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Root Of All Evil by Liz Milliron ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: September 21, 2023 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
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Root of all Evil
by Liz Milliron
September 18 – 29, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:

Rumors of a meth operation in rustic Fayette County catch the attention of Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan. When he learns that Aaron Trafford, a man who recently dodged a drug conviction, has returned to the county, the conclusion seems obvious. Trafford has set up a new operation. Meanwhile, assistant public defender Sally Castle’s colleague, Colin Rafferty, has become uncharacteristically nervous and secretive. Her suspicion that he’s hiding something serious is confirmed when she learns of a threatening visitor and discovers a note on his desk stating, “You’d better fix this” Colin’s subsequent murder is the first frayed thread in a complex web of deceit. Jim fears Sally’s stubborn determination to get justice for her friend will put her in a killer’s crosshairs, but Sally won’t rest until she finds answers–even if it costs her everything.

Get wrapped up in the thrilling world of Liz Milliron’s Laurel Highlands Mystery series! From the captivating Root of all Evil to the latest release, Thicker Than Water, this gripping series is a must-read for any mystery lover. Don’t wait, grab your copy today!
Praise for Root of all Evil:

“With a compelling plot, engaging concept and characters worth cheering for, Root of all Evil will keep you rooted to your seat.” ~ Kathy Valenti, Agatha-nominated author of the Magging O’Malley mysteries “Big city crime encroaches on the lush backdrop of Pennsylvania’s rustic Laurel Highlands in this tense and gritty debut. Liz Milliron has crafted a tightly written, heart-pounding tale of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one until its explosive conclusion.” ~ Annette Dashofy, USA Today bestselling author of the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series “Lawyers, guns and money; Root of all Evil is a true page-turner.” ~ Bruce Robert Coffin, bestselling author of the Detective Byron Mysteries “Root of all Evil is a gripping read! Sally Castle and Jim Duncan are complex characters with genuine depth, and the pacing is impeccable. Tensions on multiple levels will keep you turning the pages of this riveting police procedural.” ~ Cynthia Kuhn, author of the Agatha-winning Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries “Fast-paced, authentic and compelling – this tightly written procedural is action-packed and full of heart. Milliron definitely knows her stuff – what a wonderful new voice in crime fiction!” ~ Hank Phillipi Ryan, nationally best-selling author of Trust Me

 

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery – Police Procedural

Published by: Level Best Books Publication Date: August 14, 2018 Number of Pages: 301 ISBN: 9781947915053 (ISBN10: 1947915053) Series: Laurel Highlands Mystery (#1)

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

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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Sally Castle studied the menu for a moment, then put it down. “I’ll try the Fero lemberger and a tower of onion rings, please.” She looked across the table at Colin Rafferty, her colleague from the public defender’s office. The usual crowd at Lucky 7, men and women in varying levels of business and business-casual clothing, milled around their table. “Split them with me?” “Sure. A bottle of Miller Lite for me.” He slid the beer list back in the holder. “Miller Lite?” Sally asked as the waitress jotted down their order and walked off. “How long have you worked in Fayette County again?” Colin shrugged. “Almost two years and I know. You have some great local brews. I’m not a beer connoisseur.” He fiddled with the position of the salt and pepper shakers. Had it been that long? “Anything new this week?” she asked, leaning on the table, the dark brown wood reflecting the muted overhead lighting. He pushed away the cut-glass shakers. “Got assigned a new case today. De’Shawn Thomas, misdemeanor possession. This will be the third time I’ve been in court with him for the same damn charge. What the hell is the point?” He averted his gaze, studying Uniontown’s well-dressed business-class, all relaxing at the end of a hard week. Sally remembered the young hotshot who’d arrived believing public defense was rock bottom. Their regular end-of-week outings were part of trying to change that. Sometimes she thought she was getting somewhere. Other times, like now, maybe not. “Colin, I know it’s frustrating. But say you were in a high-priced private practice. Is defending someone’s trust-fund kid from his third DUI in six months any different?” “No.” The waitress reappeared with the beer and a glass of red wine. Colin took his bottle. “Red wine with onion rings?” Sally sipped the wine, which had a unique aftertaste: a hint of oak and a slight peppery kick. The menu said it was good with grilled meats and she could taste why. “Sure.” It would go great with the classic bar finger-food. They killed five minutes with small talk about their work until the waitress returned with the appetizer. Sally leaned forward to inhale the delicious sweet smell from the tower of fried snacks, then picked one off the top. “Got any big weekend plans?” she asked before biting into it. Sweet, salty, slightly greasy, and a burst of flavor from the herb seasoning in the crust. Yes, perfect with her wine. He tore apart an onion ring and popped half in his mouth. “There’s a film noir festival tomorrow. The Killers. D.O.A. Might go to that.” “Film noir. One of my faves.” “Well, you’re welcome to join me.” He finished off the other half of the onion ring, wiped his fingers, and took another swallow of beer. “Then it’s my mother’s sixty-fifth birthday on Sunday. After the year she’s had, we’re doing it up big.” “How is your mom?” “Good. Three months out, the doc is still happy with her numbers. The big thrill for her? Her hair is back.” Sally pointed at him. “Hair is important. Unlike men, women rarely look good bald. It’s terribly unfair.” “I’ll take your word for it. Anyway, the party should end soon enough to get home to watch the Steelers game.” She rolled her eyes and took a second onion ring. “You and your football.” “Hey, I may not care much about the beer, but I do love the sports.” The door opened, letting in a breeze that sent the pile of napkins on their table to the floor. Sally leaned over to pick them up. Above her, she heard Colin mutter and it sounded a lot like profanity. She sat up with the napkins and brushed hair from her forehead. Colin’s lighthearted expression had evaporated. He rearranged the standup cards listing available desserts and beers, trying to obscure his face. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “Bullshit.” He ducked his head, his chest almost flat to the table. “A guy I don’t want to see just walked in.” Sally craned her neck as she looked toward the door, but even the height of the bar-style chair didn’t allow her to see well over the crowd. She lifted herself up. “Get down!” Colin hissed, pulling at her sleeve. “What the hell?” She dropped back into her chair, still not seeing anyone who would upset her colleague this much. “Who is it?” His gaze darted around the room. He took a hurried gulp of beer and stood. “Never mind. I have to go to the men’s room. Be right back.” He headed toward the restrooms, snaking his way through the crowd, bending frequently to make sure he was behind other people, and keeping out of sight of the door. Once again, Sally tried to see through the crowd, but no one caught her eye. Who had walked in who would upset Colin so much? Jim Duncan took his bottle of Black Magick imperial stout and thanked the bartender. Why had he agreed to meet Zelinsky here? The bar, popular with the downtown Uniontown business scene, was way too crowded. He should have insisted on a quieter place to catch up with his fellow Pennsylvania State Trooper. Someplace where he could sit, get a bite to eat, and get Zelinsky’s impression of his new trainee. As Duncan scanned the crowd for Zelinsky, his gaze lit on another person. Sally Castle, sitting all by herself. Maybe this was a good place after all. Zelinsky could wait a few minutes. Duncan took a circuitous route to Sally’s table and came up beside her. “Only you would pair red wine and onion rings.” She started, but relaxed when she recognized him. “Red wine goes with anything, I’ve told you this before.” She lifted her glass and winked. A good sign. “You here by yourself?” “No.” She pointed at the empty chair and a Miller Lite bottle. “After work drinks with a friend.” “Your friend likes Miller Lite?” Clearly a friend without good taste. She suppressed a laugh. “Colin isn’t a beer snob, Jim. Not everyone has your discerning palate.” “Colin.” Sally was here with another guy. A bad sign. “Colin Rafferty. We work together.” She grinned. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous.” A man in a dark blue suit edged behind Jim. “Sally, we’ve been friends how long?” “A year or so.” “You have other friends. Some of them are men. I wasn’t jealous of what’s-his-name, the baseball trainer.” She brushed hair from her face. “Anyway, why are you here? This isn’t your scene, all the suits.” “I’m on training duty for a new trooper. It’s her second month. I want to talk to the previous FTO, get her impressions.” Sally took a bite of onion ring. “Is there a problem?” “No. I don’t like to let what happened before color my opinion, but I feel like I’m having a hard time connecting with Aislyn McAllister. That’s the trainee’s name. Thus far, she’s not very talkative. Hasn’t shared anything besides the fact she’s from Natrona Heights in the two shifts we’ve worked so far. I hope it’s not me.” “I’m quite sure it’s not you. You’re one of the nice guys.” He lifted his beer in thanks. “It’s a point of pride. I can count on one hand the number of folks I’ve had to fail out of training.” The Black Magick was excellent, bourbon flavor with chocolate notes. “By the way, I’m working first shift tomorrow. Supposed to be a great day if you’d like to go out on the reservoir with Rizzo and me.” Rizzo, his golden retriever, loved Sally. The weather forecast was calling for a perfect fall day: blue skies, mild temperatures, fluffy clouds. The water would be filled with boaters trying to cram in as much outdoor time as possible before the winter snows froze everything solid. “I might be meeting Colin for a film noir festival.” She took in his expression and a smile spread across her face. “Ah ha! You are jealous.” Duncan had a horrible track record with women. Just ask his ex. However, after a year of friendship, maybe this was Sally’s way of telling him she was sick of waiting for him to make a move. “Do you want me to be?” He studied her face. Sally flushed and turned her attention back to her food. Okay, maybe not. He paused. “You come here a lot?” With the friend who drinks Miller Lite? “Every Friday. I’ve been mentoring Colin this last year and it’s part of our ritual.” She tore a piece of onion ring off the stand on the table. “Speaking of Colin, where the hell is he?” Ah, she was mentoring. He should have known Sally wouldn’t date a man who made such horrible choices in beer. Duncan looked around, even though he had zero idea what this guy looked like. Everybody was paired up, chatting, and snacking after a hard week’s work. “He said he was going to the men’s room. I didn’t think guys took that long.” “Not usually.” Duncan set his beer on the table. He stood and stretched to his full six-foot-three so he could see over the crowd. “Caucasian, early thirties, white shirt, dark suit, gold tie?” “That’s Colin. You see him?” “Yeah, he’s by the restrooms. Looks like he’s arguing with someone.” Duncan dropped back down, the crowd of people blocking his view. Sally’s eyebrows puckered. “Who’s he arguing with? Can you tell?” Duncan took a pull from his beer. “A guy in a suit. He had his back to me. Hold on.” He stretched up again, pushing up on the table to try for a bit more height, and looked in the direction of the restroom. Rafferty was nowhere in sight. *** Excerpt from Root of all Evil by Liz Milliron. Copyright 2018 by Liz Milliron. Reproduced with permission from Liz Milliron. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Liz Milliron:

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Liz Milliron

A recovering technical writer, Liz Milliron is the author of The Laurel Highlands Mysteries, set in the scenic Laurel Highlands and The Homefront Mysteries, set in Buffalo NY during the early years of World War II. She is a member of Pennwriters, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and The Historical Novel Society. She is the current vice-president of the Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime and is on the National Board as the Education Liaison. Liz splits her time between Pittsburgh and the Laurel Highlands, where she lives with her husband and a very spoiled retired-racer greyhound.

Catch Up With Our Author: LizMilliron.com Goodreads BookBub – @mary1414 Instagram – @LizMilliron Twitter/X – @LizMilliron Facebook – @LizMilliron

 

 

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What I See Is Love by Gabriella Fiorletta ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: September 20, 2023 in Children's books, giveaways, reviews
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Book Details:

Book Title:  What I See is Love by Gabriella Fiorletta
Category:  Children’s Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 38 pages
Genre:  Children’s Book
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:  August 8, 2023
Content Rating:  G.  This children’s book is for everyone.

Book Description:

In the daily rush to get to school and work, check the alerts on our phones, worry about scary monsters (AAAHHHH!), and keep up with our favorite shows, it can be easy to lose sight of the most important thing in life―love.

But from kindly crossing guards to thoughtful neighbors to our closest friends and family, love is everywhere. It’s in the smell of Mom’s freshly baked croissants. It’s in the wag of a dog’s tail. It’s in a teacher’s warm greeting at the schoolhouse. And it’s in a goodbye kiss from Dad as he makes his way to work.

​When the world sometimes feels uncertain and the sky feels gray, just look around and notice how love can melt your worries away.

Buy the Book:​
Amazon
add to goodreads
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MY REVIEW

The title, What I See Is Love, is exactly what you’ll see in this precious children’s book.  A young girl starts each day with a delicious breakfast and a good morning kiss before being sent off to school. Her day is filled with acts of kindness and love from people she encounters up to and including bedtime. The illustrations are colorful and fun and show the many ways the little things can mean so much.

I came away from this feeling so good. So hopeful. And it made me think I should stop and smell the roses more often. Notice those small, everyday things that meant much more than I realized.

A treasure for kids and adults, this would be a perfect family read to enjoy over and over again.

5 STARS

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Meet Author Gabriella Fiorletta:

Gabriella Fiorletta studied English literature at the University of South Florida. She is a former teacher, guidance counselor, and stay-at-home mom. When she is not reading a book to her three young children, you can find her enjoying the beaches of sunny Florida, cooking her favorite Italian meals, or planning her family’s next RV adventure. Writing a children’s book has been a dream of hers since she was a little girl. One night when she was tucking her daughter Charlotte into bed, she pointed to her mom’s heirloom necklace and said, “Mom, when I look at you, I see love.” With that, the foundation of Gabriella’s first children’s book was laid.

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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What I See is Love Book Tour Giveaway

 

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Midnight Quakes by C. S. Patra ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: September 19, 2023 in Fantasy, giveaways, middle grade
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Ria’s world is shaken one night when midnight strikes.
Is she the only one who can stop the destruction?
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Midnight Quakes

by C.S. Patra

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

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For 12-year-old Ria Sharma, mixing in with crowds and other people hasn’t been easy. A budding geologist, she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty, be it for experiments or her latest science fair project. Unfortunately, no one else feels the same and her relationships, especially with her mother, are strained. Not wanting Ria to end up like her estranged sister Debolina, who left home to pursue her art dreams, her parents do their best to keep her from anything dangerous, science or not. So Ria woefully has to work in secret, hoping one day to change their minds.

Everything shifts when strange earthquakes erupt around midnight, despite not living near fault lines. Only Ria feels them and knows something’s wrong under the surface. After digging around, she discovers mysterious clay pieces with a drawing of the world falling apart. She also notices that many people and places disappear after each quake. Soon, she discovers the pieces, disappearances, and her own family are all connected to this phenomenon. Using her science knowledge plus Debolina’s help, Ria races to put the pieces together before the quakes cause the Earth to disappear into thin air.

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**New Release!**

Amazon * Goodreads

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CS Patra is the Amazon bestselling author of several book series. They include but are not limited to The Reaper’s Apprentices, Operation: Genome, Cirque Macabre, Portman’s Creamery mysteries, The Patterns & Parallels Saga, Ghosts of Burning Inn, and Flavors of Love. She loves to dabble in different genres and loves to cross over. Her personal favorite thing is write about female characters in different situations. She is also fond of writing many LGBT stories and stories focused on PoCs.

Although she does work during the day, most of her nights are taking up by writing. A native of North Carolina, she currently lives in Nebraska with her husband. She loves ladybugs, yellow roses, movies, book signings, mysteries, watching old Youtube videos, ghost stories, gossip, music, people making her fanart, museums, ice cream, and being a wisecrack though not all in that order. Writing and peacocks hit the top of her list though.

Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

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Reckoning by Baron Birtcher ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: September 19, 2023 in giveaways, reviews, thriller, Western
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RECKONING by Baron Birtcher Banner

RECKONING
by Baron Birtcher
September 4 – 29, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

 

RECKONING by Baron Birtcher

 

Synopsis:
Ty Dawson is a small-town sheriff with big-city problems, in this riveting crime thriller from the award-winning author of Fistful of Rain.

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As lawman, rancher, and Korean War veteran, Ty Dawson has his share of problems in the southern Oregon county he calls home. Despite how rural it is, Meriwether can’t keep modernity at bay. The 1970s have changed the United States—and Meriwether won’t be spared. A standoff looms when the US Fish & Wildlife Service seeks to separate longtime cattleman KC Sheridan from his water supply—ensuring the death of his livestock. If that’s not enough trouble, a Portland detective is found dead in a fly-fishing resort cabin. Though the Portland police, including the victim’s own partner, are eager to write off the tragedy as a suicide, Ty has his own thoughts on the matter—as well as evidence that points to murder. His suspicions soon mire him in a swamp of corruption that threatens nearly everyone around him. Turns out that greed and evil are contagious—and they take down men both great and small . . .

Praise:

“Combines the mystery and honesty of Craig Johnson’s Longmire with the first-person narration of a fiercely independent Oregon character.” ~ Sheila Deeth, author of John’s Joy “A masterful work of a time gone by . . . Ty Dawson is a cowboy, lawman, father and philosopher like none other.” ~ Neal Griffin, Los Angeles Times–bestselling author of The Burden of Proof “Outstanding… Readers will crave more from Dawson.” ~ Publishers Weekly

 

Book Details:

Genre: Neo-western crime thriller

Published by: Open Road Integrated Media Publication Date: June 2023 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 978-1-5040-8280-8 Series: Sheriff Ty Dawson Series, #3

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Open Road Media

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MY REVIEW

Corruption, murder and a standoff. Reckoning is just what the title says. And local rancher and sheriff Ty Dawson plans to deliver.

Ty did what I call ‘stand tall” against the powers that be that want to take, take, take. His conviction and honesty stood out among the wicked and he was going to make sure the innocent were protected and the guilty would face their comeuppance.  Every time he “spoke” in the book I perked up and paid attention. His voice was strong and he stood by what he said.

When a book gets me all riled up and I myself want to see justice done, that’s when I can’t recommend it enough.

5 STARS

 

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Prelude:
A TRANSITIVE NIGHTFALL
NO CHILD IS brought into this world with any knowledge of true evil. This they learn over the passage of time. In my experience as a Sheriff, and as a rancher, I have found this precept to be true. Time passes nevertheless, even if it passes slowly. Here in rural southern Oregon, sometimes it seemed as if it hadn’t moved at all, advancing without touching Meriwether County, except with glancing blows. That is, until the day it caught up with us all, and came down like a goddamn hammer.

CHAPTER ONE

ORDINARILY, AUTUMN IN Meriwether County would come in hard and sudden, like a stone hurled through a window. But this year it snuck in slow and mild, lingered there deceitfully while we waited for the axe to come down. The sky that morning was turquoise, empty of clouds, the altitude strung with elongated V’s of migrating geese and a single contrail that resembled a surgical scar, the narrows between the high valley walls opening onto a broad vista of rangeland some distance below. I had expected ice patches to have formed on the pavement overnight, but the weather had remained stubbornly dry, even as temperatures closed in on the low thirties. I tipped open the wind-wing and let the chill air blow through the cab of my pickup as I stretched, and drank off the last dregs of coffee I had brought for the long southward drive from the town of Meridian. I had received a phone call at home the night before from an unusually distressed KC Sheridan. I had known KC for as long as I can remember, a pragmatic and taciturn cattleman whose family history in the area dated back to the late 1800s, much like that of my own. Three generations of Sheridans had stretched fence wire, planted feed-grass and run rough stock across deeded ranchland that measured its acreage in the tens of thousands, and whose boundaries straddled two separate counties, one of which was my jurisdiction. But the decade of the ’70s thus far had not been any kinder or gentler to cowboys than to anyone else, and KC and his wife, Irene, had found themselves increasingly subject to the fulminations and intimidation of both local and federal government. While the Sheridan ranch had once numbered itself among a dozen privately held agricultural properties in the region, KC now found himself surrounded on three sides by a federally designated wildlife refuge that had swollen to encompass well over three hundred square miles; a bird sanctuary originally conceived under the auspices of President Theodore Roosevelt’s white house. All of which would have been perfectly fine and acceptable to the Sheridan family, given the understanding that the scarce water supply that ultimately fed into the bird sanctuary belonged to the Sheridans by legal covenant, as it had for nearly a century. I turned off the paved two-lane and onto a gravel service road, headed in the direction of the ridgeline where KC sat silhouetted against the bright backdrop of clear sky, mounted astride his chestnut roping horse. KC climbed out of the saddle as I parked a short distance away, switched off the ignition and stepped down from my truck. KC trailed the horse behind him as he moved in my direction, took off his hat and ran a forearm across his brow, then pressed it back onto his head. His hair and his eyes shared a similar shade of gunmetal grey, and the hardscrabble nature of his existence as a rancher had been recorded in the deep lines of his face. “What the hell am I supposed to do about these goings-on, Sheriff?” KC asked, and cocked his brim in the general direction of a reservoir that was the size of a small mountain lake. Two men wearing construction hardhats were surveying a line on the near shore where a third man studied a roll of blueprints he had unfurled across the hood of his work truck. “Is that who I think it is?” I asked. “They aim to fence off my water. My cows won’t last a week in this weather.” “Have you talked to them, KC?” He nodded. “’Bout as useful as standing in a bucket and trying to lift yourself up by the handle. It’s the reason I finally called you, Ty. I didn’t know what else to do.” The vein on KC’s temple palpitated as he cut his eyes toward the foothills and spat. “I’ll have a word with them,” I said. “You wait here.” A wintry wind had begun to blow down from the pass, pushing channels through the dry grass and the sweet scents of juniper and scrub pine. A harrier swept down out of a cluster of black oaks and made a series of low passes across the flats. I averted my eyes as the sun glinted off the US Department of Fish & Wildlife shield affixed to the driver side door of a government-issue Chevy Suburban. The man studying the blueprints didn’t bother to lift his head or look at me as I stepped up beside him. “Care to tell me why you and your men are trespassing on private ranch land?” I asked. The man sighed, scrutinizing me over the frames of a pair of steel-rimmed reading glasses. He had a face that put me in mind of an apple carving, and a physique that resembled a burlap sack filled with claw hammers. “Who the hell are you now?” he asked. “Ty Dawson, Sheriff of Meriwether County. That’s the name of the county you’re standing in.” He took off his reading glasses and slipped them into his shirt pocket, hitched a work boot onto the Suburban’s bumper and offered me an approximation of a smile. “Well, Sheriff, I’m with Fish and Wildlife—that’s an agency of the federal government, as I’m sure you’re aware—and I have a work order that says I’m supposed to put up a fence. And that’s exactly what me and my crew are doing here.” I gestured upslope, where KC Sheridan stood watching us, his arms crossed in front of his chest. “You’re on that man’s private property,” I said. The government man made no move to acknowledge KC. “I don’t split hairs over those types of details, Sheriff. The work order I’ve got lays out the metes and bounds of the line, and me and my crew just install the fence where it says to. It ain’t brain surgery.” “Scoot over and let me have a look at that site map.” “I oughtta radio this in.” “You do whatever you think you need to,” I said. “But do it while I’m looking at your map.” He lifted his chin and looked as though he was conducting a dialogue with himself, then finally stepped to one side. I studied the blueprint for a few moments, looked out across the rock-studded range and got my bearings. “Looks to me like the boundary line for the bird refuge is at least a hundred yards to the other side of this reservoir,” I said. “Your map is mismarked.” “The agency doesn’t mismark maps, Sheriff.” “They sure as hell mismarked this one. You need to stop your work until this gets sorted out.” “That’s not going to happen.” “Care to repeat that? There’s clearly been a mistake.” “No mistake. You need to step away, Sheriff.” “Let me explain something to you,” I said, removing my sunglasses. “It’s the law in the State of Oregon that the water that comes up on Mr. Sheridan’s property belongs to Mr. Sheridan. Period. If you fence off his reservoir—especially this late in the season—you’re not only stealing his water, you’re murdering his herd.” The agency man lifted his foot off the bumper, set his feet wide and faced off with me. He slid both hands into the back pockets of his canvas overalls and rocked back on his heels. “Now it’s my turn to try to explain something to you, Sheriff: I been given a job to do, and I intend to do it. If you don’t walk away right this minute and leave me to it, I will be forced to radio this in. Long and the short of it is, the guys who will come out here after me will have badges, too. And their badges are bigger than yours.” “I won’t allow you to trespass onto private property, steal this man’s water and kill his livestock.” He glanced at his two crewmen staking the line then turned his attention back to me. “You going to arrest us?” he asked. “What is it with you agency people? Why is it that your first inclination is to slam the pedal all the way to the floor?” “When me and the boys come back out here, it won’t just be the three of us no more.” “I’m finished talking about this,” I said. “Pack up your gear and go.” I could feel his eyes boring holes into the back of my head as I picked my way back up the incline where Sheridan stood waiting for me. “I can tell by your stride that you had the same kind of dialogue experience I had with that fella,” KC said. “Bureaucrats with hardhats.” “I ain’t no cupcake, Dawson. But, you know that those sonsabitches have been tweaking my nose for years.” “Those men are part of a federal agency, KC, make no mistake. If you’re not careful, they’ll try to roll right over the top of you.” “What do you call what they’re doing right now? I don’t intend to lay down for it.” “I’m not saying you should.” “What, then?” “Get on the phone and call Judge Yates up in Salem,” I said. “Ask him if he can slap an injunction on these clowns until we get it sorted out.” Sheridan’s horse pinned back his ears and began to shuffle his forelegs, responding to the tone our conversation had taken. KC calmed the animal with a caress of its neck, dipped into the pocket of his wool coat, snapped off a few pieces of carrot and fed it to the gelding from the flat of his palm. “I’ll do it, Ty, but I swear to god—” “KC, you call me before you do anything else, you understand?” *** Excerpt from RECKONING by Baron Birtcher. Copyright 2023 by Baron Birtcher. Reproduced with permission from Baron Birtcher. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Baron R. Birtcher:
Baron Birtcher

Baron R Birtcher is the LA TIMES and IMBA BESTSELLING author of the hardboiled Mike Travis series (Roadhouse Blues, Ruby Tuesday, Angels Fall, and Hard Latitudes), the award-winning Ty Dawson series (South California Purples, Fistful Of Rain, and Reckoning), as well as the critically-lauded stand-alone, RAIN DOGS. Baron is a five-time winner of the SILVER FALCHION AWARD, and the WINNER of 2018’s Killer Nashville READERS CHOICE AWARD, as well as 2019’s BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR for Fistful Of Rain. He has also had the honor of having been named a finalist for the NERO AWARD, the LEFTY AWARD, the FOREWORD INDIE AWARD, the 2016 BEST BOOK AWARD, the Pacific Northwest’s regional SPOTTED OWL AWARD, and the CLAYMORE AWARD. Baron’s writing has been hailed as “The real deal” by Publishers Weekly; “Fast Paced and Engaging” by Booklist; and “Solid, Fluent and Thrilling” by Kirkus. “YOU WANT TO READ BIRTCHER’S BOOKS, THEN YOU WANT TO LIVE IN THEM” — Don Winslow, NYT Bestselling author “BIRTCHER IS PART POET, PART PHILOSOPHER, AND A CONSUMMATE WRITER” — Reed Farrel Coleman, NYT Bestselling author “REMINISCENT OF THE LATE, GREAT ELMORE LEONARD” — Shots Magazine (UK)

Catch Up With Baron Birtcher: Instagram – @baronrbirtcherauthor Facebook

 

 

Tour Participants:

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 Baron Birtcher. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
 

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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10 Dogs by Emily Gravett ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: September 18, 2023 in Children's books, giveaways, reviews, Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the 10 DOGS by Emily Gravett Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: 10 DOGS

 by Emily Gravett

 

 

Pub. Date: September 19, 2023

Publisher: Boxer Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 32

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/10-DOGS 

 

Award-winning, bestselling author and
illustrator Emily Gravett delivers a hilarious tale of mishap and mayhem as ten
dogs pursue a chain of sausage links in this early-learning picture book,
perfect for anyone looking for books for 3-year-olds and up.  

From dachshund to dalmation, every dog wants a piece of the prize. Follow this
high-stakes adventure as the scales tip from one dog with all the sausages and
nine dogs with none to nine dogs with all the sausages and one dog with none.
Will ten hungry dogs ever find a way to share ten tasty treats?

Gravett’s playful art and clever plot twists create page-turning suspense,
making this dog book perfect for repeat read-aloud fun.

This charming counting book is perfect for helping young readers learn about
sharing as well as how to countn to ten. Emily Gravett’s adorable dog art
makes 10 Dogs just as appealing to those looking for funny dog
books as it is for anyone searching for kids books for ages 3—5.

 

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MY REVIEW

Oh, what a fun book about counting!  I love dogs and sausages and the book is filled with fun, cute illustrations of dogs and what they do with the sausages. Ten sausages sitting on the kitchen table, unsupervised. Ten hungry dogs, drooling. As you can imagine, they cause a mess.

It’s all about counting and is such a delightful way to learn as your child finds which dogs have sausages, how many and which have none. Warning: some sausages are hidden by sneaky dogs. And so many different dogs too.

Picture you and your family huddled together as you count along. I was grinning ear to ear while turning each page and very much recommend this book to all families.

5 STARS

 

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About Author Emily Gravett:

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Emily Gravett is the two-time winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal
for Wolves and Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears.
Her internationally award-winning picture books include Meerkat Mail, Tidy, and Old
Hat. She has illustrated bestselling fiction, including Matt Haig’s Evie
and the Animals and a recent full-color edition of Quidditch
Through the Ages.

Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

 

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Ends September 26th, midnight EST.

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Voices of Cancer by Lynda Wolters ~ Excerpt And Giveaway

Posted: September 18, 2023 in Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Voices Of Cancer organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Lynda Wolters will be awarding a $25 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.

Voices Of Cancer

by Lynda Wolters

 

 

Genre: Non-Fiction

Synopsis

“I don’t know what to say” and “I don’t know what to do” are common responses to a life-threatening diagnosis. Voices of Cancer is here to help.

Every cancer story is different, but there is one commonality: both patients and the people supporting them often struggle to properly articulate their wants and needs through particularly challenging and in many cases, uncharted territory. Lynda Wolters knows firsthand: she was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal mantle cell lymphoma in August of 2016.

Voices of Cancer offers a candid look into the world of a cancer patient, informed by Lynda’s own story and conversations had with dozens of patients weighing in on their needs, wants, and dislikes as they navigate the complex world of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. With comprehensive and accessible insight from people who’ve been there, Voices of Cancer helps educate, dispel fears, and start positive conversations about what a cancer diagnosis truly means, while shining a light on how best to support a loved one on their own terms.

Check out this peek inside:

Tip 1: A good way to get involved is to find out when a patient is going to an appointment or having treatment and then be there for them. I do that with my cancer friends, and they are always genuinely happy to see me, even if I am only there to share a hug. It is surprising how a five-minute visit can carry a patient through an otherwise long, lonely day.

Tip 2: Setting up a meal delivery chain through mutual friends is a great way to be present and available to the patient and their family.

Tip 3: Checking to make sure the patient has adequate transportation to and from appointments is very useful because, most times, we patients either do not feel up to driving or are unable to drive after receiving treatment.

Tip 4: It is also helpful to have someone clean the house, even if that only means the bathroom and the kitchen. My husband did his best to do it all: work, cook, take care of me, clean. But, oh, what I would have given for a hand in this area, as I felt a lot of guilt by not being able to keep up my own house for a year.

Tip 5: Leading on from the previous tip, another way to provide support is to keep the patient’s caregiver in mind. That person has the weight of the world on their shoulders with all the added responsibilities. And don’t think the patient doesn’t realize this, which in turn adds unhealthy stress to the situation. The sense of guilt that comes with this can at times be overwhelming to the patient. Consider taking the caregiver out for a much-needed cup of coffee or meal, or perhaps sit with the patient so the caregiver can go for a solo walk or on an outing with friends. If the caregiver is running on empty, everyone feels it, so being present and available to the caregiver is a huge help to the patient. Whatever you do, we do love you for trying: anything is better than nothing. It is on the patient to educate friends and family as much as it is on the non-patient to be sensitive to the irritating little sayings that seem so harmless. Bottom line: most patients would prefer a well-meaning gesture, such as a meal or a visit, to an empty cliché that is better left on a T-shirt or a charity wristband.

About Author Lynda Wolters:

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Lynda was born and raised in a tiny farming community of 400 in northern Idaho. She worked on the family farm, with her first job being picking rocks out of the fields and ultimately graduating up the ladder to driving a grain truck and combine during harvest. Following high school, Lynda continued her education in Las Vegas before she moved back home to Idaho to raise her three sons.

Lynda still resides in Idaho with her husband and their peekapoo, Max.

Lynda has worked in the legal field for 30+ years and enjoys ballroom and swing dancing, horseback riding, kayaking, and river rafting. She has a heart for people and enjoys regularly volunteering. She spends the bulk of her spare time reading and writing.

Lynda was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) in August 2016. She touts herself as being a thriving warrior of the disease.

Lynda has completed two books of nonfiction: Voices of Cancer, released in October 2019, and Voices of LGBTQ+, released in August 2020.

The Placeholder, Lynda’s debut novel, was released in November 2022.

Lynda has published the following articles: Navigating the Workplace with Chemo Brain, February 23, 2020, Elephants and Tea. and When Masks Weren’t Popular, March 24, 2020, Patient Power. She has spoken on several podcasts, been a guest on a local talk show regarding Voices of Cancer, and given interviews for other outlets and print.

Jane Brody wrote up Voices of Cancer in the New York Times, her article entitled What to Say to Someone with Cancer, on January 13, 2020, with a follow-up on January 20, 2020, entitled, When Life Throws You a Curveball, Embrace the New Normal.

The Chinese translation rights of Voices of Cancer have been purchased by a grant to offer the book to medical students in Tawain.

Lynda donates Voices of Cancer books and a portion of its proceeds to Epic Experience, a nonprofit camp for adult survivors and thrivers of cancer located in Colorado.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Facebook Page / Instagram / Twitter

Amazon links: Kindle / Hard Copy / Audible

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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.

Murder At The Elms ~ A Gilded Newport Mystery by Alyssa Maxwell

Posted: September 18, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
by Alyssa Maxwell

 


Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Setting – Rhode Island
Kensington (August 22, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496736192
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496736192
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNCLTC7P

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As the nineteenth century comes to a close, the illustrious Vanderbilt family dominates Newport, Rhode Island, high society. But when murder arrives, reporter Emma Cross learns that sometimes the actions of the cream of society can curdle one’s blood in the latest installment of this bestselling cozy historical mystery series . . .

1901: Back from their honeymoon in Italy, Emma and Derrick are adapting to married life as they return to their duties at their jointly owned newspaper, the Newport Messenger. The Elms, coal baron Edward Berwind’s newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate, is newsworthy for two reasons: A modern mansion for the new century, it is one of the first homes in America to be wired for electricity with no backup power system, generated by coal from Berwind’s own mines. And their servants—with a single exception—have all gone on strike to protest their working conditions. Summarily dismissing and replacing his staff with cool and callous efficiency, Berwind throws a grand party to showcase the marvels of his new “cottage.”

Emma and Derrick are invited to the fete, which culminates not only in a fabulous musicale but an unforeseen tragedy—a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel. In short order, it is also discovered that a guest’s diamond necklace is missing and a laborer has disappeared.

Detective Jesse Whyte entreats Emma and Derrick to help with the investigation and determine whether the murdered maid and stolen necklace are connected. As the dark deeds cast a shadow over the blazing mansion, it’s up to Emma to shine a light on the culprit . . .

Excerpt 

About Alyssa Maxwell

Alyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She has worked in publishing as a reference book editor, ghost writer, and fiction editor, but knew from an early age that she wanted to be a fiction author. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain and Ireland fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She and her husband have make their home in South Florida. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Facebook Sleuths In Crime 

Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 18 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 18 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 19 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 20 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 20 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 22 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

September 22 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 24 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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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.

Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark ~ A Bean To Bar Mystery by Amber Royer

Posted: September 17, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark
(A Bean to Bar Mystery)
by Amber Royer

 

Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark (A Bean to Bar Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Texas
Golden Tip Press (September 12, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9YXTC78

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Felicity Koerber’s bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is hosting the friends and family coming into town for her best friend Autumn’s wedding. As matron of honor, Felicity has a ton of tasks to complete – including making chocolates for the gift bags. She doesn’t have time to solve another murder. But when one of the bridesmaids becomes a prime suspect in the death of a visiting real estate agent, Felicity has to put her detecting skills to use again to keep the wedding plans from getting derailed.

She’s already nervous about the impeding deadline she’s given herself to finally choose between her two love interests – and figuring where life goes once she makes her choice. But add in a missing pigmy goat and a new coffee shop that wants to partner with her, and she’s frazzled.

She begins to discover that not everything is as it seems among the wedding guests. Can she handle the wedding preparations, pull off turning her shop into a concert venue, and unmask the killer – before anyone else dies?

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Recipe Post

In each of my Bean to Bar mysteries, I try to explore something different about chocolate, from how it is made to how it is used in cooking.  For Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark, I wanted to talk about chocolate in savory cooking.  This is something my husband and I explored extensively in our cookbook, There’s Herbs in My Chocolate, which combined culinary herbs with chocolate in both sweet and savory recipes.  We did the cookbook while we were active with the Forth Worth Herb Society.  In the first Bean to Bar Mystery, I used one of the recipes from the cookbook to give Carmen, the Greetings and Felicity Pastry Chef her cooking style, working with chocolate my protagonist Felicity had made.  In Something Borrowed, I have Enrique, a chef who has done a number of pop-up dinners (and pop-up appearances in the series) catering the wedding that forms the centerpiece of the plot.  He decides to play with savory chocolate in a course that includes this Dark Chocolate Mushroom Arancini (which originally appeared in the cookbook).

 

Dark Chocolate Mushroom Arancini

Makes 8-10 Servings

Traditionally, people made arancini to use up leftover risotto. It’s amazing how many delicious things result from the need not to waste leftovers. These fried balls, with their gooey, cheesy centers, are no exception. The dark chocolate complements the flavor of the mushrooms in the risotto itself, and the herbs in the panko crust are a nod back to Italy. You can use a commercially prepared Italian herb blend or mix together your own dried herbs. If you blend your own, be sure to include dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage.

4 cups Dark Chocolate Mushroom Risotto, cooled (see below)

1 cup fresh mozzarella, well drained and cubed

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 eggs, lightly whisked

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons dried Italian herb blend

2 cups canola oil

Take a spoonful of risotto and fill it with a cube of mozzarella. Shape the risotto into small even balls. Continue the process until all the risotto has been used.

In a small bowl, mix the flour with the salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs in a second bowl. Combine the panko and the Italian seasoning in a third bowl.

Dip each risotto ball into the flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the breadcrumbs, evenly coating it with each layer. Place on a tray and repeat until all arancini are prepared.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan until a dropped in bit of panko sizzles, then fry the arancini in small batches for about 2 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Remove from the pan, pat them dry on kitchen paper, and serve immediately.

Dark Chocolate Mushroom Risotto

8 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, diced, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups fresh baby portobello mushrooms, diced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus whole sprigs for garnish

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 ounces dark chocolate

1 tablespoon truffle oil

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit

2 cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup of the chicken stock. Chop finely and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs, butter, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Drizzle in the truffle oil, then add the reconstituted porcini and the dark chocolate. Sauté until the chocolate melts, then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well coated and opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Add the chicken broth 1 cup at a time, stirring until the rice has absorbed each cup of liquid before adding more. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Add the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook briefly until melted.

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About Amber Royer

Amber Royer writes the CHOCOVERSE comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the BEAN TO BAR MYSTERIES. She is also the author of STORY LIKE A JOURNALIST: A WORKBOOK FOR NOVELISTS, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She blogs about creative writing techniques and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach. If you are very nice to her, she might make you cupcakes.  Chocolate cupcakes, of course.

Author Links: Website / Blog / Instagram / Facebook 

YouTube / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

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September 12 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 12 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

September 13 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT  

September 13 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 14 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 17 – FUONLYKNEW – RECIPE POST

September 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – Socrates Book Reviews  – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 21 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 22 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

 

 

 

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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.

Ragtown by Kelly Stone Gamble ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: September 16, 2023 in giveaways, Historical
Tags: ,
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Ragtown

by Kelly Stone Gamble

 

Publication date: September 12th 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical

Helen Carter lives in the back seat of her father’s Model T in the harsh Nevada desert, surrounded by thousands of desperate souls trying to endure the hardships of the Great Depression. When her father dies while working on the Hoover Dam diversion tunnels, she finds herself alone. In this unforgiving landscape where marriage, prostitution, and starvation seem to be her only viable choices, Helen is determined to defy society’s expectations of a young woman and create her own American dream. She relies on her resourcefulness to survive but soon realizes she can’t go it alone.

Ezra Deal, a young dam worker, brought his sister to Nevada in search of the father of her child, only to have the man reject her. Tragically, both his sister and the baby pass away during childbirth, leaving Ezra with a profound sense of guilt. Determined to distance himself from any further responsibilities, he focuses on his job and locating the man who callously denied his sister. But when he learns that his friend Helen is running from not only the law but also a Las Vegas gangster, he must decide between his independent lifestyle and helping her.

As Helen and Ezra grow closer and become more invested in the diversion of the Colorado River from its course, their lives parallel this monumental change. Ezra can picture building a life with Helen, but she has other ideas. With the help of a thirteen-year-old runaway, a few prostitutes, a dead desperado, and Ezra, Helen embarks on a journey to live life on her terms.

Incorporating actual dramatic events gleaned from the oral histories of the dam workers, Ragtown highlights a time in American history when ordinary men and women overcame the challenges of the Great Depression and thrived.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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Enjoy this peek inside:

EZRA

When we reached the camp, a circle of ten or so men surrounded another, who quickly shifted from one man to the next, cussing and threatening them with a hayfork. In the center of the circle, two small figures lay naked on the ground. Their hands and legs were spread wide apart and appeared to be tied to tent stakes. They weren’t moving.

Ben was coughing uncontrollably when he reached us. “Dear Lord,” he said in between coughs. “What the hell happened?”

“One of the boys gave a can of beans to Johnny-behind-the-rock without asking his daddy first.

They’ve been out there for over an hour now,” Helen said.

“Where did he get a hay fork?”

“He used it for a tent pole. Tore down the whole thing to get to it.”

I alternated my stare between the man jabbing at the spectators and the two small bodies on the ground. I didn’t want to get stabbed, but somehow, we had to get to those boys, and none of the other men seemed too keen on making a move.

Ben whispered something to Helen, and I heard her say under her breath, “If Ranger finds out we have a gun—”

“No.” I reached for Ben’s arm. “You’ll get fired. You can’t do that.”

Ben shook his arm loose. “Those boys are gonna die before Ranger gets here. I can’t let that happen.”

I could see the boys clearly now. They couldn’t be more than six or seven. Their skin was as red as a cock’s comb. I walked toward the circle, trying to focus on the man with the hay fork while others in the crowd tried to reason with him to no avail.

Too much going on and not enough sleep, or maybe I wasn’t thinking clearly, but as he turned his back to me to jab his weapon at someone else, I broke the circle and tackled him from behind. We hit the rocky ground together, me landing on top, the hay fork a few feet away.

The man struggled against me, and I hit him square in the temple with a closed fist. Then another. And another. I felt all the anger inside of me boiling up—anger at my father, at Billy, and even at Grace for dying on me, and I hit him again. He bucked and threw me off him, swearing as he rolled over. He tried to get to his feet, but I kicked him hard in the abdomen with my booted foot, throwing him back to the ground. I grabbed the hay fork and raised it high over my head, directly above him. His face tensed, and his dark eyes filled with anger.

As I lowered the fork, a strong hold around my midsection pulled me away, and I missed my mark by inches. “That’s enough, son,” Ben said from behind me. Four men held the offender down and, after untying the boys, hog-tied him with the same rope to keep him until Ranger arrived.

The boys’ skin had started to blister, and they were covered with red ants. I turned away, unable to look at them, and focused on Helen. “Are they alive?”

“Barely.”

Author Note: Johnny-behind-the-rock was mentioned in one of the many oral histories related to Ragtown. Too old to be employed on the dam project, he lived alone behind a large boulder with nothing to his name but the clothes he wore. He rarely came from behind his rock, moving throughout the day to stay in a shady spot. He rarely spoke and survived on what others gave him. He was known only as Johnny-behind-the-rock. I don’t know his story, I’m not sure anyone does, but I’m sure it was tragic to live as he did. I wanted to remember him in some way, even if it is only a mention in a work of fiction.

The ant scene is a fictionalized account gleaned from a true event that took place in Ragtown. I included it to show the cruelty that desperation can breed.

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About Author Kelly Stone Gamble

I want readers to take something away from my books and short stories: something memorable, whether it be an interesting protagonist, an emotion or a moment in time.

Depending on what characters decide to sit beside me on a particular day, I may write historical fiction or quirky, dark humor.

My interests are as diverse as my writing. I am at home fishing on a river, riding horses in the mountains, reading on a beach, hiking through the desert or playing pirate with my friends.

I don’t believe in growing old and I refuse to grow up.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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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.

Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas ~ A Year-Round Christmas Mystery by Vicki Delany

Posted: September 16, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: ,
2

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Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
(Year-Round Christmas Mystery)
by Vicki Delany

 


Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (Year-Round Christmas Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Rudolph New York
Crooked Lane Books (September 19, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639104631
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639104635
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BQLJWBN4

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It’s beginning to look a lot like murder in the sixth installment of this charming cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Donna Andrews and Jacqueline Frost.

It’s the beginning of December in Rudolph, New York, America’s Christmas Town, and business is brisk at Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, a gift and décor shop owned by Merry Wilkinson. The local amateur dramatic society is intensely preparing a special musical production of A Christmas Carol. But it’s not a happy set, as rivalries between cast and crew threaten the production.

Tensions come to a head when a member of the group is found dead shortly after a shopping excursion to Mrs. Claus’s Treasures. Was someone looking to cut out the competition? Everyone in the cast and crew is a potential suspect, including Aline, Merry’s mother, and Merry’s shop assistant Jackie O’Reilly, who was desperate for a starring role.

It could be curtains for Christmas—and for Merry—unless the killer can be ferreted out of the wings.

About Vicki Delany 

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Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S.  Author of more than fifty books, she is currently writing the Tea by the Sea mysteries, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year-Round Christmas mysteries, and the Lighthouse Library series (as Eva Gates). Vicki is the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / BookBub

Twitter – Vicki Delany / Twitter – Eva Gates

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – PenguinRandomHouse

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 11 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 11 – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures – SPOTLIGHT

September 12 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 12 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

September 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW  

September 13 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

September 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

September 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 15 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW

September 16 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

September 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 17 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 18 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 19 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

September 20 – Carla Loves to Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 21 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

September 21 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

 

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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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