P.D. Workman's Blog, page 28

Stalker Awareness Month: Take Back Your Life

It is January once more. January is, among other things, Stalker Awareness Month. I have written on the subject once before. (In fact, I just read that blog post and it is really good!)

So what else is there to say?

Well, maybe I could write about a couple more things.

Getting Through Trauma

One of the things that I addressed in Pursued by the Past is how Vanna is affected by her stalker. How angry, afraid, isolated, and depressed she becomes as the stalking escalates. Being stalked and harassed can be incredibly draining mentally and can affect all facets of your life. Not only are you always looking over your shoulder and being hypervigilant, but you can’t concentrate on work, keep up other relationships, and stay organized and on top of things in your life.

So what can the target of a stalker (I will not use “victim” here) to do take back their life and mental health?

Talk to a Therapist

Therapy is not just for broken relationships or severe mental illness. A therapist can give invaluable insight, guidance, and support. They can also provide counseling for any underlying mental health issues that may have been triggered as a result of being harassed or stalked. Reach out to family, friends, and community resources for recommendations of a therapist that could help.

Reach Out to Family & Friends

Speaking of family and friends, they are there to support you as well. (Okay, not all family and friends can be supportive in this kind of situation, but hopefully some of them are.) Let people know what you are going through. Let them know what they can do to support you emotionally. Some people need hugs and chocolate, and some need space or someone they can call at two in the morning. How will they know if you don’t tell them? Figure out who you can talk to or vent with that will give you the response you need. Because sometimes you need solutions, but sometimes you just need an ear, right? Talking to family and friends can help you work through your emotions in a safe space and build up your inner strength in order to move forward.

Join Support Groups

It’s entirely possible that there is no one in your immediate sphere of family and friends who has been through this experience before. As sympathetic as they may try to be, if they haven’t been there before, they might not be able to give you what you need. There are many support groups specifically dedicated to providing emotional support for victims of harassment or stalking. Joining these groups will allow you to connect with others who are going through similar experiences as well as give you access to additional resources such as advice, guidance, and tips on how to cope with the trauma of being harassed or stalked.

Seek Help from Hotlines & Organizations

Face-to-face support groups can be overwhelming. If you need help but aren’t ready to reach out to a group, there are many hotlines and organizations dedicated specifically for providing emotional support for victims of stalking that offer anonymous phone counseling services as well as online chat services. A quick internet search or talk to a community resource should be able to put you in touch with one of these organizations.

Spreading Awareness in Your Community

Whether you have experienced stalking or had a friend who has (and chances are, you have,) you may be looking for things that you can do to support those in your community who have been targets or to increase awareness of what you as a community can do. Here’s one idea—how about hosting a book club on stalker awareness? (You’re shocked that I brought books into this conversation, right?) You could have a virtual or in-person book club. Here are some thoughts on making your book club event successful.

Establish clear guidelines

Before the book club begins, set expectations and ground rules for participation. Make sure everyone understands that this is an open and safe space to discuss stalker awareness and how reading can help us be more informed about it.

Choose a book

Select a book about stalker awareness that will be the focus of discussion in the book club. Consider choosing books written from different perspectives and characters from different backgrounds.

Create an agenda

Set up an agenda with discussion points, questions, and activities to keep the conversation flowing throughout the event. Give participants time to read before attending the book club so they can come prepared with thoughts and ideas for discussion.

Get the facts

A lot of our opinions are fed by what we see on TV or what is written in fictional accounts, and we don’t actually know the statistics and the impact on victims. A woman who is stalked in one episode of your favourite cop show is rescued within the one-hour episode and by next week her life is back to normal. In fact, according to this fact sheet, 11% of stalking lasts for over 5 years. That’s a huge discrpancy from our perception. Check the statistics in your part of the world and be sure that you’re talking about actual numbers.

SPARC has some great infographics you might want to use.

Promote active listening

Remind participants to practice active listening by expressing their understanding after someone has spoken, asking questions, and providing feedback if appropriate. Encourage everyone to respect one another’s opinions and experiences while discussing stalker awareness in an open and sensitive way.

Make sure everyone is heard

Make sure all voices are heard during the virtual book club by taking turns speaking or having participants type in one-word responses when prompted by the host (e.g., “Who agrees?”). This will ensure that everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts in a safe space without interruption or judgement from others.

Follow up after the event

After the virtual book club has ended, take time to reflect on what was discussed and any feelings that may have come up during the conversation. Send out an email or survey afterwards to get feedback from participants on what they thought of the event, what they learned, and whether they have any suggestions or ideas for future events and topics of conversation related to stalker awareness and reading literacy.

Pursued by the Past

If you are looking for a book to discuss, there are a number of them listed in my previous post, including Pursued by the Past:

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Vanna had a good life. She had her challenges—like her mother’s high expectations of her—but all in all, she had a job she enjoyed, a fun hobby and friends. She didn’t need any complications.

But that all changed shortly after trying to break things off with Tino. The phone calls with no one on the other end. Anonymous gifts. Someone moving things around in her bedroom.

A restraining order changed nothing. If anything, it caused things to escalate. If Vanna wants her life back, she will have to take things into her own hands.

Keeps you wondering what comes next. I don’t know how this woman kept it together. Very good book and the characters were great. Looking forward to reading another book by this author.

—Gail, Goodreads Reader

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They Sought Vengeance

by P.D. Workman


Coming Soon!
Series: Zachary Goldman Mysteries #14
Genres: Brozy (Broader Cozy), Mystery, Suspense, Mystery/Suspense

eBook Price: $ 4.99 USD
Paperback Price: $ 15.95 USD


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Coming in October 2023

They Sought VengeanceAboutPraise for Zachary GoldmanAuthor NotesBook Club ResourcesOn my BlogPraise for P.D. WorkmanA mystery thriller from USA Today Bestselling Author, P.D. Workman that will keep you turning the pages!

Deadly Secrets

When hired by four siblings to investigate the circumstances of the death of their father, private investigator Zachary Goldman finds out that not all is as it first appears. As Zachary uncovers more information, he discovers both family secrets and a dark side of John Godfrey’s life. Somehow, he’ll have to find a way to tease the truth out from amongst the web of lies.

Was Godfrey killed out of revenge by someone from his past or one of his own children? Has Zachary unintentionally put himself and his loved ones in the crosshairs of a killer? Will he be able to uncover the truth before it’s too late?

They Sought Vengeance is an enthralling tale full of suspense and intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Join Zachary Goldman on his journey as he searches for answers and justice for John Godfrey.

Praise for the series:

Very well written. [Zachary] is flawed with a capital F … In spite of his problems, he is a very sympathetic character and doggedly pursues the truth.

What a great story. Fabulous plot with interesting and complex characters. I was totally involved into the wee hours. Many twists and left waiting until the end. Highly recommended

Zachary Goldman, Private Investigator, is flawed with a capital F. Shattered by the tragedies of his own life, he will somehow still manage to pick himself up and dig just a little bit deeper than anyone else to piece together the vital clues and solve the mystery.

Maybe being broken makes it easier for others who have faced tragedy to trust him. Walk with Zachary as he solves cases that will stretch his abilities to the limit.

Even with his own life in shambles, Zachary Goldman is still the one you want on the case.

Looking for a thriller that will keep you up all night and stay with you long after the last page?Investigate this P.I. Mystery now!

— an amazing and suspenseful story. It carries you away into a psychological tailspin that keeps you going in so many different directions.

— A really good piece of detective fiction with some novel and original features which keep the reader guessing until the last few pages.

— I love the way the investigation plays out…very interesting.  That is done very well. It held my interest. I very much wanted to find out the outcome…

— Very well written. [Zachary] is flawed with a capital F … In spite of his problems, he is a very sympathetic character and doggedly pursues the truth.

— [She Wore Mourning] made for a pleasant read while presenting an interesting story.

— What a great story. Fabulous plot with interesting and complex characters. I was totally involved into the wee hours. Many twists and left waiting until the end. Highly recommended

— Wow! I just finished it. In one day! I could not stop reading it! This book grabs hold of you from the start. It’s a very well written detective novel. It pulls you not the story and is very emotional. You feel for the characters. This is the first novel I have read by this author but it will not be my last. I highly recommend this book.

Author Notes may contain spoilers!

Coming soon!

Book Club Resources may contain spoilers

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“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me … And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”

“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”

“I’ll read anything by P. D. Workman that I can get my hands on.”

“Every book by PD Workman that I’ve read has been a gripping one, however different the genres are, going from lighter mysteries to really dark ones… this is one of my favourite, most dependable authors.”

“P.D. Workman is an incredibly versatile writer. No matter which of her books I read I am drawn into a great story and honestly, I don’t think I’ve followed another author that could go from cozy mystery to YA to a PI series dealing with mental health issues. Really enjoy her books!”

“[P.D. Workman’s] stories are so believable and you can’t help but feel like you know these people. You find yourself crying, laughing and feeling the characters emotions. Now if an author can make you cry and feel every emotion in a story, she is one hell of an author.”

“P. D. Workman, does not shy from probing the deep psychological scars of childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Also characteristic of this author, these extremely sensitive issues are explored with extensive empathy, described with incredible clarity, and portrayed with profound insight.”

“Once again P.D.Workman has created an intense psychological mystery that impacts a wallop of thought induction. The writing is so well developed and draws you into the characters story.”

The post They Sought Vengeance first appeared on pdworkman.com.

On the Run, In Pursuit of Truth: ‘Blanche on the Lam’

If you didn’t get a chance to read about my latest new release, take a look at Thrice Spared. The latest installment in the Reg Rawlins, Psychic Investigator paranormal cozy mystery series is sure to captivate with its thrilling plot and unexpected turns—don’t miss out!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

I am currently reading Blanche on the Lam, an engaging and entertaining read. In this first-in series, Barbara Neely introduces her main character, a Black woman whose parents gave her two names that mean white. A domestic contractor who is on the run from the law (or at least hiding out) for getting caught kiting bad cheques, because three of her employers went on vacation without paying her first. Forced to leave her children (actually, her dead sister’s children who she now mothers) with their grandmother. Blanche ends up stuck in a summer cottage with a suspicious bunch of reprobates who, apparently, are murderers. Fun and games ensue, and Blanche tries to untangle the threads of this mystery while staying under the radar.

Neely’s writing is lyrical and beautiful, full of fresh and interesting similes. This novel offers readers an exciting and suspenseful story along with thought-provoking themes about race, class, and identity. It’s an excellent choice for fans of mystery and suspense!

A wry smile lifted the corners of Blanche’s mouth. Life did seem to be poking fun at her, sometimes. Even on the run she had to clean up after people.

Barbara Neely, Blanche on the Lam

Amazon Blurb

Blanche White is a plump, feisty, middle-aged African-American housekeeper working for the genteel rich in North Carolina. But when an employer stiffs her, and her checks bounce, she goes on the lam, hiding out as a maid for a wealthy family at their summer home. That plan goes awry when there’s a murder and Blanche becomes the prime suspect. So she’s forced to use her savvy, her sharp wit, and her old-girl network of domestic workers to discover the truth and save her own skin. Along the way, she lays bare the quirks of southern society with humor, irony, and a biting commentary that makes her one of the most memorable and original characters ever to appear in mystery fiction.

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Dive Into a Magical Mystery with Thrice Spared

Are you looking for an exciting and unique new read? Jump into the highly anticipated seventeenth installment in the Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator series, Thrice Spared.

This paranormal cozy mystery follows Reg Rawlins, a self-professed con artist practicing as a contact to the dead, and her array of eccentric friends as they attempt to solve another magical mystery. This time, Reg must find out who is trying to kill Corvin, a drop-dead gorgeous warlock, before she is arrested and thrown in jail for attempted murder.

Thrice Spared is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end and is sure to be an instant hit with fans of paranormal mysteries! So get comfy with your favorite blanket and get ready for an enchanting journey into Black Sands—you won’t be disappointed!

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From USA Today Bestselling Author, P.D. Workman!

If Reg was going to kill Corvin, she would have done so before now.

As much as she might dislike the warlock who has been a thorn in her side ever since moving to Black Sands, she has never tried to kill him. Well, except maybe that one time. But if she did want Corvin dead, she certainly wouldn’t do it by sneaking into his house at night and attempting to stab him as he slept. Or to try to poison him after that. Why can’t the police accept that and just move on with their investigation?

As the likelihood of arrest and incarceration increases, Reg realizes that she had better identify the actual murderer (or rather, attempted killer) before it is too late.

 Just when I think Ms. Workman can’t possibly think up anything different for this series, she delivers big time. —Sandy

 I love the magical characters in this series. They never fail to keep you entertained. Such a fun series.—Kandy

Like paranormal mysteries? Psychics, witches, fairies, and more! Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author P.D. Workman waves her wand to transport readers to the myth- and magic-filled small town of Black Sands for another paranormal cozy mystery to be solved by Reg Rawlins and her friends.

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A self-professed con artist practicing as a contact to the dead, a drop-dead gorgeous warlock, and a psychic cat—what could go wrong?

Fall under Reg’s spell today.

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This addictive and delightful series delivers everything you might hope for in a great paranormal cozy. I love the variety of wonderful characters, the detailed world-building, the imaginative stories full of whimsy and magic and, of course, the fabulous fact that both the main character and her cat are psychic.

—Kim, Goodreads reviewer

Earlier books in the series

Get started with book #1, What the Cat Knew, or one of these bundles!

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}); }})();/*]]>*/Other new releases@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-15901ce{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}New Ghosts Old Tricks

Harper Harlow-Monroe has everything she’s ever wanted. She has a husband she loves, a best friend who is only irritating fifty percent of the time, and a daughter who refuses to be “normal.” So, basically, she has it all.

Then the unthinkable happens. During an afternoon picnic with her husband and daughter, Harper’s yard is flooded with ghosts … right as five bodies float by on the river. Harper’s daughter Poe is finally in the thick of things because she’s the only one who can communicate with the ghostly newcomers.

Worried, Harper calls in her friends Rowan, Maddie, and Ivy. Together, the foursome is going to figure out what’s haunting Poe … one way or another.

There’s not much to be found regarding the victims. They were adventurers, making a name for themselves finding treasure at the bottoms of oceans and lakes. They were hired by a local billionaire, but nobody can figure out why and the man in question is being cagey.

Harper always knew her daughter would turn out gifted. The reality is different from the fantasy, however. Poe’s magic is already strong, and when she gets a little encouragement from her friends, things begin to spiral.

It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation for this battle, and only the strong will survive.

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-5569968{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-4269629{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Grim

It only takes an instant for Grim—monster hunter and emotionally scarred hero—to lose everything.

Grim is having a bad year. A hunter by trade, his world is ripped apart when he is cursed with a sickness that is slowly changing him into one of the very creatures he hunts.

Worse, Grim is forced to abandon the woman he loves for fear that he’ll destroy her. So he must find a cure. Otherwise, they’ll never be together.

Yet there’s hope in a thorny alliance with an eccentric billionaire who lives in a castle.

But the billionaire has his own problems. He’s being hunted by an elusive monster, one that wants him dead. So, he strikes a deal with Grim—capture the creature and Grim will be healed.

Now Grim must navigate a castle filled with creeping shadows and portraits that seem alive, a suspicious butler, and the billionaire’s young daughter. She may hold the key to unlocking the truth behind why the creature is hunting her father—if only she could remember the past.

Can Grim stop the monster, break the curse plaguing him, and be reunited with the woman he loves? Or will he succumb to the darkness growing inside of him?

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-7a4e851{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-3f11e63{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Steep with One Eye Open

Twenty-seven-year-old witch Minnie Wells has an a-maze-ing ability to land herself in trouble.

Minnie’s vampire beau Fitz has just opened his country estate’s hedge maze to the paying public. They’re counting on the proceeds to fund the restoration of Fitz’s crumbling manor house, and to keep him from having to return to living in his cunning vampire sire’s nest.

But on opening day, a local school teacher is found murdered in the middle of the maze. And to add to the intrigue, Minnie’s chased off by the ghostly specter of a Regency woman whose own life was taken in the labyrinth two hundred years ago.

Now, Minnie teams up with a friend who has unexpected abilities, to catch the culprit, appease the spirit, and get the maze back in business.

But when her sleuthing uncovers a strange tie between the two women’s deaths, Minnie questions whether the killer is living, or undead, and if the maze will ever be safe again.

Will Minnie catch the culprit and put the angry spirit to rest or will she hit a dead end and become the murderer’s next victim?

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-95e00b6{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-eabb4fc{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Cat Scratch Murder

Magic in this witch’s family has a name: Trouble

Meet Sidney Grace. Quirky journalist, Hesitant witch, Professional butterfingers.
Her grandmother believes Sidney’s talent for communicating with the dead makes her the most powerful witch in the family, but Sidney just wants to make it through the day without getting fired.

A young writer living in Boston, Sidney is far from the small wacky town of Crystal Beach, Florida, where her spell-happy grandmother retired. She is perfectly happy with her career, her four cats, and the fact that she hasn’t been on a date in… well, years. All is well until her estranged mother informs Sidney that her grandmother has been arrested for murdering a resident at her retirement community.

Sidney road-trips to Florida to discover that her grandmother has no alibi, her grandfather isn’t as dead as she thought he was, and one of her cats can speak. To make matters worse, the handsome Officer Reece is tough on criminals and even tougher on witches. Who cooked up the deadly scone? And why are residents at Shifting Sands suddenly disappearing?

Now, Sidney must embrace her own magical talents to prove her grandmother’s innocence and stop the killer bent on destroying anyone who gets in the way.

@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-9454b58{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-85174c6{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Clawful Scandal

Laura Lee and her friends are helping Mrs. Thornberry host a charity event for the local hospital. The dinner is a flurry with music, dancing, and celebrity guests. Everything seems to be going splendidly, including healthy donations piling in, until Mary sees the one person who Should Not be there.

The man is Timothy Skyler and is well known among the town’s criminals as one of the craftiest of the bunch. But when he shows up dead among the town’s elite, and with a piece of jewelry from Judge Katherine, everything explodes.

Life doesn’t settle back to normal though, when the mystery is dumped into Laura Lee’s lap as a mutual friend contacts her. Can the Secret Book Club untangle this mess before Laura Lee’s friend gets dragged in farther?

Perfect for those who like cozy books heavy on mystery, adorable animals, small towns, humor in relationships and escape.

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-b69f75b{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-476db7e{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}A Grave Roast

Piper Addison has three problems: a broken espresso machine, malfunctioning magic, and a dead body. Guess which one she doesn’t see coming?

One month from forty, Piper Addison thinks she finally has life figured out. Sure, her bank account could be fuller and the cafe she opened with the last of her savings could use some help, but what’s a few kinks for an Orchard Hollow witch?

Too bad Piper can’t witch to save her life, which is exactly what she might need to do when a dead body is discovered in the alley behind her cafe. To make matters worse, all the evidence points to Piper and the local sheriff is not too keen on the town’s paranormal inhabitants.

When a mysterious envelope lands on Piper’s doorstep, she has a decision to make: go behind the sheriff’s back and try to clear her name, or spend her fortieth birthday in a prison cell.

A Grave Roast is a paranormal cozy mystery complete with an unlucky witch, a ghost familiar, and a feisty raccoon with a talent for getting into sticky situations.

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-05a86f6{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-7e15d6d{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}An Unfolding Crime

In her next case, Kate is getting ghosted. Literally.

When Hallow Hills’ newest laundromat shuts down after a poltergeist infiltration, Kate gets called to the scene. At first, things are under control, but when the spirits get angry and turn on her, Kate’s powers go wonky and things go from bad to worse.

Soon, the entire town is under attack by vengeful spirits and Kate has to figure out how to cleanse the town and keep her new, burgeoning powers from overwhelming her. With Killian, the spirit living in her office building, at her side, Kate once again barrels headfirst into a strange and twisted magical mystery.

But this time, the culprit is someone she knows and a man from her past. When the dust settles and the poltergeists are laid to rest for good, will Kate still have a place in Hallow Hills, or are her days numbered?

Kindle@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-9c626cb{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}

The post Dive Into a Magical Mystery with Thrice Spared first appeared on pdworkman.com.

Unearthing Secrets and Old Grudges in The Girls Weekend

Did you know that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month? Check out my blog post to learn more about human trafficking and how stories can help us build awareness and empathy for victims.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

I have just recently started to read The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman, and am still in the setup stages. Five old “friends” get together for an isolated retreat, and we instantly have the setting for a closed-scene mystery. I say friends in quotes because, of course, they all have old secrets and resentments, and you know things are going to blow up before long. Everyone will get up in the morning to find one of their number sadly (or not-so-sadly) deceased.

Gehrman uses plenty of lyrical description, providing a vivid backdrop and introducing us to each character’s backstory as the time of the murder approaches. We already hate the hostess, who I assume will be the victim. Find a comfortable nook and blanket and cuddle up for what happens next!

Nobody has it easy, June. Even best-selling authors need friends.

Jody Gehrman, The Girls Weekend

Summary

For fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley, a riveting locked-room mystery about five college friends eager to reunite after years apart–only to be ripped apart again when their host’s disappearance unearths dark secrets and old grudges.

Their reunion just became a crime scene . . .

June Moody, a thirty-something English professor, just wants to get away from her recent breakup and reunite with girlfriends over summer break. Her old friend and longtime nemesis, Sadie MacTavish, a mega-successful author, invites June and her college friends to a baby shower at her sprawling estate in the San Juan Islands. June is less than thrilled to spend time with Sadie–and her husband, June’s former crush–but agrees to go.

The party gets off to a shaky start when old grudges resurface, but when they wake the next morning, they find something worse: Sadie is missing, the house is in shambles, and bloodstains mar the staircase. None of them has any memory of the night before; they wonder if they were drugged. Everyone’s a suspect. Since June had a secret rendezvous with Sadie’s husband, she has plenty of reason to suspect herself. Apparently, so do the cops.

A Celtic knot of suspense and surprise, this brooding, atmospheric novel will keep you guessing as each twist reveals a new possibility. It will remind you of friendships hidden in the depths of your own past, and make you wonder how well you really know the people you’ve loved the longest.

Related posts Unearthing Secrets and Old Grudges in The Girls Weekend Skunk Man Swamp Free for a Limited Time! Reg Rawlins 1-15 Exploring the Depths of a Closed-Scene Mystery Uncovering Mrs. Hudson’s Secrets in The Murder of Mary Russell Expect the Unexpected in “Do I Know You?” Enjoy paranormal holiday reads filled with witches and ghosts A Haunting Psychological Thriller That Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat Awesome Christmas Books to Get You Through the Holidays One woman vows to find the truth… before her time runs out An all new Zachary Goldman mystery, filled with page-turning psychological suspense The Devil’s Sea: Fast-paced international thriller with high adventure, deep sea exploration and peril New Release! Their Walls Were Empty A Journey into Botswana in The Kalahari Typing School for Men Learn about The Other People Guest Post: Have You Met Anastasia? October is my Bookiversary Checking out a new series with Gone New releases: He Drowned in Memory and more Time to Hit the Books! Back 2 School Survival Pack Death of a Corpse Posed for Death Beat the Heat with Christmas in July Feast on A Banquet of Consequences




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The post Unearthing Secrets and Old Grudges in The Girls Weekend first appeared on pdworkman.com.

Exploring Human Trafficking Through Literature

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

I have written here before about human trafficking, which includes not only sex trafficking of women and girls, but also involves men and boys, organ trafficking, child soldiering, modern slavery, and domestic slavery.

Human trafficking is a global issue that has been gaining increased attention in recent years. Stories about trafficking can help us build empathy and understanding for victims and inspire us to take action against this devastating crime. Modern literature plays a crucial role in raising awareness of the issue, but it can also perpetuate biases.

“These novels can generate empathy and outrage, and they provide perspectives, information and analyses that can lead to a commitment to make change”

Bickford

Crime fiction novels often explore the complex dynamics of human trafficking, providing insight into the motivations of traffickers and the trauma suffered by victims. While these novels may offer an effective way to engage readers in the issue, they may also perpetuate stereotypes about traffickers and victims.

Stereotypes

For example, many stories focus on male traffickers exploiting female victims, ignoring that both men and women are victims and perpetrators of human trafficking. Additionally, stories may present a binary view of traffickers as purely predatory exploiters and victims as innocent non-beneficiaries, obscuring the reality that there are many levels in a trafficking ring and many people who are initially innocent victims are coerced into becoming abusers, as seen in She Told a Lie.

In addition to exploring the complexities of human trafficking, literature could do more to highlight issues often overlooked or erased from the discourse around trafficking. For instance, stories may address topics such as gender bias or racialized “others” who face discrimination because they are perceived to be in the country illegally. Moreover, literature rarely brings attention to what happens after a victim is rescued —such as their experience dealing with post-trauma, reintegrating with society, being deported, addiction, and in some cases, prosecution for sex crimes.

Overall, literature can provide a very effective platform for exploring different aspects of human trafficking so we can develop a more nuanced understanding of this global problem. By reading stories about human trafficking, we can gain insights into what drives traffickers to commit these crimes, how victims suffer from their experiences, and how we can best address this issue in our society.

Books about traffickingDaniel Palmer, Forgive me Alexa Steele, The Lost Girls Johan Twiss, 30 Red Dresses Marnie Riches’ The Girl who Walked in the Shadows – child sex traffickingRuth Dugdall’s  Nowhere Girl Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis’ The Boy in the Suitcase – organ traffickingEmelie Schepp’s novel Marked for Life – child soldiersMinette Walters’ The Cellar – forced labourStuart Neville, Stolen  Souls  Stieg Larsson’s, The Girl Who Played with Fire Lorenzo DeStefano, The House Boy – sex traffickingOther books about traffickingMy stories including human trafficking@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-8fd7e47{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Gem, Himself, Alone

Winner of In the Margins Committee Recommended Reads 2020.

Gem has a secret.

Teenage Gem, alone on the street, has survived abuse, institutionalization, and captivity. He has lost everything and everyone he ever loved, but is finally free to build a life.

There is only one person he can count on, and that is himself. 

Gem buries his past the best he can, joins up with the Rippers gang for protection, and does what he has to in order to survive.

But Riker, a vice cop, makes it his business to take away the precious freedom Gem has earned and put him behind bars.

If he can just break Gem’s alibis.

But Riker doesn’t know Gem’s secret.

While Riker can sympathize with what Gem has been through, he can’t let a dangerous criminal run free on the streets.

Riker delves into Gem’s past in a bid to discover his secrets. Can he sort through the tangled threads to lay bare Gem’s past? And if he does, will he be able to put Gem behind bars once more?

Gem is desperate to keep his secrets and make a new life for himself.

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author P.D. Workman brings you a gritty tale of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat and rooting for Gem right to the last page. 

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P.D. Workman has a gift for creating psycho-thrillers. The plots are dark and twisting and the characters are believable and frightening.

—J. Young, Goodreads reader

Another twisting tale by PD that kept me glued to the pages until the last bit. I can never get enough of these great reads by Ms Workman.

Debbie Rodriguez

eBookPaperbackLarge PrintRetailersRead SampleBookbubBingebooksGoodreadsAnd MoreHis Hands Were Quiet – sex traffickingShe Told a Lie – sex traffickingThey Came for Him – sex trafficking (continues with characters from She Told a Lie)Sandy, Breaking the Pattern – sex trafficking (and lesser so the other books in the series)Chloe – sex trafficking and pornographyVirtually Harmless – sex traffickingMito – using minors for medical experimentationThey Thought He Was Safe – immigrant labourVegan Baked Alaska – slave tradeUnlawful Harvest – organ traffickingOut with the Sunset – child soldiersCareful of Thy Wishes – child soldiers, slavery in the gem tradeRushin’ Death – slaveryResourcesFiction about Human Trafficking – pdworkman.com“In the Suitcase was a Boy”: Representing Transnational Child Trafficking in Contemporary Crime Fiction | SpringerLinkView of Narratives of Human Trafficking: Ways of Seeing and Not Seeing the Real Survivors and Stories | Narrative WorksRelated posts Unearthing Secrets and Old Grudges in The Girls Weekend Exploring Human Trafficking Through Literature Checking out a new series with Gone Reading for Pain Awareness Month They Came for Him Mysteries with just a hint of romance New Release: Careful of Thy Wishes and more! New release day! Gentle Angel and more Dosed to Death and other new releases [image error] Sandy, Breaking the Pattern Doctored Death and more new releases! An Italian Treat: Rounding the Mark Read for International Women’s Day James Patterson’s Lost will keep you enthralled She Told a Lie and More New Releases She Told a Lie Excerpt from 30 Red Dresses Virtually Harmless Excerpt from Long Road to Mercy Fiction about Human Trafficking They Thought He Was Safe and other new releases! Gem, Himself, Alone Unlawful Harvest Books for youth in custody




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Exploring Human Trafficking through Literature

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

I have written here before about human trafficking, which includes not only sex trafficking of women and girls, but also involves men and boys, organ trafficking, child soldiering, modern slavery, and domestic slavery.

Human trafficking is a global issue that has been gaining increased attention in recent years. Stories about trafficking can help us build empathy and understanding for victims and inspire us to take action against this devastating crime. Modern literature plays a crucial role in raising awareness of the issue, but it can also perpetuate biases.

“These novels can generate empathy and outrage, and they provide perspectives, information and analyses that can lead to a commitment to make change”

Bickford

Crime fiction novels often explore the complex dynamics of human trafficking, providing insight into the motivations of traffickers and the trauma suffered by victims. While these novels may offer an effective way to engage readers in the issue, they may also perpetuate stereotypes about traffickers and victims.

Stereotypes

For example, many stories focus on male traffickers exploiting female victims, ignoring that both men and women are victims and perpetrators of human trafficking. Additionally, stories may present a binary view of traffickers as purely predatory exploiters and victims as innocent non-beneficiaries, obscuring the reality that there are many levels in a trafficking ring and many people who are initially innocent victims are coerced into becoming abusers, as seen in She Told a Lie.

In addition to exploring the complexities of human trafficking, literature could do more to highlight issues often overlooked or erased from the discourse around trafficking. For instance, stories may address topics such as gender bias or racialized “others” who face discrimination because they are perceived to be in the country illegally. Moreover, literature rarely brings attention to what happens after a victim is rescued —such as their experience dealing with post-trauma, reintegrating with society, being deported, addiction, and in some cases, prosecution for sex crimes.

Overall, literature can provide a very effective platform for exploring different aspects of human trafficking so we can develop a more nuanced understanding of this global problem. By reading stories about human trafficking, we can gain insights into what drives traffickers to commit these crimes, how victims suffer from their experiences, and how we can best address this issue in our society.

Books about traffickingDaniel Palmer, Forgive me Alexa Steele, The Lost Girls Johan Twiss, 30 Red Dresses Marnie Riches’ The Girl who Walked in the Shadows – child sex traffickingRuth Dugdall’s  Nowhere Girl Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis’ The Boy in the Suitcase – organ traffickingEmelie Schepp’s novel Marked for Life – child soldiersMinette Walters’ The Cellar – forced labourStuart Neville, Stolen  Souls  Stieg Larsson’s, The Girl Who Played with Fire Lorenzo DeStefano, The House Boy – sex traffickingOther books about traffickingMy stories including human trafficking@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-8fd7e47{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Gem, Himself, Alone

Winner of In the Margins Committee Recommended Reads 2020.

Gem has a secret.

Teenage Gem, alone on the street, has survived abuse, institutionalization, and captivity. He has lost everything and everyone he ever loved, but is finally free to build a life.

There is only one person he can count on, and that is himself. 

Gem buries his past the best he can, joins up with the Rippers gang for protection, and does what he has to in order to survive.

But Riker, a vice cop, makes it his business to take away the precious freedom Gem has earned and put him behind bars.

If he can just break Gem’s alibis.

But Riker doesn’t know Gem’s secret.

While Riker can sympathize with what Gem has been through, he can’t let a dangerous criminal run free on the streets.

Riker delves into Gem’s past in a bid to discover his secrets. Can he sort through the tangled threads to lay bare Gem’s past? And if he does, will he be able to put Gem behind bars once more?

Gem is desperate to keep his secrets and make a new life for himself.

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author P.D. Workman brings you a gritty tale of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat and rooting for Gem right to the last page. 

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P.D. Workman has a gift for creating psycho-thrillers. The plots are dark and twisting and the characters are believable and frightening.

—J. Young, Goodreads reader

Another twisting tale by PD that kept me glued to the pages until the last bit. I can never get enough of these great reads by Ms Workman.

Debbie Rodriguez

eBookPaperbackLarge PrintRetailersRead SampleBookbubBingebooksGoodreadsAnd MoreHis Hands Were Quiet – sex traffickingShe Told a Lie – sex traffickingThey Came for Him – sex trafficking (continues with characters from She Told a Lie)Sandy, Breaking the Pattern – sex trafficking (and lesser so the other books in the series)Chloe – sex trafficking and pornographyVirtually Harmless – sex traffickingMito – using minors for medical experimentationThey Thought He Was Safe – immigrant labourVegan Baked Alaska – slave tradeUnlawful Harvest – organ traffickingOut with the Sunset – child soldiersCareful of Thy Wishes – child soldiers, slavery in the gem tradeRushin’ Death – slaveryResourcesFiction about Human Trafficking – pdworkman.com“In the Suitcase was a Boy”: Representing Transnational Child Trafficking in Contemporary Crime Fiction | SpringerLinkView of Narratives of Human Trafficking: Ways of Seeing and Not Seeing the Real Survivors and Stories | Narrative WorksRelated posts Exploring Human Trafficking through Literature Checking out a new series with Gone Reading for Pain Awareness Month They Came for Him Mysteries with just a hint of romance New Release: Careful of Thy Wishes and more! New release day! Gentle Angel and more Dosed to Death and other new releases [image error] Sandy, Breaking the Pattern Doctored Death and more new releases! An Italian Treat: Rounding the Mark Read for International Women’s Day James Patterson’s Lost will keep you enthralled She Told a Lie and More New Releases She Told a Lie Excerpt from 30 Red Dresses Virtually Harmless Excerpt from Long Road to Mercy Fiction about Human Trafficking They Thought He Was Safe and other new releases! Gem, Himself, Alone Unlawful Harvest Books for youth in custody She was Dying Anyway and October freebies




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Skunk Man Swamp Free for a Limited Time!

Welcome to the magical world of Black Sands and the Everglades!

Are you ready for an adventure that will take you deep into the heart of myth, magic, and mystery? If so, then you won’t want to miss out on this flash sale.

For a limited time only, readers can download Skunk Man Swamp, Reg Rawlins Private Investigator mystery #10 for free! This magical adventure is sure to leave you hooked from the first page until the very last.

Follow Reg Rawlins and her friends as they navigate the Everglades, encountering a variety of magical beings and mythological creatures along the way. With its mishaps, misunderstandings, and suspenseful plot, this book is sure to be a hit with readers of all ages.

So don’t wait! Get your copy of Skunk Man Swamp for free before this limited time offer ends!

Author directKindleApple BooksNookKoboGoogleSmashwordsRelated posts Skunk Man Swamp Free for a Limited Time! Reg Rawlins 1-15 Bidding Farewell to 2022, Hello 2023! Chip Away at the Mystery in Freezer I’ll Shoot Uncover the Mystery of Davyn’s Disappearance Expect the Unexpected in “Do I Know You?” Enjoy paranormal holiday reads filled with witches and ghosts October is my Bookiversary Celebrate Cozy Mystery Day Books for my Birthday Cloaked Campaign Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator 13-15 Thrice Spared How about putting these Easter treats in your basket? Missing Powers Follow the Clues in Aunt Dimity and the Summer King Read Undiscovered Tomb and other New Releases Get a great deal on Time to Your Elf and more! Tell a Fairy Tale Time to Your Elf and more new releases A Treasure Chest Full of Deals New Release: Careful of Thy Wishes and more! Reg Rawlins 1-12 Investigating A Most Curious Murder




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Justice by Pie: the Devious Doings of Daisy

Looking for some way to enjoy the new year? Love reading books? (Why else are you on this site?) Check out some Bookish Ways to Celebrate the New Year for some ideas to make 2023 extra special.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

If you are a big ready of cozy mysteries, this book may completely turn your expectations on their heads. Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies, Misha Popp’s debut book, will shock readers.

What’s so different about protagonist Daisy Ellery? How about the fact that she makes murder pies? She creates deadly pies with a sinister purpose—to do away with men who abuse women. Her Pie Girl brand is a cover for her underground business, Pies Before Guys, her own little Murder, Inc., where she creates and distributes murder pies to take out the abusers.

In this first book in the series, Daisy’s organization has been infiltrated by someone with his own plans of revenge. He wants to send murder pies to three women under threat of revealing Daisy’s dastardly doings. It is up to Daisy to figure out who is blackmailing her and how to ensure the safety of the women.

I am enjoying this book quite a big, but can’t figure out why Daisy keeps locking up her pit bull to keep him away from the action while she goes out to investigate intruders in the dark by herself, armed with only a rolling pin.

“That looks amazing,” he says.
“It’s to die for.”

Misha Popp, Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies

Summary

Daisy Ellery’s pies have a secret ingredient: The magical ability to avenge women done wrong by men. But Daisy finds herself on the receiving end in Misha Popp’s cozy series debut, a sweet-as-buttercream treat for fans of Ellery Adams and Mary Maxwell.

The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it’s her calling. Daisy bakes sweet vengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog Zoe deliver to the men who’ve done dirty deeds to the town’s women. But if she can’t solve the one crime that’s not of her own baking, she’ll be out of the pie pan and into the oven.
 
Parking her Pies Before Guys mobile bakery van outside the local diner, Daisy is informed by Frank, the crusty diner owner, that someone’s been prowling around the van—and not just to inhale the delectable aroma. Already on thin icing with Frank, she finds a letter on her door, threatening to reveal her unsavory secret sideline of pie a la murder.
 
Blackmail? But who whipped up this half-baked plot to cut a slice out of Daisy’s business? Purple-haired campus do-gooder Melly? Noel, the tender—if flaky—farm boy? Or one of the abusive men who prefer their pie without a deadly scoop of payback?
 
The upcoming statewide pie contest could be Daisy’s big chance to help wronged women everywhere…if she doesn’t meet a sticky end first. Because Daisy knows the blackmailer won’t stop until her business is in crumbles.

Related posts Justice by Pie: the Devious Doings of Daisy Celebrate the New Year with Books and Reading Indulge in the Christmas Spirit with Silent Bite Reg Rawlins 1-15 Murder Meringue Pie Bidding Farewell to 2022, Hello 2023! Murder, Mayhem, and Missing Prizes Exploring the Depths of a Closed-Scene Mystery Chip Away at the Mystery in Freezer I’ll Shoot Uncover the Mystery of Davyn’s Disappearance Embrace the Magic of Christmas Reading Enjoy paranormal holiday reads filled with witches and ghosts A Waffle Death Awesome Christmas Books to Get You Through the Holidays Good-Bye Angela Lansbury: A Tribute to the Beloved Character Jessica Fletcher Wedding Cake Crush New Release! Their Walls Were Empty Grab a Bookish Treat for Halloween [image error] A look back at the future in Click Here for Murder Guest Post: Have You Met Anastasia? October is my Bookiversary A case as cold as ice cream Explore a Highland Mystery in Plaid and Plagiarism Get your coffee fix with Roast Mortem




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Celebrate the New Year with Books and Reading

Well, the clock has chimed midnight, the bell has rung, the ball has dropped, and we have been launched into 2023. So let’s talk about some bookish ways to celebrate the new year. Forget about wild parties and loud music and think about a get together where you swap books or settling into a comfy nook to read the evening away.

What are some of the ways that you might make books part of your new year or the new year part of your reading?

Reading resolutions

Goodreads hosts a reading challenge every year. If you want to set a goal for the number of books you would like to read, Goodreads will keep track of them and let you know when you have met your reading goal.

As of the day of writing this post, 2.408.157 people have joined the Goodreads reading challenge, with an average of 44 books pledged. Maybe you would aim for more than that number, maybe fewer. Setting and writing down your goal is a good incentive to complete it. And if you’re reading my blog, chances are, you love to read. (Why else are you here?)

You can also set up a Goodreads shelf of books to be read in 2023, with the top 12 (or more) books you plan to read.

Books about making resolutions

I have written before about some of my favourite books about goal setting or planning for a new year. It’s not too late to start now!
And if you are looking for a calendar or planner, check out my Calgary park themed offerings:

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}); }})();/*]]>*/Host a book club this year

Invite friends, family, or coworkers to join you in reading and discussing a specific book or set of books. This can be a great way to connect with others and explore new ideas.

Donate books

Consider donating books to a local library, school, or community center. This is a great way to give back and share the joy of reading with others. Or maybe there is a Little Free Library in your neighbourhood. Some of them are registered through the Little Free Library website. Give some and get some!

Throw a literary-themed partyHost a book swap: Invite guests to bring a book they love and are willing to trade with others. Set up a table for the books and let guests choose a new one to take home.Plan a book club party: Invite guests to come prepared to discuss a specific book or set of books. You could also provide snacks and drinks that are mentioned in the book to add to the theme.Set up a reading room: Create a cozy and comfortable space for guests to relax and read. You could also provide blankets, pillows, and other cozy touches to make it feel like a literary retreat.Play literary trivia: Create a list of trivia questions about classic literature and divide guests into teams to see who knows the most about books.Have a book character costume party: Encourage guests to dress up as their favorite book characters. This can be a fun and creative way to celebrate literature.Host a poetry night: Invite guests to bring their favorite poems to share, or have a poetry open mic night where anyone can read their own work.Read a Book Centered Around New Year’s Eve/Day

I couldn’t think of a lot of New Year’s themed mystery books, but I have managed to dig a few up for you.

The first book in my Zachary Goldman Mysteries private investigator series has a timeline that runs from December through January, with a major event taking place on New Year’s Eve.

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A dead child.
A mother deep in mourning.

Private Investigator Zachary Goldman’s life isn’t all roses, but he tries to put his own shattered life behind him to investigate the death of five-year-old Declan Bond.

Declan’s death has been ruled an accident, but his grandmother thinks there is more to it. She fears Declan’s mother will not be able to find peace until Zachary can give them an answer once and for all. But as Zachary digs into the circumstances surrounding Declan’s death, he finds that all is not as it seems, and somebody doesn’t want him to find the truth.

Psychologically complex and gripping … Zachary must deal with his own psychological issues as well as those of the child’s parents along with attempts on his life. I’m binge reading this series.

Zachary Goldman, Private Investigator, is flawed with a capital F. Shattered by the tragedies of his own life, he will somehow still manage to pick himself up and dig just a little bit deeper than anyone else to find the vital clues.

Maybe being broken makes it easier for others who have faced tragedy to trust him. Walk with Zachary as he solves cases that will stretch his abilities to the limit.

Even with his own life in shambles, Zachary Goldman is still the one you want on the case.

Investigate this P.I. mystery now!

@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-c28f36e{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}EBookAudiobookPaperbackRetailersRead SampleListen to SampleBookbubBingebooksGoodreads

Or make it a bundle:

Books 1-4Books 1-10And a few more I found….stk-05bea48{margin-bottom:0px !important}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-fbcb09d{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}New Year’s Eve Murder

After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker’s Cove has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter Elizabeth are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won mother/daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from Jolie magazine! But the all-expenses-paid trip is bound to have some hidden costs–and one of them is murder. . .

After finally arriving at the offices of Jolie, meeting their fellow makeover candidates, and being treated to a fashion show, Elizabeth is enamored of the extreme outfits and stick-thin models–while Lucy’s having some misgivings. The pampering is nice and the glitz and glamour of haute couture is bizarrely fascinating, but bitterness and aggression lurk behind Jolie’s hipper-than-thou façade. And things turn downright ugly when self-absorbed fashion editor Nadine Nelson falls mysteriously ill and then dies. . .

Lucy saw first-hand some of the backstabbing going on at Jolie. And the red-hot rumor mill soon reveals that the cliquish connection among the magazine’s cabal of high-style executives has stirred up plenty of bad blood over the years. But this Manhattan murder mystery hits too close to home when Elizabeth gets rushed to the hospital with symptoms that are disturbingly similar to Nadine’s. Now, it’s up to Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square. . .

Fantastic Fiction@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-20e219f{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-33d9898{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Let Dead Enough Alone

Capt. M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there’s no lead the intrepid investigator won’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . .
 
A New Year’s Eve party should be filled with champagne, laughter, and the good company of others. And the Halley’s celebration at their country house is exactly that. But the next day has barely dawned when a shocking discovery begins the new year with a dreadful bang.
 
Psychologist Margaret Halley is convinced her depressed husband drowned himself in the lake. But why would a man intent on suicide walk through a hundred yards of deep snow to jump into a freezing lake when there was a bottle of sleeping pills next to his bed?
 
As Captain Heimrich investigates the Halleys—and their guests—he has a sinking feeling that someone must have sent John Halley to his watery grave.

Amazon@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-17ad01f{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-f087ea4{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}The Right Murder

A dozen murders and counting—and any one of them could lead a Chicago attorney to a hotheaded female tycoon.
 
It’s 11:59 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and criminal lawyer John J. Malone is nursing his blues in a Chicago dive bar. He’s been two-timed by his inamorata and abandoned by his favorite gumshoe partners, crime reporter Jake Justus and socialite Helene Brand, for their Bermuda honeymoon. But Malone’s not lonely for long. Suddenly, a stranger staggers into the bar, calls out the attorney’s name, and drops dead—stabbed in the back. In his possession is a key that could unlock the cold heart of Mona McClane, a wealthy and beautiful thrill-seeker who once challenged Jake in a high-stakes gamble: She’d bet him she could get away with murder.
 
Is this dead man a pawn in Mona’s game? If so, thank goodness Jake and Helene’s honeymoon turned as a sour as a margarita. They’re already back in town, at odds, yet ready to play. With a crazy wager like Mona’s, Malone fears they’ll be ringing in the New Year with a countdown of corpses.

@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-6fd2a38{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-c154844{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}The Clock Strikes Twelve

When a British industrialist is murdered on New Year’s Eve, his wealthy family members are the prime suspects.

Though they share a manor house, the Paradines are not close, and their patriarch does nothing to discourage the petty jealousies that divide wealthy families. A cold figure, James Paradine prefers work to his relations, but on New Year’s Eve he convenes the household. Valuable plans have been stolen from his office, and only one person could be to blame. He knows the culprit’s name, and gives the thief until midnight to come forward. By midnight, James Paradine is dead. Was it the thief who killed him, or could it have been someone else, acting on different motives entirely? The local constables are baffled, and it is left to prim detective Maud Silver to out the murderer.

Amazon@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-dbdae89{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-82c7a9e{flex:1 1 calc(66.7% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}Auld Lang Syne

No. 6 in The Kate Lawrence Mysteries. It’s almost New Year’s Eve, and Kate finds herself at her 35th high school reunion, where she is confronted by The Mean Girls, circa 1978. Worse yet, she’s put on a little weight, and her high school steady is expected to show. Strutter’s teenage son faces a personal dilemma, and one of Margo’s clients is in big trouble. Should auld acquaintance be forgot? If only that were possible.

Amazon@media screen and (min-width:768px){.stk-215bab2{flex:1 1 calc(33.333% - var(--stk-column-gap,0px) * 1 / 2 ) !important}}And still more…

And here are a few blog posts to direct you to some other New Year’s books not on my list:

16 Best Books Set on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s DayNew Year’s Mystery Book ListNew Year’s Mysteries/New Year’s Eve Crime FictionRelated posts Celebrate the New Year with Books and Reading Indulge in the Christmas Spirit with Silent Bite Bidding Farewell to 2022, Hello 2023! Uncover the Mystery of Davyn’s Disappearance Embrace the Magic of Christmas Reading Enjoy paranormal holiday reads filled with witches and ghosts Awesome Christmas Books to Get You Through the Holidays One woman vows to find the truth… before her time runs out An all new Zachary Goldman mystery, filled with page-turning psychological suspense A heartbreaking novel about the impacts of residential schools on five indigenous children My Top Ten Tips for Writing a Novel in One Month The Devil’s Sea: Fast-paced international thriller with high adventure, deep sea exploration and peril Southern Book Club Takes Readers on a Dark Ride New Release! Their Walls Were Empty Grab a Bookish Treat for Halloween October is my Bookiversary A case as cold as ice cream New releases: He Drowned in Memory and more Celebrate Cozy Mystery Day Time to Hit the Books! Back 2 School Survival Pack Fail, Medical Kidnap Files #6 and Other New Releases Anxious Going Back to School? Books Featuring Prison Breaks On the Slab Pie and other great deals!




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