My Musing ~ Dead Storage by Mary Feliz

Dead Storage by Mary Feliz is the third book in the “Maggie McDonald” mystery series. Publisher: Lyrical Underground, coming July 18, 2017

As a professional organizer, Maggie McDonald brings order to messy situations. But when a good friend becomes a murder suspect, surviving the chaos is one tall task . . .

Despite a looming deadline, Maggie thinks she has what it takes to help friends Jason and Stephen unclutter their large Victorian in time for its scheduled renovation. But before she can fill a single bin with unused junk, Jason leaves for Texas on an emergency business trip, Stephen’s injured mastiff limps home—and Stephen himself lands in jail for murder. Someone killed the owner of a local Chinese restaurant and stuffed him in the freezer. Stephen, caught at the crime scene covered in blood, is the number one suspect. Now Maggie must devise a strategy to sort through secrets and set him free—before she’s tossed into permanent storage next . . .

When a friend become a prime suspect in a murder investigation, Maggie uses her organizational skills for decluttering the situation to clear his name.

The mystery in this book was nicely done with enough intrigue and curiosity as to how all will fare at the conclusion of this evenly-paced drama that was hard to put down. The author did a great job in providing a suspect pool that was so varied that it kept me guessing until I had that aha moment and knew who was behind it all. The narrative was visually descriptive keeping me immersed in all that was happening with all the characters who played pivotal roles that would eventually lead to the revelation and apprehension of the killer. I enjoyed the path that was taken to tell this story with an underlying message that added to this tale. Bonus to me was the organization tips at the beginning of each chapter, some of which I follow. This was a good read and I can’t wait to see what adventure awaits Maggie and her friends.

Buy Link

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

A day in the life with Amy Simms by J.R. Ripley

Hi, I’m Amy Simms and, if you don’t know me yet, let me fill you in. I’m CEO of a multimillion dollar, multinational corporation specializing in leveraged buyouts when I am not busy moonlighting as a crime-solving super sleuth. Okay, a slight exaggeration. There are no millions (unless I win the lottery-fingers crossed!), and the only thing multinational about my business are the few products I import. The last thing I leveraged was the trowel I used to remove a rock from the hole I was digging to plant a beautyberry bush. And super sleuth? Well, I have stumbled upon a dead body or two here in the Town of Ruby Lake. Not that I wanted to. Never my fault. I like to think I helped bring a killer or three to justice, not that our chief of police, Jerry Kennedy, would agree with that statement or ever thank me. I believe his less than appreciative attitude towards me has something to do with that one date we had in high school.

The truth is, I own a small retail store catering to the bird, bee and bloom loving crowd, aptly called Birds & Bees. You love birds, bees and blooms don’t you? Sure you do. So come on in and say hello, buy a little bag of birdseed to take home and feed the birds in your yard. Who couldn’t use a little birdseed in their life?

My employees are my mom, my best friend and a crotchety septuagenarian I like to call Esther the Pester. She prefers to be called Ms. Pilaster or just plain Esther. Personally, I think Esther the Pester has a nice ring to it, but why quibble? Esther was already living in the house when I bought it. She has a lease so we’re stuck with each other. She did once accuse me of murder in front of the police no less, but I’ve made my peace with that. Why? Like I said, she has a lease. Besides, I was standing in my own house with bloody weapon in my hands. I couldn’t blame Esther for jumping to the wrong conclusion.

It is summertime now in Ruby Lake, a real jewel of a town, nestled in western North Carolina. This is peak tourist time, if not peak bird watching time. Like most locales, we get our biggest numbers of birds in the spring and fall migrations. Not that there isn’t plenty of avian activity the rest of the year. There is. On a regular basis, I spot bluebirds, titmice, goldfinches, house finches, mockingbirds, cardinals (North Carolina’s state bird) and more. And that’s without ever lifting my binoculars to my eyes! Then there are the special treats. Like now, for instance. The front yard is aflutter with summer birds, including a dozen or more ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Birds & Bees occupies the first floor of an old Queen Anne Victorian (is there such a thing as a new Queen Anne Victorian?) located on Lake Shore Drive, our town’s main road. The second floor is occupied by Esther and another renter. My mother and I take up the top floor. I normally open the store at nine. Prior to that, Mom and I breakfast upstairs.

Next, I head downstairs. After making sure the store is shipshape, I step outside to check the bird feeders and refill them as necessary. That’s not as quick and simple as it sounds. I’ve got two hanging tube feeders, a hopper feeder, a bell feeder, a thistle sock and birdbaths galore. I rinse the basins out and top them up with fresh water every morning with the garden hose. If you want to attract birds to your yard, you need more than food sources. You need plenty of close-by shelter and fresh water, so there is always some gardening to do too.

In the winter, I also hang a couple of suet cages. If you aren’t familiar with suet, those cages aren’t for capturing the occasional wild suet, they’re for hanging suet cakes, which I generally only put out in the coldest months. Held together with such gooey delights as peanut butter and lard, the stuff tends to melt when it’s warm. Besides, there’s lots of other summertime food available for the birds. The neighborhood woodpeckers love suet although other, such as chickadees and nuthatches, seem equally fond of it.

I’m delighted today to see so many hummingbirds in the yard and not just because all the feeding and bathing birds warms my heart (okay, it attracts customers to our store, too) but my friend and former college professor, a real mentor of sorts when it comes to birds, is coming to town today. His name is Professor Mason Livingston and he is a world-class expert on hummingbirds. In fact, Mason is on a tour promoting his latest book, Hummingbirds and Their Habits. My friend Rose Smith and her daughter, Amber, will be hosting the book signing at Bookarama, our local bookstore.

Good friends, good books, cute little birdies…what could go wrong? Surely not murder. I mean, not again. Right?

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You can read more about Amy in To Kill a Hummingbird, the fourth book in the “Bird Lover’s” mystery series.

For Amy Simms, owner of Birds & Bees, nothing is more important than impressing her old professor, but this odd bird is about to fall to earth . . .

When her favorite ornithology professor comes calling, Birds & Bees owner Amy Simms hangs six hummingbird feeders around the shop to welcome Professor Livingston with a flock of his favorite flying creatures. But Amy soon finds that the sugar water in the feeders brings more than a swarm of hummingbirds. It also attracts murder.

Professor Livingston is just as friendly as Amy remembers, but something seems to be troubling him. When Amy pays him a visit that night, she finds the professor slumped over a table with a pair of scissors buried in his neck. And standing over his body is Rose Smith, the local bookseller, who claims she killed him. But while the police believe they have a bird in hand, Amy thinks the real killer may still be in the bush . . .

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Meet the author
J.R. Ripley is the critically acclaimed author of multiple series and currently pens A Bird Lover’s Mystery Series, the Maggie Miller Mysteries and the Kitty Karlyle gourmet pet chef mysteries. J.R. is a member of the American Birding Association, the American Bird Conservancy, and is an Audubon Ambassador with the National Audubon Society. Before becoming a full-time author, J.R. worked at a multitude of jobs including: archaeologist, cook, factory worker, copywriter, technical writer, editor, musician, entrepreneur and window washer. You may visit jrripley.net for more information or visit JR on Facebook.

All comments are welcomed.

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Carter McDade and when the dream job becomes a nightmare by Laura Bradford

Fiona Renoir is the bane of my existence. Truly. She took what was my dream hair/make up job at the local theater house and turned it into a nightmare. She’s difficult, ornery, entitled, and, well, take your pick.

However, with the exception of my best friend, Tobi Tobias (whom I tell everything), and her grandfather, Stu (if you met him, you’d know why), I’ve bitten my tongue and kept my feelings for Fiona to myself. But she pushed me over the cliff the day she was cast as Rapunzel and refused to let me color her hair blonde. She told me to “just get a wig.”

A wig, can you believe it?!?!?

I wish I could chalk up her lunacy to some sort of mental breakdown, but I can’t. Fiona Renoir refused my hair dressing prowess for one reason and one reason only: to be cruel.

So, to make a long story short, I kind of unleashed six months of pent-up anger on her the other day. And trust me when I say, I held nothing back.

I told her she was a shrew.
I told her no one liked her.
I told her she’d make a lousy Rapunzel.
Et cetera.
Et cetera.
Et cetera.

To say my little hissy fit felt a-mazing would be the understatement of epic proportions.

But here’s the thing; when I finished my tirade, I turned around to find her uncle (aka my boss) standing not more than a foot away. And, yes, he heard. Every. Last. Word.

Yup. My days are numbered at the theater. Unless I can figure out a way to neutralize Fiona. . .

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You can read more about Carter in 30 Second Death, the second book in the “Tobi Tobias” mystery series.

To help an old friend, Tobi Tobias gets a third-rate thespian a part in a commercial, and learns that in the advertising business, bad acting can lead to murder . . .

When Tobi Tobias opened her own advertising agency, Carter McDade was there for her every step of the way. A brilliant hairdresser, Carter has just landed his dream project: doing hair and makeup for a theatrical production of Rapunzel. But the dream turns into a nightmare when he runs into Fiona Renoir, a cruel, talentless starlet who won’t let Carter touch a hair on her head.

To get Fiona out of Carter’s hair, Tobi hires the difficult actress for a bit part in her latest commercial. But true to character, Fiona is a terror on set, and Tobi is starting to think she’s made the biggest mistake of her life. But things get even worse when Fiona drops dead in the hairdresser’s chair, and the only suspect is the man left holding the tainted hair dye, Carter McDade. And unless Tobi can prove his innocence, he’ll never do hair in this town again.

Buy link

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About the author
Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, and the brand new Tobi Tobias Mysteries. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.

To learn more, visit her website: www.laurabradford.com, or hang out with her on Facebook. She can also be found occasionally tweeting at: @Bradfordauthor.

All comments are welcomed.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a Kindle/Nook copy of 30 Second Death. The giveaway ends July 13, 2017. Good luck everyone!

Never a dull moment in the life of Jill Gardner by Lynn Cahoon

Murder comes to South Cove – Special Edition

That should be Darla’s by-line for her story in the South Cove Gazette.

Okay, maybe its mystery writer comes to South Cove. Nathan Pike, who was featured as Coffee, Books, and More’s Mystery Author guest a couple of years ago, has decided to come back to South Cove to finish writing his newest creation.

I’m kind of excited. I’m a book nerd, but I’ve never seen an author create the stories they bring to the world. Well, I’ll be excited as long as he doesn’t park his butt in one of CBM’s chairs and try for free coffee all day. Especially on my shift. I like my quiet. It gives me time to read. I’m Jill Gardner, and I own the coffee shop-slash-bookstore here in South Cove. I say own and not managed, because my aunt does all the managing stuff. At least that’s what she tells me.

Somehow she tricked me into going back to school for my MBA. When I finished law school, I said never again. But you know what happens when you say never or always. Your plans get changed. I’m enjoying the classes and the discussions, even though Bakerstown College isn’t one of the top business schools in the country. The information I need to run the bookstore is all I need, not a referral to a high-pressure company job.

One of the kids who is in the class cracks me up. Deek’s a perpetual student and hasn’t had any real business experience.

Anyway, the mayor told Nathan that he could have full access at the police department and Greg. He’s really not looking forward to the month. Greg didn’t like Nathan the first time they met. How is he going to deal with the guy in his office day after day?

And Esmeralda’s being weirder than normal. Although how can you tell with a fortune teller? I’m just glad she works for Greg and not me. I’m not sure I could deal with all the woo woo.

I’ve got to go get ready for the party. Bill and Mary Sullivan, they run South Cove B&B. And they are hosting a meet and greet for Nathan tonight. I’m taking advantage of the impromptu party and going home to dress up. Or as dressed up as I get.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you soon. I’m sure Toby can help you pick out a book or two to take home with your coffee. In South Cove, we’re all about making visitors feel comfortable.

Jill

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You can read more about Jill in Hospitality and Homicide, the 8th book in the “Tourist Trap” mystery series.

A visit to the serene coastal town of South Cove, California, could make anybody feel refreshed and inspired. But as Jill Gardner-owner of Coffee, Books, and More-discovers, some folks won’t live to tell about it . . .

Mystery author Nathan Pike checked into South Cove Bed & Breakfast to compose a compelling novel, not commit murder. But things get real when a rival B&B owner ends up exactly like the victim in his draft-undeniably dead. As Nathan prepares to complete his magnum opus behind bars, Jill’s the only one who can prove his innocence and deconstruct the plot of a twisted killer!

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About the author
Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today best-selling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. Guidebook to Murder, book 1 of the series won the Reader’s Crown for Mystery Fiction in 2015. She’s also pens the recently released, Cat Latimer series. A Story To Kill and Fatality in Firelight are available in mass market paperback.She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies. Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com.

Connect with Lynn on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook and Amazon.

All comments are welcomed.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a Kindle or Nook copy of Hospitality and Homicide. The giveaway ends May 20, 2017. Good luck everyone!

A day in the life of Dr. Greer Dobbins by Amy M. Reade

Ever since my daughter, Ellie, was kidnapped right in front of her school, life for me has been anything but normal.

I wish I had words to describe the heavy, haunting despair that fills my heart when I think what she’s going through right now. She’s only five years old. The last I saw her, she was walking across the street to Dottie’s house. Dottie is my neighbor, and most days she puts Ellie on the bus with her own children. When the school called to confirm that Ellie was absent, I didn’t think much of it at first because the school has made that mistake before. But as the minutes ticked by and no one in the school could find Ellie, I started to panic. And so did Dottie, when I called to make sure she had seen Ellie getting on the bus.

And once the horrifying truth of Ellie’s disappearance began to dawn on everyone, time simultaneously rushed forward and stood still. I couldn’t catch my breath, my head spun round dizzily.

After many long hours of gut-wrenching worry and several clues that point to Scotland, the land of my birth, I’ve arrived in Edinburgh. My sister came to stay with me, ostensibly to provide moral support (though sometimes she’s more of a hindrance than a help). Her boyfriend showed up with her. He seems nice, but he brought along some rather startling baggage of his own and I’m not entirely sure I can trust him.

My days in Edinburgh are taken up with endless frustrating and disheartening attempts to find Ellie. She’s got to be here somewhere, but Edinburgh is a big city. And it’s ancient, with hidden alleys, winding streets where someone can seemingly disappear without a trace, and nooks and crannies around every corner. In other words, a perfect place to hide.

Of course the police are involved, but leads have been elusive. I keep in constant touch with the police in Edinburgh, but I can’t sit around and wait for them to find Ellie. While they work on their end, I’ve been scouring the city, from tourist sites to playgrounds and parks, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. But so far no luck.

I know the time is coming closer when I’m going to have to face my past. I fear that the key to finding Ellie may lie in the house on Candlewick Lane, where my former in-laws live. The old house, on a farm outside Edinburgh, fills me with terror for reasons that reach back to the early days of my marriage to Neill Gramercy.

It’s all very overwhelming. All I can do is hope and pray that I find Ellie before it’s too late.

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You can read more about Dr. Dobbins in The House On Candlewick Lane, the first book in the “Malice” series.

It is every parent’s worst nightmare. Greer Dobbins’ daughter has been kidnapped—and spirited across the Atlantic to a hiding place in Scotland. Greer will do anything to find her, but the streets of Edinburgh hide a thousand secrets—including some she’d rather not face.

Art historian Dr. Greer Dobbins thought her ex-husband, Neill, had his gambling addiction under control. But in fact he was spiraling deeper and deeper into debt. When a group of shady lenders threatens to harm the divorced couple’s five-year-old daughter if he doesn’t pay up, a desperate Neill abducts the girl and flees to his native Scotland. Though the trail seems cold, Greer refuses to give up and embarks on a frantic search through the medieval alleys of Edinburgh—a city as beguiling as it is dangerous. But as the nightmare thickens with cryptic messages and a mysterious attack, Greer herself will become a target, along with everyone she holds dear.

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About the author
USA Today bestselling author Amy M. Reade is a recovering lawyer living in southern New Jersey. The House on Candlewick Lane is the first of The Malice Novels, Amy’s gothic suspense series set in the United Kingdom. The second book in the series, Highland Peril, will be released in the fall of 2017. She is currently at work on the third book. Amy is also the author of Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, and House of Hanging Jade, all standalones of gothic suspense. She loves reading, cooking, and traveling.

Connect with Amy at amymreade.com, her blog, Goodreads, Amazon author page, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

All comments are welcomed.

The House on Candlewick Lane is available at online retailers.

Meet Tobi Tobias by Laura Bradford

You’ve seen the movies where the hero (or heroine!) is hanging on to the side of a cliff by a fingernail, their demise looming below them like a veritable certainty.

Yeah, well, that’s been my life the past six months. Only instead of staring down at a canyon, I’ve been staring at a pile of bills on my desk that is multiplying faster than any bunnies I’ve ever seen. In an attempt to get rid of them (since I can’t pay them), I’ve tried to return them, burn them, hide them, and make them out and out disappear. But my efforts never last for long.

In a word, I’m screwed.

Technically, I suppose you might say my agency—the Tobi Tobias Advertising Agency—is what’s screwed, but since advertising has been my dream since I was old enough to understand the concept of a commercial, I’m screwed, as well. Because without my job, I’m lost. And, likely, homeless.

Ahhhh, yes, I. . .Tobi Tobias. . .am really living the life, aren’t I?

Fortunately for the hero (or heroine!) in those aforementioned movies, a hand always seems to appear at just the right moment to save the day. For me, that hand belongs to Andy Zander, co-owner of Zander Closet Company.

You see, Zander Closet Company isn’t doing a whole lot better than Tobi Tobias Advertising Agency. They need the kind of slogan that will stick in customers’ heads. . .and I need to create the kind of slogan that will stick in the heads of business types looking to up their game.

Sounds like a match made in Heaven, doesn’t it?

Yeah, I thought so, too.

Until my slogan (which was pretty darn clever if I must say so myself) became a blueprint for murder. . .

Yup, I’m really screwed now.

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You can read more about Tobi in DEATH IN ADVERTISING, first book in the Tobi Tobias mystery series.

When Tobi Tobias decided to open her own ad agency, having to moonlight in a pet shop wasn’t part of her vision . . . of course, neither was murder.

Sometimes when opportunity knocks, the door you open leads to a closet. That’s certainly the case for Tobi, whose weekends spent cleaning cages in her best friend’s pet shop may soon be over. She’s just landed her first big break—Zander Closet Company needs a catchy campaign slogan ASAP, and Tobi thinks she’s got the right hook to knock ’em dead: “When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.”

But when a real dead body topples out of a showcase closet, she’s about to discover there is such a thing as bad publicity. To save her fledgling business and not get killed by the competition, Tobi takes on a new pet project: solving the murder. But with a stressed-out parrot as the only witness to the crime, Tobi will really have to wing it to put the cagey killer behind bars.

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About the author
Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, and the brand new Tobi Tobias Mysteries. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.

To learn more, visit her website: www.laurabradford.com, or hang out with her on Facebook at laurabradfordauthor. She can also be found occasionally tweeting at @Bradfordauthor.

All comments are welcomed.

Death in Advertising is available wherever you buy E-books (a trade paperback is also available).

My Musing ~ Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford

Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford is the first book in the NEW “Tobi Tobias” mystery series. Publisher: Lyrical Underground, February 7, 2017

When Tobi Tobias decided to open her own ad agency, having to moonlight in a pet shop wasn’t part of her vision . . . of course, neither was murder.

Sometimes when opportunity knocks, the door you open leads to a closet. That’s certainly the case for Tobi, whose weekends spent cleaning cages in her best friend’s pet shop may soon be over. She’s just landed her first big break—Zander Closet Company needs a catchy campaign slogan ASAP, and Tobi thinks she’s got the right hook to knock ’em dead: “When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.”

But when a real dead body topples out of a showcase closet, she’s about to discover there is such a thing as bad publicity. To save her fledgling business and not get killed by the competition, Tobi takes on a new pet project: solving the murder. But with a stressed-out parrot as the only witness to the crime, Tobi will really have to wing it to put the cagey killer behind bars.

We are introduced to Tobi Tobias who struggles to maintain her business until she get the lucky chance to come up with a winning slogan for a client. Who knew that the slogan would foretell where his body is found and it is this incident that propels our heroine to do all that she can do to save her business.

I love this book that immediately grabbed my attention and was hard to put down. I like how the mystery was set-up giving me enough clues to keep me intrigued in all that was happening on the pages. The narrative was perfectly pitched and visually descriptive in how this story was told as Tobi set forth on solving this murder. Tobi is a likable heroine surrounded by an eclectic cast of characters that included her friend/boss, her upstairs neighbor and her adorable grandfather. One aspect that I like as I was reading was the fact that Tobi did not snoop but rather asked questions that lead to the answers that she needed and it was that approached that enhanced how well this fast-paced drama was presented. With engaging conversations and a feel-good atmosphere, this was a great read and I look forward to reading the next book in this delightfully charming new series that is a welcome addition to the cozy mystery genre.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

A day in the life of Sunny Taylor and Eve Vaughn by June Shaw

Hi, I’m Sunny Taylor, and I live within the unique bayou region and culture that make up south Louisiana. One day I might spend hours preparing seafood gumbo and creamy pecan pralines for the Gumbo Kitchen, our small town’s soup kitchen for the needy. On most days if I’m lucky I’m busting down walls or hammering wood to remodel a house into someone’s dream home. I notice details since I worked in the lingerie department of Sugar Ledge’s only upscale ladies shop, where I quickly recognized who might need a B cup or EE one for a bra. I could also tell who went around sans underwear, something I did not want to imagine or consider. I have since lost that job.

My attention to detail became an attribute to Twin Sisters Remodeling & Repair, the business my sister Eve and I started a few months ago, and I desperately need to succeed. Any severe thunderstorm might cause more troubles for my roof that I urgently require money to replace. Paying attention to detail also causes me to focus on problems, like why is that widow wearing a bright red sheath and matching spikey heels to carry her husband’s ashes into the church? She killed him, I figured right after she tripped and dumped him all over the floor. There was no bump in the carpet she had just stepped on, I’d seen. And her reaction to me after I offered to vacuum him up was horrible. Actually, I first sang a few bars of “Jingle Bells,” but that was just because I was afraid at first—a problem that started when I was eight and somebody murdered my oldest sister in front of me. I had no idea what to do while I waited for Mom and other people to come and see about her. If I’d cried, I knew I would never stop, so I sang. “Happy Birthday” and Christmas carols were the only songs I knew.

I’ve struggled for years to get rid of that affliction just like I’ve worked to overcome my difficulties with dyslexia. Early teachers and classmates thought I was only stupid until one wonderful teacher recognized my symptoms and told other teachers how I could learn best. She also let me know that Churchill, da Vinci, Edison, and Einstein all shared the same trait. Still, I get Eve to check any bids I develop, and so far they have all been correct. Eve is joining me with a remodeling project and trying to prove I wasn’t the killer after many people heard me arguing with the next person who died. Eve also wants me to find romance again. She really wouldn’t want that if she only knew that the one man who has finally interested me is the man she believes is her soulmate.

Hello, my name is Eve Vaughn. I look exactly like Sunny except I like to wear a little more makeup than she does, and I prefer my clothes slightly snugger and dressier. I have been married three times to wonderful men who still believe they should shower me with finery although I don’t think that’s necessary. Having my first husband give me my daughter made my life complete. I had lived out of town quite a while and don’t have quite the financial need that my sister does. When we aren’t working on houses, which we learned to do with our father, I am painting, although not very good, or working out at the gym. Sometimes we visit our loving mother, who insisted she live at the attractive retirement home once her rheumatoid arthritis got so bad, and now her Chat and Nap buddies can’t wait to give Sunny and me advice on murder and love.

While we try to work hard and stay out of trouble, I am waiting for my daughter in Houston who did like I did—got married really young—to give birth. I also need to admit I am rather forward with men, but I’ve met this man that I’m certain is the one I have looked for all my life. Now if only I could get my twin to also find a man she could love, I would be thrilled. And I need to stay away from a killer while proving neither my sister nor I am one.

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A FATAL ROMANCE is the first book in the NEW Twin Sisters mystery series published by Lyrical Underground, January 2017.

Fixing up homes can be tricky.
Finding true love can be even trickier.
But finding a killer can be plain old deadly . . .

Twin sister divorcees Sunny Taylor and Eve Vaughn have had their fill of both heartaches and headaches. So when they settle down in the small Louisiana town of Sugar Ledge and open a remodeling and repair company, they think they’ve finally found some peace—even though Eve is still open for romance while Sunny considers her own heart out-of-business.

Then their newest customer ends up face-down in a pond, and his widow is found dead soon after. Unfortunately, Sunny was witnessed having an unpleasant moment with the distraught woman, and suspicion falls on the twins. And when an attempt is made on Eve’s life, they find themselves pulled into a murder mystery neither knows how to navigate.

With a town of prying eyes on them, and an unknown culprit out to stop them, Sunny and Eve will have to depend on each other like never before if they’re going to clip a killer in the bud.

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About the author
June Shaw grew up sharing swamps and bayous with alligators that don’t take up much room. She has written the highly praised Cealie Gunther cozy mystery series, books of many others genres, and now begins her Twin Sisters series with A Fatal Romance for Lyrical Press. To be published on January 24, it is available for pre-order now and will be followed in the fall by Dead on the Bayou and then Saving Mom. Follow June at juneshaw.com.

All comments are welcomed.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate. The giveaway ends January 25, 2017. Good luck everyone!

A day in the life of Dodie O’Dell by Suzanne Trauth

Fall is in the air in Etonville, New Jersey. The leaves are about to change colors, the humidity has evaporated, and I, Dodie O’Dell, am whipping the Windjammer restaurant into a finely- tuned machine. Nearly two years after Hurricane Sandy I’m finally getting comfortable trading the Jersey Shore sun and sand for the antics of small town life.

Of course, with autumn comes the opening production of the Etonville Little Theatre—Arsenic and Old Lace. It’s perfect for them: a love story, batty old ladies, a homicidal maniac, delusional relatives, and murder. Plus a large cast. My BFF Lola Tripper is shifting from playing the leading diva in recent productions to artistic director, leaving former director and love interest Walter Zeitzman to step into the role of the delusional nephew. Which I think is type-casting. Lola has invited Antonio Digenza, a friend from her Off-Off-Broadway days, to serve as a guest director. He agreed as long as he could cast his very young wife as the romantic lead. Lola agreed, much to the annoyance of some ELT regulars.

So, my theme food ideas went over so big with the Romeo and Juliet crowds, that I decide to up the ante with a weekend food festival to promote Arsenic and Old Lace. 1940s Brooklyn fare: Nathan’s hotdogs, Italian ices, egg creams, knishes, and elderberry wine, without the arsenic, of course. My chef/boss Henry isn’t too thrilled about a 1940s throwback food theme, since he’s still in culinary competition with his cross-town rival La Famiglia. But Henry is usually a good egg and this time is willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

The ELT is three weeks into rehearsal and is proceeding on time. But yesterday Lola burst into the Windjammer needing a drink, clearly upset: Antonio has been disappearing without any explanation, his leading lady wife hasn’t learned her lines, and the cast is grumbling over Antonio’s direction. Of course, Lola is frantic but the gossip mill in Etonville is loving the crises. Never mind, I told myself, the food festival will be just the dose of diversion the theater needs. A stroll down Main Street noshing knishes, Italian ices and hotdogs. I might even get my current heartthrob—Police Chief Bill Thompson, a former NFL player with the body to prove it—off the local gridiron next weekend, where he’ll be coaching Etonville’s Youth Football team. Their record is 0 and 8, but hope springs eternal.

Bill and I have become an almost-couple since last spring when I helped solve the murder of my good friend Jerome Angleton, the ELT box office manager. With the aid of my digital forensic research geek Pauli, son of my other BFF Carol, owner of the Snippets salon.

Tonight, I’m the last person standing at the Windjammer. I sent bartender Benny and chef Henry home an hour ago. I grab my bag, switch off the lights, and open the door, inhaling the chilly autumn air. I turn to lock the door when a white Mercedes speeds down Main Street. I glance up and catch the tail lights of the car. There is only one white Mercedes with a New York license plate in Etonville at the moment and it belongs to guest director Antonio Digenza. Interesting that he’s racing down the road away from the theater at this hour. Lola and her staff have been burning the midnight oil there every night this week. For that matter I’m surprised he’s even in town at all. Lola had told me he would be away overnight and his assistant would take over rehearsal.

Something about Antonio doesn’t sit right with me. He’s too smooth, too good-looking, too arrogant. I have these little hairs on the back of my neck that twitch whenever something is wrong. My personal radar system. Right now, they are standing at attention. Is there something about the ELT guest director that he’s kept hidden? Is there more to his story? I shake off my suspicions, climb into my trusty Chevy Metro, and head home.

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TIME OUT is the second book in the Dodie O’Dell mystery series published by Lyrical Underground, January 2017.

KNISH OF DEATH

The amateur actors at the Etonville Little Theatre may be known for chewing the scenery, but restaurant manager Dodie O’Dell has something more appetizing for them to sink their teeth into. She’s been taking bows in her small New Jersey town for her theme menus, designed to complement the local productions. This fall, the community theatre is staging Arsenic and Old Lace, set in 1940s Brooklyn, so Dodie is serving up hot dogs, Italian ices, egg creams, and knishes at the weekend food festival.

All is going well until Antonio Digenza, the ex-Off-Off-Broadway director of the show, dies dramatically while noshing on a knish. As rumors of food poisoning quickly spread, Dodie scrambles to rescue the Windjammer restaurant’s reputation. But when clues point to foul play, she’s faced with a cast of suspects all auditioning for the part of DiGenza’s murderer. She’ll need to act fast to shine a spotlight on the killer—before it’s curtains for another victim . . .

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About the author
Suzanne Trauth’s novels include Show Time (2016) and Time Out (2017), the initial books in a new mystery series published by Kensington Books. Her plays include Françoise, nominated for the Kilroy List; Midwives developed at Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey; Rehearsing Desire; iDream, supported by the National Science Foundation’s STEM initiative; and Katrina: the K Word. Suzanne wrote and directed the short film Jigsaw and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Dramatists Guild. Connect with Suzanne at www.suzannetrauth.com.

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Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Time Out. US entries only, please. The giveaway ends January 23, 2017. Good luck everyone!