Posts Tagged ‘mystery’

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Father Callahan is forced back into
dangerous filth, corruption, and crime. Can he remain a celibate
priest, or will he abandon the life of faith for more sensual
pleasures? Will he stay a good man or return to the dark criminal
life he once knew so well?”

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At Home Among Sinners

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The John Callahan Series Book 1

by Elizabeth Upton

Genre: Romantic Mystery Thriller

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John Callahan is a good man with a
bad past — and his past will not let him live in peace.

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Against the odds, he matures from a teenage Belfast street thug and an IRA
killer to a happily married man and expectant father. Then fate
snatches away his wife, his unborn child—and his world—in the
flash of a tragic accident for which he feels responsible. Years
later, just as he begins to find peace and serenity again as a monk
in a rural Irish monastery, a vindictive superior banishes the
handsome young priest to a derelict parish in New York City.

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Ripped away from his quiet, cloistered life, Father Callahan is plunged back
into a dangerous cacophony of filth, corruption and crime. Will he
remain a celibate priest or will he abandon the life of faith for
more sensual pleasures? Will he remain a good man or return to the
dark criminal life he once knew so well?

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In this exciting, insightful novel, Elizabeth Upton puts readers inside
the mind of a passionate, wounded and angry young priest as he
struggles to live in a state of grace among new friends and enemies
in a foreign land.

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The Web of Darkness and Light

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The John Callahan Series Book 2

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Demons never tire. Like the banshees
of Irish legend, they cling to John Callahan and fill his heart with
wails of despair.

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No matter how John tries to live an
exemplary life, the former IRA killer is haunted by the memories of
the horrors he has suffered — and those he has inflicted in return.
Not the monastic life, not the vows of the priesthood, not the move
from Ireland to New York City has brought him peace.

In this second gripping novel in the series by Elizabeth Upton, John
Callahan has resigned from the priesthood in the hope of living a
simpler life as a professor at New York University. However, his
promise to a distraught colleague — who soon turns up dead —
plunges him into another mystery alongside his friend Ronald Casey, a
detective with the NYPD. Who would want to kill a professor of
neuroscience? What could be contained in the briefcase she has
guarded, quite literally, with her life?

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It begins to be clear that Dr. Shannon Grey Feather had discovered a cure for
addiction and several complex brain disorders. That is a medical
breakthrough worth millions — and one worth killing over. Once
again confronted by murder’s cruelty and life’s injustices, Callahan
must find a killer while coming to terms with his criminal past. He
longs for true peace and genuine love, but before he can hope for a
bright future, he must revisit his dark past — where the looming
demons dwell.

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Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge

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The John Callahan Series Book 3

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How much does family matter? And
what if there are unknown details about them?

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John Callahan visits his beloved grandmother, Annabelle, at her 500-acre
estate in Ireland. The peaceful countryside is beautiful, with lush
hills that overlook the coastline, so different from Callahan’s
home in New York City. After Annabelle dies, Callahan discovers that
she’s left everything to him. However, there are some challenges
with the staff, where secrets abound, including murder and heightened
security on the estate that can’t seem to control the chaos that is
happening.

Callahan is perplexed, wanting to solve the
murder, understand the workings of the estate, and also longing for a
relationship that would create a happy home. He meets Sara, the woman
in charge of the horses at the estate, and longs to be with her.
Throughout the busy days of work, travel, and wondering if he’s in
love, John remembers Annabelle’s words. “Whenever you need my
help, rub this precious jewel for consolation, wisdom, and
protection. Call me when needed, dearest Johnnie, and I shall come to
you.”

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Learn how Callahan meets the challenges of
revenge, murder, and love to discover the true meaning of friends and
family.

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Elizabeth Upton is a best-selling
author and influential writer of gripping romantic thrillers and
inspiring self-help motivational nonfiction books.

Her best-selling books, ‘Secrets
of a Nun: My Own Story,’ ‘The Silver Woman of Fire’ and ‘The Healing
Swords of Love and Innocence’ helped set her firmly within the
world’s literary map. With many novels to her credit, like her newest
fiction book, released in June 2022, titled ‘Lovers’ Secrets and
Revenge,’ a gripping romantic thriller, and her new nonfiction
release in Feb. 2024, titled ‘You Are a Sovereign Woman of Strength,
Love, and Grace: Embrace Your Journey.’

The Author’s favorite book she
enjoyed writing was ‘The Shaman and The Mafia,’ as she shares, “The
creation of this story has been an exciting journey. I would love to
meet all of the characters in this book in real life.”
Elizabeth’s nonfiction books and novels are available on Amazon and
Amazon Kindle and are featured on fine literary book sites and
magazines.

Elizabeth was born and raised in
Los Angeles, CA., until the age of sixteen, when she entered a New
York State Convent and became a nun for twenty years, but she yearned
for a more authentic spiritual life. Elizabeth left the convent and
chose to attend and receive her B.A. from Syracuse
University.

Returning to her native state of California,
she attended and received her M.A. in psychology from Chapman
University. The Author began working for over thirty years in family
counseling as a social worker and probation officer working with
troubled teens and abused children. She is a speaker, spiritual
mentor, and advisor.

Elizabeth is happily married and
enjoys writing books for her reader fans around the world. When the
Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay
fit and healthy; she loves long walks on the beach with her husband
and dog. She enjoys reading good books by some of her favorite
authors like Geraldine Brooks, Hanh, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and
Michael Connelly.

Elizabeth and her husband reside outside
the area of Santa Barbara, California.

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Private License organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Kevin R. Doyle will award a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Private License

by Kevin R. Doyle

 

 

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

All Lorie Jones wants is a little help with her divorce. Some extra information, a bit of ammunition to take into court against her no-good husband. And when she hires the biggest and best investigation firm Kansas City has to offer, that’s exactly what she gets. But after their operative wraps up Lori’s case, he decides he doesn’t want to move on, and Lori soon realizes that she’s got an even bigger problem than she had before, one that threatens her privacy, and maybe even her life.

It’s up to Sam Quinton, one-man detective agency, to take on the largest firm in the business, and as Sam digs into the background of Lori’s harasser, he soon finds something bigger, and much more dangerous, than one overzealous guy who just can’t let go.

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

They wore blue jeans, sneakers, and tee-shirts, the blond wearing navy blue and the brown-haired guy wearing bright red. Both wore their tee-shirts hanging out, and the shirts looked a size or two too big for them.

“How you doing?” the blond one asked me.

“Up to now, not bad,” I said.

The blond man continued, “Like to talk to you if you don’t mind.”

“And if I do mind?”

The two glanced at each other before turning back to me. “Going to talk to you anyway.”

I flicked my head towards the second man. “He have a voice?”

“Let’s say I’m the spokesman here, okay?” The blond tensed his arms and chest to show me he was in charge.

“You know,” I said, “flexing your muscles doesn’t do a whole lot when your shirt’s too big. You can either show off the muscles or conceal your weapons, but not both at the same time.”

Both men made involuntary hand motions towards their left hips, then caught themselves.

I smiled. “See what I mean?”

“We need to talk,” Blond repeated.

“No, you mean you want to talk. Just like I want to sit here and finish enjoying my breakfast, which isn’t going to happen if I have to take time to bounce you two bozos out into the street.”

“You think you can do that?” the brown-haired guy finally spoke up.

“Not sure,” I said. “But if you guys keep bothering me, I’m going to do my best to find out. And whether I succeed or not, it’s going to cause a ruckus, which I’m guessing your sergeant isn’t going to like too much.”

About Author Kevin R. Doyle:

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A retired high-school teacher and former college instructor, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of four novels in the Sam Quinton mystery series, all published by Camel Press. He’s also written four crime thrillers, including And the Devil Walks Away and The Anchor, and one horror novel, The Litter, along with numerous short horror stories published in small magazines over the years. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PI Novel, and the fifth in the series, Private License, will be out in August of 2024.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Buy Link: Amazon

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When a childish prank is linked to murder, Lady Anne Addison must investigate the death
of a young woman at the hands of a ghoulish fiend . . .
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Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl

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Lady Anne Addison Mysteries #5

by Victoria Hamilton

Genre: Historical Paranormal Mystery

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When a childish prank is linked
to murder, Lady Anne Addison must investigate the death of a young
woman at the hands of a ghoulish fiend . . .

As her
wedding to Lord Darkefell approaches, Lady Anne is summoned by a
local girls’ school to help them with a young student troubled by
ghostly apparitions. She’s quick to respond, and quick to discover
the trickery behind the so-called ghosts. But despite her efforts to
demonstrate to the student that she’s been the victim of a cruel
hoax, the young woman apparently jumps to her death the very next
night. Stunned and saddened by the turn of events, Lady Anne soon
realizes that what she thought was a prank was a dark precursor to
foul play.

Certain that someone closely connected to the
school murdered the young woman, Lady Anne promptly begins
questioning students and staff alike to root out the culprit.
Confronting calculating young classmates, pompous instructors, and
even the shockingly callous relatives of the victim, she still feels
no closer to exposing the killer. Then a pattern emerges suggesting
exactly who was behind the foul deed, and Anne will put her life on
the line to find justice for a young woman who lost her own life too
soon . . .

Praise for the Lady Anne Addison
Mysteries:

“If you are looking for a historical
mystery with romance, suspense, and a suggestion of paranormal, then
read Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark.” —Fallen Angel
Reviews

“[Hamilton] excels at imbuing her realistic
characters with subtle depths . . .” —American Library
Association

“[The author] has set up a well-drawn Gothic
horror setting here, so the atmosphere is fantastic, what with it
being chilling, mysterious, and menacing all at once.” —Mrs.
Giggles

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

Find them on Amazon

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Behind the Scenes: A Writer’s Day

By: Victoria Hamilton

It’s a glamorous life, filled with champagne, strawberries, writer’s retreats, galas, and award ceremonies. Most authors have little time for the mundane details of life, between traveling to New York for meetings with their agent, top level talks with movie directors wanting to option their book, and hobnobbing with celebrity pals.

It’s exhausting, all that dining in fine restaurants and jetting around the world for research to far flung exotic locales.

That’s my daydream. The reality? I’ll tell you about it.

7 AM. Wake up. Cat barfed and I slipped in it and fell, so I have to clean that up even before coffee, limping from my twisted ankle… not a good sign of what the day will be like.

7:10 – Coffee made, head to computer. Cat whining for breakfast in kitchen. Okay… fill bowl, make it back to the computer and hear the unmistakable sounds of the cat barfing again. Let him out and clean up.

7:20 – Head back to computer. Coffee is cold. Go back and zap it in the microwave. Yuk… okay…

7:25 – Make a fresh cup of coffee because nuked coffee is awful.

7:30 – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, newsletter, emails, etc. Get lost in the latest online controversy, madly typing pithy remarks, and just as quickly erasing them in case they get me in trouble. I’m a writer; if people don’t like my opinions I could easily end up in the hinterlands of publishing, boycotted for an unpopular stance.

9:00 – Work! Need to write. Start, then realize that there is nothing for supper and the laundry is waiting, so I put in a load, go on Instacart, order groceries, change laundry to dryer and put another load in the washer, receive Instacart order and put it all away.

12:00 – Lunch. Read articles while eating at the computer.

12:30 – Write, goldarnit. Gotta get down to it! Reread what I wrote yesterday and go back, editing that much. Try to plan ahead so I won’t end up in the plotting blackhole like the last book, when it took three bottles of wine and an intervention to get past the mid-plot slump. Realize that I hate plotting; writing is where it’s at. So… dive into writing. I’m headed for trouble and I know it, but have given up caring. I’ll muddle through somehow. So… write on. And… this is how I finally get my 1,000 word quota for the day done. Yes, I have a quota… it keeps me on task. Thank heavens for that or I’d never type ‘The End’.

3:45 – Squint out the window… it is daytime, right? Yes… there is light, so it’s day. And… dang it… there’s still laundry in the dryer and wet clothes in the washer. And what’s for dinner? Darn; I put everything away from the Instacart order but didn’t take anything out of the freezer. Maybe pizza?

3:47 – Oops… last minute query from editor. There’s a problem with the last manuscript, the one that is supposed to go to print in a week. A software issue has popped up and suddenly spaces are wandering off, going missing, and words are being smooshed together. This is not good, especially when the two words are ‘an’ and ‘ally’. (True story.) This is going to require a complete read through of the manuscript. It’s due three days from now if I have any hope of getting it published in time.

And my next book (the one I just started) is due in two months. I’m behind, and I’ll never ever catch up.

But… the very next morning I get a lovely letter from a reader that makes me cry. It’s the best job in the world, and I love it, and it’s a wonderful life.

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Victoria Hamilton is the national
bestselling author of four mystery series: the Vintage Kitchen
Mysteries; the Merry Muffin Mysteries; the Lady Anne Addison
Historical Mysteries and the Gentlewoman’s Guide Regency Mysteries.

Victoria
loves to read, especially mystery novels, and enjoys good tea and
cheap wine, the company of friends, and has a newfound appreciation
for opera. She enjoys crocheting and beading, but a good book can
tempt her away from almost anything… except writing!

She
now happily writes about vintage kitchen collecting, muffin baking
and dead bodies – among other mysterious topics – for publisher
Beyond the Page.

Visit
Victoria’s website and sign up for her newsletter!

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Over the Edge: A Novel
by Kathleen Bryant

 


Over the Edge: A Novel
Traditional Mystery
Setting – Sedona, Arizona
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (June 4, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639107541
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639107544
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CH9KTJ6C

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In Sedona’s red rock canyons, a former reporter must piece together her shattered memories in time to stop a killer in this cat-and-mouse thriller, perfect for fans of CJ Box and Anne Hillerman.

After a disastrous mistake ended her career as a crime reporter, Del Cooper returns to Sedona and takes a gig with a down-on-its-luck tour company while she rebuilds her life. Her peaceful small-town escape ends when, hiking in a remote red rock canyon, she finds the broken body of a murdered man.

At first, she believes the murder is connected to a proposed land trade that will pave the way for a luxury development on the edge of town, but it seems money isn’t the killer’s only motive. As she digs deeper, she uncovers the small town’s darkest secrets, all leading her to Lee Ranch, a former filming location for Western movies. Two women disappear after Del interviews them, and rumors begin to spin faster than Sedona’s famed energy vortexes. But she knows the truth: Someone is watching her from the shadows.

About Kathleen Bryant

Kathleen Bryant turned her boots-first exploration of the West’s landscapes and cultures into a career as a travel writer and novelist. Her publishing credits include romance novels, travel guides, magazine articles, an award-winning children’s picture book, and a cookbook highlighting National Parks. An avid hiker and history buff, she’s led tours of ancient rock art sites, participated in field school digs, and guided yoga experiences in the red rocks of Sedona. Today, Kathleen lives with her musician husband in California, where she continues to seek out new adventures. When she’s not writing or researching her next book, you might find her on a hiking trail taking photos of wildflowers or driving down a country lane to visit a dairy farm or vineyard.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bluesky / LinkedIn / Amazon

Goodreads / Library Thing / Substack

Purchase Links

Amazon Kindle    Amazon Hardcover    Apple Books    BAM!    Barnes & Noble    Bookshop.org    Google Play   Kobo    Random House

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 4 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

June 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 6 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 10 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 10 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! – REVIEW

June 11 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 11 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Murder At The College organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author P.H. Turner will award a $20 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Murder At The College

by P.H. Turner

 

 

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The Starlight bar’s back door was unlocked, and the old door creaked like a rusty garden gate. If Kat was already there, she knew someone had arrived. Quinn ran through the corridor and past Ben’s dark office toward a light burning over the mixologist workstation. Ben was dropping orange peels into a steaming pot of water and wearing earbuds. He was humming softly to himself.

“Ben,” she yelled as she raced up the steps to join him.

He turned around and jerked out the earbuds. “What’s going on?”

Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the bar into the dark. The only light came from the gas flame flickering under the bubbling pot. “Call the police,” Quinn said.

“It’s okay. It’s the storm. I have a flashlight around here somewhere.” Ben bent over and pulled a light out from under the counter.

Quinn whirled around to stare into the back hall. She’d heard something, but it was black as pitch, and she couldn’t see.

Ben must have heard it, too. He aimed the powerful flashlight into the hallway. “Who’s there?”

The overhead light flickered once and came on, and the hairs on the back of Quinn’s neck rose.

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About Author P.H. Turner:

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P.H. Turner (Pat) writes contemporary mysteries spiked with long-held grudges, secrets, and murder. With roots in a Texas farm homesteaded in the 1850s, she calls Austin home. When she’s not writing, she’s cooking for family, or taking care of a pair of hairy mutts, or in her garden coaxing roses to bloom in the Texas heat.

Pat is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America.

Author Links: Amazon / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Purchase Link: Amazon

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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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 Nurse Trudy Genova mixes her movie studio consulting work with her
nose for murder!

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Death in the Orchard

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The Trudy Genova
Manhattan Mysteries Book 3

by M.K. Graff

Genre: Mystery,
Police Procedural, Amateur Sleuth

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The
third Trudy Genova mystery from award-winning author M. K. Graff
brings Trudy home, leaving her New York City studio consulting job to
visit her rural hometown of Schoharie, three hours north. NYPD
detective Ned O’Malley accompanies Trudy, primed to meet her family,
but with a secret mission to find out what really happened when her
father died eleven years ago.

Mario Genova’s death was deemed
a tragic accident, but Trudy feels there was more to her beloved
father acting out of character the day before he died. After years of
hard work building a successful apple orchard business with her
mother, Mario cleaned out their bank accounts. No reason-and no
money-was ever found. As Trudy and Ned try to investigate without
informing her family of their actions, a new death occurs on Genova
Orchards property, and once again Trudy’s family is under scrutiny.

“A welcome and forceful
return of MK Graff’s Trudy Genova, Death in the Orchard is a well-
crafted and thought-provoking story of unexplained death and
cold-blooded murder, as Trudy sets out to solve the death of her
father with her NYPD boyfriend Ned O’Malley. The couple return to the
Genova family orchards to dig into the past as the present threatens
to shake the family to their very core.

Graff deals us a cold case of
family intrigue, a small-town conspiracy, and a terrifying leap into
the unknown, as her heroine comes face to face with a secret she
thought would never be told, a case impossible to solve, and a dogged
determination to finally get to the truth.

A masterclass in laying the
threads bare and knitting them together in a satisfying conclusion.”

Mandy Morton, Author of The
No. 2 Feline Detective Agency series.

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Amazon
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Dru Ann Love:              A DAY IN MY LIFE: TRUDY GENOVA                   For April 2024

 

“CUT! That’s a wrap!” With a loud thunk, the Klieg lights dim and I pick my way over heavy cables by the remaining dim light and follow the cast and crew out the studio door., eyes blinking after the darkness inside.

My name is Trudy Genova, RN, and my work as a medical consultant for a New York movie studio is over for this week. I feel like a puppy who’s found the gate left open, freedom beckoning, as I’m cut loose for a week’s vacation with my boyfriend, NYPD detective Ned O’Malley.

This job is any nurse’s dream. I wear jeans to work, no one is puking on my shoes, and best of all, no one is really ill or dying. Of course, there were those murders last spring at the soap opera, but I helped Ned to figure that out, despite his annoyance at me insinuating myself into his investigation. And then there was the case earlier this month at the Dakota building, where we filmed a made-for-TV movie and an actor was killed. By then, Ned was reconsidering my ability to figure out human nature and unravel puzzles as we started our relationship. I guess I do have a nose for murder, but that’s a good thing for someone who has always read and adored crime fiction, and now plans to write her own mystery.

The perks of this job include days when there’s not a medical scene filming, and I can lounge at home in my yoga pants. I may have to correct script pages of medical scenes the studio faxes over, but this schedule gives me plenty of time to work on my NYU course and fledgling writing.

Today is very different, when reality will supplant my fictional world. I run to the production office to pick up my rolling suitcase, backpack, and laptop bag, then rush outside to wait for Ned to pick me up. I have ten days off and we are heading north to my family home in the Catskills on an apple orchard, ostensibly for him to meet my family. My oldest brother and his wife are expecting their first baby, and there will be a shower to attend before Ned and I knuckle down to the bigger reason I’ve asked him to come home with me: I want to finally find out what really happened when my father died eleven years ago.

It was deemed an accident at the time, but there are circumstances around it that have never been explained, including my father draining my parents’ pension fund, with the money never found. I’ve always felt deep down that my father was murdered, but I have no idea if either of my brothers or my mom feel the same way.

All I do know is that it’s time for me to dig deeply into Mario Genova’s death, whether my family is happy about resurrecting the past or not. At least I’ll have Ned and his expertise at my side. What could possibly go wrong?

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Death at the Dakota

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The Trudy Genova
Manhattan Mysteries 2

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 Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to take her relationship with NYPD
detective Ned O’Malley to the next level when she lands a gig as
medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota apartment
building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star
Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it
appears Trudy might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious
murder case in which the victim is burned beyond recognition. When
his investigations lead him back to the Dakota, Trudy finds herself
wondering: how can she fall in love if she can’t even
survive?

Readers of Death Unscripted, the first book in
the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same
pleasures in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists
and turns on the way to a satisfying close. Once again M.K. Graff
reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth
and police procedural.

Part procedural, part cozy, Death
at the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.-
Bruce Robert Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron
mysteries.

I fell in love — not only with
co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic
setting of The Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with
the unusual plot of Death at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award
nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries.

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Death Unscripted

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The Trudy Genova
Manhattan Mysteries Book 1

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 Trudy Genova has the best job any nurse could want, working on set as
a medical consultant for a NY movie studio. No more uniforms, bedpans
or emergencies, until at the actor whose overtures she’s refused dies
suddenly while taping a hospital scene–but not before pointing his
finger accusingly at Trudy. When detectives view Trudy as a suspect,
she sets out on an investigation to clear her name. Then a second
death occurs, and Trudy realizes she’s put herself in jeopardy.

A
new mystery from the award-winning author of the Nora Tierney English
Mystery Series, DEATH UNSCRIPTED is based on the authors’ real work
experience during her nursing career and is the mystery series
British Queen of Crime P. D. James insisted she write. A mix of
amateur sleuth and police procedural, the story is told in first
person from Trudy’s point of view, and in third from NYPD Detective
Ned O’Malley

Marilyn Chris, Obie and Drama Desk
Award-winning actor who played Wanda Wolek on ABC’s soap “One
Life to Live” notes: “Graff gets behind the scenes of soaps
just right, as well she should–she was there!”

Edith
Maxell, national bestselling author of multiple mystery series says:
“Your blood pressure will soar during M. K. Graff’s new
Manhattan Mystery, as nurse Trudy Genova takes the pulse of a killer
during a soap opera filming in Death Unscripted. You won’t even think
about changing the channel during this smart, suspenseful
mystery.”

And Triss Stein, author of the Erica Donato
Mysteries, has this to say: “Soap opera drama is as intense on
the set as it is on the screen. Sometimes Trudy Genova, consulting
nurse, feels like the only sane person in the room. Join her as she
copes with huge ego, daily melodrama, an attractive detective, and
life in New York . . . plus murder. The city and the studio provide
intriguing backgrounds for this entertaining mystery.”

Helen
Smith, UK author of the The Emily Castle Mysteries, agrees that Death
Unscripted is “an engaging story featuring a charming amateur
sleuth. A great start to a mystery series.”

Amazon
* BridlePathPress
* Bookbub
* Goodreads

 

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 Marni Graff is the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney
English Mysteries
and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries.
Her stories are in several anthologies, including the Anthony
Award-winning Malice Domestic’s Murder Most Edible. She is
Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, a crime book reviewer, and
blogs for Miss Demeanors. Graff is a member of Sisters in Crime,
Mavens of Mayhem SinC, Triangle SinC, Mystery People UK, and the
International Association of Crime Writers. She lives in eastern NC
with her husband and two Aussiedoodles.

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Website
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* Bookbub *
Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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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.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for One Take Jake: Last Call organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Jay Lang will award a $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

One Take Jake: Last Call

by Jay Lang

 

 

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

Avenging the death of his sister, Lance, a once successful musician turned vigilante killer, has never denied his guilt…but knows now he could’ve handled things differently.

With dwindling hope after two years in the joint – and three life sentences ahead of him – Lance seizes his one opportunity for a life out of chains. With the help of loyal friends – straight-laced Reg and ex-druggie Jenny – Lance busts out of prison. He then begins his journey with Jenny to New York, where her street-wise Uncle Dusty will provide a safe hiding place, fake IDs, and a plan to get across the Mexican border.

However, it isn’t long before Jenny’s bad habits resurface, bringing heat on them both. They lose Dusty as an ally after he’s tortured by gangsters over money Jenny had supposedly stolen. In a strange country with Feds and gangsters on his tail, Lance is forced to lead the rapidly deteriorating journey south.

Just above the Mexican border, the two are cornered at a motel, their chances of survival slim. Still, Lance has hope. That is, until he learns the awful truth – a truth that leaves him alone in his final, desperate fight for freedom.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The warm Pacific wind rushes over my skin, drying beads of sweat formed in the hot Mexican sun. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Jenny passed away.

Darlene and I never did find The Pink Bar in Neuvo Laredo. Maybe it didn’t exist. But it all worked out in the end. I bought a little beach business here in Manzanillo, where I rent surf boards to tourists. Last I heard, Darlene hooked up with a Mexican biker and is probably raising hell somewhere south of the border.

In the evenings I pull out my guitar, sit by the Pacific, and play under an endless open sky. Life is good now, though sometimes I wake up breathless with my heart pounding from another bad dream, flashbacks of the horror show I went through while on the road with Jenny.

At times, I think the dreams are payback for the revenge I carried out on my sister’s attackers and the hell ride that followed. Recently, I read a powerful quote that rang true from a famous 17th century writer named Jeremy Taylor. “Revenge is like a rolling stone, which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion.”

There are moments when I feel my past will find me and, just like that, my freedom will be snatched away. But then, there are other days, when the winds are calm and the sea is peaceful, and I feel safe and untouchable. Hope is the one thing I hang on to. Hope for my future, and hope that somehow Karma will turn a blind eye and let me live out my days as a free man.

Tomorrow, Reg is coming in from Vancouver, and he’s bringing with him someone very special. Someone I finally got the balls to call. Tessa.

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About Author Jay Lang:

Jay Lang grew up on the ocean, splitting her time between Read Island and Vancouver Island before moving to Vancouver to work as a TV, film and commercial actress. Eventually she left the industry for a quieter life. She fell in love with creative writing and spends her days hiking and drawing inspiration for her writing from nature.

Amazon Author Page / Goodreads

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Conflict Of Interest organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Dean L. Hovey will award a $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Conflict Of Interest

by Dean L. Hovey

 

 

Genre: Mystery / Police Procedural

Synopsis

When the body of a missing cheerleader is found in a ditch, the local police turn the investigation over to the Pine County sheriff’s department, fearing that the girl’s relationship with the son of a local politician could compromise their objectivity.

Upon arriving at the scene, Sergeant CJ Jensen quickly finds herself embroiled in the politics of the girl’s murder and kidnapping. Calling in Pam Ryan to assist with the investigation, the two veteran officers dig into the girl’s obvious relationship with the politician’s son. While the boyfriend’s shaky alibi seems paper thin, their interviews with the victim’s friends have them questioning other aspects of her life.

A missing laptop computer piques their interest, making them think the murderer’s motive may be buried in her on-line activities.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

In addition to Floyd’s SUV, two Kanabec County Sheriff’s Department vehicles and an ambulance were parked on the narrow gravel road. The road disappeared into watery ditches on both sides, the washboard gravel surface spotted with mucky frost boils. CJ parked behind Floyd and announced her location to the dispatcher. She walked ahead to join the somber group of people gathered in front of the lead vehicle.

Bathed in headlights and flashing red and blues, an obese man with a gray crew cut waved his arms and swore. CJ found it disconcerting that the person apparently in charge would curse at the others like a madman. As CJ approached, Floyd put his hand on the man’s shoulder and pointed toward her. That ended the tirade.

“CJ, this is Sheriff Tim Sanders. Tim, this is Sergeant Jensen who’ll be taking over the investigation.”

The sheriff glared at CJ, taking her full measure before speaking. “It’s about time you got here. We’ve been standing around with thumbs up our butts for about two hours waiting for you to grace us with your presence.”

CJ froze, trying to frame a response. Floyd grabbed the sheriff by the arm and turned him away from CJ, then steered him to a spot apart from the gathered group. A man who appeared to be the senior deputy on the scene nodded and walked over, offering his hand.

“I’m Teddy and this is our newest deputy, Kayla. Please excuse the sheriff. He’s got a short fuse, especially when he’s been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night.”

Although none of Floyd’s words were audible, his demeanor reminded CJ of a terrier growling at an overweight Labrador retriever. They watched as Floyd stuck his finger in the sheriff’s face and hissed something that obviously struck a nerve. The sheriff glanced at CJ, then back to Floyd before saying something that made Floyd nod.

A male and female EMT stood between the lead cruiser and the ambulance. Nodding toward the approaching sheriff, the male EMT whispered. “Uh oh, Teddy. Prepare to have your short hairs singed.”

The sheriff’s face was impassive until he walked up to CJ and extended his hand. “I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot.”

Gripping the sheriff’s hand firmly, CJ nodded. “I appreciate your apology.”

The sheriff, whose scalp glistened with sweat despite the cold air, jammed his hands in his pockets. “Tell Teddy and Kayla what you need, and they’ll do whatever they can to assist you. Do you want the ambulance crew to stay, or do you have other plans?”

“Assuming there’s no question the victim is past resuscitation, we’ll keep the ambulance crew to help with the lifting. I called the Duluth Medical Examiner.”

The sheriff’s face started to turn red. “We pay a retainer to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s office.”

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About Author Dean L. Hovey:

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Dean Hovey is a Minnesota-based author with three mystery series. He lives with his wife south of Duluth.

Dean’s award-winning* Pine County series follows sheriff’s deputies Floyd Swenson and Pam Ryan through this police procedural series.

Dean’s Whistling Pines books are humorous cozy mysteries centered on the residents of the Whistling Pines senior residence. The protagonist is Peter Rogers, the Whistling Pines recreation director.

In Dean’s latest series  his protagonist, a retired Minnesota policeman, is drafted into service as a National Park Service Investigator after a murder at a National Monument.

* “Family Trees: A Pine County Mystery” won the 2018 NEMBA award for best fiction.

Website

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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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Lies and secrets pile up in this chilling next installment of Willow Rose’s bestselling series about FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas.

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Rest in Peace

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An Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #15

by Willow Rose

Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Mystery

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Sarah Chapman is angry at her husband. She’s also drunk… very drunk as she drives down their street, ready to face him.

When a neighbor hears the commotion and rushes to help, he finds her inside, gun still in her hand, and her husband, Steven, dead in the bed.

Sarah is arrested and taken away but claims to be innocent.

The only one who believes her is FBI profiler, Eva Rae Thomas.
She knows Sarah personally, and as she looks at the evidence in the case, she is convinced that Sarah is telling the truth, even though she was highly intoxicated when the event occurred.

But the detective on the case is determined to have her convicted for the murder.

As more bodies turn up, only Eva Rae Thomas sees the connections and soon starts a race against time to prove Sarah is innocent and to catch the real murderer before it’s too late and her own family is targeted.

Lies and secrets pile up in this chilling next installment of Willow Rose’s bestselling series about FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas.

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Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Willow Rose is a multi-million-copy best-selling Author and an ALL-star Author of more than 90 novels.

She has sold more than six million books that are translated into many languages.

Willow’s books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won’t see coming.

That’s why her fans call her The Queen of Plot Twists.

Willow lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her kids, two cats and her Goldendoodle. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watching the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

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Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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.

Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson Banner

Hidden Rooms
by Kate Michaelson
April 22 – May 17, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
When murder hits home.

Long distance runner Riley has been fighting various bewildering symptoms for months, from vertigo to fainting spells. Worse, her doctors can’t tell her what’s wrong, leaving her to wonder if it’s stress or something more threatening. But when her brother’s fiancée is killed—and he becomes the prime suspect—Riley must prove his innocence, despite the toll on her health. As she reacquaints herself with the familiar houses and wild woods of her childhood, the secrets she uncovers take her on a trail to the real killer that leads right back to the very people she knows best and loves most. For readers who enjoy Deer Season by Erin Flanagan, All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers, and A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham.

Praise for Hidden Rooms:

“With a fresh voice and gorgeous writing, Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson is a stunning debut mystery that sweeps the reader along until the surprising conclusion.” ~ Connie Berry, USA Today bestselling author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries

“This remarkable debut novel expertly combines a compelling mystery with a richly drawn cast of characters and a strong, beautifully portrayed sense of place. An engaging, gripping read.” ~ Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Shamus, Derringer, and International Thriller Writers award-nominated author

“Michaelson’s witty eye, sharp portrayal of illness, and twisty case make for a standout debut!” ~ Erin Flanagan, Edgar-Award winning author of Come with Me

Hidden Rooms is a suspenseful tale full of interesting characters. This well-told story with its unexpected ending will leave the readers begging for more.” ~ L. C. Hayden, award-winning author of the Bronson Thriller Series and the Aimee Brent Mystery Series

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery

Published by: CamCat Books Publication Date: April 30, 2024 Number of Pages: 320 ISBN: 9780744310153 (ISBN10: 0744310156)

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

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MY REVIEW

Small town settings are perfect for a good mystery. It’s hard to keep a secret, but there’s always so many, even though most people have known each other all their lives. That saying comes to mind, “you can’t really ‘know’ someone.” Which proves all too true in Hidden Rooms.

Riley and her brother, Ethan are central to the story. When Beth’s body is discovered, law enforcement naturally looks to those who are closest to her as suspects. Ethan, being Beth’s fiancee, is suspect number one. Riley puts herself in the killer’s crosshairs when she begins her own investigation in hopes of clearing her brother’s name.

I enjoyed how easily the story flowed. How the author ‘showed’ me the town. How she gave me genuine characters. The fact that some struggled with chronic illness and substance abuse made them even more real. And as Riley got closer to figuring out who harmed Beth, the excitement picked up. There were so many suspects. I couldn’t rule anyone out. The reveal was quite a surprise. I really enjoyed this mystery and would happily read more of Kate Michaelson’s stories.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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I grew up inside a lightning bolt, in a family of pure momentum. My siblings and I were young, stupid, and fearless in our white gingerbread house, surrounded by dark earth, green shoots, and wild woods—untamed beasts running loose from morning to night. We snarled and bucked, more a pack than a family.

Born less than a year apart, my brother Ethan and I spent most of our lives scrapping after the same few things, pinching each other where we knew it would hurt the most. But we also protected each other. When Trevor Paltree shoved Ethan off the tall metal slide the first day of preschool, I kicked Trevor’s little ass, and I’d do it again.

Only, now, I didn’t know what protecting my brother looked like, though I felt fairly certain that kicking his fiancée’s ass was not it. Besides, I couldn’t even say what exactly Beth was up to, which (admittedly) undermined my argument. Putting my head down and going along with the wedding might feel cowardly, but it also seemed like the least destructive path forward. So, that’s how I found myself pulling up to Ethan and Beth’s house to pick up my puce monstrosity of a bridesmaid’s dress with Beth’s recent words still replaying in my mind: Riley, you know I’d never do anything to hurt Ethan. The problem was that she also once said with a wink and a smile that what Ethan didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. I parked in the shade of a lowlimbed oak and got out, lifting my hair off my neck to catch the breeze. The autumn sun had built throughout the afternoon into the kind of fleetingly gorgeous day that makes up for Ohio’s multitude of weather sins: one last warm postscript to summer. Rain loomed in the low shelf of clouds to the north. I crossed my fingers that it would hold off until I could get home to walk Bruno. Maybe I could even get a run in if my energy held out. My phone buzzed, and I knew without looking it would be Audra. She called most days and knew that just the previous night, I’d finally worked up the nerve to have a conversation with Ethan about Beth. She would want the details. I was amazed she had waited this long. “How’d it go with Ethan?” Her melodious voice skipped along briskly. People usually went with what she said simply because they were so swept up with how she said it. As her sister, I was an exception. “Hello to you too.” I continued toward the house but slowed my pace. “I’ll give you one guess how it went.” “Hello, dearest Riley. I guess he got mad.” “Not just mad. He guilt-tripped me. I asked him if he’d noticed anything wrong with Beth, and he acted all injured about it. He told me, ‘She thinks you’re her friend.’” I mimicked Ethan’s self-righteous tone. The jab still stung. “I told him I think of her as a friend too, which is how I know she’s hiding something.” Granted, I couldn’t untangle what it was. It was something I sensed more than saw—a shift in posture or flicker behind an expression. The past few weeks she’d become more self-contained than ever, which was saying something for her. “Yeah, but can you really be friends with someone who has no personality? It’s like being friends with a mannequin. I don’t know how you can tell if she’s hiding something when she never shares anything—” “Look, I can’t talk about it now.” I lowered my voice as I neared the house. “I’m at their place getting my dress. I’ll call you later.” I climbed the porch steps, the front of their house looking so Instagram-perfect that I wondered whether I’d been seeing problems that weren’t there. The afternoon light slanted across the pumpkins and yellow chrysanthemums that Beth had arranged just so. Dried bundles of corn rattled in the breeze. Beneath the pale-blue porch swing, Beth had set out a matching ceramic bowl full of kibble for Bibbs, the half-feral cat that had adopted her and Ethan. The only thing amiss was the open door of the old-fashioned cast-iron mailbox nestled amid the pumpkins and flowers. Beth would kill the mail carrier for ruining the ambiance. I grabbed the few pieces of mail in the box and shut the little door obligingly, like a good future sister-in-law. Careful not to disturb a precarious wreath of orange berries, I knocked on the screen door and tapped my foot, ready to grab my puffy dress and go. I had been a whirl of motion all day, zipping through work and crossing items off my to-do list. I worked for Wicks, an oversized candle company that sold overpriced candles. Today was my last day in the office before a trip to England to set up the IT network at our new British headquarters. For months, I’d been fighting some kind of long-term bug my doctors couldn’t figure out, but today I felt a glimmer of my former self, twitchy with energy and moving at a clip to get everything done. *** Excerpt from Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson. Copyright 2024 by Kate Michaelson. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.

 

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About Author Kate Michaelson:

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Kate Michaelson

Growing up in rural Ohio, Kate Michaelson simultaneously developed a love of nature and a strong desire to live closer to a mall. Pursuing the latter, she attended Ohio State, where she studied English and Psychology. After earning her MFA in Creative Writing, Kate worked as a technical writer and taught English at St. Petersburg College in Florida and, later, at the University of Toledo in Ohio. Over the years, she has published academic articles, creative nonfiction, poetry, and short stories. Her debut novel, Hidden Rooms, follows a distance runner who returns to her rural Ohio hometown and must clear her brother of murdering his fiancée while also seeking answers to her own medical mystery. As someone with Lyme disease and dysautonomia, Kate’s writing uses humor and suspense to explore the experience of coping with chronic illness. Ultimately, she wants to portray the reality of the challenges that invisible disabilities pose while also demonstrating that “ability” is not a binary concept—that illness does not equal a loss of self or agency.

Kate enjoys traveling, hiking, and trying (fruitlessly) to tire out her Labrador mix. She works in curriculum design and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. She lives with her husband and pets in Toledo, Ohio, only ten minutes from a mall she now avoids whenever possible.

Catch Up With Kate Michaelson: www.KateMichaelson.com Goodreads Threads – @katemichaelsonwriter Instagram – @katemichaelsonwriter Twitter/X – @KateMichaelson3 Facebook

 

 

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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.