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If you love small towns, quirky characters, and an intriguing whodunit, you’ll love this cozy mystery series!
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Dead Before Dinner
A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 1
by Kat Bellemore
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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Green chile has never been more dangerous.
Psychologist Maddie Swallows’ decision to return to New Mexico seemed like a good idea at the time, considering the divorce and her two teenagers she’d dragged along for the ride.
But that was before the New Year’s Eve party she was guilt-tripped into attending. Before a member of the town council wound up dead and everyone at the party became a suspect. And before she was forced to unravel the secrets of her former hometown in order to clear her name.
Of course, with the help of two precocious teenagers and one meddling mother, the real murderer doesn’t stand a chance.
Dead before Dinner is the first book of the Maddie Swallows series. If you love small towns, quirky characters, and an intriguing whodunit, you’ll love this cozy mystery.
Pick up Dead before Dinner and get swept away in this New Mexican mystery series today!
**Start the series for FREE!**
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Trish tapped me on the arm. “Would you stop looking at the kitchen? I’m hungry too, but you shouldn’t make it so obvious.”
I tore my gaze away from the kitchen. I hadn’t even realized I’d been staring. “There’s something wrong with me, Trish. I shouldn’t be thinking about food. A woman just died, right in front of us. I’ve never seen a dead body before, but with Cameron always talking about serial killers, what if I’ve become desensitized? Maybe I no longer have a conscience.”
Trish gave me an amused smile. “Nothing’s wrong with the natural desire to eat—to survive. Everyone else is thinking it too, we just don’t want to be the ones to admit it.”
A knock on the door.
That had to be Dr. Harris.
Everyone froze where they were, all of us surrounding the table yet standing apart. Sam and Katie leaned against one wall, engaged in frantic whispering. When they caught me watching them, they both fell silent and turned away.
“Maybe someone should get the door,” Trish said.
Debbie started, like she’d just realized that someone should probably be her. She moved from where she’d stood in the kitchen doorway.
As soon as she’d turned the knob on the front door, Dr. Harris bustled in. He’d been fresh out of medical school when I’d left town, and it looked like he’d come into his own as he swept into the room with all the confidence that he’d lacked back then.
“I hear that Mrs. Bailey had a bit of a tumble,” he said, scanning the room. “Where is the woman?”
I raised an eyebrow and looked to Debbie. Hadn’t she told him what had really happened? She still seemed to be in shock and didn’t make any move to correct the doctor.
“It was more than a little tumble,” I said, taking a step toward Mrs. Bailey. We’d removed the place settings and used the table cloth to cover her, none of us able to bear looking at the poor woman in the state she was in. It wasn’t right. As much as we’d disliked her, she had been fierce and confident, never letting anyone, or anything, get in her way. And dying in this way… Well, she deserved better than being gawked at.
“Whatever it is, I’m sure I have just what she needs to feel right as rain.” The doctor placed his hands on his hips as his gaze swept over the seven of us.
A sudden wave of nausea rolled over me. “Doctor, she’s dead.”
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Dead Upon Arrival
A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 2
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Flying high in the New Mexican sky has never been more lethal.
The biggest hot air balloon festival would have been a vacation if Maddie didn’t have to balance her apathetic teenagers, a meddling mother, and act as therapist for a desperate patient. Let alone solve a murder case!
When Maddie witnesses someone fall from a hot air balloon, it seems like a tragic accident. But as facts come to light, the police are convinced it’s foul play. And Maddie’s friend is to blame.
With the remainder of the festival canceled and all attendees required to stay for questioning, Maddie has two days to discover the truth behind the murder and free her friend from suspicion.
Dead Upon Arrival is the second book in the Maddie Swallows mystery series. If you like humor, intrigue, and, of course, hot air balloons, you’ll love this cozy mystery.
Grab Dead Upon Arrival and test your whodunit skills today!
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“Unfortunately, we can’t tell you much about Charles Reed.” He looked truly sorry for it. “Didn’t know him all that well.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken,” I said. “I heard he’d been traveling all over the world with his balloon for several years now, and I assumed you all must be a fairly tight-knit community.”
Jeremiah was the one who spoke up this time. “Just because he managed to convince unsuspecting fools to fly him around didn’t mean he was a part of the community. The man never lifted a finger to help his crew, sitting back and ordering people around. Even tried to steal me from my own dad’s crew and gave us a hard time when I refused.”
My mom shook her head, like the thought disgusted her. “The more I hear about that man, the worse my opinion of him. It was probably a relief when you heard he’d died.”
Arnold shared an indecipherable look with Jeremiah. “I can’t say we’ll miss him, but no one deserves to die by falling from his own balloon.” He turned back to us. “Charles had a different pilot at every event, no one willing to put up with him longer than that, so I doubt Charles even knew his pilot’s name, let alone what kind of man he was. Something like this was bound to happen eventually.”
My defenses immediately rose, and before I thought better of it, I said, “Andy is as decent a man as they come. He didn’t do this.”
Arnold was quiet for a moment, studying me, and I wished that for once I’d been able to keep my mouth shut. “You know the pilot their holding at the police station?” he finally asked.
“Well, no, not exactly,” I said. “His reputation precedes him.”
Arnold nodded, like he’d thought as much. “Reputation doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t tell the truth of what lies in the soul. All it means is that this Andy person was very good at telling people what they wanted to hear. Take Charles Reed, for example. He was always flaunting his money, telling people of the charities he’d contributed to over the years. Told people that he hired more crew members than necessary, as well as a pilot, because he believed in giving good, honest folks jobs—helping them provide for themselves. Always raised himself up as a philanthropist. But really, he was covering up for his own laziness and the life of luxury that he’d always enjoyed.
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Dead Before I Do
A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 3
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‘Till Death Do You Part’ wasn’t supposed to be taken so literally…
When Maddie Swallows attends an out-of-town wedding with her best friend, Benji, she expects free food, dancing, and some awkward moments as she tries to figure out her feelings for her long-time friend.
What she finds instead is a dead groom and an entire wedding guest list who had reason to kill the guy.
It doesn’t help that Maddie was the last person to see the groom alive and is placed in the local police’s crosshairs as they work to solve the murder.
It will take some unexpected sleuthing, and a few therapy sessions, for this psychiatrist to prove her innocence, and bring justice to the real killer.
Dead Before I Do is the third book of the Maddie Swallows mystery series. If you love quirky characters, romance, and plenty of intrigue, you’ll love this cozy mystery.
Pick up Dead Before I Do and travel to White Sands National Park for Maddie’s latest mystery today!
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“I thought… I mean, I hoped that was the direction we’ve been moving in. But the best friend barrier — it’s been a tough one to cross,” I said, my gaze dropping to my lap. “And one that I haven’t been sure we’d ever make it over. We both have histories and baggage and —”
Benji leaned forward like he was going to stop my words with a kiss.
Just the subtle movement caused my lips to clamp shut, my eyes to widen, and me to lose my balance — despite the fact that I was sitting down. My hand shot out, and I planted it in the sand behind me.
Except, it didn’t feel like sand.
I screeched and shot up into the air, wiping my hand viciously against my pants.
Pain flashed across Benji’s features, and I realized what it must have seemed like—like the thought of him kissing me was enough to send me screaming.
And to be fair, it was. If Benji had kissed me, I had no doubt that later that day I’d have screamed in happiness. And panic. And relief. And fear.
But that isn’t what had sent me scrambling.
“There’s something under the sand,” I said, my voice shaking. “Something hairy. Dead coyote maybe?”
Benji’s forehead smoothed, and he chuckled. “I don’t think coyotes hang out at the sand dunes, considering they wouldn’t have a food source. Are you sure it wasn’t your jacket?”
I pointed to my jacket that lay a yard away in the opposite direction. “Not my jacket.”
Benji looked like he still thought I was being ridiculous, but he humored me by leaning forward and sticking his hand in the sand. And then he yanked his hand out of the sand so fast, he stumbled backwards.
I thought he might be messing with me, but one glance at him told me he was completely freaked out.
Something was buried in the sand.
“Well, we can’t just let an animal rot there,” I said. “There’s probably someone at the visitor center who can help us take care of it.”
Benji nodded slowly. The man climbed into all sorts of dark, creepy places for his job as a handyman, laid traps for all kinds of animals, and had killed more rattlesnakes and scorpions than I could keep track of.
But whatever lay dead in the sand had him unnerved.
When I looked back to the spot where the creature lay, I saw why.
The creature was no longer hidden, our movements having partially unearthed it.
And it wasn’t an animal.
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**Coming soon on July 31st!**
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A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 4
Connecting with my readers
When I set out to write the Maddie Swallows series, I had never read a cozy mystery book that included young children, with the exception of the Flavia De Luce series. She’s a child herself, but I suppose that still counts.
It just isn’t done very often. And that seemed strange to me.
I wanted characters that my readers could connect with. And so was born Maddie Swallows, a divorced, single mom to two teenagers. Who also happens to be a psychologist and is forced to leave her position at a large university and return to her hometown where she opens up a much-needed therapy office. (It wouldn’t be a cozy mystery without someone returning home after a long hiatus, right?)
I love writing with children as a main part of the series. They are hilarious and always trying to put themselves in the middle of things using skills that teenagers are best at. Like technology. (Don’t worry, they’re never in real danger.)
There’s of course the meddling mother and estranged childhood best friend in the mix.
My real goal with this series was to keep it real. The local sheriff isn’t bumbling around—she’s good at her job. Just needs a little help from the resident psychologist, whether she likes to admit it or not.
My hope is that you laugh a lot, that Maddie and her kids pull on your heartstrings at least a little, and that you’re able to solve the mystery right alongside them in the end.
Read the first book in the series, Dead Before Dinner, for free HERE.
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Kat Bellemore is a small-town romance and cozy mystery author. Deciding to have New Mexico as the setting for two of her series was an easy choice, considering its amazing sunsets, blue skies and tasty green chile. That, and she currently lives there with her husband and two cute kids. They hope to one day add a dog to the family, but for now, the native animals of the desert will have to do. Though, Kat wouldn’t mind ridding the world of scorpions and centipedes. They’re just mean.
You can visit Kat at www.kat-bellemore.com.
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Love the cover art! It sets the stage for the book.
Thank you so much! I have an amazing cover artist and I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Sounds amazing
This looks like a great novel
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it 😀
I love cozy mysteries. I love the vibrant cover.
Thank you so much! I have an amazing cover artist, and these books are so fun to write.
The books sound great.
Thank you so much! 😀
I do love stories in small towns with quirky characters so this is must read for me.
Ooh yes, me too. Hope you enjoy it! 😀
All I can say is, where has Kat Bellemore been? This is my first hearing of her and I was blown away by all her books on Goodreads. Thanks to this blog for the introduction.
Awww…you’re too kind! I’ve mostly written sweet small town romance up until this point, but cozy mysteries are where my heart is.
What New Mexico native animal is your favorite?
The roadrunner, for sure!
I would like to spend more time exploring New Mexico. White Sands National Park is one of those places.
White Sands National Park is my favorite! (Don’t go in the summer months though, unless you want to melt into the sand, ha ha)
Definitely the roadrunner!
fun covers
Thank you! I have an amazing cover artist to thank for that. 🙂
Sounds like a book I would enjoy reading. Adding to my TBR list.
Yay! I hope you enjoy it 😀
Sounds like a book I would enjoy reading. On my TBR list.
This sounds like a great cozy mystery. I like the cover and excerpt.
Sounds like a good mystery series.
Sounds like a great read.
What fun and colorful covers.
sherry @ fundinmental
This book looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on your book!
I love the covers! Cozy mysteries are my favorites genre.