it means looking for the lost city of Paititi far away from where other explorers have concentrated their efforts. As appealing as making the discovery would be, it’s just too risky. But when Cal’s girlfriend, Sophie, is abducted by Matthew’s old nemesis who is dead-set on acquiring the Pandu statue, Matthew may be forced into action. Saving Sophie’s life means either breaking into the Royal Ontario Museum to steal the relic or offering up something no one in his or her right mind can refuse–the City of Gold.
Now Matthew and his two closest friends have to find a city and a treasure that have been lost for centuries. And they only have seven days to do it. As they race against the clock, they quickly discover that the streets they seek aren’t actually paved with gold, but with blood.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CAROLYN ARNOLD is the international best-selling and award-winning author of the Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher, and McKinley Mystery series. She is the only author with POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.™

Carolyn was born in a small town, but that doesn’t keep her from dreaming big. And on par with her large dreams is her overactive imagination that conjures up killers and cases to solve. She currently lives in a city near Toronto with her husband and two beagles, Max and Chelsea. She is also a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:

Website  Twitter Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

Purchase Links

Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU
Barnes & Noble Apple iBooks Kobo

BLOG TOUR GUEST POST: MAJOR CRIMES (Jersey Shore Mystery Series) by Michele Lynn Seigfried

Today I'm pleased to have Michele Lynn Seigfried - or actually Chelsey Alton, one of the main characters in MAJOR CRIMES - as my guest...
A Day in the Life of Chelsey Alton
By: Michele Lynn Seigfried
Hi! I’m Chelsey Alton and I’m one of the main characters in cozy mystery novel, Major Crimes by Michele Lynn Seigfried. I’m a bit of a mess—especially with my love life. To give you an idea of how crazy my world is, here is a day in my life…

The front door was unlocked, which was strange because I never left my front door unlocked. Even though I had the ugliest house on the block, I never left without locking it. Even though the only thing of value in it was a hideous engagement ring from a pathetic ex who never became my husband, I never left without locking it.

With all the hoopla in my life as of late, I shouldn’t have been surprised that I had forgotten to do something simple, like lock my door before I left. I pushed open the wooden door and peeked inside. A sinking feeling churned in my stomach. The TV was on and the crate that housed my German Shepherd, Snickers, was empty. I froze. Was someone in my house?

I shook off the fear. My parents had to be there. They kept a key to my place. I stepped inside. Snickers didn’t charge or bark at me like normal. Wait! Their car isn’t outside!

Fear prevented my legs from working. It was as if I was the leading lady in one of those cliché horror movies—you know, the kind where the dumb girl enters a house with a killer inside and searches it instead of running for her life. Here I was, the dumb girl, in the house with Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, or Bill Cosby. Where is Snickers?

Once my imaginary cement shoes disintegrated, I crept over to the couch. There was a baseball bat underneath. Once again, I thought about how stupid I was. Why did I go for the bat instead of running for my life? With my bat in hand and a dose of false bravado, I searched the house. Yup, that was me—the dumb girl. It was a little after one in the afternoon. What stupid criminal breaks in during the day when neighbors could see him? Or her for that matter!

Tiptoeing toward the kitchen, I heard a footstep. I plastered my back along the wall beside the kitchen entry and raised the bat, pretending to be Babe Ruth anticipating another home run.

A man stepped out of the kitchen. I swung the bat, aiming for his gonads. He caught it in his left hand. In his right hand was a glass of merlot. “Don’t you have anything better to drink around here?”

How he caught that bat and didn’t spill a drop of wine was beyond me. “What the heck are you doing in my house?”

Snickers sat in the corner of the kitchen watching us. He was calm and quiet. A rawhide chew toy rested between his paws. No wonder he was too occupied to greet me at the door. Stupid dog. My entire body trembled from the passing fear and rush of adrenaline.

“I came to see you. What’s with the bat, Chelsey? Are you itching for a game of softball?”

“You’re such a horse’s patoot.”

The man who had reduced me to a pile of nerves was Bryson Kelly. Bryce for short. A cop, former co-worker, and someone who once kissed me—though not someone you’d call a former significant other. At least my dog liked him.

Let’s just say that as the day went on, things only got worse. If you really want to know more, you’ll have to read the rest in Major Crimes. I guarantee that you will be entertained, because there’s never a dull moment in my life!


SYNOPSIS:
Buckle up for hours of laughter, romance, and excitement with this Jersey Shore Mystery. When handsome detective, Bryce Kelly, is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he finds himself on the run and in hiding. Can amateur sleuth, Chelsey Alton, and a few quirky friends help him find the real killer and prove his innocence before it’s too late? If you love mysteries, don’t miss this humorous whodunit!

Purchase Link
Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michele Lynn Seigfried is the author of humorous, cozy mystery novels and a children’s picture book author/illustrator.

Michele was born and raised in New Jersey. In her mystery novels, she draws from her personal expertise in the area of municipal government, in which she has served for over 17 years in two different municipalities. 

She holds a B.A. in communication from the College of New Jersey with a minor in art. She obtained the Master Municipal Clerk certification from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in 2010. She also holds the Registered Municipal Clerk certification and Certified Municipal Registrar Certifications from the State of New Jersey.

In combining her love of writing with art, Michele began writing and illustrating children’s picture books in 2013. She has won several awards for her novels.

Author Links:
Website: www.michelelynnseigfried.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleLynnSeigfried
Twitter: www.twitter.com/micheleseig
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MicheleSeig
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/MicheleSeig
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/micheleseig
Email: MicheleSeigfried@gmail.com
Google+: www.google.com/+MicheleLynnSeigfried
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/micheleseigfried


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Blog Tour Spotlight: PLAIN DEAD by Emma Miller

Synopsis
When a newspaperman is murdered in the Amish community of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, Rachel Mast digs up the dirt to find out who wanted to bury the lead…

Although she left her Old Order Amish ways in her youth, Rachel discovered corporate life in the English world to be complicated and unfulfilling. Having returned to Stone Mill, she’s happy to be running her own B&B. But she’s also learning—in more ways than one—that the past is not always so easily left behind.

After local newspaperman Bill Billingsly is found gagged and tied to his front porch, left to freeze overnight in a snowstorm, Detective Evan Parks—Rachel’s beau—uncovers a file of scandalous information Billingsly intended to publish, including a record of Rachel pleading no contest to charges of corporate misconduct. Though Evan is certain of her innocence, it’s up to Rachel to find the real killer. A closer examination of the victim’s unpublished report leads Rachel to believe the Amish community is far from sinless. But if she’s not careful her obituary might be the next to appear in print…


About The Author

Emma Miller is the author of Redeeming Grace and Anna’s Gift. She lives with her family in Kent County, Delaware
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25310469-plain-dead

Purchase Links
Amazon

IndieBound – http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780758291769

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plain-dead-emma-miller/1121697400?ean=9780758291769
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Blog Tour: DEATH OF A BROOKLYN LANDLORD by Susan Russo Anderson

A Mystery, A Kidnapping, A Missing Mom … The First Book in a NEW Spinoff Series!Synopsis

When newly widowed Lorraine McDuffy gets a call in the middle of the night, it’s not the ghost of her dead husband on the line, but the trembling voice of an old flame, Frank Rizzo, a local butcher. He’s found the battered body of rent-gouging Brooklyn landlord Viktor Charnov. Felled by blunt trauma to the back of his head, the victim lies in the fetal position in the back of Frank’s shop, a pork chop clenched between his teeth. The distraught butcher asks Lorraine to investigate.

As the story moves through the entangled web left behind by the landlord’s evil dealings, Lorraine searches for Viktor’s estranged wife as well as a missing teen with ties to the landlord, believed to have jumped in despair from the Brooklyn Bridge two months earlier. Along the way, Lorraine spars with Detective First Grade Jane Templeton and cares for the victim’s ten-year-old son, baseball-loving Joey Charnov, while she searches for his mother. And despite her guilt, Lorraine and Frank deepen their relationship in fits and starts.



If you’re a fan of Fina Fitzgibbons and her crew, you’ll recognize the main characters in this new series—Lorraine McDuffy, Fina’s mother-in-law and protagonist in charge of the Fina Fitzgibbons Detective Agency while Fina and Denny are on their honeymoon; detectives Jane Templeton and Willoughby, her partner Minnie, admin assistant at Lucy’s and now taking on a greater role in the agency; Cookie and her husband, Clancy; and a newcomer, Fina’s estranged father, Paddy Fitzgibbons, who creates his own boozy havoc as he tangles with Lorraine and Cookie.
Review

Lorraine is in charge of Fina's investigating business and a novice at it, but determined to solve the murder of Viktor and possibly solve the disapearance of Nati, and find Joey's mother at the same time. The three mysteries - the murder, Nati, and Joey's mother - are intricately entwined with not so subtle innuendo of possible dark motives for Viktor's murder. The detectives on the job are perturbed by Lorraine and Cookie's actions, yet reluctantly grateful for all they find out. Paddy's drinking and the whirlwind "romance" between Lorraine and Frank add to the complexity. 

I liked Lorraine and her persistence on all three of the threads that are woven through the story, even if it means angering Jane and Willoughby. T Viktor is despicable to say the least and there are many reasons to celebrate his murder. I stayed up to finish it - the story is compelling, especially with regard to Nati. That said, this portrays the darker side of human behavior and may offend some. This is my first read by Anderson and I will check out her other series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
About the Author

Susan Russo Anderson is a writer, a mother, a member of Sisters in Crime, a graduate of Marquette University. She’s taught language arts and creative writing, worked for a publisher, an airline, an opera company. Like Faulkner’s Dilsey, she’s seen the best and the worst, the first and the last. Through it all, and to understand it somewhat, she writes. Too Quiet in Brooklyn, the first book in the Fina Fitzgibbons Brooklyn mystery series, published December 2013. The second book in the series, Missing Brandy, about a missing teen, published September 2014, and Whiskey’s Gone, about the abduction of a single mom, completes a trilogy. The working title of the fourth is Dead in Brooklyn.
Author Links:

Website: http://susanrussoanderson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Russo-Anderson/349374975075796
Twitter @SusanRussoAnder

Purchase Link

Amazon

BLOG TOUR and GUEST POST: MOLLY'S MISADVENTURES by D. E. Haggerty

Today, it is my pleasure to have D. E. Haggerty as my guest...


Molly’s Misadventures Blog Tour
D.E. Haggerty
Guest PostWhy Molly’s Misadventures was an Adventure to Write
I think I’m pretty well-rounded as a writer. I’ve written military suspense, historical mysteries, and cozy mysteries. All of my books have one thing in common – there is always a puzzle to be solved. From figuring out what happened to Skylar’s grandfather in Buried Appearances to clearing Dee of murder in Love in the Time of Murder, I’ve always included some type of mystery in my novels. Sure, there is romance, laughter, and suspense as well, but the main point of the story is the resolution of the mystery.

Molly’s Misadventures is different – there’s no mystery to solve. The novel is primarily a love story and that scared the pants off of me for several reasons. In the first place, I don’t do sex scenes. I’m more of a fade to black type of writer. Not that I don’t read erotica. P-lease. I love erotica. But every time I write a kissing scene I’m looking around in my home office to see if anyone can see what I’m writing. And gosh, I can’t imagine my dad – who reads everything I write, mostly because I send him free copies – reading a sex scene I’ve written. Gross. Just gross.

And although I love me some hot and steamy graphic sex scenes. The scenes are often tiresome. How many ways are there to describe making love? How many times can a writer use the words ‘his hot rod’ or – my personal favorite – ‘his silk covered steel shaft’? Although sex is an important part of life and often an essential development in a story, how often do characters need to get it on in a book anyway?

Romance stories themselves are also repetitive. It’s almost as if there is a strict set of rules to follow. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Boy does something stupid to break girl’s heart. They reconcile. The end. BOR-ING. And how many hot stepbrothers exist anyway? And – trust me – not all men in the military are hot! I was convinced I couldn’t write a novel, which was strictly a romance, as it’s all been done before.

So why did I write Molly’s book if it scared the beejezus out of me? Well, first of all, I’m not one to not do something just because I’m scared. I’m absolutely terrified of heights, but that doesn’t stop me from rappelling. I also didn’t want to anger my muse. My muse gave me this awesome idea and I fell in love with the idea. Who am I to tell my muse she needs to come up with something else?

I also realized that a romance doesn’t have to be only about romance. There’s character development to consider and what about self-development? And, of course, there’s laughter. There has to be laughter. I also played around with the format of the novel for fun. I added blog posts and Facebook updates to mix things up. Before I knew it, the story was finished and it didn’t kill me. In fact, I really enjoyed writing Molly’s story. So much so that I’m having a hard time starting my next manuscript. I never would have predicted that when I chewed off all my fingernails while writing up my ideas for Molly’s story!
Synopsis
I’m having the suckiest day ever. First, my father, aka Mr. Grumpy Pants, calls to say his nurse just walked out on him. Likely story. I rush home to pack only to walk in on my husband getting it on with his younger, skanky secretary. Unfortunately, my quick weekend trip home to fix Dad’s problems turns into a stay of a few weeks. Luckily, I’ve got Danny, the neighbor boy I had a crush on when I was a dorky, braces-wearing, nose-buried-in-a-book teenager, and a brand-spanking new blog to keep my mind off things. Before I know it, I’m writing product reviews of vibrators and getting questioned by a store rent-a-cop at the world’s worst date ever. All while trying to figure out how to take things with Danny to the next level. Not to complicate things or anything but my boss decides to give me an ultimatum – come back in four weeks or don’t come back at all. How in the world did my life get so complicated?
About The Author
I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Author Links
Website: http://www.dehaggerty.com
Blog: http://www.dehaggerty.com/mymusings
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/denaehaggerty
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5?qid=1438239628&sr=8-5

Purchase Links:
Amazon
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/594767

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