P.D. Workman's Blog, page 95
July 31, 2018
Excerpt from Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
This is one book that’s been on my reading list for some time. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs, has been made into a movie by Tim Burton, but I had my eye on it even before then. It is first in a series of three.
A complex set-up with some fascinating, unique characters and devilish villains. Definitely an enjoyable read. I expect to read the others in the series.
Grandpa Portman picked me up from school that afternoon, as he often did when both my parents were working. I climbed into the passenger seat of his old Pontiac and declared that I didn’t believe in his fairy stories anymore.
Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
July 26, 2018
Reader recommendations
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Recommending books to friends
If you hang out around here, you’ll see some of the books that I’m reading on at least a weekly basis, along with a quote and what I think about it. I read several books a week, so I don’t report on each one, but I pick my current read, my most favourite or most interesting recent read, and say a few words about it.
This week I was reading an article on BookBub on How Readers Discover New Books to Buy. BookBub’s stats show that 77% of readers buy books based on recommendations from friends and family:
So if you want to support authors whose books you enjoy, tell your family and friends about them! Reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub and other sites, as well as social media like Facebook and Twitter are also important and provide social proof that influences people in their book buying decisions (and are very much appreciated by authors,) but they don’t carry anywhere near the weight of a targetted recommendation to a friend or family member that you think will enjoy the book.
So if you love a book, don’t forget to spread that love!
Another recommendation
A little while back, I joined a business network called Alignable at the request of a family member. Lately, the bots at Alignable have been bugging me to get recommendations from customers to complete my profile. Since I don’t have many local customers, I’ve been ignoring those prompts. But it occurred to me this week that some of you may be members of Alignable. If you would like to recommend my books to others on Alignable, you can find my profile here.
July 24, 2018
Excerpt from Simply Genius
[image error]In case you didn’t see it, Brewing Death, the fifth book in the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series has been released!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
Looking over my shelf, I see I actually read two David Baldacci books in the last week. I’ve picked Simply Genius for my excerpt today. Baldacci is the master of building suspenseful plot, and this one was no exception. I enjoyed the more diverse than usual cast, including an ex-soldier with a prosthetic limb and the murder victim’s neurodiverse daughter.
“She picked the fight?”
“I assume that’s what the handcuff is for, although she’s in no shape to make a run for it. The other guy was pretty banged up too. She must be quite the pistol.”
“You have no idea,” Sean muttered under his breath.
David Baldacci, Simply Genius
In a world of secrets, human genius is power.
And sometimes it is simply deadly …
Near Washington, D.C., there are two clandestine institutions: the world’s most unusual laboratory and a secret CIA training camp. Drawn to these sites by a murder, ex-Secret Service agent Sean King encounters a dark world of mathematicians, codes, and spies. His search for answers soon leads him to more shocking violence—and an autistic girl with an extraordinary genius.
Now, only by working with his embattled partner, Michelle Maxwell, can he catch a killer … and solve a stunning mystery that threatens the entire nation.
July 20, 2018
Brewing Death and other summer releases
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Brewing Death
[image error]Brewing Death, book #5 of the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series is now out! Join Erin and her Bald Eagles Falls family for their newest adventure.
Erin is finally safe and sound in Bald Eagle Falls, with her sister in town and the chance to finally get to know her. She’s done with secrets and murder. But fate and a killer have other things in mind, and before she knows it, she is faced with an unexplained death, with Erin and her friends in the middle of it.
Tea and trouble are brewing in Bald Eagle Falls, and Erin doesn’t want to find herself in hot water.
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More new releases
I have a stack of other new releases; mysteries and more! Hopefully you will find lots of books to add to your TBR list.
Bagaels and Blackmail, by C.A. Phipps
Bagels and Blackmail
Big Red is missing! Madeline Flynn’s Maine Coon cat is more than a pet… much more, and now, just when her bakery is taking off, and life in the small town of Maple Falls settling down, someone’s stolen him, along with several other pets.
When ransom letters start appearing all over town, with a slice of blackmail thrown in, handsome Sheriff Ethan Tanner is doing what he can to solve the crimes, but Maddie cannot sit by and watch, while Big Red is missing. Going against Ethan’s, and her darling Gran’s wishes, she once again decides to do her own sleuthing, with a little help from her friends.
Book 1 in the series is available for $0.99.
Greed Can Be Deadly, by Cindy Bell
Greed Can Be Deadly
Eddy is happy to be reconnecting with an old colleague who he hasn’t seen in years. But it looks like Colin doesn’t just want to reminisce about his days on the police force, he has landed up in hot water and needs Eddy’s help.
But things become much more serious when someone lands up dead and Eddy is right in the middle of the investigation. His three friends join him in the search to find the murderer and clear Eddy’s name. But their investigations send them straight towards danger, and they uncover more secrets than they bargained for.
Eddy, Walt, Samantha and Jo land themselves in far deeper than they expected and now not only need to investigate a murder and keep Eddy out of jail, but they have to fight to stay alive as well.
Sienna, by Charlotte Moore
Sienna, a Laurel Grove Mystery
Where is Sienna Dale? Her Uncle Billy doesn’t seem to know – or even care much that she’s been missing for four days. Her grandfather is a drunk who can barely remember her name, her aunt is a drama queen, and the one person in the family who cared about the bookish sixteen-year-old has just died in the local nursing home.
For B.J. Bandry, who is already feeling woefully insecure in her position as Laurel Grove’s Acting Chief of Police, the case is baffling, the family infuriating and the stakes extremely high, even when it becomes clear that Sienna is safe and sound, somewhere nearby, and just has no trust in the local police department for reasons of her own.
Murder at the Mousetrap, by Helena Marchmont
Murder at the Mousetrap
Miss Marple meets Oscar Wilde in this new series of cosy mysteries set in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Bunburry. In “Murder at the Mousetrap,” the first Bunburry book, fudge-making and quaffing real ale in the local pub are matched by an undercurrent of passion, jealousy, hatred and murder – laced with a welcome dose of humour.
Alfie McAlister has retreated from London to the peace and quiet of the country to recover from a personal tragedy. But an accidental death – which may have been no accident – reveals that the heart of England is far from the tranquil backwater he imagined. After arriving in Bunburry, he is co-opted as an amateur detective by Liz and Marge, two elderly ladies who were best friends with Alfie’s late Aunt Augusta. And it is not long before their investigations take an even more dramatic turn …
The Ghosts of Mystic Springs, by Mona Marple
The Ghosts of Mystic Springs
Welcome to Mystic Springs, where things definitely go bump in the night.
As the town’s medium, Connie Winters is the only person who can see the ghosts who call Mystic Springs home.
When young temptress Lola is killed, the dead Mayor and the dead Sheriff are determined to investigate, and since they’ve never been replaced, they’d better get on with it. But they need Connie’s help. And if Connie’s helping, her sister Sage is going to get involved too – she’s beautiful, slim, and twenty years dead.
It may be the first time in history that a murder-solving squad is a mixture of real live people and real dead ghosts. Connie, and the residents of Mystic Springs, will be forced to question everything they thought they knew.
Death at the Circus, by Agnes Lester Brown
Death at the Circus
Instead of bringing joy and entertainment to Fennelmoore, the arrival of the Blackwood Circus casts a dark shadow over the picturesque town that is home to the Whitewood Witches. Not all is well at the circus, and before long a grisly murder places an array of colorful, exotic circus artists under suspicion.
Gutsy Lori Whitewood has to navigate a dense web of deception, revenge and score settling to catch the murderer. Will her magic skills be enough to protect her from a remorseless and ruthless killer who’ll stop at nothing to protect his identity? Will she be able to set her emotions aside and let justice prevail when confronted with impossible choices?
True North, by Roger Rooney
True North
In 1962, Australian Army adviser Lieutenant Jack Burns is deployed as part of ‘The Team’ to the Mekong Delta, the hotspot of the Vietnam War, where he is teamed up with Lt. Colonel John Paul Vann and about to undergo the ultimate test of his convictions.
As Jack is honing his craft in the Delta, Tran, a teenage soldier girl with the North Vietnamese Army makes her way down the Ho Chi Minh Trail and into the Delta, where she must stare down the might of US firepower at the Battle of Ap Bac. In a war without frontlines, Jack and Tran must fight to survive in the most dangerous place in the world – South Vietnam.
The Gilded Shroud, by Elizabeth Bailey
The Gilded Shroud
When Emily Fanshawe, Marchioness of Polbrook, is found strangled in her bedchamber, suspicion immediately falls on those residing in the grand house in Hanover Square.
Emily’s husband – Randal Fanshawe, Lord Polbrook – fled in the night and is chief suspect – much to the dismay of his family.
Ottilia Draycott is brought in as the new lady’s companion to Sybilla, Dowager Marchioness and soon finds herself assisting younger son, Lord Francis Fanshawe in his investigations.
Destiny, by Ginny Clyde
Destiny
Eira’s father had one uncompromising rule- “Don’t reveal your powers to anyone.”
But for Eira, her best friend Jayden was the exception. In fact, she’s been secretly using her abilities to communicate with him while he has been training at the Fae Court of Lost Sanctum.
When she receives news he won’t be coming home for another year, Eira takes it upon herself to visit him at the Court. Unaware of the dangers of the Otherworld, she is determined to see him on his eighteenth birthday to confess her feelings.
On the way she meets Darius, a fae student, who is also training at the Court. Even though his demeanor is shrewd and menacing, she follows him into the forbidden dominion of the Fae.
Murdered by Superstition, by Dianne Harman
Murdered by Superstition
Nicole Rogers recently moved to Red Cedar from New Orleans. She’d lost weight, became engaged, and had a new job as the manager of a local bank in the small town. But when she found voodoo dolls in her gym locker, work desk, and on her front porch, she was scared. She knew what receiving the dolls meant – someone wanted to hurt her or kill her, and she was right. A few days later, Nicole’s body was found on her front porch with a voodoo doll next to it. She’d been murdered.
What is the connection between Nicole’s murder and the voodoo dolls? Liz Lucas, an amateur sleuth, is determined to find the connection and catch the killer. While on a trip to New Orleans to attend a cooking school known for its Cajun-Creole style of cooking, she learns a lot from a gris-gris doctor who specializes in voodoo, hexes, spells, and superstitions.
Purify, by Wendi L. Wilson
Purify
Everything changed the day I met the Patton triplets. And not just because they’re Alts- a group of children born to test subjects of a drug trial gone wrong. It also changed because together, we found love.
We also found the truth. I’m an Alt, too.
With the threat of exposure hanging over my head, I had no choice but to become a test subject for Dr. Earl Patton. He turned me into a scientific experiment, forced to perform like a circus monkey and donate tubes of blood weekly. I performed without complaint…for the most part. I was, after all, still me.
Recommended for ages 16+ for mature content.
Witch in Danger, by Elle Adams
Witch in Danger
Blair Wilkes is having a trying week. Her best friend stands accused of murdering a vampire, and dead bodies are showing up in the forest. She knows Alissa is innocent, but with the vampires out for blood — more than usual — tensions in the small town of Fairy Falls are at a tipping point.
As if that’s not enough, Blair’s witchcraft lessons aren’t going well, with her wand gaining a life of its own — not to mention her familiar. And then she discovers something startling about her family that puts her burgeoning relationship with former paranormal hunter Nathan under pressure.
The Girl Who Called the Stars, by Heather Hildenbrand
The Girl Who Called the Stars
I know what I’m not. Human.
I can’t remember my life before Earth, but I’ve grown up hearing the stories of a planet ravaged by war and a people in need of a leader who will bring them out of the darkness. I’m supposed to be their light.
My future terrifies me.
But I’m done waiting to have a real life. If I ever want a chance to live free of the Shadows, I’ll need to fight for it because freedom is never free. No matter what galaxy you call home.
Map Skills Murder, by Leslie Langtry
Map Skills Murder
Summer is moving fast for ex-CIA Agent turned Girl Scout troop leader, Merry Wrath. Wedding plans are underway, with the groom’s twin sisters on a mission to decorate the festivities with taxidermized animals and a full troop of flower girls with terrible taste in dresses.
If that wasn’t enough to deal with, the Girl Scouts dig up a treasure map in Merry’s yard. A century ago, the mysterious axe murder of Mad Mimi and the secret of her missing treasure were never solved. Merry thinks this map could be the key… but unfortunately, the investigation of this cold case—complete with a secret diary, gold bullion, and a llama named Tinkles—yields a modern day murder!
Prescribed, by Morgan R. Flores
Prescribed
When seventeen year old Tristan Cooper is orphaned after witnessing his mother being murdered by his stepfather, he is sent to live with his uncle in Phoenix, Arizona. He is devastated from the guilt of not being able to save her and becomes addicted to pain medication to dull the grief of his late mother.
Enter in Danielle Jackson, a seventeen year old girl who has suffered the loss of her dad due to murder. She is also trying to balance her brother dying of lymphoblastic leukemia and a mother who takes to drinking to ease the death of her husband. Danielle takes solace in a father figure, her dad’s best friend, who just so happens to be Tristan’s uncle.
Knowing they have been through a similar trauma, Danielle seeks to reach out to Tristan, but he is only interested in shutting out life. When Tristan finally opens up, they quickly form a budding romance through helping each other grieve. Little do they know, a family member from Tristan’s past is lurking in the shadows, ready to use Danielle to get his revenge.
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting of a star-studded TV special about movies filmed in Minnesota, Hannah hopes to shine the spotlight on her bakery—not the unsavory scandal swirling around her personal life. But that’s practically impossible with a disturbing visit from the shifty character she once believed was her one and only love, a group of bodyguards following her every move, and a murder victim in her bedroom.
Now, swapping the crime scene in her condo for her mother Delores’s penthouse, Hannah and an old flame team up to solve a case that’s messier than an upended chocolate cream pie. As suspects emerge and secrets hit close to home, Hannah must serve a hefty helping of justice to an unnamed killer prowling around Lake Eden . . . before someone takes a slice out of her!
Onyx of Darkness, by Norma Hinkens
Onyx of Darkness
The Onyx of Darkness rises to the north forcing Orlla and Erdhan to embark on a treacherous mission to find and destroy the enemy of light before it crushes the world.
With the help of a mysterious stranger, they navigate the deadly sinking bogs in a desperate bid to reach the dark stone before it falls into the hands of the corrupt rulers of the lost kingdoms. But the pair soon realize they have become the hunted in a powerful play for ultimate control of the Onyx of Darkness.
Double-crossed by those they swore allegiance to, they are forced to strike a deal with cut-throat mercenaries to save themselves. Stakes rise when their worst nightmare comes to life in the form of a ghost they never thought they’d see again.
But the deepest betrayal of all will lead them to the heart of the Opus of Doom from which there is no return.
Dead Pirates of Cawsand, by Steve Higgs
Dead Pirates of Cawsand
Gold coins from a centuries old sunken treasure ship have been found on the beach in Cawsand. This would be no cause for Tempest Michaels to take notice, but a man murdered by the ghost of a dead pirate come to claim back the gold? That ticks all his boxes.
Tempest, oblivious to the events in Cawsand and believing he was overdue a week off, has travelled to Cornwall with his dogs for some relaxation and perhaps a cream tea or two. Well, fat chance of that because he is hip deep in murderous ghosts before he finishes his second pint.
Uncovering a disturbing undercurrent in the sleepy seaside village, a race against time begins for him to crack the case before anyone else gets hurt? Together with the local Police Officer, the diminutive, sexy and very domineering Bobbi the Bobby plus some other helping hands he could probably do without, he will do all he can to reveal the truth.
July 17, 2018
Excerpt from The Life We Bury
[image error]Brewing Death, book #5 in the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series will be released this weekend, so be sure to pop by for a look. Or preorder now and it will be delivered straight to your kindle Friday!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I mentioned The Life We Bury in my last post, and I had to bring it up again to give you a teaser. I really enjoyed this one. Faintly reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, this well-woven mystery is a pleasure to read. The writer/sleuth has a complex background and a younger brother with autism. The brother is treated as a real person and not just a foil or token diverse character.
His name is Carl Iverson. He’s a convicted murderer,” she said, whispering like a schoolgirl telling a story out of turn. “The Department of Corrections sent him here about three months ago. They paroled him from Stillwater because he’s dying of cancer.”
Allen Eskens, The Life we Bury
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe’s life is ever the same.
Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran–and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.
As Joe writes about Carl’s life, especially Carl’s valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.
Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?
July 12, 2018
Your Summer Reading List
I want to hear what you’re reading (or planning to read) this summer! Let’s get a good list going in the comments section.
I just finished The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. I have never heard anyone mention this one before, and I would highly recommend it. A great mystery, great characters with real lives, an autistic brother treated with respect and humanity, and of course, the dying murderer who may not actually be guilty. (Okay, this one might not look like the best summer reading book with all of the snow, but maybe if you live in Australia…)
The Life We Bury, by Allen Eskens
The Life We Bury
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe’s life is ever the same.
Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran–and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.
As Joe writes about Carl’s life, especially Carl’s valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.
Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?
If you haven’t been following the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series, now is a great time to start. Gluten-Free Murder is on for $0.99 for a little longer, and books 5 and 6 will be coming out in the next couple of months.
Gluten-Free Murder, by P.D. Workman
Gluten-Free Murder
Erin Price moves to Eagle Falls, a place where everyone knows everyone as well as everyone else’s business, taking over the store left to her by her aunt to start up a gluten-free bakery. The grand opening is marred by just one thing, the death of her business rival, Angela Plaint. It appears that Angela was poisoned by one of Erin’s cupcakes, making her a prime suspect.
Equipped with cupcakes, her desire for the truth, and new bakery assistant Vicky’s help, Erin goes head-to-head against Detective Terry Piper to solve the murder. Rumors of treasure hunting, drug dealing, and a missing boy swirl around Eagle Falls as Erin tries to sort the clues from the red herrings and find the killer before the killer can take care of her.
Reading lists
I looked through a number of summer reading lists, and these two in particular interested me. Some intriguing new reads!
10 Books To Add To Your Summer 2018 Reading List, That You Won’t Regret
The Ultimate Summer 2018 Reading List [image error]
Tell me below what you are looking forward to reading this summer!
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July 10, 2018
Excerpt from Scorpion Strike
There are lots of summer reading promos going on right now. I’ve thrown some extra links in at the bottom of this post for you to check out!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
This week I am reading Scorpion Strike (A Jonathan Grave Thriller) by John Gilstrap. I don’t think I’ve read any of the other books in the series. The story immediately jumps into the action with a hostage-taking on an idyllic island paradise. Lots of great characters and a sound, quickly-moving plot.
He anticipated a long night, and if there was a single important lesson to be learned about emergencies, it was that shoes are your most important assets. Other clothing was important, too, but you could run naked if you had to, so long as you had something on your feet.
John Gilstrap, Scorpion Strike
For Jonathan Grave and Gail Bonneville, the Crystal Sands Resort is the perfect getaway—until gunshots shatter the night. Wealthy guests are yanked out of their sleep, herded like animals, forced to submit to their captors’ demands. But Jonathan and Gail are no ordinary vacationers. The assassins who invade their bungalow receive a deadly surprise. And two determined, skilled operatives escape into the jungle.
Jonathan and Gail are not the only free agents on the island. Cut off from his usual tactical team, with a pair of unlikely allies he can’t fully trust, Grave’s only hope of reliable back-up is his partner Boxers, who’s hundreds of miles—and hours—away. It won’t be long before the invaders turn this tropical paradise into the powderkeg that will set off global chaos. Grave may be without weapons, but he’s never without resources. Bold action is the only solution. Like the scorpion, Grave must strike fast and hard . . .
Some summer bookfunnel promos for you:
Women’s Fiction Summer Giveaway
Kobo Summer Sale
She Wore Mourning is part of the Kobo Summer 2018 Buy One Get One Half Price Sale! Ends on August 31st
UK: http://store.kobobooks.com/p/summerbogohp2018
AU: http://store.kobobooks.com/p/winterbogohpau2018
NZ: http://store.kobobooks.com/p/winterbogohpnz2018
July 5, 2018
Writing for Camp Nanowrimo and Summer Reading
It’s July, and that means the second installment of Camp Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) this year. I’m 20,000 words into the third book of a new cozy mystery series. The series is a spin-off from the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series, and it’s been a lot of fun, so you have something new to look forward to!
I have a number of other posts written about Nanowrimo if you want to learn more about it. I really enjoy the sense of community amongst the writers participating in Nano and Camp Nano.
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Summer Reads
Are you looking for some books to fill up your ereader on your summer vacation? Check out these Bookfunnel promos!
July 3, 2018
Excerpt from The Yard
If you haven’t yet had a look at my Canada Day/Independence Day freebies, pop over and fill up your Kindle TBR pile! Even if you have already visited, I added a few more freebies in last night!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I just finished The Yard by Alex Grecian an hour ago. I don’t think I’ve read anything else by this author. It was an enjoyable police procedural with lots of good historical details about Victorian England. There are several intersecting plots and the identity of the killer is revealed fairly early. The character development is good and I would definitely read others in the series.
They had lost the Ripper, but lessons had been learned. If Little’s killer had been bold enough or foolish enough to remain in London, Kett had utter faith that these men would find him and bring him to justice.
Alex Grecian, The Yard
Victorian London—a violent cesspool of squalid sin. The twelve detectives of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad are expected to solve the thousands of crimes committed in the city each month. Formed after the Metropolitan Police’s spectacular failure in capturing Jack the Ripper, they suffer the brunt of public contempt. But no one can anticipate the brutal murder of one of their own…
A Scotland Yard Inspector has been found stuffed in a black steamer trunk at Euston Square Station, his eyes and mouth sewn shut. When Walter Day, the squad’s new hire, is assigned to the case, he finds a strange ally in Dr. Bernard Kingsley, the Yard’s first forensic pathologist. Their grim conclusion: this was not just a random, bizarre murder but in all probability, the first of twelve.
The squad itself it being targeted and the devious killer shows no signs of stopping. But Inspector Day has one more surprise, something even more shocking than the crimes: the murderer’s motive.
June 30, 2018
Free for Canada Day & Independence Day
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It’s that time of year again! Canada Day and Independence Day (and my birthday) bring free books! Gifts for everyone! (Still one more hour until this sale goes into effect, but I wanted to get my post up now!)
Stirring Up Murder
[image error]Stirring Up Murder, book #4 in the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series is free July 1-4, so don’t wait!
With Davis behind bars and Alton Summers chased away once more, everything is back to normal in sleepy Bald Eagle Falls. Erin is making her delicious gluten-free goods at Auntie Clem’s Bakery and things couldn’t be going better. The only sleuthing Erin is doing this time is to track down the half-sister she never knew she had. But when that sister turns out to be not quite who Erin expected, and there is yet another body, Erin has some choices to make.
Will Erin stand by her sister and try to uncover the truth or will she go back to her cookbooks and pans and let the chips fall where they may?
Was there ever really any question?
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And other freebies
Check out these other great deals!
The Mystery of Ruby’s Smoke, by Rose Donovan
The Mystery of Ruby’s Smoke
July 3 only
Passing exams is the least of Ruby and Fina’s worries as they return to their beloved Quenby College. A thief lurks amongst the students and faculty, and when an infamous guest lecturer keels over at the Dean’s sherry party, Fina is shocked to find herself the prime suspect.
Determined to clear her friend’s name, Ruby launches into a hunt for a murderer that takes her to secret college boltholes, dubious pawnshops, and a red-hot jazz club. At least she has allies she can trust – until a coded letter arrives, warning Ruby and Fina that one of their friends is not what they seem…
Driven to Death, by Elleby Harper
Driven to Death
Bookfunnel
When Evie Butterworth faces every parent’s nightmare, the death of her daughter, the police are brought in to determine whether it was murder. Heading the investigation is NYPD homicide detective Bex Wynter. Abandoning her own train wreck of a life she becomes head of a new investigative team in a brand new country. But not everyone welcomes an American to the London Met. Quinn Standing has a hard time dealing with the failures piling up in his life, and an even harder time adjusting to his new boss.
As her team peels back the layers to discover what really happened at Richmond Bridge, pressure builds from the media, the killer’s high profile father and Bex’s tragic past.
Glad One, by Margaret Lashley
Glad One
St. Pete Beach attracts weirdos like mosquitoes to a bug zapper. After being raked over the coals in Europe, Val Fremden flies back to her old stomping grounds to find everyone and everything she knew squashed under the heels of change.
Seven years abroad has erased her finances, credit history, friends and social standing. Divorced, broke, and staring 45 in its haggard face, Val’s got nothing left to go on but her own dry sense of humor and a pair of wobbly thighs. Will the life coach advice of a beer-guzzling old lady she meets on the beach help Val find her way — or will it lead her even further astray?
Perpetually primed for disaster, starting over again won’t be easy for Val. But she soon discovers that in the world of the down and out, friends (and enemies) can come from very unexpected places….
The Breeders, by Katie French
The Breeders
Riley is one of the world’s last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches, but the Breeders control everything.
And they’re hunting Riley.
When the local Sheriff abducts the other members of her family, Riley and her brother Ethan are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to make up for past sins. But Clay can’t know she’s female, or he might sell her to the very people she’s trying to avoid.
Repo Girl, by Jane Fenton
Repo Girl
Twenty-five-year-old rookie Repo Agent, Andrea Sloan, doesn’t like accepting help from anyone – especially not arrogant musicians who are too charming for their own good. Even though she swore off men years ago, Andi finds herself drawn to handsome rockstar Cooper Barnett as he continually pops up in her life when she least expects it.
Their budding relationship becomes even more complicated when Cooper talks Andi into letting him ride-along on one of her repos, and they come across a very naked, very dead body. Being charged with murder and spending a night in jail is bad enough, but when the police don’t seem to be making any headway on finding the real killer, Andi begins to do her own investigation – much to the frustration of the homicide detective in charge.
Seashells, Spells & Caramels, by Erin Johnson
Seashells, Spells & Caramels
Imogen Banks has dreamed her entire life of opening her own bakery in Seattle. But when she accidentally sets fire to her apartment and loses all her possessions, her dreams get toasted. Still coping with her loss, she receives a cryptic invitation she can’t possibly refuse: entry into a mysterious baking competition on a beautiful French island.
When Imogen realizes the island village is magical and the bake-off’s participants are witches and wizards, she’s not sure her fledgling powers will be enough to win the coveted contest. In the midst of trying to cast her very first spell, a competitor drops dead and Imogen finds the psychic judges’ mystical fingers all pointing at her. Can Imogen unlock her own magic and stop the killer from coming back for seconds or will she jump straight from the frying pan and into the fire?
The Gift, by Margaret McHeyzer
The Gift
I have something people want. I have something they cannot take or steal. I have something they’d kill for. The something I have, isn’t a possession, it’s more.
Much, much more.
It’s a gift.
It’s part of me.
Steamed, by Holly Jacobs
Steamed
Quincy came to LA looking for fame and fortune but became a mother and a cleaning service owner instead. While filling in for a sick employee, she accidentally cleans up a crime scene and now that she’s a suspect in a murder case, she only has one option—find the real murderer or end up in jail for a crime she didn’t commit…a crime she only cleaned.
There’s a killer out there, and Quincy’s going to find them…or die trying.
Family Secrets, by Shawn McGuire
Family Secrets
Sixteen years after a family feud drove her from the cozy Northwoods village of Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, former detective Jayne O’Shea returns to prepare her grandparents’ lake house for sale. Once there, not only does she find that the house has been trashed, her dog discovers a dead body in the backyard.
Jayne intends to stay out of it, but when it becomes obvious the sheriff isn’t interested in investigating the death, Jayne can’t stop herself. Her list of suspects grows faster than the plants in the commons’ pentacle garden.
One O’Clock Hustle, by Joanne Pence
One O’Clock Hustle
Rebecca Mayfield has always been a by-the-book cop until Richie Amalfi enters her life–and makes her want to throw the book at him! Now, Richie’s accused of murder and runs to Rebecca to help him prove his innocence. She’s completely flummoxed by this, but the more she learns about the case, the more convinced she is that he’s not guilty. Will she break all the rules to help him, or do her job the way she’s been taught? And what are the consequences for either choice?
As dangers lurk and more deaths happen, Rebecca discovers there’s a lot more to Richie than she thought and a lot more to like than she imagined, she fears not only for her life, but also her heart.
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells, by Rose Presley
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells
Elly Blair welcomes the chance to escape her ex-fiance and job from hell when Grandma Imelda, ready to retire to sunny Florida, calls for her to take over her little southern cafe.
Elly has no idea her grandmother has baked up magic for the unsuspecting townsfolk for thirty years-and now Grandma Imelda insists that Elly use her own hitherto unsuspected magical powers to carry on the family tradition.
But Elly’s new at this stuff. Her dishes don’t turn out as full of smidgens of enchantment and dashes of wishes come true as she’d hoped. When handsome customer Rory Covington takes a bite of the wrong burger, he ends up capturing the attention of every woman in town. Elly doesn’t know if her feelings for Rory are true or based on her magic gone awry.
Southern Bound, by Stuart Jaffe
Southern Bound
When Max Porter discovers his office is haunted by the ghost of a 1940s detective, he does the only sensible thing … he starts a detective agency!
Thrust neck-deep into a world of old mysteries and dangerous enemies, he will face ghosts, witches, and curses. He will discover a world in which survival might be the easiest challenge. And he will do anything necessary to keep his wife and his life from falling away.
Catastrophe, by Lucinda Hart
Catastrophe
A wildcat moves softly through his Highland world describing it through feline eyes in exquisite golden detail. Scent is a language of its own. His is an elemental world of rain and snow, of forest, moorland and mountain. A world of changing seasons and the endless dance of life and death; predator and prey.
Although the wildcat’s home is a world of poetic beauty it is also one of sudden terrifying violence where the ultimate predator is mankind. Shot deliberately by a gamekeeper on a shooting estate the wildcat nearly dies before being rescued by a young couple. After a spell in the vets he convalesces in their Perthshire cottage where he learns to love their old bony cat, Haggis, and author Mary, the hunting moon is barely on the rise when bad news arrives from the solicitors.
Mary’s beloved Aunt Edith suddenly dies and the couple head north into the Highlands with Catastrophe.
The Watchmaker’s Daughter, by C.J. Archer
The Watchmaker’s Daughter
India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who’ll accept her – an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he’s ill.
Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won’t tell India why any old one won’t do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London’s best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she’s certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she’ll find herself unemployed and homeless again – and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life.
Who Knew Tasmanian Tigers Eat Apples, by John Martin
Who Knew Tasmanian Tigers Eat Apples!
The greedy mayor has gone too far this time. The Tasmanian Tiger hunter he despises is given no choice but to get revenge.
If you want laughs, a quirky storyline and eccentric characters, this is the novel for you. Author John Martin is the mysteriously funny writer bloke from Australia.
He provides the Tasmanian Tiger hunter with a large cheer squad. But while it takes a whole town to rile the obnoxious mayor, it takes just one visiting Texan to twist the knife.
Once Gone, by Blake Pierce
Once Gone
Women are turning up dead in the rural outskirts of Virginia, killed in grotesque ways, and when the FBI is called in, they are stumped. A serial killer is out there, his frequency increasing, and they know there is only one agent good enough to crack this case: Special Agent Riley Paige.
Riley is on paid leave herself, recovering from her encounter with her last serial killer, and, fragile as she is, the FBI is reluctant to tap her brilliant mind. Yet Riley, needing to battle her own demons, comes on board, and her hunt leads her through the disturbing subculture of doll collectors, into the homes of broken families, and into the darkest canals of the killer’s mind. As Riley peels back the layers, she realizes she is up against a killer more twisted than she could have imagined. In a frantic race against time, she finds herself pushed to her limit, her job on the line, her own family in danger, and her fragile psyche collapsing.
