My Musing ~ How the Finch Stole Christmas! by Donna Andrew

How the Finch Stole Christmas! by Donna Andrews is the 22nd book in the “Meg Langslow” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur, coming October 24, 2017

Meg’s husband has decided to escalate his one-man show of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol into a full-scale production with a large cast including their sons Jamie and Josh as Tiny Tim and young Scrooge and Meg helping as stage manager.

The show must go on, even if the famous―though slightly over-the-hill―actor who’s come to town to play the starring role of Scrooge has brought a sleigh-load of baggage and enemies with him. And why is Caerphilly suddenly overrun with a surplus of beautiful caged finches?

How the Finch Stole Christmas! is guaranteed to put the “ho ho hos” into the holidays of cozy lovers everywhere with its gut-bustingly funny mystery.

Meg takes center stage along with a quirky cast of characters, that includes a washed-out-drunken-past-his-prime actor, in this delightfully charming tale that spans the Christmas season of the annual production of a holiday show as well as murder and mayhem. Thanks to the author’s visually descriptive narrative and play-by-play action, this fast-paced drama had me devouring every page as I had to know what happens next. What we have is an overabundance of animals that cast their light on the story being told with smugglers and murder. What prevails is a fantastic story where every time I thought I had a handle of the person responsible, the author changes direction with sneaky twists and turns that enhances the telling of this tale. Donna continues to keep me engaged and entertained in the latest adventures of Meg and her friends and family in the town of Caerphilly, Virginia.

Buy Link

---

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

A day in the life of Sloan Krause by Ellie Alexander

They say that brewing is a man’s game. Not true. Sure, men still outnumber women in the world of craft beer, but after brewing with big guys for over two decades I can tell you that good beer—not the cheap stuff that is mass produced by machines—is everyone’s game. One of the things that I love best about my job as head brewmistress for Der Keller, an authentic brewhaus in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, WA, is watching people taste our creations. There’s nothing better than placing a tray with samples of our creamy straw-colored honey pilsner, hoppy citrus IPA, and chocolate-infused stout on the table and then standing back to observe. Brewers are like chefs. It’s my job to ensure that every beer we produce is made with the finest and freshest ingredients, and that with each sip our customers’ palates are treated to a sensory experience. The fact that our little German village is nestled in the Northern Cascade Mountains, affectionately known as the Washington Alps, and surrounded by abundant apple and cherry orchards, vineyards, and lush organic farmland, means that our beers reflect the same local flavor.

Back in the 1960s, Leavenworth almost died a slow and painful death. The town was on the brink of collapse. What had once been a booming mine town became a ghost town. However, the handful of residents left decided to fight for the land that they called home. They banded together and came up with an unusual plan—to turn their small logging and mining town into an authentic German alpine village. They signed a city ordinance requiring every business along Front Street to be designed in gothic style. Soon white stucco half-timbered buildings with dark wood accents, ornate balconies, and window boxes overflowing with geraniums replaced crumbling saw mills and abandoned farmhouses. Then the city hosted Leavenworth’s inaugural Oktoberfest which drew two-hundred people the first year. Today the festival stretches out over multiple weekends and brings thousands upon thousands of visitors to what is now known as the biggest celebration outside of Munich. A visit to Leavenworth means you’ll find abundant activities throughout the year from Christmas markets to the winter light festival and Maifest to the fall foliage celebration, just to name a few.

Strolling through Leavenworth’s cobblestone streets is as close as you can get to visiting Germany without leaving the country. Other than the fact that no one aside from my in-laws actually speak German, our little “beervaria” is the next best thing. For me, Leavenworth is home. After growing up in the foster care system, I never believed that I would find a permanent resting ground. My husband, Mac’s parents sort of adopted me. They are two of Leavenworth’s original residents and immigrated from Germany. Thanks in part to their vision and incredible brewing talent they helped put the family pub, Der Keller on the map, not only in the Pacific Northwest but throughout the globe. People travel from every continent to sip a pint of Otto and Ursula’s doppelbock. They’re the only parents I’ve ever known and the kindest people on the planet. Working in the family business had helped develop my nose for hops and given me the confidence to break out of my shell.

That was all changing now. I’d recently discovered my husband shagging the beer wench in the middle of the day. In the middle of the brewery!

I wanted to kill him. Can you blame me? In a town of two-thousand residents everyone was going to know what had happened. I couldn’t face showing up at Der Keller and having people look at me with sympathy, so I took a job at a new start-up brewery and threw myself into the process.

It might have worked, only someone else ended up dead and my soon-to-be-ex-husband quickly became the most likely suspect. Suddenly I found myself on the case. I knew that Mac was a cheater. But a killer? No way.

---

You can read more about Sloan in Death on Tap, the first book in the NEW “Sloan Krause” mystery series.

When Sloan Krause walks in on her husband, Mac, screwing the barmaid, she gives him the boot. Sloan has spent her life in Leavenworth, Washington becoming an expert in brewing craft beer, and she doesn’t have time to be held back by her soon-to-be ex-husband. She decides to strike out on her own, breaking away from the Krause family brewery, and goes to work for Nitro, the hip new nano-brewery in the Bavarian-themed town. Nitro’s owner, brewmaster Garrett Strong, has the brew-world abuzz with his newest recipe, “Pucker-Up IPA.” This place is the new cool place in town, and Mac can’t help but be green with envy at their success.

But just as Sloan is settling in to her new gig, she finds one of Nitro’s competitors dead in the fermenting tub, clutching the secret recipe for the IPA. When Mac, is arrested, Sloan knows that her ex might be a cheater, but a murderer? No way. Danger is brewing in Beervaria and suddenly Sloan is on the case.

Buy Link

# # # # # # # # # # #

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a signed copy of Death on Tap. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends October 5, 2017. Good luck everyone!

# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Ellie Alexander writes the bestselling Bakeshop Mystery series for St. Martin’s Press, set in the Shakespearean town of Ashland, Oregon and featuring a romantic, artisan pastry chef, Juliet Montague Capshaw.

Ellie is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.

You can find her online on Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.

All comments are welcomed.

My Musing ~ Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander

Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander is the first book in the NEW “Sloan Krause” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, coming October 3, 2017

When Sloan Krause walks in on her husband, Mac, screwing the barmaid, she gives him the boot. Sloan has spent her life in Leavenworth, Washington becoming an expert in brewing craft beer, and she doesn’t have time to be held back by her soon-to-be ex-husband. She decides to strike out on her own, breaking away from the Krause family brewery, and goes to work for Nitro, the hip new nano-brewery in the Bavarian-themed town. Nitro’s owner, brewmaster Garrett Strong, has the brew-world abuzz with his newest recipe, “Pucker-Up IPA.” This place is the new cool place in town, and Mac can’t help but be green with envy at their success.

But just as Sloan is settling in to her new gig, she finds one of Nitro’s competitors dead in the fermenting tub, clutching the secret recipe for the IPA. When Mac, is arrested, Sloan knows that her ex might be a cheater, but a murderer? No way. Danger is brewing in Beervaria and suddenly Sloan is on the case.

This was a very intriguing book with a well-brewed mystery that simmered throughout rising to a rapid boil that quickly became a page turner as I could not put it down until it was all said and done. From the introduction of the various characters that take part in this light whodunit, we get to know a little about each and the role they play as each interaction brings us closer to the killer’s identity. The staging matched the pacing and the flow of this multi-plot drama creating an exciting adventure where the suspects were few but coming up with the motives made it interesting as the story progressed towards an ending that left me wanting more. The author did a great job in blending the ins and out of the brewery business and interspersing in the hows and whys in this beguiling mystery. Sloan is a strong and determined heroine and I would like to learn more about her past. Rounding out the cast is an eclectic group of people who bring their own insight into this debut novel. This was a pleasantly appealing tale and I can’t wait to read the next book in this likable series.

Pre-Order Link

---

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

A day in the life with Kay Powell by E.J. Copperman

I don’t have a “typical” day. There’s just no such thing. Most days I have a client or two to see, potential clients to consider and sometimes I accompany a client to an audition. I do spend some time walking and cleaning up after my clients as well.

I’m Kay Powell of Powell and Associates (my only associate is actually my office manager Consuelo). I’m a theatrical agent whose clients are all animals. Not the Hollywood kind; the four-legged (usually) kind.

The story of how I got into this business is told elsewhere so I won’t take up your time. Suffice it to say I come from a showbiz family, didn’t want to perform on stage—anymore—and had a law degree with no desire to practice law. So the natural jump was to representing dogs, cats, birds and the occasional snake in movies, TV and theater, right?

Right?

I know it’s a little unusual, but the fact is most of my conflicts in business are with my clients’ human owners, not the animals themselves. Most of the clients—even the snake—are just as sweet as can be. It’s the people who can be problems.

For example, I had this client Bruno, the nicest big shaggy dog you ever met. Well okay, so you never met him, but I did and he was a gentleman and a terrific actor. But his owners, Trent and Louis Barclay, were a little less than charming. In fact, the director Les McMaster (yes, that Les McMaster!) was ready to give Bruno the role of Sandy in his hit revival of Annie on Broadway—but he insisted it be written into the contract that Trent especially could not be in the theater for rehearsals or have any contact at all with Les while Bruno was working in the show.

That became somewhat moot when they found Trent with a knife in his back and his face in Bruno’s water dish.

And that’s when my life started getting interesting. More interesting. No, I’ll go back to it: Interesting.

To tell the truth, I wasn’t that upset about what happened to Trent. But if anybody comes after Bruno, they’re going to have to go through me first.

Perhaps I should rephrase that.

It’s a long story, told elsewhere. Suffice it to say it wasn’t a typical day. Because I haven’t had one of those yet.

---

You can read more about Kay in Dog Dish of Doom, the first book in the NEW “Agent to the Paws” mystery series.

Cozy fans and animal lovers alike won’t be able to keep their paws off Dog Dish of Doom. Laugh-out-loud funny, E.J. Copperman’s series debut is “lots of fun” (Library Journal, starred).

Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she’s found him: His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day.

Kay is the Agent to the Paws, representing showbiz clients who aren’t exactly people. In fact: they’re dogs. Bruno’s humans, Trent and Louise, are pains in the you-know-what, and Les McMaster, the famous director mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can’t stand them.

This becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno’s water dish, with a kitchen knife in his back. Kay’s perfectly fine to let the NYPD handle the murder, but when the whole plot seems to center on Bruno, her protective instincts come into play. You can kill any people you want, but you’d better leave Kay’s clients alone.

Buy Link

# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Kay Powell debuts in the Agent to the Paws mystery series with Dog Dish of Doom from Minotaur on August 15. E.J. Copperman is the author of the Agent to the Paws series, the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series, the Mysterious Detective mystery series and, with Jeff Cohen, the Asperger’s mystery series. E.J. has a beagle named Gizmo who does not perform on camera or onstage. But he does a heck of an act when he wants some chicken from your plate. Connect with E.J. at ejcopperman.com.

All comments are welcomed.

My Musing ~ Cat About Town by Cat Conte

Cat About Town by Cat Conte is the first book in the NEW “Cat Cafe” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, August 2017

The first novel in a frisky new mystery series set in a small New England town, where an unlikely citizen is called in to solve the purrfect crime. . .

Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business—and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she’s inspired to open a cat café. But little does Maddie know that she’s in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who’s come to town? If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren’t keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she’s the cat’s pajamas . . . and will do anything to win her heart. But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose—and on her path?

This was a fun book that kept me entertained throughout the telling of this tale. Maddie arrives in town on somber note, but things get quite interesting with a new idea and with the discovery of a dead body.

This was a fast-paced drama that I could not put down until it was all said and done. The author has a way with the narrative putting me in the middle of all the action. The mystery was set-up with plenty of suspects and enough clues to keep me pondering who had the strongest motive for murder. It was that final piece of the puzzle that gave me the aha moment and I enjoyed watching how it all came to fruition with each character playing a pivotal role that led to the identity and apprehension of the killer. The dialogue was engaging and I love this wonderful cast of characters, especially JJ, who delight me in their interactions within this whodunit. This was a nice story in this debut series and I can’t wait to read the next book.

A day in the life of Maddie James by Cate Conte

I have no idea how these things happen to me.

I mean, seriously. Here I am, minding my own business, home for the first time in nearly a year for my grandmother’s funeral, and all of a sudden I’m tasked with saving my grandfather’s house from a conniving, chauvinistic turd of a man. As if that weren’t bad enough, when said turd gets himself dead, it opens up a whole world of problems—for all of us.

My name is Maddie James, and home is Daybreak Island, Massachusetts. It’s a beautiful island, and I’m so blessed to have grown up here. Over the years, more and more people realized how beautiful it was, and now it’s crammed to the gills with tourists all summer long. But there are worse problems to have, especially since the tourists spend a lot of money here. A savvy businessperson can work for four months of the year and make his or her living, if they’re good with money the remainder of the time.

But like a lot of island kids, I thought it was too small for me. I left for college in New York, then headed west. I never thought I’d be back for any length of time. Two weeks max to see to the funeral and spend some time with Grandpa Leo, the love of my life, and make sure he was doing okay before returning to my sunny life in San Francisco, where I owned a juice bar.

The best laid plans, right? Instead, I’m heading into week three with no end in sight, on my way to Bean for coffee and to meet my high-school-boyfriend-turned-cop Craig Tomlin, hoping to pick his brain about why the department was harassing my grandfather—the former police chief!—about Frank O’Malley’s murder.

Sure, my grandfather had every right to want to see Frank gone. As head of the island Chamber of Commerce, Frank considered himself the unofficial head of tourism—and king of everything related. Frank was intent on getting Grandpa’s property to be the site of a transportation center, which meant taking his house and using unsavory tactics to do so. But seriously? My grandpa had spent his life protecting this island and its people, so just the thought of him killing someone was ludicrous. Even though Frank had it coming, I have to say.

My best friend Becky, the editor of the Daybreak Island Chronicle, says the police are just bluffing. But I get the sense she’s worried too, even though she won’t admit it to me. It was all so crazy. Grandpa doesn’t need any of this now. He’s just lost his best friend in the world, and now he has to worry about losing his house and being a murder suspect?

I was happy to have my new friend, JJ the cat, with me to take some of the stress away. He walked so well on his harness, you’d have thought he’d been born wearing one. But really, he’d appeared from behind a tree at my grandmother’s grave last week, and decided to come home with me. I don’t think people around here are used to seeing cats on harnesses; we’re getting some funny looks as we walk through town. But I don’t care. He’s my pal.

I paused outside Bean, my eyes scanning the patrons sitting at tables for Craig. There he was, by himself, intent on something he read on his phone. He hadn’t seen me yet. I used the time to do a quick breathing exercise my guru, Cass, had taught me years ago, hoping to approach this conversation calmly.

Then I heard someone say my name.

I opened my eyes to find Lucas, the hot dog groomer and new boy in town, smiling at me. All thoughts of calm flew out of my head.

“Hey,” I said, glancing nervously inside at Craig again. He still hadn’t noticed me.

“It’s good to see you again. Want to grab a cup of coffee?” Lucas asked.

At that moment I wished fervently for the whole Frank mess to vanish so I could say yes and sit down with this hot guy and have a conversation about nothing important. But the timing was terrible.

“I wish I could,” I said. “Really. But I’m meeting someone here.”

Craig noticed me just then. I could feel his eyes boring into us through the glass and shifted uncomfortably. Lucas noticed too, and the smile dimmed a bit.

“Oh. Sure. No problem,” he said. “I’ll see you around.” He started to walk away.

“Lucas!”

He turned. “Yeah?”

I smiled weakly. “Another time?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

I watched him go, cursing the universe for not being on my side, then went in to deal with Craig.

---

You can read more about Maddie in Cat About Town, the first book in the NEW “Cat Café” mystery series.

The first novel in a frisky new mystery series set in a small New England town, where an unlikely citizen is called in to solve the purrfect crime. . .

Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business―and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she’s inspired to open a cat café. But little does Maddie know that she’s in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who’s come to town? If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren’t keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she’s the cat’s pajamas . . . and will do anything to win her heart. But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose―and on her path?

Buy Link

# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Liz Mugavero writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. The sixth book in the series, Purring Around the Christmas Tree, is out in October of this year. As Cate Conte, Liz also writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries, the first of which, Cat About Town, was released August 1. She lives in Connecticut with her rescue pals.

All comments are welcomed.

A day in the life of Hank Worth by Claire Booth

“Where you goin’?”

I froze. Caught. I should’ve thought to grab a file folder off my desk – then it’d look like I was on my way to a meeting. Instead, all I had in my hands was a set of car keys. Which quite plainly indicated that I was making a break for it. I slowly turned around.

It wasn’t Sheila, my chief deputy. Instead, Sam stood in the hallway with a puzzled look on his face. Then he saw the keys and laughed.

“Sheila said you were working on the deputy duty schedule.” My pup of a deputy grinned. “She said I couldn’t bother you, because you needed your full concentration. To finally figure out how to do it proper.”

Sheila was technically not wrong about that. I’d been here almost nine months, and I still hadn’t managed to do it correctly. But it was a task that drove me crazy. Actually, anything that involved being trapped in an office with the paperwork equivalent of the Leaning Tower of Pisa drove me crazy. Especially on such a beautiful day in the Ozarks. When a Branson County Sheriff’s Department cruiser sat right outside, just waiting to be driven somewhere.

“I thought I’d do a little patrol work. There’ve been some speeding problems out on that stretch of Highway 76 near Powersite.”

I shrugged nonchalantly and took a step toward the door. Sammy started laughing full out.

“She’s not going to buy that,” he said.

“I know,” I said. “But if I can get out of here before she catches me…”

I could see him thinking about it. His young face was so transparent, so eager. He scratched behind his ear, then turned back the way he’d come. “I never saw you. Just make sure you drive out the back way. I think she’s in the front of the building.”

I took the steps down to the parking lot two at a time, feeling ridiculously like a kid just let out on summer vacation. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed south over the bridge at Bull Shoals Lake. Free to finally do some real police work.

An hour later, I’d stopped two people for speeding and had a nice chat with an elderly couple sitting out on their front porch. And I was feeling much better. I really did need to get out and do this more often.

To me, that was what being the county sheriff was all about – not sitting in meetings or pouring over budget documents. Those things made me feel like a paper pusher. Which was not what I was expecting when I accepted the job.

I’d planned to apply for a position as a regular deputy when we moved down here from Kansas City to help out my widowed father-in-law. But just when we’d gotten the kids settled in their new preschool classes, the former sheriff resigned his post and the county commissioners offered me the job.

Apparently they were dazzled by my big city-ness. They have since come to regret that. Possibly because I’m not quite the yes man they expected. I also might have called one of them names.

But they’re stuck with me. At least until the next election, when the sheriff’s position will be up for grabs. I’m going to have to run. I need to keep my job. There are no other open law enforcement positions in southern Missouri, so going somewhere else isn’t an option. No one has filed to run against me, though, so I think I might be able to skate through without actually having to do anything horrible, like campaign.

I’d almost reached Kirbyville when an idiot in a Camaro cut in front of me and then disappeared over a rise in the road. I was reaching to flip on my lights when I saw the sign. Billboard big and star-spangled gaudy.

“Gerald Tucker for Sheriff. Put Your Trust in the Local Boy.”

Underneath the writing was a photo of the fifty-two-year-old, paunchy, badly mustached “boy.” I slammed on the brakes.

Tucker? The deputy who abandoned his guard post when the Branson Beauty showboat sank and then mysteriously exploded? The deputy who was, at every turn, a complete jerk? The deputy who everybody in the county knew because he’d lived here his whole life? I groaned and bonked my head on the steering wheel. I should’ve just stayed in the office.

---

You can read more about Hank in Another Man’s Ground, the second book in the “Sheriff Hank Worth” mystery series.

It starts out as an interesting little theft case. Branson, Missouri’s new Sheriff Hank Worth is called out to look at stands of trees that have been stripped of their bark, which the property owner had planned to harvest for the booming herbal supplement market. At first, Hank easily balances the demands of the investigation with his fledging political career. He was appointed several months earlier to the vacant sheriff position, but he needs to win the fast-approaching election in order to keep his job. He thinks the campaign will go well, as long as he’s able to keep secret the fact that a group of undocumented immigrants – hired to cut down the stripped trees – have fled into the forest and he’s deliberately not looking for them.

But then the discovery of a murder victim deep in the Ozark backwoods sets him in the middle of a generations-old feud that explodes into danger not only for him, but also for the immigrants, his deputies, and his family. He must rush to find a murderer before election day, and protect the vulnerable in Branson County, where politicking is hell and trespassing can get you killed.

In Another Man’s Ground, her next novel featuring Sheriff Hank Worth, acclaimed author Claire Booth delivers a taut, witty mystery that will grip readers from the opening pages to the breathless conclusion.

Buy link

# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Claire Booth spent more than a decade as a daily newspaper reporter, much of it covering crimes so convoluted and strange they seemed more like fiction than reality. Eventually, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series takes place in Branson, Missouri, where small-town Ozark politics and big-city country music tourism clash in, yes, strange and convoluted ways. For more about Claire, her books, and some of the true crimes she’s covered, please visit www.clairebooth.com. Or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her Amazon author page.

All comments are welcomed.

A day in the life of Campbell Hale by Peggy O’Neal Peden

My name is Campbell Hale. I manage a travel agency in Nashville called Get Out of Town. Have you been to Nashville? You should know it’s more than j bachelorette parties on Broadway. It’s a great place to live, decent weather –most of the time. We can’t drive well in the rain. So? We have a church on every corner, but they all get out in time to cheer on the Titans on Sundays. Two lakes, several rivers, lots of parks and greenways, professional sports with good colors, college sports (it’s called the Athens of the South), and music. Lots of music. You know about the Opry and country music, but we have all kinds, from the honkytonks on Lower Broad to the indie rockers in East Nashville. Even when you walk from your gate to baggage claim, there’s live music. And good food. New restaurants seem to be the only thing we have more of than construction cranes. Not to mention some excellent old favorites where you’re bound to bump shoulders with the likes of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jack White, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton or Dan Auerbach. Did I mention our excellent police force with detective Sam Davis?

I’ve lived in or near Nashville all my life, but I love to travel. Besides the travel (you have to try out the hotels, the beaches, the ships, the restaurants. . . ), I like the challenge of building a good trip for the right clients. I even like tracking down the luggage that should have gone to nonstop to London but changed planes in Madrid before winding up in Oslo.

The best part of the job is the people you meet, like I met Doug Elliott when I planned a post-divorce trip for him. I found him cheap airfare, a good beachfront hotel, a fishing guide who always found the huge fish and would ship the frozen catch, and suggestions for where to find the best fresh grouper, oysters, and Gulf shrimp. Give me a call, and I’ll tell you, too. I’d like to say that we rode off into a romantic sunset. That’s not exactly the way it’s happened, though. He became my attorney. My friend, too, but our relationship keeps hitting roadblocks – or something.

Part of what gets me up in the morning is the challenge of solving the problems. A few weeks ago I was scheduled to fly out late in the afternoon to connect in Chicago with a flight to London for a familiarization trip through England and Scotland. I planned to work until lunch. I went to the bank when it opened to get my passport from my safe deposit box. Everything went as planned, except that, when I picked up my passport, it had expired. A week before! Those things are good for ten years.

First, I panicked. Then I started checking where passport offices are. Not in Nashville, of course. Lo and behold, there’s a passport office in Chicago! And I was connecting through Chicago! I changed my reservation to the next flight. When I got to O’Hare, I put my luggage in a locker in the international terminal and found that the L ran from inside the airport to a stop very near the passport office. I had called both senators’ and my U. S. representative’s offices. Staffers in all three offices said they would call the passport office (they often speed up passports).

At the passport office, I explained my stupidity to the agent and asked if he had heard from Washington. He told me to take a number and have a seat. I did. And I waited. I looked at my watch every two minutes and waited. I went back to the counter and explained my dilemma again. He said he hadn’t talked to anybody in Washington. I sat. I hadn’t charged my phone battery in the morning’s craziness; it was dead. I watched the lines get shorter as people got their passports and left. I knew I had to reach someone before offices closed at five. Finally, I asked if there was a payphone nearby. “Out in the hall,” he said. As the door closed behind me, it locked! This office closed at 4:30, which the friendly, helpful agent hadn’t mentioned.

I started calling. My Congressman, my senators, the U.S. Passport office. I finally got an answer at the U.S. Passport office. Closed, but the Director was still there. After a short laugh, he said, “Is there anywhere you can sit?” I sat. After a few minutes, my friendly agent came out into the hall. “Ms. Hale,” he said deferentially, “please come in. I’ll have your passport renewal in just a few minutes. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” I didn’t gloat. Except inside. I went in and sat. For fifteen minutes! Passport in hand, I went back to the L station, back to O’Hare – and to London. A wonderful trip.

Since then, I’ve kept my passport up to date.

Check yours. Now.

---

You can read more about Campbell in Your Killin’ Heart, the first book in the NEW “Nashville” mystery series.

Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in Nashville is an aspiring country music star. Campbell Hale, for one, just wants to get her travel agency off the ground and move on from a break-up. But when she gets the opportunity to visit the mansion of mysterious country icon Jake Miller, she jumps at the chance. After all, who knows what clues are lurking around the long-dead star’s last home?

But as Campbell pokes around, she discovers more than a few sequined suits and priceless memorabilia. She finds Hazel Miller, Jake’s widow, quietly resting in a bedroom on the main floor. But Hazel might just be dead quiet. And Campbell might just be the last person to have seen her alive.

Juggling the twisty plots of high-profile country stars with her blossoming business―not to mention the tattered remains of her love life―Campbell thinks she’s got everything figured out. But when the danger becomes personal, she must uncover a killer who will stop at nothing to get what they want―or face the music.

With Your Killin’ Heart, award-winning author Peggy O’Neal Peden has given us a witty debut full of Nashville charm and generous heart.

# # # # # # # # # # #

Meet the author
Peggy O’Neal Peden grew up in Middle Tennessee and has lived in and around Nashville for most of her life. She has taught English at high school and college levels, owned a travel agency, been published in regional magazines, and written award-winning advertising copy. She is a member of the Nashville Artist Guild and lives in Nashville. Your Killin’ Heart is her first novel.

All comments are welcomed.

Buy Link

My Musing ~ Sticks and Bone by Carolyn Haines

Sticks and Bones is the 17th book in the “Sarah Booth Delaney” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, May 2017

Private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney and her friends are celebrating New Year’s Eve at the party of the year, a smashing Winter Garden party at the Prince Albert Hotel. It’s a dazzling success…until Frangelica “Sister” McFee walks through the door. Sarah Booth knew Sister in college, before Sister became a bestselling author and moved to New York, and fame and fortune don’t seem to have tempered her arrogance and cruelty.

Sister’s latest book is a memoir about the death of her mother and brother many years ago. Now, a film about the book is in the works, and a film crew has descended upon Zinnia, Mississippi, to tell the complete tale. The film crew soon realizes there may be more to the story than meets the eye―or is told in Sister’s memoir―and they hire Sarah Booth to discover the absolute truth about those deaths so many years ago. But Sarah Booth quickly realizes that someone is desperate to keep the truth hidden and will go to any lengths necessary to protect a long-held secret.

Carolyn Haines’s next Sarah Booth Delaney novel, Sticks and Bones, is sure to delight series fans and newcomers alike.

I love, love, love Sticks and Bones. This book kept me engrossed and enthralled in all aspects in the telling of this tale. The mystery was enjoyable and the interaction with the main cast and the visitors kept me glued to the pages. The narrative was visually appealing, putting me smack dab in the middle of that was happening in this fast-paced drama that oozes southern charm. All the major characters play pivotal roles and one of my favorite scenes featured Sarah Booth, Coleman and Tinkie. Yes, I’m still smiling at the remembrance. With an eccentrically quirky cast of characters and engaging dialogue, this is the best book in the series thus far and I can’t wait for the next one in this delightfully endearing series.