Archive for the ‘Mystery’ Category

 

A Murder in Ashwood: Scandals and Secrets in the Gilded Age

by Robert Brighton

 

(The Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries)
Publication date: June 27th 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery

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Named BookLife Reviews “Editor’s Pick” – “Setting this series apart from other historical mysteries is Brighton’s deft hand at capturing the dishy lives of long ago … has the feel of a great cocktail party… the tangled mysteries compel … a polished, rewarding page-turner …”

“Brighton spins a tale of murder and revenge… it’s hard to resist the detailed and authentic world [he] creates … time and place are fully realized in this murder story … a fascinating period piece … – Kirkus Reviews

A lush and immersive historical award-winning mystery inspired by a ‘true crime of the century’ that shocked the world.

New Year’s Day 1902 . . . Ashwood awakens to a foul murder . . .

Buffalo, New York . . . as the remains of the great Pan-American Exposition are swept away, and the bitter memories of William McKinley’s assassination begin to fade . . . the city reels again, at the sensational murder of successful businessman Edward Miller, bludgeoned to death in his cozy den, in one of the city’s most fashionable enclaves: Ashwood.

But for all its glitz and glamor, Ashwood guards the dark secrets of its fashionable residents . . . including those of Edward’s estranged wife Alicia, her lover Arthur Pendle, and would-be detective Sarah Payne. Soon, they will all face a hurricane of courtroom drama, public outrage, and the behind-the-scenes scheming of cold and corrupt District Attorney Terence Penrose.

Meanwhile, those caught up in the most scandalous crime of a new century have reputations to protect . . . skeletons best kept hidden away in the tidy closets of trendy Ashwood . . . and plenty of reasons to keep the motive behind Edward Miller’s murder from ever seeing the light of day – a motive that only the victim and his killer knew …

Can justice be done . . . and the truth uncovered by the Avenging Angel Detective Agency . . . before a killer strikes again?

Find out in award-winning A Murder in Ashwood . . . the second novel in the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries from Robert Brighton, acclaimed author of The Unsealing.

It’s as much a ‘whydunit’ as a ‘whodunit’ in a page-turning story that leaves readers wanting more.

Contains three original interior scratchboard illustrations by Mark Summers.

Discover the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries…

Get your copy today!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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About Author Robert Brighton

Award-winning author Robert Brighton is an authority on the Gilded Age, and a great believer that the Victorian era was anything but stuffy. In his Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries, Brighton exposes the turbulence of the era – its passions, dreams, and disasters – against a backdrop of careful research on the places, sights, sounds, and smells of the time.

When he is not walking the streets in the footsteps of the Avenging Angels, sniffing out unsolved mysteries, Brighton is an adventurer. He has traveled in more than 50 countries around the world, personally throwing himself into every situation his characters will face – from underground ruins to opium dens – and (so far) living to tell about it.

A graduate of the Sorbonne, Paris, Brighton is an avid student of early 20th Century history and literature, an ardent and relentless investigator, and an admirer of Emily Dickinson and Jim Morrison. He lives in Virginia with his wife and their two cats.

Website / Goodreads / Pinterest / Instagram

 

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Secrets Don’t Sink: A Chattertowne Mystery
by K. B. Jackson

 


Secrets Don’t Sink: A Chattertowne Mystery
Traditional Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Chattertowne, Washington- a small riverfront community in the Pacific Northwest
Level Best Books (July 4, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1685123899
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1685123895
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C83SGJ23

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Loose lips may sink ships, but bodies and secrets will always float to the surface.

Audrey O’Connell has returned from Portland to her hometown of Chattertowne, Washington, a place where gossip is currency but knowing when to stay tight-lipped is priceless. Procuring a part-time job at the local newspaper to keep an eye on her impetuous sister following Vivienne’s latest romantic scandal, Audrey is assigned a feature series for the upcoming festival which has her digging through the town archives in search of anything interesting. When her former boyfriend Marcus is found floating dead in the marina not long after reaching out to her in hopes of utilizing her research skills, her investigation reveals his conspiracy theories about Chattertowne and corruption within its leadership might not have been so crazy after all.

As she plumbs the depths of the town’s 150-year history, she discovers that beneath the façade of this idyllic hamlet lie secrets long-submerged–including within her own family–and finds herself in the crosshairs of those who guard them.

Now with three dead bodies, an intense case of aquaphobia, and a narrow window before her deadline, Audrey looks to City Manager Holden, octogenarian historian Mildred, and her enigmatic almost-boyfriend Darren to help her discover the truth that will forever change her and Chattertowne.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

I stepped into the chilly air and scanned the boardwalk. A small crowd had gathered just beyond the Port Authority building. I couldn’t see much from my vantage point, but it looked like someone was lying on the ground.

I groaned. On the one hand, it was my job to investigate the goings-on in Chattertowne. On the other hand…water.

I blew a resigned sigh.

Shimmying along the building to gain a better view, my initial thought was it was it must be a CPR training doll, but as I edged closer there was no mistaking the long-legged figure for a mannequin. Kelp vines snaked around wet jeans and bruised hairy ankles protruded from scuffed black leather work boots.

I counted to three and lunged for one of the support beams, clinging to it like I’d done with mama on my first day of kindergarten. A woman standing nearby jumped at my sudden intrusion and glared at me.

“Is that person okay?” I asked in an exaggerated whisper.

“No.” She pulled her tan trench tighter and pursed her lips. “He’s not okay.”

“Do you know what happened?”

She grimaced. “They pulled the guy out of the river. What he was doing in there, I have no idea.”

I hugged the post and tried to calculate how close I’d need to get for a better look while still keeping a safe enough distance from the edge of the dock. It was important to factor the sturdiness of each of the looky-loos into the equation. One klutz with flailing arms was all it would take to send me into the river. Not only didn’t I know how to swim, but as soon as I hit the water, I’d have a panic attack and sink straight to the bottom.

A Port Authority officer attempted to control the crowd, but they’d encroached, disregarding his attempt at a perimeter.

I glanced at the woman in the trench coat. “Could you do me a favor?”

She eyed me through a narrow gaze. “Depends.”

“I’m a reporter for the Coastal Current. Any chance you’d be willing to take my phone and snap a photo of the victim?”

“Why can’t you? It’s your job.”

“I have a slight fear of water. More than slight. Debilitating would be more accurate.”

She pursed her lips. “Do I get credit if you print it?”

“Sure.”

I had no intention of submitting the picture to my boss. I only wanted to be able to write an accurate story.

I watched as the woman dodged a rotund man as he swayed back and forth, and a little boy darting around like a pinball. She stood on her tiptoes and held my phone aloft to get a better view of the scene.

After a few minutes, she returned and handed the phone to me.

“I took video instead.”

“Thanks so much.”

“Caroline Gates.” She pointed at the phone. “Caroline with a C.”

I nodded, and pressed play on the video.

As I watched the camera zoom in on the face of the man lying on the docks, a tidal wave of grief crested over me. My lungs struggled to catch a breath and I felt like I was drowning myself. A strangled cry lodged in my throat. I stumbled backward and fell onto the splintered planks.

The woman rushed over to me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head.

“Did you know him?”

I nodded. I tried to swallow but gurgled instead.

Time might change a person, but familiarity always remained.

“Marcus. His name is–was–Marcus.”

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About K.B. Jackson

Kate B Jackson (KB Jackson) is an author of mystery novels for grownups and mystery/adventure novels for kids. She lives in the Pacific NW with her husband and has four mostly grown children. A part-time genealogist, she loves to craft stories with elements of history and family dynamics.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter – X / Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 27 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

November 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 27 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 28 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 28 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

November 29 – Cozy, Suspenseful, and Sweet – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

November 29 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 30 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 30 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

November 30 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 1 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

December 1 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

December 2 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

December 2 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

December 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

December 4 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

December 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

December 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 5 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

December 6 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

December 6 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

 

 

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The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar Banner

The Medusa Murders
by Joy Ann Ribar
November 13-24, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

 

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Synopsis:

Professor Bay Browning has more snake problems than the Garden of Eden in this twisted mystery. The English Literature instructor is busy preparing for a new semester when a serial killer, known as Medusa, bites her quiet life in the behind. A wild ride ensues when Bay and her grifter sister, Cass, assist a perturbed Detective Downing with the investigation. What else can the sisters do, once they become Medusa’s targets? Will the slithering trail of mythology, art history, and family secrets help them catch a killer before she turns them to stone?

Praise for The Medusa Murders:

“This first-in-series held me captive on the edge of my seat where I frantically turned the pages of this intricately crafted story, desperate to solve the mystery. And, oh, what a revelation it is!” ~ Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson crime thriller novels

“A gritty and intense mystery that grabs you and won’t let go until the end. The personal relationships are complex, just like many in real life, and the familial drama pulls you in.” Kelly Young, author of A Travel Writer mystery series and Haunted and Harassed paranormal mystery series

“Ribar effectively wraps mythology, academia, archeology, and a touch of paranormal phenomena together to produce a more than satisfying read. Looking forward to spending more time with Bay.” ~ Debra H. Goldstein, author of The Sarah Blair Mysteries

“A well-written, fast-paced and vibrant debut novel. A highly recommended new series.” ~ Christine DeSmet, writing coach and author of The Fudge Shop Mystery series and Mischief in Moonstone series

 

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth, Mystery, Crime

Published by: Wine Glass Press Publication Date: November 2023 Number of Pages: 316 ISBN: 9781959078203 Series: Bay Browning Mysteries, #1

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | BookBub | Goodreads

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MY REVIEW

I read a lot of crime and mystery stories. Can’t get enough of them. It must be that amateur sleuth inside me. I want to dig deep, follow bread crumbs, guess who’s the bad guy or gal. Sometimes I get so caught up in the book that I want so bad to step into the character’s shoes. Solve it myself. That’s how it was in The Medusa Murders.

Profess Bay Browning is busy getting ready for the next semester when a killer has other ideas. Dubbed Medusa, the serial killer has added Bay to the menu of potential victims to be killed. Along with her grifter sister, Cass. Bay sticks her nose in the investigation, much to Detective Downings annoyance.

There was so much to like about this mystery. The characters. The mix of archaeology and mythology. A truly bad, bad guy. A convoluted not easily solved mystery. And did I mention the characters?

It’s exciting to find and try a new series and author. I had high hopes for The Medusa Murders and Author Joy Ann Ribar delivered.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Back at the parking space, Bay opened the passenger door and looked at the white particles in brighter light. They were sprinkled like powdered sugar over the right side of the back seat, directly underneath the bag of clothes Bay had gone through last night. She felt certain the particles must have come from the lululemon coat pocket. She remembered seeing Detective Harris turn the pocket inside out over one of the evidence bags. Had there been feathers in either of the pockets? The empty parking lot at Giorgio’s put a smile on Bay’s face when she parked the Subaru a few minutes later. She was impatient to get to the bottom of the dry-cleaning mix-up and anxious to shake some details out of Giorgio. She could see him standing behind the customer counter, grooming his dark slicked-back hair and straightening his blue and white polo shirt that matched the building. “Good morning, L.L. I see you have nothing in your hands, so what can I do for you today?” Giorgio’s velvety voice was smoother than grease. “Cut the crap, Giorgio. You know why I’m here. Obviously, you sent the police to see me about my lululemon. What’s the story?” Bay frowned and her dark eyes narrowed. Giorgio backed away as if Bay might punch him, marring his handsome face. He was Stasia’s youngest brother, probably around Bay’s age. Bay had learned more Andino family facts than she cared to after attending the mandatory gatherings at Stasia’s home the past year. He held up both hands, placatingly. “I’ll tell you what I know, which isn’t much. My niece, Aria, was working on the day of the mix-up. She’s in back. I’ll go get her.” “Get my lululemon, too, while you’re back there.” Might as well kill two birds as they say. Aria was short and pretty with wide dark eyes and thick black hair pulled into a neat bun on top of her head. She wore the same blue and white polo over hospital-style light blue pants. Bay guessed she was barely out of high school. What was that expression: fear or guilt on Aria’s face? “Good morning, Professor Browning. My uncle is looking for your raincoat.” Aria didn’t look Bay in the eyes. Dialing down from accusatory to neutral tone, Bay began her questions. “I understand you were working when my lululemon was switched with the one the police confiscated.” No point in lollygagging her way to the matter at hand. Aria looked down at her fingers, which were drumming methodically on the counter as if playing a tune on a piano. One hand stopped while the other slowed to a quiet tapping. “Yes. There were three other coats almost identical to yours when he brought in the one the police were after.” Bay registered the information. “Who is he that brought the coat in, please?” The girl seemed quite fragile, so kid gloves were in order for this interrogation. Bay was accustomed to communicating with students Aria’s age, and she knew the best methods for building trust and rapport. The finger tapping continued at a leisurely pace. Bay could almost pick out a rhumba beat. Aria continued to focus on her fingers, not looking up. “He said his name was Chance.” She closed her eyes, conjuring his image. “He was wearing a black hoodie but took the hood off to talk to me. He had short dreadlocks swept up to one side and had smart glasses on. You know, his glasses made him look smart.” She smiled, caught up in the memory. It was clear to Bay the boy had charmed Aria, and just maybe she would do anything for him. “Did Chance ask you for a favor, Aria?” She blushed, then turned a deep red. “He used me…” She choked back tears. “Yeah, boys are scum,” Bay empathized, glaring at Giorgio who had emerged from the back room empty-handed. The finger tapping quickened as the incident unfolded, from a waltz to a cha-cha, Aria’s eyes remained closed during the telling. “He asked me if people brought their expensive clothing here. Like could we be trusted with their stuff, you know. He said he had his mom’s lululemon, and he was kind of flirting with me.” She paused, thinking. “I told him we had three of those same coats in the back right now, and they were already cleaned and ready to pick up. I offered to show him, so he would know he could leave his mom’s coat here.” Aria stopped tapping and looked at Bay’s face where empathy greeted her like a warm embrace. “I didn’t know Chance wanted to swap coats until he asked if I could swap one of the clean coats for his mother’s dirty one.” I figured that he was responsible for getting it dirty, and he didn’t want her to know about it. “So, you randomly chose my coat and made the switch.” Bay wanted to sound helpful by filling in details, so Aria’s head shake surprised her. “No. That’s when things got weird. He asked me if we had L.L. Browning’s coat. He specifically wanted to trade his coat for yours.” Giorgio interrupted his niece, casting a warning look with shifty eyes. Bay couldn’t be fooled. “Why didn’t you call me Friday to let me know about the switch or the police? You knew they were coming to question me.” She darted daggers at Giorgio, who winced and backed away. “I didn’t think you were in danger, or I would have called you. How could I know that the lululemon was murder evidence? *** Excerpt from The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar. Copyright 2023 by Joy Ann Ribar. Reproduced with permission from Joy Ann Ribar. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Joy Ann Ribar :

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Joy Ann Ribar

Joy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. She loves to bake, read, do wine research, and explore nature. Joy’s writing is inspired by Wisconsin’s four distinct seasons, natural beauty, and kind-hearted, but sometimes quirky, people. Joy holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and an MS in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Blackbird Writers, and Wisconsin Writers Association.

Catch Up With Joy Ann Ribar: JoyRibar.com Goodreads BookBub – @ribarjoy Instagram – @authorjoyribar Facebook – @JoyRibarAuthor

Want to mention her on Twitter/X? Use #JoyAnnRibar and share the love!

 

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RSVP to Murder by Carol Pouliot Banner

RSVP to Murder
by Carol Pouliot

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November 6 – December 1, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
A new twist on the 1930s English country house mystery.

Embarking on their most daring time-travel experiment to date, Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and his 21st-century partner-in-crime Olivia Watson travel to the Adirondack Mountains for a Christmas party at one of the legendary Great Camps. Their host, a wealthy New York publisher, has planned a weekend filled with holiday activities, but, as the last guest arrives, temperatures plummet and a blizzard hits. Before long, the area is buried in snow, the roads are impassable, and the publisher is poisoned. Unwilling to wait until the local police can arrive, the victim’s widow convinces Steven to launch an unofficial investigation. Soon, a family member goes missing and Steven and Olivia discover a second victim. Trapped with a killer, Steven and Olivia race against the clock before the murderer strikes again.

Praise for RSVP to Murder:

“A classic holiday movie and Agatha Christie novel mashup” ~ Shawn Reilly Simmons, author of the Red Carpet Catering Mystery SeriesRSVP to Murder is Agatha Christie with a time-travel twist. Pouliot supplies us with just what we crave in a great locked-room mystery: a blizzard, closed roads, dead phone lines, roaring fires, and lots of suspects and motives—all set in a luxurious Adirondack Great Camp in 1934. Snap on your seatbelt and travel with Steven and Olivia, you’ll be happy you did!” ~ Tina deBellegarde, Author of The Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Series. “A Great Camp in the Adirondacks serves up a sumptuous setting of plump armchairs, roaring fireplaces, and the heady scent of Christmas pines—all begging to be settled into with this thumping good vintage whodunit set in the 1930s. Cleverly plotted with plot-twists aplenty and some time-travel to boot, this immersive mystery is a gem.” ~ Laurie Loewenstein, Author of the Dust Bowl Mystery Series “Readers are invited to the glamour of the Thirties, where the rich are putting on the Ritz, until there’s a murder to solve. Join time-travelers Blackwell and Watson in a race to the Racines’ Adirondack Great Camp to catch a killer. A clever…and a thoroughly unique must for fans of the paranormal and historical. RSVP today!” ~ Gabriel Valjan, Author of the Shane Cleary Mysteries series “The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries’ latest installment, RSVP to Murder, combines the thrilling and “timeless” aspects of Jack Finney’s classic TIME AND AGAIN mixed with the wit and charm of a modern, puzzling mystery. Highly recommended for all lovers of time travel, history, romance and wily sleuths.” ~ L.A. Chandlar, Best-selling author of the Art Deco Mystery Series

 

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional mystery

Published by: Level Best Books Publication Date: September 2023 Number of Pages: 305 ISBN: 9781685123857 Series: The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, #4

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

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MY REVIEW

I’ve read the third book in this fun series and this newest was every bit as fun.

Steven is a policeman living in the 1930s and Olivia lives in 2014.  In the last book they had quite an adventure solving a crime together. It’s not easy when you have to bounce back and forth in time. Where there’s a will there’s a way and they spent more and more time together. Do I see romance in the air?

Now, they’ve decided to ramp things up a bit. Olivia is going to spend time with Steven at a Christmas party at a Legendary Camps lodge in the Adirondack Mountains in Steven’s time. The party promises all kinds of fun, but then a blizzard hits and the host drops dead. Poisoned I believe. His widow asks Steven to launch an investigation and, along with his partner, Will, and Olivia, he accepts and the sleuthing begins. Oh what fun it is to…… solve a murder in a snowed in lodge with a large list of suspects.

I had a blast. Jumping from one suspect to the next. I couldn’t make up my mind who did it. Had a few at the top of my list. One of them was the right one, which was revealed all wrapped up with a bow on it. I’m excited to read more of the series and see what happens next. Especially between Olivia and Steven. Can they make a relationship work? I’ll be here, waiting to see if they can.

4 STARS

 

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Chapter 1
December 31, 1902 New York City, New York
She was marrying the wrong man. With a silk-gloved hand, Margery Belleville lifted the bottom of her wedding gown and peeked around the heavy, carved doors into the nave of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Several hundred guests—ladies in expensive finery, wool coats trimmed with ermine and fancy hats with brims reaching out over their shoulders, and tuxedoed men in black silk top hats—awaited the wedding of the decade. St. Patrick’s reminded Margery of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris with its Gothic-style pointed arches and rich stained-glass windows set in lacey webs. The soaring, vaulted ceiling, lit by crystal chandeliers suspended on long rope-like cables, rose hundreds of feet in the air. Light from the chandeliers reached into the far corners of the church and mingled with the glow of candles twinkling in wrought-iron stands. Inhaling the scent of balsam fir from the many holiday decorations, Margery gazed down the long center aisle, where she would soon walk with her father. Margery stepped back into the vestibule, her pure-white gown rustling softly as she moved. She was, at least, happy her parents had allowed her the choice of her wedding dress, if not the groom. Margery and her mother had searched in several shops, nearly deciding to have the dress custom made when they came upon this elegant, sleek gown. The moment Margery laid eyes on it, she knew it was the one. The high neckline draped in soft folds beneath her chin, flattering her face. The form-fitting bodice hugged her curves, yet avoided the dreaded hourglass silhouette, with its yards of smooth satin skirt billowing around her. Margery’s unadorned veil revealed topaz eyes and soft lips, but covered her rich auburn hair and cascaded down her back. This was the gown of a modern, independent woman. If only her life matched the dress. His conversation with the bishop finished, Anthony Belleville joined his daughter. “Are you ready, my dear?” The organ began Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March,” and a rumble echoed throughout the nave as the guests stood and turned toward the back of the cathedral. Trembling, Margery took her father’s arm. He must have felt her shaking because her father leaned over and, to Margery’s astonishment, whispered, “I know he’s not your first choice. But you will be well cared for and you know Gil adores you. I don’t know which man has captured your heart, but you won’t lack for anything with Gilbert Racine. The publishing empire he’s going to inherit will provide a comfortable, even pampered, life. He’s the best choice to keep you in the style your mother and I have provided. I can’t bear the thought that you would ever lack for anything, my dearest daughter.” Margery was further shocked when her father wiped a tear from his eye. It was at that moment when Margery Belleville, soon to be Margery Racine, accepted her fate. She would be a good wife for her successful businessman husband. She would provide him with children and a well-run home. She’d bury her feelings deep inside, lock them away in a cupboard, and throw away the key. She could not marry the man she loved. But she might grow to love the man she married. Margery forced a smile and reached up to give her father a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be alright, Papa. Gil will be a good husband.” She patted his hand. Straightening her spine, Margery gave a sharp nod of her head. “I’m ready.” *** Excerpt from RSVP to Murder by Carol Pouliot. Copyright 2023 by Carol Pouliot. Reproduced with permission from Carol Pouliot. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Carol Pouliot:

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Carol Pouliot

A former language teacher and business owner, Carol Pouliot writes the acclaimed Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, traditional police procedurals with a seemingly impossible relationship between Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and 21st-century journalist Olivia Watson. With their fast pace and unexpected twists and turns, the books have earned praise from readers and mystery authors alike. Carol is a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks, Co-chair of the Murderous March Mystery Conference, and President of her Sisters in Crime chapter. When not writing, Carol can be found packing her suitcase and reaching for her passport for her next travel adventure.

Learn more and sign up for Carol’s newsletter on her website: www.carolpouliot.com Goodreads BookBub – @cpouliot13 Instagram – @carolpouliotmysterywriter Facebook – @WriterCarolPouliot Sleuths and Sidekicks

 

 

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Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!  

 

JOIN IN ON THE GIVEAWAY:
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Carol Pouliot. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
 

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Method To Madness organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Thomas Grant Bruso will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Method To Madness

by Thomas Grant Bruso

 

 

Genre: Mystery / LGBT

Synopsis

Five years ago, Jack Ballinger was a police officer.

He has since moved from the small upstate New York town of Black Falls for greener pastures and a peaceful life alone in the Green Mountain State. Time has changed Jack — he is no longer the man he used to be. A significant challenge for him has been the heartbreaking loss of his boyfriend, companion, and one true love, Steve.

Now alone, Jack has yet to deal rationally with the immediate changes of his new life. After losing his partner, Jack drank heavily to numb the pain and forget his life-changing loss. Now, he must find a way to move forward without Steve and the life he built for himself. Joining an Alcoholics Anonymous group helps quiet the voices that still keep him awake at night. But something much darker has followed him to his life in the quiet corners of Vermont.

When Jack thinks he has buried the scars of his past, a new nightmare emerges. How far will Jack go to end the imminent evil in his life and kill it for good?

Trigger warning: this story addresses suicide and suicidal ideation.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

My work boots clipped across the newly polished floor, squeaking with each determined step toward the security guard’s office in the back of the mall. I didn’t usually get frightened, but after the week’s events of Jacob Adler’s murder and my recurring hallucinations, I was on guard twenty-four-seven. The wall I’d built after Steve died sent me into a tailspin. I lost my self-confidence to “live on — move on,” as Steve had put it. Getting out of bed was the most challenging part of the day, getting started. But not as difficult as being a suspect in somebody else’s murder.

I locked up in the office, hung my jacket on the wall peg along with my badge, fastened my uniform hat on top of my coat, and secured the building. I walked around the side of the shopping center to get to my truck, which was parked near the auto shop garage in the adjacent lot. My keys clanged against the side of my uniform work belt.

There was a crispness to the air as it gusted across my face.

When I reached my truck, I stopped and glanced at the imposing three-floor structure of the Rushford Shopping Mall. It had been a game-changer, I told myself. When my life was at its lowest, the job as mall security had saved me. Moving from upstate New York to Vermont and being hired at a stone’s throw distance from where everything had bottomed out of my life, life could not be better. I had to keep reminding myself that I was lucky. This was meant to be.

I was living. No – I was surviving the best way I knew how. The sharp gust of wind filled my eyes with a deep sadness.

I slipped my key into the driver’s side door. I jumped inside, cranking the station to a country song I knew Steve would roll his eyes at, but his enthusiastic expression brightened my mood. I sat in the quiet interior of my truck, my head falling against the headrest, my eyes closing to the welcoming solitude. I drummed my hands on the bottom of the steering wheel.

Then screeching tires peeled around the sharp curve of the parking lot where the lot met the edge of the road, and a song about lost love faded from memory. I opened my eyes and raised my head to tires squealing. In the rearview mirror, I glimpsed a vehicle idling behind me. I didn’t notice it at first, but the car blocked me. I adjusted my seat and stared out the rear windshield at the obscure figure behind the wheel. I couldn’t see their face, but the figure looked reedy and reached an arm out the open window, pointing at me.

I thought of the ginger-haired boy from earlier, recalling the incident on the escalator and in the restroom. Had he waited for me after hours, lurking in the parking lot, ready to scare me? My mind skipped over the events playing from earlier in the day. The incident in the men’s restroom, the smartass young man apologizing for his careless behavior, making wisecracking excuses for his friends, and blaming his actions on being an idiot. “I’m sorry, man. Really — we didn’t mean anything by it. We were being dumb sixteen-year-olds.” I remembered the sound of his laugh, a meaningless, sarcastic attempt at a reassuring apology.

I stared out into the night. The only light in the area illuminated from a lamppost wavering back and forth in the stirring wind. The mysterious driver’s gray hoodie concealed most of their face.

“You got a problem?” I yelled out the window.

A big, meaty palm rose in the air like a warning, a middle finger miming the shape of a gun, as in a caution or scare tactic.

“Prick.” I turned the key in the ignition, shifted my truck in reverse, and floored it.

The driver didn’t have much time to register my sudden actions, but he — or she — managed to switch pedals. The vehicle sped off, tires shrieking, seconds before I came a hair-fracture away from nicking the driver’s side door.

In the middle of the road, I shifted into DRIVE, and followed the vehicle at an unsafe speed. I was close behind him, noticing him reaching into the passenger side for something.

Racing through the parking lot, the driver took me on a twisty ride, swerving and taking sharp curves. I followed him for a few minutes through the winding lanes, leading around the mall’s perimeter to a larger parking area on the other side of the building.

I didn’t have time to register the events, my mind feeling scrambled and numbed from the chaotic commotion. I gripped the steering wheel and turned it sharply, the back tires screeching as I rounded the sharp bend, nearly smacking against the guardrail on my right.

I heard a gun going off. The driver was firing a round of shots out his window.

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About Author Thomas Grant Bruso

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p style=”text-align: center;”>Thomas Grant Bruso knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since childhood.

His literary inspirations are Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Jim Grimsley, Karin Fossum, and Joyce Carol Oates.

Bruso loves animals, reading books, and writing fiction, and prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.

In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he won the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes and publishes fiction and reviews books for his hometown newspaper, The Press-Republican.

He lives in upstate New York.

Links: Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / Facebook 

Purchase Link: Amazon

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Book Details:

The Prime Suspect (A Sam MacKade PI Mystery) by Lauren Carr
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Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 430 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Oct 26, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
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MY REVIEW

I’ve been reading Lauren’s books for many years and whenever she has a new release, no matter which series, I jump at the chance to read it. Each book has such genuine characters. And the animals are just as important as the humans. In The Prime Suspect I got everything I’d hoped for.

A quick note here. All of Lauren’s books have lots of characters and there’s often mention of ones from other books. She provides a complete list of who each one is so you can refer to it. I like to read it first so the characters are fresh when I begin reading.

I really enjoyed getting to know Sam and Bryce. Sam is a former police officer now working as a private investigator. He’d been seriously injured when his ex-partner tried to kill him. He’s selective on which cases he’ll take and doesn’t tolerate liars. That’s a deal breaker. He has a couple of handy partners too. Gus and Cleo are Dutch Shepherds with their own connections to protect and serve. Gus. AKA The Filthy Beast, is the more outgoing of the two. Cleo, AKA Goody Two-Shoes, reminded me more of a cat. Fastidious and above playful antics. I swear Sam and the two dogs can read each other’s minds. They have a lot of conversations.

Bryce became suspect number one in the case of her husbands murder. He was a cad. A cheater. But that didn’t mean she wanted him dead. She wanted Sam to take her case as it seemed the police weren’t looking for other suspects. After some convincing he agreed. She was thrilled but Misha, her cat, wasn’t. She wanted nothing to do with those pesky dogs.

At a whopping 534 pages, I figured it might take me a couple of days to finish reading the book. Not the case. There was so much happening and every page promised more. More suspense. More bad guys. More fun with the fur babies. And do I sense romance in the air? I ate it up in one day. Laughing and loving every minute of it.

5 STARS

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The plot is twisted. The characters are full of depth, with many hiding secrets. Mackade’s two dogs and Greyson’s cat are not only smart, but have attitude with a capital A.  I don’t want to spoil anything, so all I am going to say is the cat is the hero who deals with one personal threat.”  Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer, review of THE PRIME SUSPECT

“Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. … – Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books

“I am, bottom line, amazed at the giant step that places Carr comparable to significant authors whose name slips off our tongues like, for instance, Nora Roberts. Watch this author–she’s moving quickly to where her goals are headed…” – review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.” – review by Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental, As Eye See It


Book Description:
Two murders with one common denominator. Both victims betrayed Bryce Greyson. How could she not be the prime suspect?

Four years after Bryce’s cheating husband is gunned down, her boyfriend-stealing former roommate’s remains are found buried under a statue at her alma mater.

Declared the prime suspect by both detectives and the media, Bryce has no choice but to hire someone to clear her name.

Enter Sam MacKade, private eye.

To solve two murders, the former police K-9 officer and his canine partners must sift through the clues and the lies to reveal the true prime suspect.

Buy the Book:
(available for pre-order)
Amazon
add to goodreads

Meet Author Lauren Carr:

​Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and author panels at conventions.

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

connect with the author:  website ~ amazon facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter
​~ pinterest

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A Patch of Romance

by J.C. Valentine

 

(A Coffee Break Mystery, #4)
Publication date: October 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance

Callie’s status as a single mom is about to end when she meets up with local dad, Scott Prince, at the pumpkin patch. Love is definitely in the air…or is that just pumpkin spice? Either way, Callie is about to embark on a seriously satisfying journey. That is, until the mystery knocker comes knocking. Is it just a Halloween prank, or is someone trying to send her a message—the deadly kind?

As Callie and Scott traverse the dating life with one another and ring in the holidays with the hope of uniting them all as one big, patchwork family, the lingering question of who keeps knocking and what they want looms in the shadows, waiting to be answered. Will Callie and Scott reveal the truth behind the eerie knocking before something it’s too late? And will they ever get their happily ever after?

Follow Callie and Scott’s journey from wary strangers to soulmates in this feel-good holiday romance. With a friends-to-lovers romance, family bonding moments, cozy Christmas traditions, and a found family trope, this wholesome love story will get you in the holiday spirit. Curl up with a mug of hot cocoa and let the magic of the season bring this unlikely pair together one knock at a time.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Okay, you wild banshees, costumes are ready to go!” I called up the stairs. Instantly, I heard the pounding of little feet as Lily and Ethan raced down the stairs, with Lily predictably in the lead, eager to transform into their Halloween alter-egos.

“Beware the Headless Horseman!” Lily cried, tossing her hooded cape dramatically over her grinning face. Next to her, Ethan was assembling his white boxy Minecraft costume, complete with pixelated foam sword.

I knelt down and made the final adjustments, securing Ethan’s headpiece and Lily’s belt, then ushered them toward the door. “Let’s hit those sidewalks before all the good candy is gone!” I declared.

It was still light outside when we stepped out onto the porch. Ghosts, superheroes, princesses, and witches were already parading up and down the street as families got the trick-or-treating underway. The crisp air twinkled with magic and excitement as neighbors called out compliments on costumes, and I inhaled the heavenly, smoky scent of burning wood that several people were using to keep warm as they passed out candy.

We weren’t far into our route when I heard rapid footsteps approaching. Lily and Ethan’s faces lit up as Scott and his son came into view dressed in matching blow-up dinosaur costumes. I couldn’t help laughing as I watched their giant dino heads bobble to and fro as they swished toward us.

“Hey, guys!” Scott greeted, slightly out of breath. Since our pumpkin carving hangout, we’d been planning for the kids to do Halloween night trick-or-treating together too. I was relieved he was making it easy for me to take this second opportunity with no strings attached.

“Dad, can we go show Ms. Molly our costumes?” Lily asked eagerly.

I nodded indulgently, enjoying seeing my kids having a good time. After waiting a few moments for Lily, Ethan, and Stanley to run up the walkway to show off their costumes to their principal, we began a slow, easy walk from house to house, stealing pieces of candy here and there, as the kids ran back and forth down driveways and bonded with each other more.

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About Author J.C. Valentine

J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.

Living in the Northwest, she has three amazing children and far too many pets. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.

Sign up for J.C.’s newsletter HERE and never miss a thing!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Big Shakeup organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Big Shakeup

by Nancy Boyarsky

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Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, or so they say.

P.I. Nicole Graves arrives early at work, just as Los Angeles is hit with “the Big One,” a long-predicted, devastating earthquake. When the building stops shaking, Nicole finds Jerry, her boss, in his office dying of a gunshot wound. It appears to be suicide.

Nicole is shocked to learn that the police have decided Jerry’s death was murder and even more shocked that she’s their only suspect when there’s no shortage of people with motives. And there’s the question of why the detectives are pursuing this one case when all city workers, including the police, are in an all-out search and rescue operation for survivors. All she can do is evade capture long enough to prove her innocence and catch the real culprit.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The shaking was gathering force. Nicole crawled further into the desk’s knee space, tried to brace herself and grip its legs. Holding on was next to impossible when the desk jumped with every jolt. Even more frightening was the noise. It had started as a rumble but now sounded like the roar of an oncoming train.

 

Every instinct told her to run, get out of the building. But with so much movement, she knew she’d never be able to stand up, much less run down eight flights of stairs. As the shaking continued to build, all thought disappeared. The whole thing had lasted a mere three-and-a-half minutes. But if Nicole knew anything at that time, it was that shaking would go on until the building caved in and buried her.

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About Author Nancy Boyarsky

Nancy’s award-winning Nicole Graves Mysteries have been compared to Mary Higgins Clark and are praised for contributing to the “women-driven mystery field with panache” (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their “hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster” plots (RT Book Reviews). Her debut novel The Swap—book one of the Nicole Graves Mysteries—won the prestigious Eric Hoffer award for Best Micro Press Book of the Year.

Nancy has been a writer and editor for her entire working career. She coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system and contributed to anthologies, including In the Running about women’s political campaigns and The Challenge of California. She has also written for the Los Angeles Times, West magazine, Forbes, McCall’s, Playgirl, Westways, and other publications. She was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.

In addition to writing mysteries, Nancy is producer and director of the “Inside Golden State Politics” podcast.

Author Links:

Website / Online / Facebook / Pinterest / Goodreads

Purschase link: Amazon

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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 The Trailwalker

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #13

by J.L. Bryan

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

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MY REVIEW

I used to go camping all the time. Couldn’t wait to rough it and just escape from the rat race for awhile. And I can relate to being scared of what’s out there, lurking in the dark, just beyond the fire’s light. My friend and I were camping and telling scary stories one night. Just enough light from the fire to see each other’s faces. We heard a rustling in the bushes. Getting closer. Closer. And just when we thought about running, out popped her brother.  Remembering that terror. How strong it felt. It made me so excited to read this book.

The series has a different setting for each book and a campground is what we get in these pages. An old one close to some unusual mounds. When Josh and Allison, along with their kids, decide to fix up and reopen the place, they have no idea how dangerous it is. What they will be disturbing.

The author does a great job of scaring me without having bloody mayhem all the time. But this time there’s a high body county. I feared for this family. They were so hopeful and now so helpless. Ellie and Stacy were hired to come help them and I feared for them too.

I loved this book. Even the research Ellie and Stacy did to find out what might be happening at the campground was fascinating. Made it seem so real to me. And the back and forth between the two of them always makes me laugh. Yin to yang, those two. As long as the author keeps writing this series, I’ll be there, waiting for more.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

The old campground in the mountains has a shrouded history wrapped in legend. Located by the mysterious mounds of a vanished people, it was once a popular summer destination for children, but closed long ago under tragic circumstances.

Josh and Allison Conner have moved out from the city, inspired to create a retreat for children in need, a place to build skills and character. They’ve brought their own children with them, and now they’re hurrying to rebuild and update the old camp in time for their first opening day.

But something lurks in the wilderness around the old summer camp, something that strikes against the Conners’ best efforts to revitalize it. They feel watched, then threatened, but after sinking their savings and their hopes into the place, they are unwilling to walk away.

Paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan must sort history from legend to determine what haunts the camp and how to fight it, before it inflicts more harm on the well-meaning family attempting to bring life back to the remote abandoned campground.

Amazon

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Death and the Sisters by Heather Redmond Banner

Death and the Sisters
by Heather Redmond
September 25 – October 20, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
The tangled relationships between Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Mary’s stepsister Jane Clairmont form the backdrop for an intriguing historical mystery, set in London in 1814, that explores the complex dynamic between sisters and the birth of teenaged Mary’s creative genius.

London, 1814: Mary Godwin and her stepsister Jane Clairmont, both sixteen, possess quick minds bolstered by an unconventional upbringing, and have little regard for the rules that other young ladies follow. Mary, whose mother famously advocated for women’s rights, rejects the two paths that seem open to her—that of an assistant in her father’s bookshop, or an ordinary wife. Though quieter and more reserved than the boisterous Jane, Mary’s imagination is keen, and she longs for real-world adventures. One evening, an opportunity arrives in the form of a dinner guest, Percy Bysshe Shelley. At twenty-one, Shelley is already a renowned poet and radical. Mary finds their visitor handsome and compelling, but it is later that evening, after the party has broken up, that events take a truly intriguing turn. When Mary comes downstairs in search of a book, she finds instead a man face down on the floor—with a knife in his back. The dead man, it seems, was a former classmate of Shelley’s, and had lately become a personal and professional rival. What was he doing in the Godwins’ home? Mary, Jane, and Shelley are all drawn to learn the truth behind the tragedy, especially as each discovery seems to hint at a tangled web that includes many in Shelley’s closest circle. But as the attraction between Mary and the married poet intensifies, it sparks a rivalry between the sisters, even as it kindles the creative fire within . . .

Praise for Death and the Sisters:

Death and the Sisters is a terrific blend of gritty history with a mystery that will keep readers turning pages. Impeccably researched and imaginative, Redmond’s first Mary Shelley Mystery immerses readers in the drama of young Mary Godwin and her family, as well as her budding romance with Percy Shelley, as they work together to solve a wonderfully bookish murder. I thoroughly enjoyed this series kick-off and can’t wait for the next story!” ~ Susanna Craig, author of The Lady Knows BestDeath and the Sisters is a rip-roaring murder mystery with twists and turns that introduces teenaged Mary Godwin, not yet the author of the immortal work Frankenstein, as an amateur detective. Redmond’s foray in the world of rational atheists in early 19th century London is a mesmerizing, forceful delight.” ~ Eilis Flynn, author of The Riddle of Rym “Crafted with vivid historical detail, an artfully twisted plot, and engaging characters, Death and the Sisters is an excellent start to what I hope will be a long-running series.” ~ Dianne Freeman, author of the award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries “It might be the way London comes to life in all of its dark and gritty complexities, or the dynamics between Mary and her step-sister, Jane, as they set out to find the killer of the man who they discover dead in the bookshop. Everyone is a suspect—even Percy Shelley who has caught the eye of the women in the household. Propulsive and immersive, Heather Redmond is at the top of her game until the intense and satisfying end.” ~ Mary Keliikoa, author of Hidden Pieces “An intrepid cast of characters, a stunningly atmospheric 19th-century London, and a riveting murder… Highly recommend.” ~ Melissa Bourbon, bestselling author

 

Book Details:

Genre: Historical mystery

Published by: Kensington Publication Date: September 2023 Number of Pages: 320 ISBN: 9781496737991 (ISBN10: 1496737997) Series: Mary Shelley Mystery, 1

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Kensington

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MY REVIEW

Little did Mary know, her late night search for reading material in the family bookstore would land her and her step-sister, Jane, in the middle of a murder investigation.  The girls were relieved to find it was a stranger’s body they stumbled upon and not the dashing and loquacious Mr. Percy Shelley. They both found him to be quite polished and easy on the eyes.

What a fascinating look into 19th Century England. The richness of detail put me there. Experiencing the less fortunate side of trying to keep a roof over ones head. Not the glam and glitz of higher society.

I enjoyed the dual points of view between the two sisters. It helped me understand what motivated them. What made them tick. They were both very intelligent but differed greatly in personality. Things got more intriguing when Percy also joined them in their search for answers.

Death And The Sisters is a perfect title for this story. The cover is stunning. And the writing is strong and persuasive.  A solid plot and I’d be happy to read more if this is to be a series.

4 STARS

 

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Read an excerpt:
“Come, Mary.” Jane flopped onto her bed. “Tell us a story about the prisoner ghosts wailing.” “I’ll have to think it up,” Mary said and then began to quote. “‘This relation is Matter of Fact, and attended with such Circumstances as may induce any Reasonable Man to believe it.’” “What’s that?” Jane asked. The floor creaked as she kicked off her slippers and knocked them to the floor. “Defoe, I think,” Mary said, already considering the form of her story. If only Mother had written such fanciful tales, to give her ideas on how to construct them. “I’ll consult his works in the bookshop for further inspiration. It seems like quite a good start to a ghost story.” Mary placed her slippers next to Jane’s and walked down in her stocking feet, hugging the wall so as not to set off the worst of the creaking stairs. If Mamma heard her, she’d be set to mending something. Her stepmother never thought about the cost of candles when she could make her daughters work themselves into exhaustion after dark. The bookshop’s interior door hung open. Very odd, as Mamma was particular about making sure that the smells of domestic life, particularly cooking odors, did not damage the books. Mary shrugged, glad she had come downstairs, because if Mamma had been the first to notice, she’d have no doubt blamed Mary. She lit the lantern kept in readiness for customers who wanted to browse in the dark corners. While she knew exactly where Defoe was kept, she first went to a back corner of the shop and dropped to her knees, then pulled out a much-loved volume that Mamma kept in stock because she knew that it sold, even though it was anything but highbrow or philosophical. Ann Radcliffe’s The Romance of the Forest. Feeling a little breathless, like a Gothic heroine about to swoon, she opened the book to her favorite page. With the lantern held over the engraving, she examined the bare legs of the man removing a blindfolded girl from a house. She bit her lip as she looked over the engraved musculature, feeling a familiar shiver dance up through her body. Did Shelley have legs so magnificent? He certainly possessed the broad shoulders and narrow waist of the figure on the page. She set down the lantern when it shook in her hand. “Oh, to see a form like that,” she whispered to herself. None of her Scottish suitors had possessed a body she wanted to caress. As such, none of them had enticed so much as a kiss from her. After a last heated glance, she closed the book and tucked it away again. The next shelves were in front of the bow windows. The Juvenile Library was shelved there, at the perfect height for children. Works of historical merit were on the other side. Mary rose. Her foot twisted as she took the first step. She grabbed for the edge of the bookcase with one hand, the other gripping the lantern tightly. Her fingers were trembling by the time she righted herself. She reached down and swiped at her foot. Something sticky coated her fingers. What was on the floor? “Honestly,” she muttered to herself. More cleaning. She set the lantern on the bookcase and walked past the windows. Slatted lines from the shutters were illuminated by the oil lamp that burned all night at the corner of the road. Distracted by the sudden reflected light, she tripped again. “Blast,” she cried. When she tried to take another step forward, her way was blocked by something solid. Confused, she prodded it with her foot. It felt warm, dry, and slightly yielding. She backed up to take the lantern in her hand again, then cupped the side of it with her hand to keep the illumination from the road. When she reached the mass again, she held the lantern out over the floor. Her mouth dropped open when she saw what lay in front of her. A man, like something out of a painting of the French Revolution, was sprawled on the floor. Facedown. She swept the lantern over his body. Her hand shook as she saw first one knife, then another. The first was impaled in his back. The other, in the mysterious recesses between his legs. “Faith!” Wobbly, Mary blinked hard, then forced herself to kneel down beside the sprawled figure, to touch the man’s hand. Still warm. She squeezed it, feeling that strange sensation of callused male flesh under hers, then dropped the hand. What was she doing? Molesting a corpse? She scooted back, her eyes closed, then opened them again, feeling her lips tremble at the sight of the dark blue velvet coat, the dark stain around the knife gleaming wetly in the light. She knew that coat. Shelley! That fine figure of a man, ended so cruelly. They had just seen him leave not twenty minutes earlier. Had he been accosted in the street and dumped here? “I could have loved such a being.” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she let them fall, keenly feeling her sensibility. Hadn’t he said he was a new father? And his poor young wife, not even twenty yet, a widow. “Mary?” Drat that Jane. Could she not offer up a moment’s solitude to anyone? Her stepsister’s footsteps came closer, along with the bobbing of a candle flame. “Don’t come any closer,” Mary warned. She set the lantern down. Ignoring her, Jane came down the space between the bookshelves and turned in the nook in front of the windows. “What are you doing?” she asked. Mary scrambled to her feet, hoping to block her sister’s view. The candle wavered as Jane took in the scene. She gasped loudly. “What,” Jane asked, “is that?” “Knives,” Mary said. “Murder has been done here.” “What?” Jane repeated, some frantic power coming into her voice. “Papa?” “No,” Mary said, grabbing the candleholder before the candle dropped. “Shelley.” She saw what was going to happen and held up her other hand, hoping to forestall it. But she failed, and Jane, coming closer, screamed. Mary bent under the onslaught and grabbed her sister’s hand. “Hush,” she begged, pulling her away. “We have to tell Papa before the watch comes.” Though Jane resisted, Mary pulled her through the bookshop, then forced her to sit on the steps and hold the candle while she went back for the lantern. She set it on the table in the hall. “Stay here,” she commanded. “But,” Jane whispered. “But the body.” “Papa will know what to do.” “But the watch.” “Papa should call them, not us. Do you want him surprised?” “The bookshop,” Jane said next. “Yes, it’s very bad,” Mary agreed. “It isn’t S-Shelley,” Jane stuttered. “He just left.” Mary pulled the handkerchief from her sleeve and tucked it into Jane’s unresisting hand. “It must be,” she said. “Who else? Cry quietly, please.” Hoping her sister obeyed, she picked up her skirts and ran up the steps to her father’s library. *** Excerpt from Death and the Sisters by Heather Redmond. Copyright 2023 by Heather Redmond. Reproduced with permission from Heather Redmond. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Heather Redmond:

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Heather Redmond

Heather Redmond is an author of commercial fiction and also writes as Heather Hiestand. First published in mystery, she took a long detour through romance before returning. Though her last British ancestor departed London in the 1920s, she is a committed anglophile, Dickens devotee, and lover of all things nineteenth century. She has lived in Illinois, California, and Texas, and now resides in a small town in Washington State with her husband and son. The author of many novels, novellas, and short stories, she has achieved best-seller status at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers. Her 2018 Heather Redmond debut, A Tale of Two Murders, has received a coveted starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

Catch Up With Heather Redmond: www.HeatherRedmond.com Goodreads BookBub – @heatherredmond1 Instagram – @hiestandheather Twitter – @heatheraredmond Heather Hiestand Redmond’s Reader Group on Facebook

 

 

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