A Day In The Life Of Laura Harris by Miranda James

I’m excited about this gig in Athena. Dad is going to be so surprised when he sees me. As far as he knows I’m busy in L.A. going to auditions, meeting with producers – you know the drill. During our weekly phone call a couple of nights ago, I almost gave the game away, though, when he asked when I would have time for another visit home.

He’ll be thrilled; especially when he finds out I’m going to be in Athena the whole fall semester. I still can’t believe Connor recommended me for the temporary position, not given our history the past eight months. He’s volatile, up one minute, riding the clouds, the next he’s down, convinced he’ll never finish another play. That rollercoaster emotions thing is one reason I broke up with him. That, and the fact that he’s incredibly possessive. I had to think hard about accepting the job, knowing that he was going to be on hand the whole time, Mr. “Writer-in-Residence” Connor Lawton. He can be so pretentious you wouldn’t believe.

The chance to teach acting proved too strong an inducement, however. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity. I don’t have huge amounts of experience, though I certainly will have more than the beginning theater students at Athena College.

Well, I’m going to hope for the best. Dad and Sean will be there, and my darling kitty Diesel. I wish I could kidnap him and bring him back to L.A. with me at the end of the semester. But Dad would have my hide, of course. Sometimes I swear that cat is more like a third child to him than a pet.

I’m just rambling now, and that happens when I’m nervous and excited and ecstatic – and apprehensive. If only Connor will behave and not drive people absolutely bat-crap crazy. If he behaves his worst – and believe me, it’s pretty terrible – there’s no telling what could happen.

But maybe, just maybe, for once in his life he’ll behave….

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You can read more about Laura in FILE M FOR MURDER, the third book in the “Cat in the Stacks” mystery series. The first book in the series is MURDER PAST DUE

** Thanks to the Miranda, I have one (1) copy of FILE M FOR MURDER to give away. Contest open to residents of the US only. Contest ends February 4th. Leave a valid-email address with your comment. Book will be shipped directly from the author. **

Meet the author:
Miranda James is the pseudonym for an Agatha and Macavity Award-winning author who has published sixteen mystery novels, along with several short stories and works of mystery non-fiction. A librarian in Houston, Miranda has one elderly cat (who is not a Maine Coon) and thousands of books. Visit Miranda at www.catinthestacks.com

Books are available at retail and online booksellers.

Fatal Twist by Alan Jacobson

Fatal Twist by Alan Jacobson is the first short story in the “Karen Vail” thriller series. Publisher: Premier Digital Publishing, December 2011

The Park Rapist has murdered his first victim—and FBI profiler Karen Vail is on the case. As Vail races through the streets of Washington, D.C. to chase down a promising lead that may help her catch the killer, a military-trained sniper takes aim at his target, a wealthy businessman’s son. But what brings these two unrelated offenders together is something the nation’s capital has never before experienced.

Karen is on the trail of a rapist while the DC cops search for a sniper. The two cases collide with a twist I didn’t’ see coming. This short story was a great interlude and I can’t wait for the next Karen Vail book.

Kiki Lowenstein and the White Elephant by Joanna Campbell Slan

Kiki Lowenstein and the White Elephant by Joanna Campbell Slan is the fourth short story in the “Kiki Lowenstein” mystery series. Publisher: Spot On Publisher, January 2012

After the holidays, a desperately broke Kiki Lowenstein comes up with a super idea to bring in customers at Time in a Bottle, the little scrapbook store where she works. It’s a White Elephant item swap—and when the women trade cast-offs, they also trade secrets!

Trying to boost their store sales, the team at “Time in the Bottle” holds a White Elephant swap. The mystery begins when one of the items holds a deep dark secret. This is another great short story with a surprising conclusion.

D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods

D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods is the 22nd book in the “Stone Barrington” suspense series. Publisher: Putnam, December 2011

Seemingly out of the blue, Stone Barrington and NYPD detective, Dino Bacchetti, receive a most welcome invitation from the White House. It seems President Will Lee needs their investigative talents—and legendary discretion—for a particularly sensitive case. For his part, Stone is pleased to discover they’ll be working with his former partner in crime (and in bed), CIA agent Holly Barker.

In the exclusive world of Washington politics, power and privilege often go hand in hand with private indulgences and clandestine affairs. As Stone’s investigation takes him from the multimillion-dollar Georgetown houses of the city’s elite to the luxurious apartments of Watergate to the private residence of the president himself, it becomes clear that even clubby, buttoned-up Washington high society has a scandalous side that its most favored members would kill to keep secret.

This was another quick and action-filled read. This time, Stone is in Washington D.C. getting acquainted with new and old friends while trying to solve a case that may have political implications. This was a fun read and I enjoyed my time spent with Stone, Dino and the many associates that surrounds him on his adventures.

The Professor by Cathy Perkins

The Professor by Cathy Perkins. Publisher: Carina Press, January 2012

The Professor presses his palm against her flank, the warmth of her blood, hotter than her skin. Hot, like the life force that he has claimed. The power over life and death is the ultimate thrill.

Someone is murdering women on college campuses. Agent Mick O’Shaughnessy’s mission is simple: stop the killer. Following every lead, he meets Meg, the faculty advisor for one of the victims, who can help him track the killer through her campus connections.

Meg Connelly is focused on getting her master’s degree to show her estranged family she doesn’t need anybody’s help to succeed. There’s something about Mick she can’t resist, but the last time she let someone get close to her, it cost her everything.

As the investigation heats up, so does their relationship. But Mick’s interest in Meg doesn’t just endanger her heart—it puts her in the sights of the killer.

Once he gets her alone, he can take all the time he needs…

I like it. A serial killer is on the loose and an agent gets caught between the killer’s prey and his heart. Meeting Meg, Mick did not expect she would be in the crosshairs of his case and now he’ll have to solve this case before Meg becomes a victim. What a ride! I could not put down this page-turning tale of suspense with a mix of romance. This fast-paced and action-packed drama intensified as the story moved along to its thrilling and heart-stomping conclusion. This was a terrifically suspenseful read and I hope to see more stories from this debut author.

Killer Crullers by Jessica Beck

Killer Crullers by Jessica Beck is the sixth book in the “Donut Shop” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, January 2012

WELCOME BACK TO DONUT HEARTS—where the coffee is hot, the donuts are fresh, and the crullers are to die for.

As owner of April Springs’s one and only donut shop, Suzanne Hart is privy to the deliciously personal, downright eccentric tastes of her customers. One man is crazy for crullers—heavy on the icing. But when he doesn’t pick up his order, a tall dark stranger buys the whole box. Which he tosses, one drippy cruller at a time, at her friend Gabby’s storefront next door.

The man claims that stolen family valuables ended up in Gabby’s thrift shop. His wild, weird behavior has Suzanne wanting to call the cops. But when he turns up dead—outside of Donut Hearts, no less—the cops come calling for her and Gabby. Can Suzanne prove that their role in the cruller-vandal killing is a cruel, albeit sugar-coated, twist of fate?

When a customer starts throwing crullers at Gabby and is later found murdered, the police immediately suspects her friend Gabby. When it looks like bad for her, Gabby asks Suzanne to find the murderer before she’s rolled in dough. I love the easy and steady flow of this well-written story. The mystery kept me turning the pages but what I enjoyed the most is the relationships between Suzanne, her mother and her friends. That is what keeps me coming back to this series again and again. I look forward to more adventures and possibilities in the next book in this wonderfully charming series.

Death by Killer Mop Doll by Lois Winston

Death by Killer Mop Doll by Lois Winston is the second book in “Anastasia Pollack Crafting” mystery series. Publisher: Midnight Ink, January 2012

Overdue bills and constant mother vs. mother-in-law battles at home are bad enough. But crafts editor Anastasia Pollack’s stress level is maxed out when she and her fellow American Woman editors get roped into unpaid gigs for a revamped morning TV show. Before the glue is dry on Anastasia’s mop dolls, morning TV turns crime drama when the studio is trashed and the producer is murdered. Former co-hosts Vince and Monica—sleazy D-list celebrities—stand out among a lengthy lineup of suspects, all furious over the show’s new format. And Anastasia has no clue her snooping has landed her directly in the killer’s unforgiving spotlight.

What a fun read! This is a well-crafted and fast-paced story that kept me laughing as the book progresses to its dramatic conclusion. Once again, Anastasia find a dead body with one of her craft tools nearby and now must outwit a killer before she becomes a victim of her own tools. I like this story as Anastasia deals with the drama that is her dysfunction family and trying to find a killer in her roundabout way to the amusement of this reader. With quirky and eccentric but lovable characters and witty and amusing dialogue, this was very enjoyable and I look forward to more adventures in this entertaining series.

Die Job by Lila Dare

Die Job by Lila Dare is the third book in the “Southern Beauty Shop” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin), January 2012

St. Elizabeth, Georgia, offers charm, Southern hospitality—and an occasional dollop of murder. Now, rumors that a local mansion is haunted are more real than ever when an amateur ghost-hunter comes upon something quite deadly.

High school senior Rachel Whitley things the field-trip idea—playing ghost hunter with her class in Rothmere mansion, where the spirit of a murdered plantation owner is said to still reside—is a lark. But instead of a ghost, Rachel stumbles upon fellow student Braden McCullers, sprawled out in the very spot where Cyril Rothmere died.

As Braden lingers in a coma, Rachel enlists the ladies of Violetta’s salon to investigate the attempt on his life—and unravel the secrets that somehow link a high school student with a centuries-old crime. The intrepid team of hairdressers find themselves in a tangled and treacherous mystery where the roots to the past are very ominous, indeed.

While chaperoning a group of high school students on a ghost-busting expedition, a student is seriously injured ala the same fate of the ghost there were looking to find. At the pleading of her co-worker, Grace agrees to looks into who would kill this young man. This was an okay read with a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I love the setting and charming atmosphere of St. Elizabeth and it is always a pleasure to see Grace and her friends.

Skeleton in a Dead Space by Judy Alter

Skeleton in a Dead Space by Judy Alter is the first book in the “Kelly O’Connell” mystery series. Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press, August 2011

Kelly O’Connell never thought real estate was a dangerous profession, until she stumbled over a skeleton in a dead space in an early-twentieth-century Craftsman house she was transforming into a coveted modern home in an older urban neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas.

From that moment, she runs into teen-age gang members, a manipulative ex-husband, a needy and single pregnant friend, a cold-blooded murderer, and a policeman who wants to be more than her protector. As free-spirited as the chocolate-peanut-jalapeño candy she craves, Kelly barges through life trying to keep from angering her policeman-boyfriend, protect her two young daughters, pacify her worried mother a thousand miles away, and keep her real estate business afloat. Too often she puts herself in danger, and sometimes it’s the girls, not Mike, who come to Kelly’s rescue.

All Kelly wanted to do was finish the house she was renovating, but instead she got a dead skeleton and threats against her family. What a great read that I could not put down. The author had me quickly turning the pages in this suspenseful who-dun-it and the many twists and turns kept the plot moving towards a rewarding conclusion. With a comfortable tone, lovable and quirky characters, great conversation, especially the internal dialogue that Kelly has with herself, and a hint of romance, this was an enjoyable debut and I look forward to the next book in this wonderful new series.

If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton

If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton is the first book in the new “Country Cooking School” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin), January 2012

Isabelle “Betts” Winston loves teaching the secrets of mouthwatering country food in her hometown, Broken Rope, Missouri—famous for its past of outlaws, knife battles, and hangings. But now an all-too-current murder threatens the start of tourist season.

At Gram’s Country Cooking School, Betts and Gram are helping students prepare the perfect dishes for the Southern Missouri Showdown, the cook-off that draws lots of summer visitors. Then they discover the body of local theater owner Everett Morningside in the school’s supply room—and Everett’s widow points the finger at Gram.

Betts must clear Gram’s name and keep the cook-off preparations on schedule—all while worrying about a mysterious cowboy only she seems to be able to see. And after shots are fired at her, Betts has to dig deep into Broken Rope’s history to find the modern-day killer—before the last wing is served.

I like this book. When Betts and her grandmother find a dead body in their school’s supply closet, it doesn’t look good for Grams when she becomes the primary suspect. To save Gram’s reputation, Betts and Jerome will have to find a killer before Grams becomes dead meat. This was an enjoyable read that kept me going until the last sentence. This well-designed tale of mystery had worthy suspects and I enjoyed watching Betts blend the clues from Jerome’s past memories to expose the killer before more harm was done. The small *old-west* town atmosphere; the casual conversations; and a charming cast makes this a delightful read in this wonderful and appealing debut series.