Archive for April, 2022

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The Corpse’s Secret Life

A PIP Inc Mystery

by Nancy Lynn Jarvis

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The Corpse’s Secret Life (A PIP Inc. Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Santa Cruz, CA.
Good Read Mysteries (March 16, 2022)
Number of Pages 245
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09SX9RHN4
GoodReads Link Coming Soon
Pat’s fledgling private investigation company, PIP Inc., has a promising new case.

Pat is still wearing a wrist cast after breaking her arm in a confrontation with a killer, so when she’s hired by the City of Watsonville to unearth the identity of an older woman who died in her bed, she’s delighted that her next job promises to be a simple computer-based research project.

Why is it that things are never as simple as she thinks they will be? Pat soon discovers nothing is as it seems, beginning with a corpse who had secret identities, murder, and a post-death ritual thought to have last been performed decades ago.

 

About Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Nancy Lynn Jarvis left the real estate profession after she started having so much fun writing the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series that she let her license lapse. She’s enjoyed writing about Regan and her husband, Tom, but decided it was time to do a new series.

PIP Inc. introduces protagonist downsized law librarian and not-quite-licensed Private Investigator Pat Pirard. “The Funeral Murder” is the second book in the series.

After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, Nancy worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager for Shakespeare/Santa Cruz at UCSC.

Currently, she’s enjoying being a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Santa Cruz Women of Mystery.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon

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Paradise Cove by Davin Goodwin Banner

Paradise Cove
by Davin Goodwin
April 1-30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
Paradise Cove by Dave Goodwin

Every day is paradise on Bonaire—until something unexpected washes ashore

On the laid-back island of Bonaire, every day is paradise until a seaweed-entangled human leg washes ashore. Combing the beach, retired cop Roscoe Conklin examines the scene and quickly determines that the leg belongs to the nephew of a close friend.

The island police launch an investigation, but with little evidence and no suspects, their progress comes to a frustrating halt. Then, thanks to a unique barter with the lead detective, Conklin finds himself in possession of the case file. He can now aggressively probe for his own answers.

Sifting through the scant clues, eager to bring the killer to justice, Conklin struggles to maintain forward momentum. He has all the pieces. He can feel it. But he’d better get them snapped together soon.

Otherwise, the body count will continue to rise.

 

Praise for Paradise Cove:

“An intriguingly gruesome beginning, sexy location, and a supremely satisfying ending. Paradise Cove is a terrific read.” —Marc Cameron, New York Times best-selling author

Paradise Cove is a wonderful thriller with a great story . . . what makes it special are the perfect descriptions of Bonaire and life on the island.” —Nicholas Harvey, author of the AJ Bailey Adventure Series

“Grab a beer and revisit Bonaire with Roscoe Conklin as your guide in Paradise Cove. A rich cast of characters and an intriguing plot guarantee an exciting trip you’ll long remember.” –Shawn Wilson, author of Relentless

 

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery

Published by: Oceanview Publishing Publication Date: April 5th 2022 Number of Pages: 304 ISBN: 1608094855 (ISBN13: 9781608094851) Series: Roscoe Conklin Mystery #2 | The novels in the Roscoe Conklin Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Enjoy this peek inside:
Finished with my morning swim, having pushed myself hard the last quarter mile, I sat on the end of the pier with my legs dangling over the edge. No clouds in the typical Caribbean-blue Bonaire sky and a faint hint of salt floated in the air. The wind shoved waves, larger than normal, against the shore. An iguana lay a few feet away, basking in the sun, overweight from gorging itself on the remnants of the near-by garbage can. It sat motionless, one eye tilted in my direction, the other skewed over the edge of the pier at the water. It was a resident of the area and joined me regularly on the pier after my swims. I had taken to calling it Charlie. As I towel-dried my arms and hair, I noticed two teenaged boys using a stick to poke at an object near the water’s edge, a stone’s throw south of the pier. The object had washed ashore and was covered with random strands of dark seaweed. I watched the boys take a few steps forward, jab the stick at the object, then retreat, as if expecting something to happen. Nothing did, so they repeated the process several times with the same result. Some younger children ventured forth, staying well behind the brave teenagers. Wide-eyed, high-pitched streams of Papiamento—the native language of Bonaire—filled the air as they half-talked, half-screamed. They gawked at the object, the raced back up the beach to their mothers, sitting on beach blankets. One mother stood, nodding her head, and, appeasing the child, walked toward the water. She stopped a few feet shy of the shore. Her eyes widened and she shuffled backward to the other women, grabbed her cell phone, and, with a shaky hand, put it to her ear. She pointed at the object and spoke, her Papiamento not as high-pitched as the child’s, but every bit as excited. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand a word they said, my Papiamento being only slightly better than my Klingon. The base of my neck tingled. I no longer carried a badge, but nearly three decades as a law enforcement officer, specifically with the Violent Crimes Division of the Rockford, Illinois, police department, had trained my curiosity to remain on high alert. Of the hundreds of traits, quirks, and ticks conditioned into my psyche during those years, the sense of inquisitiveness, along with a constant need to know and understand, were the most deeply engrained. I shook my head, stood, and walked down the pier to the beach. This was something I probably needed to see. My sudden movement startled Charlie and he darted to the other side of the pier, both eyes now pointed in my direction. I gave him a shallow wave. “Sorry, Charlie.” The water surface on the west side—or leeward side—of the island remained consistently flat, almost glasslike, aided by a solid wind from the east. The wind also swept most of the seaweed, litter, and other debris out to sea. Few items floated ashore on the leeward coast of Bonaire. Except during wind reversals. Over the last few days, the easterly wind had changed direction and blew in from the west, bringing with it all kinds of surface floaties. I plodded through the sand, closing the distance to the water’s edge. Most likely, an unfortunate tuna or tarpon had met its demise. But based on the actions and behaviors of the children, and the concern of the mother, I quickly changed my mind. A fish washing ashore was too common an occurrence and wouldn’t generate the reactions I’d just witnessed. Then I remembered the epidemic affecting the green moray eels. For some reason, a strange parasite was attacking the green morays, causing the deaths of many. The occurrence was so rare that a group of marine biologists had recently arrived on the island, and with the help of local researchers, were studying the phenomenon. The situation was declared serious, possibly affecting the entire green moray population of the local reefs. When a dead eel washed ashore, the researchers wanted to be informed so they could harvest the carcass for study. The teenagers moved back a few steps as I worked past them and stood over the object. It wasn’t a tarpon or tuna. Or a diseased moral eel. I turned back toward the beach and scanned the area, noticing the increased crowd size. I admit, the word crowd is relative on a small island like Bonaire, but, even so, a small horde of lookie-loos had gathered. Some vied for a better view, meandering closer to the water’s edge. But not too close. I sighed and shook my head. Few things draw a crowd to the beach faster than a human body part washing ashore. *** Excerpt from Paradise Cove by Davin Goodwin. Copyright 2022 by Davin Goodwin. Reproduced with permission from Davin Goodwin. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Davin Goodwin:
Davin Goodwin

Davin Goodwin is a graduate of Arkansas State University and works in the technology industry. He’s been a small business owner, a real estate investor, an aerial photographer and flight instructor, a semi-professional banjo player, and a scuba diver, often seen on the island of Bonaire. Paradise Cove is the second novel in his Roscoe Conklin Mystery Series and he intends to continue writing the Roscoe Conklin series set on Bonaire. Goodwin lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife, Leslie.

Catch Up With Davin Goodwin: DavinGoodwinAuthor.com Goodreads BookBub – @dgoodwin7757 Instagram – @davin_goodwin_author Facebook – @authordavingoodwin

 

 

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The Art Of Decoy

A Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery

by Trish Esden

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The Art of the Decoy (A Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery)
Traditional Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Vermont
Crooked Lane Books (April 5, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1643859641
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1643859644
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B098PXZNDF

Perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland and Connie Berry, Tricia Esden’s series debut is sure to please.

 

After her mother is sent to prison for art forgery, Edie Brown returns to Northern Vermont to rebuild her family’s fine art and antiques business. She’s certain she can do it now that her mother is gone. After all, butting heads with her mom over bad business practices was what drove Edie away three years ago, including a screwup that landed Edie on probation for selling stolen property.

 

When Edie scores a job appraising a waterfowl decoy collection at a hoarder’s farmhouse, she’s determined to take advantage of the situation to rebuild the business’s tarnished reputation and dwindling coffers. In lieu of payment, Edie intends to cherry-pick an exceptional decoy carved by the client’s renowned Quebecoise folk artist ancestors. Only the tables turn when the collection vanishes.

 

Accused of the theft, Edie’s terrified that the fallout will destroy the business and land her in prison next to her mom. Desperate, she digs into the underbelly of the local antiques and art world. When Edie uncovers a possible link between the decoy theft and a deadly robbery at a Quebec museum, she longs to ask her ex-probation officer, and ex-lover, for help. But she suspects his recent interest in rekindling their romance may hide a darker motive.

 

With the help of her eccentric uncle Tuck and Kala, their enigmatic new employee, Edie must risk all she holds dear to expose the thieves and recover the decoys before the FBI’s Art Crime Team or the ruthless thieves themselves catch up with her.

About Trish Esden

Trish Esden loves museums, gardens, wilderness, dogs, and birds, in various orders depending on the day. She lives in northern Vermont where she deals antiques with her husband, a profession she’s been involved with since her teens. Don’t ask what her favorite type of antique is. She loves hunting down old bottles and rusty barn junk as much as she enjoys fine art and furnishings.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Website / BookBub / Goodreads

Purchase LinksAmazon – IndieBound – Barnes & Noble – Books-a-Million – Kobo

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Southern Harm

Tyler’s Trouble Trilogy Book 4

by Travis Casey

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Suspense

Twenty-seven years after Tyler left his troubles behind in his trilogy, he has a son, Oscar, who is proving to be a chip off the old block. As Kentucky’s most eligible bachelor, he has everything–including a gambling problem. After getting on the wrong side of a notorious loan shark, Louie Gomez, Oscar Novak-Chambers must use his family’s good standing with the governor’s office to obtain a monumental favor to clear his debt. He targets the governor’s daughter, Stacey Davenport. Sweet she is not. Ruthless she is–and she’s looking to bring down Kentucky’s criminal hierarchy–and Louie Gomez with it. But Stacey is no angel. When her skeletons begin to rattle, mayhem becomes motive.

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What book do you think everyone should read?

1984 by George Orwell.

 

How long have you been writing?

12 years

 

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

When we moved from the UK to America, part of the plan was to pick up my parents in Florida and drive them home to Minnesota. On the way, I insisted we stop in Frankfort, Kentucky as a lot of the book takes place at the governor’s mansion in Frankfort. I had looked at a lot of pictures on the internet, but boy did I get a lot of it wrong!

 

I managed to get onto the grounds and wandered around for a minute or two with my tape recorder making notes before a Kentucky Secret Serviceman came out of the mansion and asked what I was doing. I told him I was writing a book. He wished me luck and told me to get the hell off the property.

 

What do you think about the current publishing market?

I think Fifty Shades of Gray did for publishing what American Idol did for the singing industry. A lot of hidden talent has emerged, but there is also a huge number of people who should have never been put on the stage or into print.

 

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

I have to have absolute silence. Somebody once asked me how many words a minute I can type. I replied, “It depends on how fast I’m thinking.” When I’m in the zone the slightest distraction can make three paragraphs in my head vanish before I can get them down. I am a focused person which means I suck at multi-tasking.

 

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

I do one at a time however, I have a rather long editing process. So when I hand over my current work in progress to an editor or beta readers, I work on another book. But as soon as my WIP comes back from whomever I’m right back into editing it.

 

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

In my third book, FORBIDDEN TROUBLE, I needed a friend for Tyler so he could talk about his feelings. I came up with a bumpkin from Kentucky named Billy Earl McClure. I would write Billy Earl and whenever I read it back I’d laugh out loud. I think he was my funniest character to date.

 

Do you have any advice to offer for new authors?

Be patient. Don’t rush to get the first book out and into the public’s hands. I know that is the exciting bit but don’t rush the editing. Editing is the most important part—it is also the most expensive, the most time-consuming, and the most rewarding.

 

Describe your writing style.

Very simplistic and humor is always included no matter what I write. I’m not a great writer in terms of lavish detail and deeply emotional characters, but I’m a good storyteller. I create difficult situations for my characters to see how they get out of it. Part of the fun of writing is writing myself into a corner without any idea of how to resolve it and let the character figure it out. They surprise me time and time again. And I don’t often send the reader to the dictionary—the odd character might now and then, but not me.

 

What makes a good story?

Unpredictability. I love it when readers tell me “Wow, I didn’t see that coming.”

 

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

After I come up with a basic idea, I let it formulate in my mind for weeks without writing anything down. I visualize the characters, their personalities, and the obstacles they must overcome. I let it resonate. By the time they hit the page, I know them. They may surprise me and evolve into someone different to make a better story but that’s where the editing aligns my original thoughts with their paper persona.

 

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Telling not showing, but I didn’t even know how to do that until I joined a writing group. A very basic example is: Karen was standing by the jukebox. You just told the reader what Karen was doing.

Karen’s hips swayed as she stood next to the jukebox as Bryan Adams sang Everything I Do. Now you’ve shown the reader what Karen did and created a better visual. Don’t rely on self-editing alone. If you can’t afford editing services join an online writing group such as CritiqueCircle.com or Scribophile.

 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I try to be more original. That’s why I write across so many different genres. When I meet people and tell them I’m a writer, the next question is “What do you write?” And that’s when I give a silent “Uh Oh.” I can’t summarize it in one or two words because I don’t have twenty books about billionaires with different haircuts. But if you want originality, I write romance, comedy, suspense, noir, satire, memoir …

 

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from other genders?

Oh I love it! When I write a female character, it is the only time I can control what a woman thinks, says, and does.

 

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

3-4 months writing it, 4-6 months editing it.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Yes. It’s when your imaginary friends quit talking to you.

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**Don’t miss the rest of the series here! **

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Trouble Triangle

Tyler’s Trouble Trilogy Book 1

**Get it FREE!!**

Goodreads * Amazon

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Oceans of Trouble

Tyler’s Trouble Trilogy Book 2

**Only .99 cents!!**

Goodreads * Amazon

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Forbidden Trouble

Tyler’s Trouble Trilogy Book 3

**Only .99 cents!!**

Goodreads * Amazon

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Travis was brought up in Midwest America before embarking on a nine year Navy career that allowed him to travel the world and learn about life. He has ping-ponged across oceans moving from mainland United States to Hawaii, to Scotland, to Seattle, to England, to Minnesota, back to England, and back to Minnesota where he currently resides … for now

He writes easy-reading, light-hearted fiction and true stories about his own experiences that even the best fiction writer couldn’t make up. Relax by the beach or curl up on the couch on a rainy day while Travis takes you on fun-filled adventures that let you forget about life for a while and have a laugh.

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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