After You’ve Gone – Kay Kendall

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Evelyn Cullet

Today I’m hosting author, Kay Kendall.

 

Kay Kendall is an award-winning author of three historical mysteries. Her second book, RAINY DAY WOMEN (2015), won for best mystery and best book at Killer Nashville in August 2016. It is the second in her Austin Starr mystery series. The first was DESOLATION ROW (2013), published by Stairway Press. After You’ve Gone, an Austin Starr prequel, was released February 12, 2019.

 In her previous career, Kay was an award-winning international PR executive, working in the US, Canada, Russia, and Europe. She has graduate degrees in Russian history and was a Woodrow Wilson Scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Kay and her Canadian husband live in Houston, Texas. They’ve rescued abandoned pet bunnies for twenty years and currently have three rabbits and a bemused spaniel, Wills.

Welcome Kay. Please tell us a little about yourself.

As an author of historical mysteries, I’ve traded the fraught world of the late 1960s for the gin-soaked 1920s. While my first two mysteries are named for Bob Dylan songs—DESOLATION ROW and RAINY DAY WOMEN—this new book takes the name of a song popular in the Jazz Age and still around today. (Fiona Apple sings it on YouTube—“After You’ve Gone.”)

The whims of crime fiction fascinate me. Some historical periods draw readers in, while others are not as popular. The Roaring Twenties has boomed in the last decade. The hippie-laden, anti-war sixties has not.

Although I personally love writing about the sixties, I decided to try my hand at something different, and Wallie MacGregor was born. I borrowed some bits from my Texas relatives’ histories. Most important—Wallie’s birth name is Walter, after her father the judge. And my Texas grandmother was exactly the same.

 I’ve spent a lifetime wondering how naming a baby girl Walter changed my grandmother’s life. Growing up in Texas, in a real town near where I situate my fictional one of Gunmetal, my grandmother became a real tomboy. She hunted, fished, rode horses and kept it up into her old age. As a matron, however, she founded the Dallas Orchid Society and wore lacy dresses and big picture hats to church and raised three children—my dad being the middle child.

I hope you will enjoy the tale I wrote that was inspired by her life—truly a woman for all seasons. Here is an excerpt from AFTER YOU’VE GONE.

After You’ve Gone- An Austin Starr Mystery Prequel.

When a long-lost relative turns up on the run from his rum-running mob boss and soon dies in a freak accident in small-town Texas during Prohibition, only 23-year-old Wallie believes it was murder. Driven by her love for Sherlock Holmes tales, Wallie pursues the truth only to encounter flappers and floozies, Chicago thugs sent by Al Capone, and a crime lord of the sinful port city of Galveston. Indulged by her father the judge but urged by her prim aunt to be a proper lady, Wallie plays amateur sleuth while courted by two eligible suitors. Will she stay alive long enough to figure out which one is her true love?

Here’s a short excerpt from After You’ve Gone:

CHAPTER ONE
1962

Being a girl with a boy’s name caused me to hanker after adventure. Maybe. All I know is that for as long as I can remember, I’ve always craved it. And for just as long, I danged near got none.

My parents expected a son. That explains their naming me Walter—after my father, the judge. As a male, I could’ve gotten away with daring adventures. Instead, my parents kept the male name and my family saddled me with endless rules of decorum. They groomed me to become the proper wife of some pillar of our community. But a nice married matron who ran a beautiful home was nothing I aspired to be, believe me.

What’s in a name? Shakespeare asked in Romeo and Juliet.

To that question, I always answer, “Plenty.”

Like me, you, my darling granddaughter, received a male name.

While my Walter is usually softened to Wallie, you are and remain simply Austin. That name is tough to shorten. It stands strong, just as you do.

I’ve always thought this trait we share explains the grounding for our compatibility. Neither of us could be accused of being overly feminine in the traditional manner. We both like to speak our minds and go our own way. Despite getting lots of pushback, we keep going. I hope my example has helped you.

My ✰✰✰✰✰ Review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this 1920s historical mystery. The protagonist Wallie, a tenacious amateur detective, whetted by Sherlock Holmes stories, who along with her prim and proper Aunt Ida, manages to solve the murder of her long-lost uncle, when every man in town believes his death to be an accident. This was a time well before women’s liberation, so she had to overcome her father’s indignation, the small minds in her hometown of Gunmetal, TX, along with gangsters and flappers in free-wheeling Galveston, to find the answers she needs to put together the last days of her uncle’s life.

Well-written, with a great supporting cast of characters. I highly recommend, After You’ve Gone.

Website URL: http://AustinStarr.com

Blog URL: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/2016/09/let-good-times-roll.html < http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/> I blog every third Wednesday of each month.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor/  & https://www.facebook.com/kendall.kl

Twitter: @kaylee_kendall

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaykendallmysteries

Buy After You’ve Gone on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/After-Youve-Gone-Mystery-Prequel/dp/1949267164/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=after+you%27ve+gone+kendall&qid=1550673530&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

And Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/after-youve-gone-kay-kendall/1130303178?ean=9781949267167

Kay and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

 

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Organized to Kill – Jan Christensen

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Evelyn Cullet

It is my pleasure to host author, Jan Christensen,

Jan Christensen grew up in New Jersey. She bounced around the world as an Army wife, and in Texas when her husband retired. After traveling for eleven years in a motorhome, she settled down in the Texas Coastal Bend.

Published novels are: Sara’s Search, Revelations, Organized to Death, Perfect Victim, Blackout, Buried Under Clutter and most recently, A Broken Life. She’s had over sixty short stories appear in various places over the last dozen years. She also writes a series of short stories about Artie, a NY burglar who gets into some very strange situations while on the job. Learn more at her website: www.janchristensen.com

Her latest novel is, Organized to Kill

It’s bad enough to find a dead body. Even worse when it’s in your lover’s bed. In Organized to Kill, the fourth in the Tina Tales series, Tina and Hank become suspects in a bizarre murder. But when another victim turns up burned beyond recognition the next night, the suspect pool widens. Are the two murders even connected?

Hank’s background in federal and police procedure drives the investigation, and Tina’s organizational skills and psychological training help unearth clues. Fortunately, her poking around is sometimes accompanied by her Uncle Bob’s quirky commentary and Hank’s hot bod. Tina is determined to find the reasons for both murders by talking to suspects, figuring out if the two crimes are connected, and if they are, how. Just when she thinks she has the answers, she finds another clue. But it might be too late and put her own, and Hank’s, life in danger.

My Review

When Tina and Hank decide to investigate their friend’s murder, they’re warned by he police to stay out of the case. Does anyone ever listen to the police in cozies? If you answered, “No,” you’re right.

As the couple gather more information, a caterer friend is found burnt to a crisp in his shop. But was it the caterer who was killed? And are the two murders somehow connected? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

If you need help organizing your home or office, this book has loads of advice that may make your task easier. I got a kick out of Tina’s Great-Uncle Bob’s use of clichés. They added a unique touch to the story. It’s an interesting mystery with lots of characters to keep track of. If this is the type of story you like to read, then Organized to Kill is for you.

Check out Jan’s Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/jan.christensen.9275?fref=ts

Find Jan on Twitter: @JanSChristensen

You can purchase,Organize d to Kill, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Organized-Kill-Tina-Tales-Book-ebook/dp/B07HR3R2PM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Organized+to+Kill+by+Jan&qid=1549764498&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-spell

Jan and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

 

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Goodbye to 2018

Posted on December 29, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Another year is nearing an end. As a writer, 2018 was a year of good news and sad news.

My good news was that I changed the look of my website/blog. And I released the first book in a brand  new series: You Bet Your Life, a Willows Bend Cozy Mystery.

It was my first attempt at writing a strictly cozy mystery, with very little romance, (not the usual way I write) and I hope I’ve succeeded in writing a mystery that holds the reader’s attention. Of course, there may be some romance in future books in this series. Right now, I’m working on the second book with the tentative title, Odds on Fatal. But the title may change by the time it’s finished. I hope to release it some time in 2019.

As a blogger, I introduced some new talented writers, and welcomed back many old friends. Here’s a list of the awesome authors, and their wonderful novels, who appeared in 2018:

Randy Rawlins – Saving Dabba

Murder of the Maestro – Anna Celeste Burke

Murder at the Bus Depot – Judy Alter

Gin Mill Grill – Marja McGraw

One Adventure Too Many – Marja McGraw

A Game of Deceit – K. A. Davis

Death Over Easy – Edith Maxwell

Secrets in Storyville – Patricia Gligor

Liar Liar – Nancy Boyarsky

Tangles Webs – F. M. Meredith

I hope you’ll take a moment to check out these fun mysteries. I’ve read and reviewed many of the novels that were featured. And I’d like to give all my guest authors a heartfelt thank you for being on my blog.

The sad news is that this isn’t my usual long list of authors and their books. I know I’ve neglected my blog something awful this year, but I hope to do a much better job in 2019.

Thanks for reading my blog. I wish you all wellbeing and abundance—and for every author: I wish you great reviews and Super-fantastic book sales in 2019!

As always, I’d love to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment.

With Gratitude,

Evelyn Cullet

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F.M. Meredith – Tangled Webs

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Today I’m welcoming back another of my favorite writers, F. M. Meredith, along with her latest Rocky Bluff mystery, Tangled Webs.

F. M. Meredith who is also known as Marilyn once lived in a beach town much like Rocky Bluff. She has many friends and relatives in law enforcement. She’s a member of MWA, 3 chapters of Sisters in Crime and serves on the PSWA Board.

Tangled Webs

Too many people are telling lies: The husband of the murder victim and his secretary, the victim’s boss and co-workers in the day care center, her stalker, and Detective Milligan’s daughter.

Here is an excerpt from Tangled Webs:

The first chapter introduces a new character—and the murder victim. I always enjoy visiting Evelyn.

Chapter 1

“A dead body my first day on the job. Outstanding.”

Dakota Ayala, the new recruit assigned to Officer Gordon Butler painfully reminded him of how he felt the first day of work as a cop. He hoped Ayala wouldn’t make as many blunders as he had. One positive thought though, Gordon knew he’d be a much better training officer than his had been.

The understaffed Rocky Bluff Police Department, thanks to the new mayor, had been given the okay to hire one more officer and Ayala was it.

Ayala reached over to turn on the siren.

Gordon shook his head. “We’ll turn on the lights to get through whatever traffic there may be, but no need to wake everyone.”

Ayala’s grin disappeared. Obviously of mixed heritage, judging by his black, short-cropped hair, smooth tan skin and surprisingly blue eyes, his handsome face displayed immediate disappointment.

According to the dispatcher, the victim had been found by the next door neighbor when he was leaving for work. He noticed the woman lying on the front porch. He’d gone over to give assistance and found she was dead, and had been for a while.

Not only did Gordon know the neighborhood, he knew the identity of the victim. “Our job will be to preserve the crime scene. We’ll wait for the detectives, and they may assign us some other duties, if not, we’ll go back on patrol.”

Ayala gazed out the window. “Nice neighborhood.”

“One of the older ones.”

The early morning fog from the nearby ocean still kept the sun from shining through, making it seem earlier than it was, and added dampness to the February chill.

Large vintage Victorian houses lined the tree-shaded street, some in better repair than others. Gordon pulled up in front of a two-story light gray home with dark blue trim. A portly man paced in front of stairs leading to the full porch.

Gordon parked beside the curb and before he could get all the way out of the car, the man huffed and puffed over to him. “Poor Melody is on the porch. Looks like she was stabbed to death. Such a sweet lady. I don’t know why anyone would do such a thing.” He waved his arm in the general direction of the stairs.

“And you are?” Gordon asked.

“Giddings, Harvey Giddings. I live next door and when I started to back out of my driveway I noticed her front door stood open. I parked and came over to see if there was a problem and that’s when I found her.”

“Did you touch anything?”

“No. I didn’t need to. I could tell she was dead.” He ran his hand over his gray, thinning hair. “So much blood. Her eyes staring.” He swallowed loudly.

“Do you mind staying nearby until the detectives arrive, Mr. Giddings?”

“Of course. I know who did it. That crazy guy who’s been pestering her. She complained about him all the time.” He blinked his small eyes several times.

Gordon knew exactly who Giddings meant. On several occasions he’d been called to this address by the deceased to confront a man named Jacob Hulsey who had a restraining order against him. Usually Hulsey wasn’t near enough to the house to be arrested, merely close enough that Melody White could see him.

“Did you observe anyone loitering around the neighborhood last night or early this morning?”

“No, but I go to bed early. I have seen that stalker guy hanging around plenty of other times though. Melody told me all about him. He made her nervous. Scared her sometimes.”

While Gordon spoke with Mr. Giddings, Ayala moved closer and closer to the porch steps.

“Thank you so much, sir. The detectives will arrive soon and you can tell them everything you know.”

Gordon left Giddings and shouted to Ayala. “Don’t move any nearer. Stop right there.”

Ayala halted. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

 

Marilyn Meredith aka F.M. Meredith’s latest books:

A Cold Death, a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery

Unresolved, a Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery

Visit me at: http://fictionforyou.com

Blog: https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: Marilyn Meredith

Twitter: @marilynmeredith

Tomorrow I’m headed over to my good friend, Gloria Getman’s blog: https://gloriagetman.blogspot.com and discussing critique groups.

We’d love to hear from you, please feel free to leave a comment.

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Marja McGraw – One Adventure Too Many

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

This week, I’m delighted to host one of my favorite mystery authors,

Marja McGraw.

Marja McGraw has worked in both civil and criminal law, state transportation, and for a city building department.  She has lived and worked in California, Nevada, Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, and Washington.

She wrote a weekly column for a small town newspaper in Northern Nevada, and conducted a Writers’ Support Group in Northern Arizona. A past member of Sisters in Crime (SinC), she was the Editor for the SinC-Internet Newsletter for a year and a half.

Marja writes two mystery series, The Sandi Webster Mysteries and The Bogey Man Mysteries, which are light reading with a touch of humor. She also has two standalone mysteries.

Marja says that each of her mysteries contains a little humor, a little romance and A Little Murder!

Thank you for having me as a guest, Evelyn. It’s good to be back and talking about “One Adventure Too Many – A Sandi Webster Mystery.”

One Adventure Too Many

Taking a vacation can lead to an unexpected case for private eye Sandi Webster-Goldberg. Taking a vacation with your menopausal mother, an eccentric aunt, a pregnant friend and her husband, and a flustered husband can lead to total chaos – especially when you find a young woman and her baby hiding from unknown danger in an abandoned house.

Here’s an excerpt:

(Sandi’s mother and aunt have disappeared while on a trek through the forest)

A wind had come up and the tops of the trees swayed.

Thunder boomed in the distance again. As Stanley had said, sound didn’t carry as far in the forest. Maybe the storm was closer than I imagined.

I had visions of driving out of here in the rain and on muddy roads.

“Mother!” I hollered.

I thought I heard something ahead of us, but there was no verbal reply.

“Stan, look at the sky. We’ve got to find them and get out of here.”

He glanced skyward and started power walking down the trail.

It seemed that nothing involving my mother and my aunt was ever easy. Oh, that the day would come when I’d call out and they’d simply come running.

Be careful what you wish for – words to live by.

Before I could form another thought in my mind, Aunt Martha came barreling down the path and almost ran into Stanley.

“Come quick,” she said, turning and running back in the direction she’d come from. “Your mother is…”

I couldn’t hear the rest of what she said, but Stanley and I ran after her. I’d heard something unsettling in her voice.

She rounded a curve in the trail and disappeared again.

“Hurry,” she yelled.

“We’re coming,” I yelled back.

We rounded the corner and saw my aunt standing and staring at a clump of bushes.

My mother’s head popped up out of the bushes. Her face was pale and drawn, not a good sign.

“What…?”

I had an overwhelming sense of dread.

“Mother?” I hurried the rest of the way and stood by my aunt.

My mother was bending over, studying a man’s dead body.

The first thing I noticed was that he only wore one shoe. The second thing I noticed was my mother holding her stomach and running to the other side of the path to toss her cookies.

Marja’s website: https://www.marjamcgraw.com/

Buy book at: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=marja+mcgraw

Blog: http://marjamcgraw.blogspot.com/

Join her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marja.mcgraw

Contact her at: mystery@marjamcgraw.com

Marja and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

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Liar Liar – Nancy Boyarsky

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Today I’m welcoming back one of my favorite authors, Nancy Boyarsky.

Nancy Boyarsky is the bestselling author of the award-winning Nicole Graves Mysteries. Before turning to mysteries, Nancy coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband, Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system as well as articles for publications including the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.

Liar Liar is the third Nicole Graves novel, following The Swap and The Bequest, each of which can be read as a stand alone.

Liar Liar

Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university’s star quarterback for rape when the authorities won’t act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.

Later, Nicole would ponder the truth and its illusive nature. She’d realize how many lies people would tell to protect themselves from it. And, worst of all, how many she herself would tell to get at it. She’d always considered herself a truthful person. Yet she’d find herself lying to others, to her fiancé, and even to herself.

She’d wonder if there was such a thing as the actual truth. Or was truth relative, the product of incomplete or faulty memories, or the limitations of the observer? How often was the truth tainted by what an individual wanted, or needed, to believe?

On this bright day in mid-March, Nicole stepped into the United Terminal at LAX and encountered a situation she could hardly believe. It was as if she’d slipped back in time to the previous year when the media was stalking her. This morning, they were massed in a corner of baggage claim. After the initial shock of seeing them, she noticed they weren’t looking in her direction, hadn’t noticed her at all. They were waiting for someone else, someone they expected to come down the escalator from the arrival gates.

Here’s an excerpt from Liar Liar:

Nicole heard a sound and came in from the balcony in time to see Mary Ellen, now fully dressed, slip out the front door. Nicole ran after her. She couldn’t allow the girl to run off after what she’d said about the hopelessness of her predicament. By the time Nicole got to the elevator bank, it was empty. The girl was already on her way down.

Nicole couldn’t take the stairs; she was on the tenth floor. But the elevator bank had four cars, and luck was with her. Moments later, the door to another elevator opened. When she reached the lobby, she caught sight of Mary Ellen through the window. She had just left the building and was jaywalking across Ocean Avenue toward the beach.

Nicole rushed after her. The wind was picking up, blowing through her jacket. She was halfway across the street, when a car heading south skidded to a stop a few feet away. The driver leaned on his horn and opened his window to scream at her. She ignored him, trying to keep Mary Ellen in sight. The girl seemed to be headed toward the shoreline. When Nicole reached the sand, she started running. She was in good shape, but running on the beach was completely different from a morning jog around the neighborhood. Her shoes sank into the soft surface, making it impossible to gain momentum. Meanwhile, sand leaked into her shoes, chafing her sockless feet.

The beach near the waterline was dark, and Mary Ellen was no longer in sight. Nicole looked desperately around, trying to figure out which way the girl had gone. All at once she stumbled over something lying in her path. As she hit the sand, the figure she’d tripped over slowly sat up, like a zombie in a horror film.

 

My ✰✰✰✰✰ Review

While putting in the hours to qualify for a private investigator’s license, Nicole Graves is given the assignment to keep an eye on a client for Colbert and Smith investigations, the company she works for. But the client, a young woman, turns out to be more than Nicole can handle. When the client turns up dead, her personal investigation into the murder case not only puts her life in danger, it also puts her at odds with a new fiancé. In the end, Nicole must make a heart-wrenching decision—marriage to a wonderful guy or a new career as a P.I. In my opinion, she made the right one.

Great characters and an interesting story kept me turning the pages. This is the third Nicole Graves mystery I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed each one. Now I’m looking forward to the next. I highly recommend, Liar Liar.

*******

Readers are invited to connect with Nancy through her website.

Website: http://www.nancyboyarsky.com”>http://www.nancyboyarsky.com

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9020987.Nancy_Boyarsky

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancyboyarsky

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Liar-Nicole-Graves-Mysteries

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liar-liar-nancy-boyarsky/1127685241

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nancy and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

 

 

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Death Over Easy – Edith Maxwell

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Today, I’m delighted to host mystery author, Edith Maxwell.

Agatha- and Macavity-nominated author Edith Maxwell writes the Local Foods Mysteries, the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries, and award-winning short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the popular Country Store Mysteries and the new Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. She is president of Sisters in Crime New England and lives north of Boston with her beau and two elderly cats.

I’m delighted to be featured here. Thanks, Evie, for inviting me! I’m so excited that Death Over Easy releases in eleven days.

Death Over Easy

Restaurateur Robbie Jordan is ready for the boost in business a local bluegrass festival brings to South Lick, Indiana, but the beloved event strikes a sour note. The celebration is cut short when a performer is found choked to death by a banjo string. Now all the banjo players are featured in a different kind of lineup. To clear their names, Robbie must pair up with an unexpected partner to pick at the clues and find the plucky killer before he – or she – can conduct an encore performance.

Here’s a short excerpt, where the county sheriff’s department detective is questioning Robbie Jordan in her Country Store restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes:

“Detective, how was Pia killed? I know Isaac found her body, but was she shot? Poisoned? Stabbed?” I paused in my assembly of the dry ingredients for pancake batter.

The detective tapped her hand on the end of the counter where she’d laid her tablet. “I hear you’ve acted as an amateur detective previously.”

“Not exactly. I simply kept getting drawn into murder cases.” I shrugged.

“I’ll tell you the method, but first I’d like your word that this time you won’t get ‘drawn in’ to my investigation.” She surrounded the words in finger quotes.

“Fine with me,” I answered. But was it?

“Ms. Bianchi was choked. Garroted, actually.”

Garroted? “You mean with a rope or something?” A shudder rippled through me at the thought.

“It was actually a metal wire. We’re looking into whether it was an instrument string, and if so, designed for which instrument.”

“Wow. With thousands of musicians in the county this week.”

“Exactly…”

You can purchase Death Over Easy from the following websites:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Edith blogs at WickedCozyAuthors.com and KillerCharacters.com. Read about all her personalities and her work at edithmaxwell.com, and please find her on social media – she loves to talk to readers:

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Secrets in Storyville – Patricia Gligor

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Today I’m welcoming back another of my favorite authors, Patricia Gligor.

Patricia Gligor is a Cincinnati native. She has worked as an administrative assistant, the sole proprietor of a resume writing service and the manager of a sporting goods department but her passion has always been writing fiction.

Ms. Gligor is the author of the Malone Mystery series: Mixed Messages, Unfinished Business, Desperate Deeds, Mistaken Identity and Marnie Malone.

Secrets in Storyville, a small town mystery, is separate from her series.

Mystery without Murder

I’ve always been an avid mystery reader. Growing up, I read Nancy Drew mysteries like most other girls my age but my favorite books were the Judy Bolton mysteries written by Margaret Sutton. Titles like The Midnight Visitor, The Mark on the Mirror, and The Forbidden Chest fascinated me. Each book held a mystery for Judy to solve and, if memory serves, there were no murders in any of the books. Just an intriguing mystery.

Of course, those books were written for young girls, not adult women, so there were limits on the subject matter and graphic nature of the published material. Understandable. Although I love a good murder mystery, I also like the idea of mystery without murder, which I attribute to all the hours I spent with Judy Bolton.

There are no murders in Secrets in Storyville. Only mystery.

Kate Morgan, a single mother, lives in the small town of Storyville, Ohio where she grew up. A want-to-be author, she works as a sales clerk in the town’s only department store doing what she describes as “a job a monkey could do.” Although she’s bored with her job, she’s reluctant to consider making any major changes in her life. However, she’s about to find out that change is inevitable.

When Kate’s ten-year-old daughter, Mandy, tells the family she plans to do a family tree for a school project, the negative reaction of Kate’s parents and grandmother shocks her but also arouses her curiosity. Why are they so against Mandy’s project? Surely her family is too “normal” to have any skeletons in their closet.

Kate decides to support her daughter even if that means defying her parents. As she searches for the truth, she discovers some long buried secrets that, if she decides to reveal them, will change her life and the lives of the people she loves – forever.

My ✰✰✰✰✰Review

Kate Morgan has uneasily settled for her life as a single mom, and has always thought she had the perfect parents. But when her daughter decides to do a family tree for her school project, things between Kate, her parents, and her grandmother begin to get tense, especially when she starts dating a handsome stranger. When her daughter drops the family tree project for another, Kate continues to do genealogy research on her own, and what she finds sets her on a roller coaster of troubled emotions.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It was hard to put down. The characters are wonderful, but then, Ms. Gligor is great at characterization. I loved Kate’s romance. The novel was easy reading with a satisfying twist at the end. I highly recommend it to everyone who is looking for a mystery, without murder.

Patricia Gligor’s books are available at:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007VDDUPQ

Pat and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

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A Game of Deceit – K. A. Davis

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

Today I’m welcoming author, K. A. Davis to my blog.

 Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband, near wildfire country. In addition to authoring suspense novel, A GAME OF DECEIT, she writes the Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder blog and has several children’s articles published in a variety of magazines. When not busy with her granddaughters, she can be found writing her next book and blog, baking, or working on her photography skills. K. A. Davis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

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Thanks for hosting me on your blog, Evelyn! I appreciate the chance to share an excerpt from my debut suspense novel, A Game of Deceit. I chose a few paragraphs from Chapter Fourteen because I was inspired to write this scene after having to evacuate my two young granddaughters from the Portola fire in Southern California in 2007. I personally enjoy other authors who weave their own life experiences into their stories and find their books richer in detail and emotions. I would like to mention that thanks to the brave efforts of the firefighters, my family did not lose their home.

A Game of Deceit

A father’s disappearance never solved, a mother’s secret taken to the grave, a daughter deceived…

Kathryn Landry thinks her life is just about perfect. She is the owner of a successful interior designer business in Newport Beach, California, and she has an attentive, supportive husband. But her world comes crashing down when her husband, Neil Landry, vanishes without a trace… in a situation almost identical to the disappearance of her father twenty years before.

With her father’s disappearance still a mystery, Kathryn is skeptical that the detective assigned to her case will be able to find her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, Kathryn is plunged into a world of politics, high-priced call girls and wealth. As she begins to search for her husband, a decades-old secret her mother took to the grave threatens to destroy all she holds dear. Caught up in a web of betrayals and deceit, and not knowing who to trust, Kathryn must find a way to survive as she discovers the past has a way of repeating itself.

Here is an Excerpt:

He came to a stop and rolled down his window when they reached the barrier. They were greeted by a blast of hot, sooty air. Kathryn thought the officer manning the barricade looked like a bandit. His cowboy-style hat was pulled low, mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes and a dark blue bandana covered his nose and mouth. His khaki-colored uniform had turned a dusty gray with matching combat boots.

            “Hey Mike, glad you made it,” the sheriff’s deputy said after pulling down the bandana. “Captain says we can give you about twenty minutes to get in and evacuate your horses.”

            “Thanks, Rudy, I owe you one.”

            “Not a problem,” the deputy answered, pulling the roadblock aside. “Just do me a favor and get out of here as quickly as you can. This fire has a mind of its own, jumping roads and firebreaks like I’ve never seen. I’d hate for you and your friend to get caught in the middle of it.”

            “Don’t worry. We’ll be out of here before you know it.”

            Kathryn started choking on the thick smoke that had swirled into the Explorer. Her breathing became more rapid and her palms started sweating.

            What are you getting yourself into? Is it too late to back out?

Mike quickly rolled the window up and turned the air conditioning on high before finally turning off onto a single-lane blacktop road blocked by an elegant, wrought-iron electric gate. He pushed the remote button attached to the sun visor and the gate slowly opened. The road wound between pastures enclosed by once-pristine white fences, now grimy with soot. Drab olive-green eucalyptus trees lined the drive. The murky air caused the SUV’s headlights to come on. They crossed a stone bridge under which a dry river bed ran, then turned a bend in the road and his house came into view. But they didn’t notice. Instead, their eyes were riveted on the fifty-foot roaring flames shooting up from the hill behind Mike’s house, less than a mile away.

My Review

Suspenseful and intriguing, this well-plotted debut novel grabbed my attention from the first page. A fast-paced read full of twists and turns kept me guessing. Corruption, murder, embezzlement, and more. The protagonist’s deep involvement with two male characters had me turning the pages to see how it would end.

The only reservation I had, and it’s not huge, is that I found it odd to see recipes at the back of a suspense novel. They’re usually only in cozy mysteries. Of course, it’s a writer’s prerogative to put whatever she wants in her book, it just kind of threw me.

I wish the author much luck, and hope she goes on to write more novels. Love the cover, by the way.

Connect with Kim Davis

Websites:         http://kimdavisauthor.com/
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Davis-Author-1532277473479031                                                https://www.facebook.com/Cinnamon-Sugar-and-a-Little-Bit-of-Murder-187400864778608

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/Kookiesandbooks

Purchase Links

Amazon: https://goo.gl/8muPuf

Barnes and Noble: https://goo.gl/Q6uVZP

Kobo: https://goo.gl/28Nsdo

Apple: https://goo.gl/sVzo6B

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Gin Mill Grill – Marja McGraw

Posted on May 8, 2018 by Evelyn Cullet

I’m so pleased to welcome back one of my favorite cozy mystery authors,

Marja McGraw.

Sandi Webster and Pete Goldberg, as private investigators, are constantly having to rearrange their lives to suit their work – and they enjoy doing it. Sandi’s biggest worry, before Eloise Neuchase enters her life, is whether or not her business will grow.

However, when Eloise approaches them and hires them to solve a crime from the 1930s, they find a few surprises that they aren’t necessarily prepared for, and yet they try to take the circumstances in their stride.

An old speakeasy, a vintage murder, and suspects who are now in their nineties can make life take some unexpected turns. Investigation can almost take on a life of its own.

Sandi, Pete and their friend and employee, Stanley Hawks, are about to watch the past and the present collide.

Gin Mill Grill – A Sandi Webster Mystery

(Excerpt from Chapter Two)

“Living in the Murder House doesn’t bother me,” she said, “and as far as the old bloodstains, I’ve sanded them as much as possible and I’ve covered them with rugs. My hubby and me, well, we tried to get rid of the stains, but no dice. They seem to be there to stay. The house has hardwood floors and we never wanted carpeting.”

“Can you tell us what happened? How was the one brother murdered, and what do you know about the other brother?” I asked.

“No one knows exactly what happened, but Horace was stabbed to death. Someone must have really hated him because he was stabbed twenty-two times. A neighbor reported hearing a ruckus and the police came and found the body. Harley had disappeared. Of course, the police figured he killed his brother.”

She pursed her lips before continuing.

“My father didn’t agree. He wanted to find Harley and prove his innocence. That’s the gist of it. Will you work for me?”

“Did his notes tell more of the story?” Pete asked.

“Yes, they did. I’ll turn them over to you if you agree to take my case. I know it’s a longshot, but maybe you can figure out what happened.”

I glanced at Stanley and he seemed fascinated with Eloise’s story. Before I could discuss our rates with her, he said, “We’ll take the case.”

My mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. Was this going to be another pro bono case?

“Stan,” he preferred to be called Stan instead of Stanley, “would you look into building the website while we talk to Eloise? Let me know about costs.” Hint, hint.

He nodded and returned to his desk.

“What will this cost me?” the woman asked. Apparently she got my hint, even if Stanley didn’t. I was embarrassed that she picked up on it.

We discussed rates and she seemed fine with our fees.

“I have money that my father left me, insurance from losing my husband and retirement. Money isn’t a big issue. I have this wish – desire – to finish my father’s quest for the truth.”

“When did your husband die?” Pete asked.

Really? What did that have to do with this case? It seemed like a thoughtless question.

“Nineteen years ago. I’m over it.”

Oh. I guess I hadn’t needed to worry about Pete’s question, unless he thought it might have something to do with the case, and I doubted it did.

“I was going to bring the box of notes with me, but I thought you might like to see the scene of the murder, too.”

She smiled, which surprised me. “This all happened so long ago. There’s no reason for me to act sappy about the whole thing.”

Again, she was perceptive.

We took care of the paperwork outlining our fees and what we could offer her, and she said if we’d meet her at her house she’d order a pizza.

She turned to Stanley. “You’ll come along, of course.”

“Of course,” he replied, reaching to shut down his computer.

Eloise left after we told her we’d meet her at her house around noon.

We watched her walk out the door and I turned to Pete. “What did I tell you about word-of-mouth? We have a reputation, and it must be a good one.”

My ✰✰✰✰✰ Review

A complex story of three murders has Sandi and Pete Goldberg investigating the history of the Gin Mill Grill, a restaurant and speakeasy from the thirties. As they uncover each aspect, another comes to light. But a threatening message to stop looking into the past, only makes them determined to find the answers.

As the investigation progresses, Sandi feels like the past is becoming the present and they’re intertwined in some odd way. Which of course, we find out that they are. I enjoyed investigating this cold case right along with Sandi and Pete. With a few twists and some surprising finds in the old speakeasy turned restaurant, this was a fun and fascinating mystery to read. I highly recommend it.

Available at: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=marja+mcgraw&sprefix=marja+mc%2Caps%2C218&crid=1WIXR1MN09W9N

Marja’s Mystery Blog: http://marjamcgraw.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marja.mcgraw

We’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment.

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