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Rivers and Creaks: A Redwoods Country Mystery
by Marc Jedel
Rivers and Creaks has set this series off to a grand start. The ending has me very intrigued about the future of Andy’s Quilt House Inn. I am anxious to see what Mr. Jedel has planned for Andy and his new friends next…
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
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Rivers and Creaks: A Redwoods Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
BGM Press (November 30, 2023)
Print length : 227 pages
Digital ASIN : B0CNBGWSCK
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A grumpy innkeeper. A dead guest. Can he solve the locked-room mystery before his business crumbles into chaos?
In the heart of Redwoods Country, where even the towering trees whisper secrets, there’s an innkeeper who’s anything but welcoming. Meet Andy Shirley—a man who’s made grumpiness an art form, detesting both guests and life’s little inconveniences. Now a dead guest and a killer on the loose threaten not only Andy’s solitude but his livelihood.
His cherished wife’s memory keeps him tethered to the small-town bed and breakfast they dreamt of running together. When a guest is found dead in a locked room, can this retired copy editor use his meticulous attention to detail to uncover the truth and save his business?
Fearing this shocking event will deter future guests and buyers, Andy’s frustration intensifies as the sheriff shifts his focus to a higher profile case. Yet, amidst this turmoil, Andy’s even more shocked when the most unexpected event happens as he hunts for clues . . . he strikes up an unlikely friendship.
Rivers and Creaks launches the humorous Redwoods Country cozy mystery series. If you like cranky but lovable characters, classic closed-door conundrums, and light-hearted fun, then you’ll love Marc Jedel’s laugh-out-loud tale. Imagine “Grumpy Old Men” merged with “Schitt’s Creek.”
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Enjoy this peek inside:
“Florida, here I come,” Juliet declared, her face brightening in anticipation. “Oh, and last thing, here’s the remote for the garage door.” She then swiveled and left the dining room with a final “Good luck owner.” Since we were right by the front door, she was gone in a jiffy.
Through the closed door, I could have sworn I heard her heels click together in a little leprechaun jump for joy.
On the heels of the front door closing, a man stumbled down the final few steps of the staircase and around the corner to where I stood. “Good morning,” he said through a huge yawn.
“Hmm,” I grunted as I gathered the disorganized pile of warranties, user manuals, and receipts Juliet had bestowed upon me as one of her parting gifts. What to tackle first?
“Didn’t sleep too well.” The man seemed compelled to explain his second yawn, not realizing I didn’t care. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties and a little taller than my nearly six feet, although his unkempt black hair made it difficult to tell for sure. He was in bare feet, wearing a pair of jeans and wrinkled shirt.
He seemed to wilt under my scrutiny. “I’m the groom. Xander Kagan.” He reached out his hand before retracting it when he noticed I didn’t bother to free up a hand from all the papers.
“Nervous?” I asked, not that I cared. My plan was to distract him while I stepped past. Pausing, I deposited the papers into a cabinet and shoved the door shut. I’d deal with those later.
“Guess so. Breakfast?” he asked.
“I already ate.” The Russian River Inn where I spent the night put out a good spread and started early. I’d been able to fuel up before this morning’s transfer of keys ceremony. That had worked well so I could prepare for my move-in and Juliet could get an early start for her long drive. I sure hoped the plumber would finish soon and leave me alone in my cottage. Between him and Juliet, I’d already had to deal with two more people today than I cared to.
“No, I mean for me.” Xander’s expression had turned puzzled.
“How should I know if you ate?” Like I was some sort of psychic.
“Did I hear her right?” He nodded toward the front door. “You own the place now?”
I took another step away. “Yeah, so?” His endless questions were trying my patience.
“Well, it is a bed and breakfast, isn’t it?”
Again with the questions. I frowned, wondering if he wanted praise for his reading skills. “Says so on the sign out front.”
“So, where’s my breakfast?”
The stairs made a lot of creaking sounds—yet another project to add to the list—and I glanced over as three more guests filed into the dining room.
Suddenly it hit me. They were expecting me to make them breakfast. Before she died that was supposed to be Catherine’s job. Feeling a hot prickling behind my eye, I steadied my breath and stared at the floor until I regained my composure. I jerked my thumb toward the kitchen behind me. “Help yourselves.”
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About Marc Jedel
Marc Jedel writes humorous murder mysteries. He credits his years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley for honing his writing skills and sense of humor. While his high-tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, these were just called emails, ads, and marketing collateral.
For most of Marc’s life, he’s been inventing stories. It’s a skill that’s served him well as both an author and marketer. The publication of Marc’s first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave him permission to claim “author” as his job. This leads to much more interesting conversations with people than answering, “marketing.”
Like his character, Andy, from the Redwoods Country Mystery series, Marc continues to grow older and would prefer not to run a bed-and-breakfast inn when he retires. Like his character, Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, Marc now lives in Silicon Valley, works in high-tech, and enjoys bad puns. Like his characters Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, he grew up in the South and spent plenty of time in and around Arkansas. Like all his protagonists, Marc too has a dog, although his is neurotic, sweet, and small, with little appreciation for Marc’s humor.
Author Links: Website / BookBub / Facebook / Goodreads / LinkedIn / Blog / Amazon
Purchase Links – Amazon
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