Posts Tagged ‘mystery’

A Hush At Midnight by Marlene M. Bell ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: October 21, 2024 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews
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A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell Banner

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT
by Marlene M. Bell
October 7 – November 1, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:
From the award-winning author of the ANNALISSE MYSTERY SERIES.

THE VISIT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. Celebrity chef Laura Harris dwells on the horror of finding her mentor’s body in the groundskeeper’s disheveled bed—pillow and bedding half covering her open eyes—purple bruising around her mouth. A grisly snapshot in time revealing the Texas woman’s last moments during her attack. The elderly matriarch from the small town of Stenburg has left the physical world, and Laura is shattered. She is catapulted headlong into the pursuit of a casual executioner, one bold enough to come and go from the crime scene with ease, dropping bizarre crumb trails designed to mock the deceased. But Laura herself doesn’t go unnoticed. As she digs deeper, she is followed and bombarded by warnings to leave the state. When the victim’s attorney informs Laura that she’s to inherit the entire Stenburg fortune, the last act of kindness has made Laura the main person of interest in the investigation. Message by message, Laura is methodically taunted by someone so deranged and driven they’ll do whatever it takes to dislodge Laura from Texas – permanently.

 

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth/Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Published by: Ewephoric Publishing Publication Date: October 1, 2024 Number of Pages: 368 ISBN: 979-8-9863409-6-8

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

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MY REVIEW

I do like my mysteries and the author had me coming and going, at a loss as to the who or why in this one.

I like a strong female protagonist and Laura fits the bill. She has a protective instinct along with some stubbornness. When she visits her mentor and friend, elderly Hattie, she notices something’s off. She seems so frail. She knows something is very wrong when she discovers Hattie dead. What killed her? Why was she in the grounds keeper’s house? These are some of the questions she asks herself and she smells a rat.

I mentioned the author was adept at keeping me guessing. There were plenty of false trails and suspects. I’d love to say I had it all figured out. Not the case and I enjoyed how it all wrapped up.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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About Author Marlene M. Bell:

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Marlene M. Bell

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch for her readers, they often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic mysteries and children’s books as characters or subject matter. Marlene is an accomplished artist and photographer who takes pride in entertaining fans on multiple levels of her creativity. Marlene’s award-winning Annalisse series boasts Best Mystery honors for all installments including these: IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, Global Award Best Mystery, and Chanticleer’s International Mystery and Mayhem shortlist for Copper Waters, the fourth mystery in the series. She offers her children’s picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written primarily for younger kids based on true events from the Bell’s East Texas sheep ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of belonging and unconditional love between a little girl and her lamb.

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell: www.MarleneMBell.com Goodreads – @dorsetghal BookBub – @dorsetgalwrites Instagram – @marlenemysteries Twitter/X – @ewephoric Facebook Facebook – @marlenembell Amazon Author Page

 

 

Tour Participants:

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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Marlene M. Bell. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

 

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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.

Upas Street by Sherrill Joseph ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: October 20, 2024 in Excerpt, giveaways, middle grade, Mystery
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Do you dare enter Dr. Frankenstein’s la-BOR-uh-tree? 

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Upas Street: Shocking Specter

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The Botanic Hill
Detectives Mysteries Book 6

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by Sherrill Joseph

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Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Mystery

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Do you dare enter Dr. Frankenstein’s la-BOR-uh-tree?

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 A fearless quartet of teen sleuths, the Botanic Hill detectives, travel to
Llanfair, a fictitious Welsh village in present-day California, to solve the
mystery of the Shocking Specter.

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The green-glowing apparition reportedly roams the countryside, setting
fire to buildings and meadows during the new moon. The occurrences began
shortly after a motion picture stagehand Scotty Roberts’s accidental death by
electrocution in this case inspired by the filming of Universal Pictures 1931
classic horror movie Frankenstein.

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Supernatural?

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Coincidence?

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Or is criminal activity at work?

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And why, nearly a century later, has the Shocking Specter returned?

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Readers will enjoy learning about real-life horror film star Boris
Karloff, Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, other key players
in the movie’s production, and some early Hollywood cinematic history. Our fabulous four might need to kick some monsters to the curb to solve
this challenging mystery!

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 For ages 9 to 14. Adults like this series,
too! My present-day Middle-Grade mysteries have a twist of history,
this time, harking to the filming of 1931’s Universal Pictures classic horror
movie Frankenstein.
It is not within the Young-Adult genre that serves ages 14 to
18. 

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What readers are saying:

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 “Follow our detectives to the fictitious Welsh
settlement of Llanfair, California, as they chase a green-glowing specter and
get caught up in a riveting mystery that will introduce young readers to the
magic of old Hollywood horror movies. Kids will stay intrigued from start to
finish.”

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–KIMBERLEY KRAMER, Literacy Specialist, Saint
Katharine Drexel Academy, San Diego, CA

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“I loved this book and could not put it down! I
loved learning about the Hollywood monsters from the old-time days and meeting
the people of Llanfair. You will not be sad that you chose this book to read.”

–SOPHIA O., age 10, San Diego, CA

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“As a professor of History of Film and Monster
and Character Makeup Design, I was intrigued from the first page of this book!
The Golden Age of Hollywood is brought to life in the eyes of the young
protagonists through their exploration of Universal Studios’ Frankenstein
franchise. Joseph not only captured my attention with the charm and
intelligence of her four detectives but had me searching for clues and secret
messages (Easter eggs) to unravel this horror-movie-inspired mystery. Joseph
includes facts about Boris Karloff that I did not know, which delighted me to
no end. Jack Pierce may have never received an Oscar for his iconic makeup
designs, but he gets a wonderful tribute through this exciting story. A
must-read for mystery lovers and film buffs of all ages.”

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–SHARON LYNN, award-winning author of A
Cotswold Crimes Mystery series; aka SHARON BOLMAN, Senior Professor of Digital
Video and General Education, University of Advancing Technology, Tempe, AZ

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Books2Read * Author’s Site 

Bookbub * Goodreads

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Background: The four Botanic Hill detectives are having dinner with their Llanfair hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Llewellyn. There was one night to go before the new moon and the specter’s likely appearance, so this evening should be relaxing . . . 

The detectives took turns filling the couple in on all the clues and leads they had gathered so far. As usual, Lanny was quick to remind everyone that evidence was scarce so far, but they hoped they were on the right track.

The diners also discussed the day’s unlocked-door issue at the tower museum and were glad the problem seemed under control now. But it would be critical to find out who made a duplicate key and why.

As Moki was reaching for dessert, a powerful, clanging sound began.

The Llewellyns pushed back their chairs immediately and headed for the front door.

Mrs. Llewellyn turned around to the detectives. “It’s a warning bell coming from the village church. Something terrible must have happened! Come with us, quickly.”

Everyone abandoned the dinner table and bolted outdoors. Smoke was already clogging the air, and the group heard a roaring sound. But they continued toward the source. Soon, they joined other villagers, who were shouting and gathering in the town square.

The detectives noticed a large wooden structure on fire! The fire brigade was on the scene trying to douse the tall flames.

“What’s burning?” Lanny asked anyone who would answer.

“Our St. David’s Day festival stage!” said a young woman with a catch in her voice. “We thought building it early would be a good idea, but . . . ” She shook her head.

Lanny looked at the squad. “Are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Yep,” replied Lexi. “The Shocking Specter did this to distract everyone. It’s on the run—a day early!”

Lanny exhaled. “Ugh! And it’s got a jump on us.”

Rani tugged on Lanny’s sleeve. “Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go after it.” The athletic girl raced ahead without waiting for a reply. Her three friends followed.

The Shocking Specter likely had a good head start, so the squad decided to go right to the cemetery and tower, ignoring the pond and bridge. The detectives traversed the grassy field in record time. No villagers followed them. Upon reaching the cemetery, Lanny told Moki and Lexi to check there while he and Rani would see if there was any trouble at the tower or its back door.

Soon, the four met between the two destinations.

Lexi held up a large corpse candle. It was a duplicate of the one Lanny had found in the pond, only hers was sparkling a bright red. “We found it by Scotty Roberts’s grave! And congratulations, Moki, for not complaining about returning to your least favorite spot in Llanfair.”

Without waiting for Moki’s reply, Rani said, “The tower museum’s door is still locked, thank goodness, but the doorknob’s loose as if someone’s been tugging on it. And we found a speck of its costume on the bush going down the steps!” She smiled and held up a few threads of fabric, brilliantly glowing green in the dark.

“Hey, guys. Look out there!” Lanny said, pointing.

Far off in the deserted meadow, running northwest toward the dense woods, was the Shocking Specter. It glowed a ghastly green from head to toe, shimmering and pulsating like an animated, computer-generated image. Just as Lanny was going to suggest they follow it, the apparition vanished— as if its lights had been switched off!

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

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Find them on Amazon! 

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Q:  Please discuss your favorite inspirational authors or books.

A:   Nancy Drew mysteries (The Secret of Red Gate Farm and The Phantom of Pine Hill are two favorites), Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden), and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries (The Mystery of the Green Cat; The Secret of the Samurai Sword) still enthrall me. I still reread those for fun and inspiration. As a college English major, I developed a lifelong love of the classics, especially the Sherlock Holmes stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“The Hound of the Baskervilles”), the Bronte sisters (Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights), Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca), Bram Stoker (Dracula), Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and poems, and Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone; The Woman in White). From modern times, I am awed and inspired by the writing style of Hazel Gaynor (The Cottingley Secret), John Fowles (The French Lieutenant’s Woman; The Magus), and Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun), particularly, all three authors’ uses of metaphor and descriptive language. Among children’s authors, I enjoy Steven K. Smith (The Virginia Mysteries), Aaron Johnson (The National Park Mysteries), and Nancy Springer (The Enola Holmes Mysteries).

Q:  Is any of your writing inspired by your actual life?

A:  Yes, mostly from my ongoing childhood! Mysteries have always been my favorite reading and writing genre. Therea re snippets of memories that influenced each of my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries. For example, in Book 1, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, I employed a memory of visiting my great-aunt. She lived on a canyon and had an old, mossy pond down some steep stone steps. Many trees created a dark, mysterious world there for me. A cousin told me a big black snake hid in the pond and came out at night. In Book 2, Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse, I recalled childhood-book mysteries with secret passages and characters hunting for something hidden. In Book 5, Jacaranda Street: Gravestone Image, I wrapped a mystery around one of my favorite writers, Edgar Allan Poe. In Book 6, Upas Street: Shocking Specter, I showcased my love of Universal Pictures 1931 classic horror film Frankenstein and its inimitable star Boris Karloff as the monster. As a kid, I used to watch those old horror movies on television’s Shock Theater on Saturday nights. I often collect plots ideas on my daily walks in my neighborhood of vintage, historic homes.

Q:  Why the mystery genre, and why do you write cozy mysteries for kids?

A:   I have loved the mystery genre since I discovered Nancy Drew Mysteries at the age of ten. I would finish my schoolwork early so I could pull my book out of my desk and escape to “Nancy Land.” I used to write short mysteries starring Nancy and her friends and vowed that someday, I would write mysteries for children. Kid cozies offer kids a safe place to try on problems and work out solutions. There is crime, but minus the gore and dark peril, so squeamish readers won’t be turned off. Instead, young readers can focus on the actions of likable, role-model amateur sleuths who want to help right wrongs to ensure justice is served. There are often intriguing twists and turns in cozies, lots of clues, food, pets, a red herring or two, and a believable solution to wrap things up with a smile for everyone except the villains.

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Sherrill Joseph was a shy kid whose BFF was
Nancy Drew. From her, the author learned to seek adventures, be kind and fair,
help others everywhere, and become a mystery author someday.

Convinced early on that she was an architect in
a former life, Sherrill was receptive to the magic of her Southern California
neighborhood’s historic houses. To this day, she dramatizes those old
“castles,” filling them with mysteries, staircases, a ghost or two, and
exaggerated occurrences.

The author graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa
cum laude from San Diego State University. Once retired in 2013 after
teaching kids for thirty-five years in the San Diego public schools, the inner
child in Sherrill created the multi award-winning Botanic Hill Detectives
Mysteries series so her grandkids and all kids can gallop with her and her four
forever-thirteen-year-old sleuths in their standalone cases after clues to nab
the bad guys.

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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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #15 ~ Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch

Posted: October 15, 2024 in horror, middle grade, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Camp Twisted Pine

by Ciera Burch

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Genre: Horror / Middle Grade / Mystery

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MY REVIEW

It’s weird how much I’m drawn to stories that involve summer camp. Probably because I never went to one. The author made me feel like I had after reading this book. Took me back too. To when we’d go to the summer cabin on the lake. “She hated how the trees blocked out the rest of the world, branches overlapping like the fingers of clasped hands, absorbing light and sound.”  I really felt that situation. That excitement and mystery and little bit of trepidation when I’d go for walks in the vast woods behind the cabin.

Naomi was a gem. She put on a brave face and tried to make the best of it when her parents announced they were getting divorced and the kids were being sent to summer camp. It didn’t seem so bad at first. But then people started disappearing. Something was out there in the woods. Naomi stepped up her game to save everyone. I’d like to think I was as brave as Naomi. Had her ingenuity. Who knows what I’d do. I’m thinking maybe I was lucky I never went to camp. LOL.

This was incredibly engaging. The characters were well written and spoke to me in their appropriate age voices. The adventures were fun. And the suspense and sense of danger had me burning the midnight oil to get to the end. Super fun for all ages.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

Whispering Pines meets Small Spaces in this spooky middle grade novel about a girl whose first summer camp experience is disrupted by a menacing creature abducting her fellow campers.

Eleven-year-old Naomi loves all things outdoors—birds and beetles, bats and bunnies—in theory. She explores nature in the best possible the cold, hard facts in books. So when her parents’ announcement of their impending divorce comes hand in hand with sending Naomi and her younger twin brothers to summer camp while they figure things out, it’s salt in the wound for Naomi and her avoidance of hands-on experience. Camp Twisted Pine could be worse. The counselors are nice, and Naomi likes her cabinmates, especially Jackie, whose blunt personality and frank dislike of the camp draws Naomi in quickly. Jackie is also hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid, and the girls quickly develop a routine of sign language lessons in their free time, which Naomi sees as a welcome break when all the s’mores-making and nature walks get to be a bit much. But the campers aren’t the only ones who roam the grounds of Camp Twisted Pine. When people start to go missing, including Jackie, Naomi has to find a way to save everyone—and herself. Her practical knowledge of the outdoors may still be rudimentary at best, but she has years of studying and the scientific method to fall back on. Can Naomi identify and stop the dangerous predator before it’s too late?

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

     

     

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Burnt Ends by Laura Wetsel ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 11, 2024 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
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Burnt Ends by Laura Wetsel Banner

BURNT ENDS
by Laura Wetsel
September 23 – October 18, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
Murder is juicier with a side of barbecue sauce.

Private Investigator Tori Swenson gets a strange accidental death case that looks like murder at one of her uncle’s drive-ins and decides it’s time to get revenge on her estranged family. Pretending to want a reunion, she appears at her uncle’s party to secretly investigate them. When her uncle suddenly dies, Tori’s case takes a sinister turn that makes her a suspect in her uncle’s death and the killer’s next target. To uncover who dethroned the barbecue king, Tori will have to face her own fiery demons while pursuing a killer who wants to make dead meat out of her. For fans of Knives Out and the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.

Praise for Burnt Ends:

“Quirky and entertaining, this book and its unforgettable characters, tight plotting, and clever twists make for a reading experience as suspenseful as it is satisfying. A toothsome treat of a book by a debut mystery writer.” ~ Kirkus Reviews “Fire up the grill! Laura Wetsel serves up a delicious debut of grills, thrills, and chills.” ~ Riley Adams, author of the Memphis Barbeque Series “Jessica Jones meets Succession with a side of coleslaw, this is the kind of book you want to sink your teeth into and not let go. Laura Wetsel bursts onto the scene with a mouthwatering mystery that will have readers begging for more.” ~ Moriah Richard, Writer’s Digest “Charred and bloody to perfection, Laura Wetsel’s Burnt Ends is smoking hot!” ~ Jamie Stachowski, Meat America

 

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery (private investigator)

Published by: CamCat Books Publication Date: September 24, 2024 Number of Pages: 320 ISBN: 9780744311211 (ISBN10: 0744311217)

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

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Chapter One
There it was—smoking meat, the sweet stench of my childhood. Hickory, molasses, tomato, brown sugar. Kansas City’s love letter to everyone but me. Darnell, my best friend from our early rehab days, drove us into the parking lot of Rocky’s BBQ Smokehouse, and I gagged on the meat-thickened air. Don’t toss your waffles, Tori. The giant statue of Rocky the Pig— “Rocky the Cannibal”—smiled down at me in his chef hat and apron, holding a platter of ribs like he was trying to turn my stomach. Darnell parked his truck with a displeased grunt. “Seriously, Tor,” he said, wiping the sweat from his bald head. “I said I’d help you move, not run a stakeout in a hundred degrees.” “Don’t worry.” I took a gulp of Topo Chico to help settle my queasy gut. “My target should be here soon. Then you can help me move into my aunt’s place.” I twisted the zoom lens onto my digital camera and aimed it at a family tottering out of the restaurant with sauce-splattered shirts. “Fine, then I’m running in for some brisket,” Darnell said. “At least, assuming they’ve got any with the meat drought they’ve been—” “Hold up,” I cut him off and nodded at a green sedan rolling into the lot. “That’s her.” I pointed my lens at the driver’s door, getting ready to fire away. When a woman stepped out with crutches, I groaned. “Guess she wasn’t lying.” Darnell shifted the car out of park. “The brisket will have to—” “Wait.” Darnell hit the brakes, jerking us forward. “Now what?” “I want to see if she uses them inside. It would be hard in a buffet line.” “You’re kidding, right?” He raised his brows at me. “If you go in there with that huge camera, there’s no way she’s ditching her crutches.” “That wasn’t what I was thinking. I only knew to come here because my target’s sister posted this online.” I pulled out my phone to show Darnell the selfie post of Sasha Wolf with the caption, Waiting for @GinnyWolf. #RockysBBQ #SisterLove. “Okay,” Darnell said. “Am I supposed to be seeing something here?” I tapped on Sasha’s photo, zooming in on her sunlit head. “See that sunlight shining on her ponytail?” “Yeah, and?” “She’s under an atrium, which means I’d have a great shot from the roof.” “The roof? You’re not seriously thinking of climbing Rocky’s, are you?” “Why not?” I said, tying my blonde curls into a fist of a ponytail. “You’ve seen me scale walls and trees before. I’m a nimble little freak.” “I meant about trespassing.” Darnell pointed to his police badge like he might arrest me. “You know us private eyes don’t have to follow your rules.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “Just have a smoke, and I’ll be back before you’ve even put your butt out.” “One cig, Tor,” Darnell warned, tapping a pack of Marlboro Lights on the face of his watch. “Otherwise, have fun moving by yourself.” For a recovering addict, Darnell was a horrible liar. I knew he’d never abandon me, not for anything. Hanging my camera around my neck, I hopped out of the truck into the afternoon sun, where I already felt like I was sucking meat-flavored steam through a cocktail straw. I’d just have to deal with the nausea. I hustled toward the black and orange pavilion, noting its unclimbable plastic siding and security cameras mounted at the entrance. Maybe I’d have better luck in the back. I circled around and found luck in the form of a supply truck parked right beside the restaurant. No driver, no cameras, no people. This was my way to the roof. I hoisted myself onto the hood and made my way up the windshield to the top of the truck. The gap between the truck and building was only two feet, so I made the easy jump. Soon as I hit the roof though, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. This wasn’t an ideal time to take calls, so I let it ring out while I got on my hands and knees to crawl toward the atrium. When I got to the glass, I peered down below at a buffet hall where six dozen carnivores were dressed for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend and savagely stuffing their smeared, sticky faces with brisket, thighs, and ribs. My stomach surged at this familiar scene. I’d been avoiding the barbecue world for nearly fifteen years, and now that I was looking down on it like some floating deity, I remembered why I’d stayed away. Barbecue didn’t just upset my stomach. From my head to my chest to my teeth, it made me mad everywhere. But I didn’t want to think about why. Not after what I’d done last night. As I searched the crowd of meat-eaters, I found Ginny, my target, at a table with her sister, her crutches against the wall. I raised my camera to my eye and focused on Ginny’s face. She was teasing Sasha, lifting her brows and puckering her lips, and as she stuck out her tongue, a memory flashed in my head—I was a fourteen-year-old again in an inflatable pool of barbecue sauce with my cousin Annie. My hands shook, releasing the camera, but I jolted my neck back before the camera hit the roof. That memory was another reminder why I avoided meat, but it made sense why the past was on my mind when Annie was the reason I was on this stakeout. She’d filed her case to investigate Ms. Wolf with my agency yesterday afternoon. I had no idea though who this Ginny Wolf was to Annie as I placed the burning hot camera back on my face and snapped pictures of Ginny, her crutches, her gold pendant and butterfly tattoo, all material things identifying her. When she stood up for the buffet, leaving her crutches behind, I videoed the fraudster walking free and easy without them. As I’d thought, another liar. *** Excerpt from Burnt Ends by Laura Wetsel. Copyright 2024 by Laura Wetsel. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Laura Wetsel:

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Laura Wetsel

Laura Wetsel holds bachelor’s degrees in Russian and English literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a master’s degree in Russian literature from Northwestern University. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her two cats, Sasha and Ginny Wolf. While this story is fictional, Burnt Ends was inspired by Laura’s uncle, who ran a successful burger drive-in chain in Ohio, as well as her experience living in Kansas City, Missouri.

Catch Up With Laura Wetsel: www.LauraWetselBooks.com Goodreads Twitter/X – @LauraWetsel

 

 

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Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway! Click here to view the Tour Schedule  

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Laura Wetsel & CamCat Books. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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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.

Murder Among The Pyramids ~ 1920s Lady Traveler In Egypt by Sara Rosett

Posted: October 1, 2024 in giveaways, Historical, Mystery
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Murder Among the Pyramids (1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt)
by Sara Rosett

 


Murder Among the Pyramids (1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt)
Historical Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Egypt
Publisher ‏ : ‎ McGuffin Ink (October 1, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1950054691
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1950054695
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D9KQF7NR

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Escape on an Egyptian Excursion to the Land of the Pyramids!
Tour highlights include: Hieroglyphics and high tea in the desert, followed by murder after sunset . . .

It’s 1924 and Blix Windway has made a career out of her wanderlust, giving lectures to ladies’ groups about everything from the flora of the American desert to the beauty of the Swiss Alps, but she needs new material for her talks.

She strikes what seems to be an ideal agreement with an eccentric older lady. Blix will be her travel companion during a journey to Egypt, helping to smooth the way through customs and coordinate sightseeing tours. The arrangement will provide Blix with the perfect opportunity to photograph the pyramids and gather material for her next lecture series.

But they’ve barely left England before the trouble begins—rough seas and an attempted robbery. Then a murder occurs during a tour of the pyramids.

Despite the attempts of the British officials to sweep the death under the rug, Blix becomes increasingly convinced that one of their tour party is a murderer.

Blix’s search for the truth takes her from the posh sporting clubs and lavish gardens of Cairo to the narrow, twisting lanes of the city’s centuries-old bazaar and the vast desert around the Giza Plateau. Can Blix unearth the truth before the killer makes this journey her last?

Join Blix on this classic murder mystery from Sara Rosett, author of the beloved High Society Lady Detective series.

About Sara Rosett

The author of over 30 novels, Sara Rosett is a USA Today bestselling author who writes mysteries that are the bee’s knees with delightful settings and perplexing puzzles. Sara loves Golden Age mysteries, getting new stamps in her passport, as well as watching foreign-language crime shows, Jane Austen adaptations, and Kdramas. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.

Author Links: Website / Instagram / Twitter/X / Pinterest / Goodreads

Purchase Links: Buy direct from Sara / Retailer links

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BOOK BLAST PARTICIPANTS

October 1

Angel’s Book Nook        

Christy’s Cozy Corners

Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books            

Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense 

Elizabeth McKenna – Author     

Maureen’s Musings

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book            

Sapphyria’s Book Reviews        

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A Hush At Midnight by Marlene M. Bell ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 1, 2024 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: ,
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A Hush at Midnight

by Marlene M. Bell

 

Publication date: October 1st 2024
Genres: Adult, Mystery

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Former Celebrity Chef Laura Harris used to be famous for her show-stopping pastries and mouth-watering desserts. Now, she’s attracting a different kind of attention.

Laura’s been accused of murder.

But how could this petite pastry chef brutally smother small-town matriarch Hattie Stenburg to death? And what could be her motive? Hattie was beloved in her little Texas community – a wise humanitarian who Laura considered a confidant and mentor.

Perhaps it has something to do with a last-minute change to Hattie’s will – bestowing the Stenburg fortune and its history-steeped estate to Laura, instead of Hattie’s surviving relatives. Or maybe it has something to do with the sinister secrets Laura uncovers as she desperately tries to clear her name – secrets that could rock the foundations of this close-knit community.

Only one thing seems clear: The real murderer remains one step ahead of both Laura and local law enforcement, leaving a trail of taunts warning Laura to leave Texas or face deadly consequences. She’s in the way – and that means it could already be too late.

An amateur sleuth sets out to solve a small-town murder in A Hush at Midnight, a mystery by Marlene M Bell, author of the “couldn’t put it down” Annalisse Series.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Almost to Coldspell and full of misgivings, Laura couldn’t shake her feeling of dread for Hattie’s sake. Why did she allow Nicole to steer her away? She should’ve stayed with her mentor and not bowed to the will of a neighbor she knew nothing about.

Laura had to drive back to Stenburg no matter how late it was.

She glanced at the clock on her dash, beyond caring what anyone thought about an after-midnight visitation. Even if she had to nap in her car to make the trip back to Coldspell, she wouldn’t rest until she knew that Hattie was okay.

An inky blanket hung over the property when she arrived. Not a single porch or barn light shone from the Stenburg Estate. Living this far out from town, Laura couldn’t imagine why a dusk-to-dawn light hadn’t been installed. She’d mention it to her dad. Her headlights beamed on the front door and bay window, bright enough to wake someone sleeping on the living room couch. Laura left her Subaru in park with the engine running and jogged up the steps. She knocked quietly on the huge glass pane. If she could rouse the neighbor without waking Hattie, better yet.

A dog barked in the distance. The only sound for miles. Moon Pie should’ve been with Hattie, but Laura picked up no sound from inside the estate house. Surely, Hattie’s pet would notice visitors.

The barking continued, perhaps from a nearby shelter for stray animals.

Laura cupped her hands and peered through the window but was unable to see past the dark glass cloaked by heavy curtains. She knocked more firmly with her knuckles. Other than raising goosebumps on her arms, no one inside rose to open the front door.

Nicole had lied about staying with Hattie and sleeping on the couch.

Laura’s heartbeat quickened as she pounded on the massive door, calling for Nicole or Hattie to let her inside. No human or pet could sleep through the noise she was making. She tried the door and found it as it should’ve been. Locked.

“Hattie! Is anyone in there?” Laura kicked her boot at the door in frustration.

She checked the kitchen and bedroom windows that were too high for her to climb through even if she were lucky enough to find one unlocked. She ran along the wraparound porch, calling for Hattie—her car’s right headlight spotting the way from porch to grass.

The further she went toward the back of the house, the louder the barking became.

Hattie had mentioned that Moon Pie stayed with Jordan in the guesthouse.

Wake Jordan. He’ll find Hattie.

Laura ran to her car and drove behind the building to where the guesthouse connected to the estate via a concrete breezeway. There, she found a sharp-eared corgi with her nose pressed against the window, scratching with her claws and raising all kinds of ruckus.

Where is Jordan, and why is Moon Pie alone in the guesthouse? Laura’s tingling senses told her the scene was all wrong.

She slammed the Subaru into park and faced the dog from the other side of the narrow four-foot window near the guesthouse’s entrance. Laura tried to open the locked metal door by the knob, then gave a strong shove with her shoulder. All she received for her trouble was a sore arm. When she made eye contact with Moon Pie once more, the dog wriggled its rump, whining and whimpering. Crouching to Moon Pie’s level, she placed the flat of her hand on the outside screen, trying to soothe the irate dog with her words. A small gap below the sash showed her that Jordan had left the window slightly ajar for the dog.

Laura caught a whiff of something she couldn’t describe.

Moon Pie had her red nylon lead attached at the collar, as if she’d been dropped inside abruptly.

“Sweetie, I’m coming in.” Laura removed a driving glove, pried the screen from its runners with her nails, and threw it aside.

Moon Pie stuck her nose through the opening and sniffed.

“Don’t bite my fingers.” She replaced the glove on her hand and with all her might, lifted the sash from the gap, sliding it up and open. Enough to squeeze her small frame through sideways.

Moon Pie jumped out then came back to follow her inside, barking madly at her feet. Her boot caught the dog, throwing Laura headlong into the wall. “Honey, quiet. I can’t think.” Laura groped the painted surface with her palm until she found a light switch and flipped it on.

She stood in a bedroom.

Someone lay still on the mattress. Deathly pale.

A crawling sensation moved up her spine. Jordan. As she walked closer to the person, she realized the body was that of a female, partially obscured by a bed pillow. Laura took several labored breaths and sped around the footboard—watching for the rise and fall of the woman’s chest.

A fleeting thought of Nicole went through her mind, quickly dashed by the person’s hair color. Bitterness filled Laura’s mouth and she swallowed hard. Her worst fears had come true.

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About Author Marlene M. Bell:

Mystery at a killing pace

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch, her fans often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic suspense, thriller, and cozy mystery books as characters or subject matter.

Marlene’s multi-award-winning Annalisse series boasts numerous Best Mystery honors for all installments including the newest IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, and Global Gold Award for the fourth cozy mystery from down under.

Her children’s picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written for the younger crowd, is based on true events from the Bell’s Texas sheep ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of belonging and unconditional love between a little girl and her lamb. Mia and Nattie is suitable reading for ages 3 – 7 years and beyond, a Mom’s Choice Gold Award winner, and Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List winner.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Rabbit Moon by Jan D. Payne

Posted: October 1, 2024 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mytery/Thriller
Tags: , ,
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Rabbit Moon

by Jan D. Payne

 

Publication date: September 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

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They say you can’t go back home, but Marin Sinclair, end-of-life doula, doesn’t expect her life to be in danger when she answers a mysterious plea for help from a long-ago friend and returns to Dinetah, the Navajo Nation. Her past there holds memories she is reluctant to confront, but what about her life then would make someone want to kill her?

Navajo Nation Police Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes shares a connection with Marin from the past, and he has a few questions of his own when Marin disappears―such as why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has agents investigating the abandoned uranium mines on the reservation and how Marin is connected.

Marin needs to survive to find any answers, and to do so she is forced to run, going off the grid on her own in the Lukachukai mountains with unknown killers close behind.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The Bilagaana woman’s eyes were wide and staring, and even if she wasn’t a ghost-witch Haastiin Sani thought maybe she was crazy. Only someone crazy would have been out here alone in the dark and the rain. Crazy people must be treated with care, and the same for ghost-witches. It didn’t help to make them angry.

He looked at the woman, considering.

She was trembling now, as if cold, but witches and crazy people both were known to be clever. The sooner he saw her off the better, and he jerked his chin toward the direction of his camp and motioned the woman to follow. He would show her every hospitality and then gently nudge her on her way.

She looked somewhat better when he gave her a cup of hot coffee and offered the frybread his daughter had left for him, inviting her with a nod to take it, and tears came into her eyes as her lips and chin began to tremble.

Very much like a normal person, but it could be a ruse to cause him to relax his vigilance so she could blow corpse dust over him. He busied himself with the fire and wished fervently to be rid of this evil.

Marin knew she made this man very uncomfortable, and she thought she even knew why, considering where and how he had found her, but she didn’t know how to relieve his fears without making things worse.

“Thank you,” Marin murmured to the old man. “Ahéhee’,” she repeated.

She studied the man on the other side of the fire. His face was seamed and wrinkled, his frame was tall and spare beneath the loose shirt of red cotton tied with a woven sash. His gray hair was worn long, and there was a turquoise bead woven into a strand of hair near one temple.

A hogan was built higher up the slope, a blanket hanging across the eastern door, and an empty sheep pen was tucked into a rocky cliff a short way from it. A handsome bay horse wearing a rope halter stood nearby, sheltering under overhanging boards propped between a few corral poles and the cliff.

She looked around for the sheep she knew must be somewhere close by, and the dogs, but they weren’t in sight. She didn’t see any sort of vehicle either, or any other person besides the old man, watching her surreptitiously.

The old man cleared his throat suddenly, and she flinched, startled, but instead of speaking, the old man rose to his feet and walked toward the corral.

She stood as well, thinking he meant for her to follow, but he gave no sign, and she paused.

Passing Marin without word or look, he ducked under the hogan’s blanket door, emerging a moment later with an ancient-looking saddle, a bridle, and a thick saddle blanket woven in red and black yarns.

Silently, he began to saddle the horse, smoothing the blanket across the horse’s back and throwing the saddle over, pulling the cinch tight. He put the bridle on last, settling the bit into the horse’s mouth before reaching to adjust the braided ear straps. Without looking at her, he walked back, thrust the reins towards Marin, and spoke for the first time.

“You go now,” he said, and pursed his lips, pushing his chin toward the east.

Marin opened her mouth to object to taking his horse and slowly closed it again. The old man was giving her a way to get down the mountain, and she had no wish to bring trouble to him if Tolliver managed to follow her here.

She took the reins.

Haastiin Sanii grunted and stepped away toward the fire, and Marin tied her jacket to the saddle, surprised when he returned and pushed the remainder of the frybread into her hands.

“Over there,” he said, pointing again with his chin, “is a good way down.”

She waited for any more words the man might offer, for he seemed to be listening and thinking carefully, but he said nothing. He slapped the horse on the rump and stepped away.

“You go now,” he repeated.

Marin mounted, then turned in the saddle. “I’ll leave the horse at a trading post below,” she said.

Haastiin Sanii shrugged, relieved, as he watched her ride away. She was someone in a lot of trouble or someone bringing a lot of trouble, but he had done the best he could.

He looked down at his sash and fingered the gun he had found beside the spring, then looked down the trail at the woman on his grandson’s horse. He wondered if she knew a flashflood was coming and if she knew enough to stay out of the canyon.

He shrugged again, figured a ghost-witch would know and a crazy person wouldn’t care.

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About Author Jan D. Payne:

Drawing from her years in the Southwest and the Navajo Nation, Jan Payne writes on themes of courage, regret, hope, and restoration in a world of created kinships. Through her characters’ lives and shared dangers—Marin Sinclair, end-of-life doula; Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes of the Navajo Nation Police; Cullen MacPherson, agent for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Garret Washburn, teenaged ward of Marin’s, and Lewis George, Raven spirit-guide-cum-trickster—she takes readers on a journey through the complex interactions of cultural backgrounds and personal histories, highlighting the way kinships forged in crisis have the power to reshape our lives.

Jan Payne lived on the Dineh (Navajo) reservation in Sanostee, on the New Mexico side of the Lukachukai mountain range, where she spent summers climbing mesas, taking camping trips on horseback, exploring ghost towns in the mountains of Colorado, or working with her dad breaking and training horses in Sanostee. Her two most memorable summer jobs were at a Durango, Colorado dude ranch working with pack mule trains and a brief stint as a camp cook at a uranium mining site.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Gone Crazy ~ A Rory Naysmith Mystery by Terry Korth Fischer

Posted: September 24, 2024 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: ,
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Gone Crazy (Rory Naysmith Mysteries)
by Terry Korth Fischer

 


Gone Crazy (Rory Naysmith Mysteries)
Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Nebraska
Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Wild Rose Press, Inc. (July 22, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509255974
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509255979
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D47XQ8WZ

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A formal declaration of love scares the bejesus out of small-town Detective Rory Naysmith. As Valentine’s Day approaches, he evaluates his relationship with bookkeeper Esther Mullins, and decides to take her on a romantic date that ends with a poet’s murder. Assigned to the case, Rory pushes his private life aside. Things gets tricky after Esther is appointed Executrix for the estate—then rumors start that place a priceless item among the poet’s many possessions.

The race is on to unearth the treasure and solve the murder, but it leaves Rory wondering if Esther will live long enough to become his Valentine—or end up as the murderer’s next victim.

About Terry Korth Fischer

Terry Korth Fischer is the author of Rory Naysmith Mysteries, a cozy-crime series featuring a seasoned city detective relocated to small-town Nebraska. Transplanted from the Midwest, Terry lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two guard cats. When not writing, she loves reading and basking in the sunshine, yet, her heart often wanders to the country’s heartland, where she spent a memorable—ordinary but charmed—childhood. Learn more about Terry on her website HERE.

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

Goodreads /  BookBub / Newsletter

Purchase Links
Amazon     Bookshop.org     Barnes & Noble     iTunes     Goodreads    BookBub

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 23 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

September 24 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 26 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

September 27 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

September 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 30 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 30 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 1 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 2 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 2 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Crime And Culpability ~ A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology

Posted: September 21, 2024 in Anthology, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: , ,
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Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology
by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland

 


Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology
Cozy Mystery Anthology
Settings – (Regency England, modern-day America)
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bayou Wolf Press (September 10, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D6JQN6JL

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“No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of Austen variations, but this is more than just a trend. Austen was a masterful storyteller who embedded clues within her stories for her readers to follow, inviting readers to read between the lines and “gather the evidence” to follow her intricate plotlines.

In this anthology, various authors who are also fans and admirers of Austen’s work have taken the challenge to add some mystery to Austen’s stories and characters. From Regency sequels to film noir retellings to cozy art heists, Crime and
Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology explores the many faces of Austen and all of her
enigmas.

Featuring stories by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland, with a foreword by Regina Jeffers and an introduction by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands.

About the Authors

Writer Elizabeth Gilliland was photographed in Mobile, Alabama.

Elizabeth Gilliland: Elizabeth Gilliland is the author of the Austen University Mysteries series, including What Happened on Box Hill, The Portraits of Pemberley, and two prequel novellas, Dear Prudent Elinor and Sly Jane Fairfax. (Look out for book three sometime next year!) She has written and presented at various academic confer‐ ences on Jane Austen and wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations, dedicating herself to watch the lake dive scene as many times as necessary for scholarly pursuit. She also writes Gothic horror as E. Gilliland and romance as Lissa Sharpe, and she is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press.

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Blog / Newsletter / Amazon / Website / Twitter

 

 

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Regina Jeffers – Regina Jeffers writes books about corsets, rakes, daring heroines, dashing heroes and all aspects of the Georgian/Regency era. She is an award winning author of cozy mysteries, historical romantic suspense, and Austenesque vagaries. Jeffers has been a Smithsonian presenter and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as having her tales honored by, among others, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Frank Yerby Award for Fiction, the International Digital Awards, and the Chanticleer International Book Award.

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

Instagram / YouTube Interview / Website

Every Woman Dreams (Blog) /  Always Austen (Group Blog)

 

Riana Everly: Riana Everly is an award-winning Canadian author of Austenesque fiction, both Regency and contemporary. Her historical mystery series, Miss Mary Investigates, has quickly become a favourite of Jane Austen fans and cosy mystery fans alike. Trained as a classical musician, she also has advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, and pretended to be an academic before discovering that fiction doesn’t need footnotes. She loves travelling, cooking her way around the world, playing with photography, and discussing obscure details with her husband and children. Possibly in Latin. She can be found in the usual places and loves connecting with readers, so please give her a shout!

Author Links: Newsletter / Website / Facebook / Instagram / Amazon

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Jeanette Watts: Jeanette Watts is a dance instructor, writer, seamstress, actress, and very, very poor housekeeper. With books on historical fiction, modern romantic comedy, LGBTQ romance, Jane Austen-inspired stories, and she is contemplating writing steamier works, what do all these genres have in common? Jeanette writes about people with a secret. Secrets are fun. Keep up with the various parts of Jeanette’s brain at her YouTube Channel, “History is My Playground,” and her webpages, Jeanette‐ Watts.squarespace.com and DancingThruHistory.com.

Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / YouTube / Website 1

Website 2 

 Goodreads / Amazon

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Michael Rands: Michael Rands is the author of the novels The Chapel St. Perilous and Praise Routine Number Four, co-author of the economic satire The Yamaguchi Manuscripts, and Kamikaze Economics (a story of modern Japan). He’s co-author of the humorous dictionary Stay Away from Mthatha. He co-created the audio drama The Crystal Set and co- hosted the podcast Detours Ahead. In South Africa he worked in television as a writer, director and producer. He taught English in Japan. He holds an MFA from Louisiana State University, and currently teaches English and Creative Writing at the college level. He is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press. He lives with his wife, son, and labrador, in Alabama. His new novel, When the Witch Calls, comes out in November 2024.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Blog

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Linné Elizabeth: Linné Elizabeth is an English instructor at Utah Tech University, a freelance content writer, and an award-winning author. When she’s not devouring chocolate while nose-deep in a book, you can find her playing in the russet desert of southern Utah with her four incredible – sometimes feral – kids and her handsome husband. Check her out on Instagram: @library4one or on Facebook: @linneelizabeth

Author Links: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook / Blog

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Emma Dalgety: Emma Dalgety grew up in Mobile, Alabama. She received a BA in Music and English from the University of Mobile in 2023. As a musi‐ cian and a writer, she has performed violin across the Southeast and internationally, finding creative inspiration and filling notebooks with story fragments throughout her travels. When she isn’t writing, she is researching interdisciplinary connections in literature as she works towards an MA in English, or teaching music lessons in her private studio.

Purchase Link – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 16 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 18 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 23 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

September 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 24 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 26 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 26 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 27 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – REVIEW

September 27 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 28 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – Maureen’s Musings – 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.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ The Secret Truth ~ A Jake Scott Mystery by Barry Finlay

Posted: September 2, 2024 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Secret Truth organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Barry Finlay will be awarding 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.

The Secret Truth

by Barry Finlay

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Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

Retired investigative journalist Jake Scott narrowly avoids a collision with a speeding car on his way to a Bed and Breakfast where he plans to spend the night. Moments before his arrival, the peaceful atmosphere at the B&B is shattered by a devastating explosion, claiming the lives of five guests. While authorities initially chalk it up to a tragic gas leak, seasoned homicide detective Dani Perez can’t shake her suspicions. Given her overloaded schedule, she enlists Jake’s expertise to delve into the backgrounds of the deceased. As Jake pursues the investigation, he unearths a web of secrets hinting at a darker truth lurking beneath the surface of the seemingly idyllic B&B.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The sound of a car engine starting in the distance interrupted the calm of the night. Warm rubber on pavement chirped as the car pulled away. A dog barked at the sudden sound. Oblivious to the revving engine, Jake jaywalked to the other side of the street about halfway down the block at exactly the time the car careened around the corner. The headlights bounced off the corner house and veered in Jake’s direction. A giant spotlight might as well have turned on him. For a split second, Jake stopped in mid-stride, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed as the two brilliant headlights bore down on him at lightning speed.

Only instinct saved him. He leaped for the grassy area bordering the street as the car roared past, its engine screaming. Jake swore the driver’s front corner bumper grazed the heel of his shoe an instant before his body thudded on the unforgiving ground. First, his knees, followed by his arms, and then his face completed the maneuver. The gym bag he launched during his dive landed with a dull smack on the sidewalk.

Jake turned his head to watch the car from his prone position, but all he could tell as the vehicle raced around the corner at the end of the block was that it was big and dark. For a second, streetlights glinted off the wheel disks and reflected off the passenger side windows. Then it disappeared. He moaned and, without moving his extended arm, raised his middle finger in the general direction of the car’s path. While the car and its driver had vanished, the gesture gave him a measure of satisfaction.

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About Author Barry Finlay:

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Barry Finlay is the award-winning author of the travel adventure, Kilimanjaro and Beyond – A Life-Changing Journey (with his son Chris), the Amazon bestselling travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, the inspirational Just Keep Climbing, and five Amazon bestselling and award-winning thrillers comprising The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection: The Vanishing Wife, A Perilous Question, Remote Access, Never So Alone, and The Burden of Darkness. His new Jake Scott Mystery Series debuted with Searching ForTruth and The Guardians of Truth. He is now following that up with The Secret Truth. Barry was featured in the 2012-13 Authors Show’s edition of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania, Africa. Barry lives with his wife Evelyn in Ottawa, Canada.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter

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