Knitted and Knifed: A Humorous & Heartwarming Cozy Mystery (A Knitty Kitties Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Independently published (January 5, 2021)
Paperback: 224 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Wanted: Cat mum to manage a yarn store, corral two curious cats, all the while being tangled up in murderous mayhem and mystery.

 

A smart woman would dump her cheating ex, move from the city, and give herself a chance for a well-deserved do-over. A smarter woman—smarter than me, anyway—wouldn’t jump out of that same frying pan and return to Cape Discovery, a seaside village where her family is the nuttiest of all the nut-ball residents.

I’m a former high school counselor, middle-child peacemaker, and current curator of lots of squishy/fuzzy goodness at my granddad’s little yarn store. Temporary assistant. Until I decide what to do with the rest my life. There’s only one knotty problem to untangle first. The knife sticking out of the most unpopular man in town, and the police detective trying to pin the murder on the donkey—otherwise known as my younger brother. With a pair mischievous cats determined to be underfoot and a craft group of Serial Knitters and Happy Hookers wanting the inside scoop, a girl could lose her mind. And if the killer has their way, maybe even my life…

Tessa Wakefield has her hands full juggling a cozy craft store, her crazy family, and two men who’d rather poke out their eyes than describe themselves as cute. Which they totally are. Cute, charismatic, and occasionally on her mind when she’s not stumbling over dead bodies and using her newfound sleuthing skills to track down murderers. Lucky she’s an excellent multi-tasker because digging beneath Cape Discovery’s surface can unearth secrets that kill.

 

 

 

Amazon *  Apple Books  *  Nook

 

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About the Author

 

Tracey Drew lives Down Under with her husband—who’s given up complaining about her yarn addiction–and two madcap tabby cats called Kevin and Alfie. The feline brothers constantly battle with her while she’s trying to write her books by demanding lap-time, but they also provide constant inspiration for her fun & quirky cozy mysteries.

 

Website * Newsletter * Facebook * Amazon

 

Instagram * Goodreads * BookBub

 

 

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Truffles and Tragedy: A Down South Cafe Mystery
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Publisher: Grace Abraham Publishing (March 16, 2021)
Number of Pages: 295 (approximately)

 

Synopsis

 

Down South Cafe owner Amy Flowers learns her chocolate truffles might not be the only things her patrons find “out of this world.”

When her cousin, Jackie, asks her to give a presentation to her online class, Amy thinks all she has to worry about is speaking before a group. But then the nitpicky professor collapses. He has been murdered, and hot-tempered Jackie is the prime suspect. Some online forums are even speculating that the professor was an extra-terrestrial, so Amy must sort out fact from fiction to get to the truth.

Certain the real killer is setting Jackie up, will Amy be able to outwit the killer and save her cousin?

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee and Gayle Trent. Going forward, Gayle intends to keep her writing under the Gayle Leeson name. She lives with her beautiful family in the hills of Southwest Virginia.

 

 

Gayle Leeson Website ~ Gayle Trent Website ~ Facebook

Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

 

 

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Haunted Hibiscus (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
22nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 2, 2021)
Hardcover: 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Tea maven Theodosia Browning brews up trouble in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

 

It is the week before Halloween and Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are ghosting through the dusk of a cool Charleston evening on their way to the old Bouchard Mansion. Known as the Gray Ghost, this dilapidated place was recently bequeathed to the Heritage Society, and tonight heralds the grand opening of their literary and historical themed haunted house.

Though Timothy Neville, the patriarch of the Heritage Society, is not thrilled with the fund-raising idea, it is the perfect venue for his grandniece, Willow French, to sign copies of her new book, Carolina Crimes & Creepers.

But amid a parade of characters dressed as Edgar Allan Poe, Lady Macbeth, and the Headless Horseman, Willow’s body is suddenly tossed from the third-floor tower room and left to dangle at the end of a rope. Police come screaming in and Theodosia’s boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, is sent to Willow’s apartment to investigate. But minutes later, he is shot and wounded by a shadowy intruder.

Timothy begs Theodosia to investigate, and shaken by Riley’s assault, she readily agrees. Now, she questions members of the Heritage Society and a man who claims the mansion is rightfully his, as well as Willow’s book publisher and her fiancé, all while hosting a Sherlock Holmes tea and catering several others.

But the Gray Ghost holds many secrets, as do several other key suspects, while this murder mystery plays out on the eve of Halloween.

 

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

 

 

 

Amazon *  B&N * Kobo * Google Play * IndieBound

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life, she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

 

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A Game of Cones (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 2, 2021)
Paperback: 352 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In this charming mystery series set in an ice cream shop, no case is too cold to crack!

Bronwyn Crewse is delighted that Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, is restored to its former glory and serving sweet frozen treats to happy customers in the picturesque small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. But when a big city developer comes to town intent on building a mall, a killer with a frozen heart takes him out.

After literally stumbling across the body, one of Win’s closest friends becomes the prime suspect, and to make things worse, Win’s aunt has come to town with the intention of taking command of Crewse Creamery. Even though Win has a rocky road ahead to help her friend and keep her ice cream shop, it’ll take more than a sprinkle of murder to stop her from solving the crime and saving the day.

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette, is a hybrid author who has penned more than twenty-five books and short stories. She has hit both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller list. Books one and two, A Deadly Inside Scoop and A Game of Cones, from her latest cozy series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, published by Penguin Berkley, is out now.

 

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Synopsis

 

Surge On Like a River is the English translation of the Tamil book titled ‘Nee Nadhi Pola Odikondiru’, originally written by Bharathy Bhaskar, a Chemical Engineer and an MBA, who is a banker by profession. She is also a popular columnist and speaker, and a household name in Tamil homes, thanks to the debates and shows she has spoken in.

 

The essays are written in a simple, engaging style, and filled with profound insights. These nuggets of wisdom primarily draw from the author’s life experiences and her empathetic observations of the people and situations around her.

 

This English translation by V. Shyamala captures the lively nature of the original, bringing it to a wider audience with the idea that the readers who do not know Tamil should not miss out on the wonderful collection.

 

 

 

Amazon India | Amazon USA

 

 

Excerpt

 

Chapter 1

 

Home sweet home, pours love but just drizzles appreciation!

Saro is my friend since school days. One evening, when I ran into her at Mount Road in Chennai, deciding to prolong our happy reunion, we proceeded to the Spencer Plaza to catch up. There, we met my boss, an American.

He noticed me and said ‘Hi’. I responded in kind, and introduced my friend.

Immediately, he complimented Saro, saying, “Your dress is lovely.” She was wearing a magenta-coloured silk sari with a black border. The sole reason for this incident was that the sari was really beautiful, and Americans are usually generous with their compliments.

Even though quite some time had passed since we had met my boss, Saro was visibly uncomfortable. She was not her usual bubbly self, either. Only after my continuous, repeated insistence and queries of “What happened, Saro?” did she reply.

“When your boss complimented me, I could not even say a simple thanks!”

“Yes. I noticed. You could have thanked him”

“The thing is, I have never been praised so I did not know how to respond…”

That night, it was a long time before I could fall asleep. Is there only ‘one’ Saro who has ‘never been praised?’ There are a thousand Saros, Kamalas , Fatimas, and Stellas amongst us, who yearn for appreciation.

Apparently, research shows that women’s chromosomal and genetic makeup craves appreciation and acknowledgment, more than men’s genetics do. Must probably be true.

“Darling… How does my new saree look?”

“Is it new… Superb!”

Did the husband even spare a glance at the saree, or did he say so as there was no other quicker way to end the conversation… God only knows!

“There is a difference in the rasam I made today… Did you not notice?”

“Really? For me it tastes the same, as usual.”

Following a new recipe suggested by a friend, boiling tomato and garlic along with lentils, mashing them all together, mixing with the tamarind extract, boiling it evenly before adding freshly crushed cumin and black pepper, and finally tempering with mustard seeds spluttered in ghee… all this effort only to hear ‘it tastes same as usual!’

A new hairstyle from a rare visit to a beauty parlour, a tastefully drawn peacock kolam, a special adai-avial tiffin made after poring over a different recipe from a book, a newly purchased green silk-cotton saree that had attracted at first sight, a reward gotten at the office… would any of this give us complete happiness, if not layered with praise from close family members?

Could the researchers who proved that ‘women’s chromosomes expect praise and appreciation’, not have also proven that ‘men’s chromosomes limit their ability to give out praise and compliments’?

 

 

About the Author

 

Bharathi Baskar is a Tamil Orator who is popular for her humorous debate talk shows called Pattimandram.com, telecasted on Sun TV. She is also an anchor for the daily talk show called Vaanga Peasalam at 7.15 a.m from Monday to Wednesday on Sun TV. Bharathi Baskar is also a Senior Vice President at Citi Bank, Chennai.

 

 

 

 

About the Translator

 

V.Shyamala is a cost accountant, a homemaker, and a writer. She loves to weave stories and is on a continuous quest to seek new and creative ways to teach children. When not writing, reading, or thinking up stories, Shyamala mentors CIMA students, strives to workout, loves tweaking South Indian heritage recipes, and translates Tamil words to English. She is also a member of AWIC (Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children) and volunteers at a local library twice a week.

 

Email | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

 

 

 

On Deadly Tides: A Penny Brannigan Mystery
Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (November 10, 2020)
237 pages

 

Synopsis

 

With a picturesque black and white lighthouse, pebble beaches and stunning views of sea and mountains, the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales is the perfect place for an idyllic mid-summer painting holiday.

And watercolour artist, businesswoman, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan is enjoying the retreat enormously – until she discovers the body of a New Zealand journalist on a secluded beach just as the tide is going out, threatening to take the body with it.

The post mortem reveals the victim died from injuries “consistent with a fall from a great height,” and the death is ruled accidental. But Penny thinks there’s more to the story. Curious how the victim came to such an untimely end at this most inhospitable spot, she uncovers a link to a mysterious disappearance several years earlier.

And as her holiday romance with a wildlife photographer turns to love, she learns some truths about herself, too, that surprise her.

As the winds of change blow through Penny’s own life, she sets sail on a friendly tide for a future she never dreamed possible, in a beautiful place she never imagined.

 

 

Amazon * B&N  * Kobo

 

 

About the Author

 

A two-time winner of the Bloody Words (Bony Blithe) Award for Canada’s best light mystery, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two series: the Penny Brannigan mysteries set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax. A former journalist, public relations practioner, and college professor, Elizabeth is a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers. She divides her time between Toronto, Canada, and Llandudno, North Wales.

 

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

 

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The Light Catcher Murders (Kate Atherton Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Independently published (August 15, 2020)
Paperback: 323 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Kate Atherton’s idyllic retirement is going well…if you don’t count the two murders, the mysterious drone, and her photographer friend who manages to poke a hornet’s nest of criminal activity, that is.

Nestled in the scenic Texas Hill Country, the cozy town of Wheaton Creek seemed to Kate Atherton an idyllic place to escape the world’s harsh realities. And then there was the first murder.

Kate once enjoyed a long, successful career with a specialized, highly secret federal intelligence agency. Crises in both her personal and professional life drove her to early retirement and, ultimately, to Wheaton Creek, the perfect place for her and her former-military husband to escape what had come to feel like a world made up of wars, hatred, fear, and untimely death. And, at first, the escape was all Kate had hoped for. Then murder came to Wheaton Creek—a crime that a corrupt county sheriff seems determined to pin on Kate’s photographer friend, Lucy Celek.

Lucy’s work has been chosen to appear at a prestigious photography festival, a festival that could take her from amateur to professional standing. All goes well until the gallery displaying her work is broken into, and one of Lucy’s photographs is vandalized. A week later, the man Lucy suspected of destroying her photograph—a fellow photographer who was angry that his own work was not chosen by the festival committee—is murdered. Faced with a sheriff who shows little interest in expanding his list of suspects beyond Lucy, Kate feels she must dust off her puzzle-solving skills to find the real killer. Murder is just the beginning, though, as Kate’s amateur sleuthing begins to reveal a tangled web of crimes that go beyond anything she could have imagined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jo Cassie McRae is a native Texan who has lived near Austin on the edge of the Texas Hill Country for over 30 years.  In addition to writing, McRae loves to read, garden, and cook.  Like Kate Atherton (The Light Catcher Murders), McRae’s bookshelves overflow with history books, biographies, historical fiction, and mystery novels.  Unlike Kate, McRae does not have a mysterious, secret former career, having worked instead as a rather ordinary legal assistant at an Austin law firm.

 

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The Moon Is Missing by Jenni Ogden

 

Adult Fiction (18 +), 388 pages

 

Book Club, Literary, Women’s Fiction, Domestic Suspense

 

Publisher: Sea Dragon Press

 

 

Synopsis

 

A daughter who cries “Who am I?”
A mother who can’t tell her…
A hurricane called Katrina…
A family secret exposed…
An island at the bottom of the world.

 

From Jenni Ogden, author of multiple-award-winning A DROP IN THE OCEAN, comes a page-turning tale of family secrets and mother–daughter conflict set in London, New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, and on a remote and spectacular island off the coast of New Zealand.

 

Georgia Grayson has perfected the art of being two people: a neurosurgeon on track to becoming the first female Director of Neurosurgery at a large London hospital, and a wife and mother. Home is her haven where, with husband Adam’s support, she copes with her occasional anxiety attacks. That is until her daughter, 15-year-old Lara, demands to know more about Danny, her mysterious biological father from New Orleans who died before she was born. “Who was he? Why did he die? WHO AM I?” Trouble is, Georgia can’t tell her. As escalating panic attacks prevent her from operating, and therapy fails to bring back the memories she has repressed, fractures rip through her once happy family. Georgia sees only one way forward; to return to New Orleans where Danny first sang his way into her heart, and then to the rugged island where he fell to his death. Somehow she must uncover the truth Lara deserves, whatever the cost.

 

 

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ALSO IN AUDIOBOOK

 

Google Play ~ Chirp ~ Scribd

 

Kobo ~ hibooks

 

Audiobooks.com ~ Apple

 

 

Praise

 

“Jenni Ogden is a beautiful writer. In her newest, a tale of domestic suspense, Ogden tells the story of a neurosurgeon bedeviled by her own sophisticated brain and the memories of a long-ago tragedy that still has the power to destroy her and her family. Pick up The Moon is Missing. You won’t put it down.” — Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean & My Only

“With gripping scenes set during Hurricane Katrina and on a remote New Zealand island, this tightly-woven family drama—fueled by long-buried secrets and a daughter’s desperate need to answer the question, ‘Who am I?’ —is ripe for book club discussion.” –Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of ‘A Perfect Son’ & ‘The Promise Between Us’

“…Beautifully written … characters were immensely believable…Ogden did not shy away from the harsh realities of what can happen when someone in a family is experiencing panic attacks and trauma from the past. Katrina was a tragedy and I feel the novel really paid homage to the medical staff who worked tirelessly to make sure people were evacuated….a must-read for anyone who is a fan of women’s fiction, especially harkening back to the old greats such as Fern Michaels.” —Readers’ Favorite, 5 star review.

 

 

About the Author

 

Jenni Ogden and her husband live off-grid on spectacular Great Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to write and for grandchildren to spend their holidays. Winters are spent near a beach in Far North Tropical Queensland. Jenni’s debut novel, ‘A Drop in the Ocean’, won multiple awards and has sold over 80,000 copies. As a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, she is well-known for her books featuring her patients’ moving stories:’Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology’, and ‘Trouble In Mind: Stories from a Neuropsychologist’s Casebook’. Please visit her author website, sign up for her e-newsletter, and follow her everywhere!

 

Website  ~ Facebook  ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Win Jenni Ogden’s THE MOON IS MISSING in audiobook from Author Direct (20 winners) (ends Nov 27)

 

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Synopsis

 

I am NOT!

When enough of the world comes at you, telling you you’re nothing, you believe. You become what you believe. You become until the pain of becoming is too great to bear. You constantly ask yourself: What if I don’t know the answer? What if I’m wrong? What if they know I’m wrong? What if they laugh? What if fearing failure makes you fail? You’re faced with a choice. To stay. Or to change. Or to end. If you’re lucky, enough love begins seeping through, lighting a path to change.

This is the story of I Am NOT!, a memoir of triumph over verbal and emotional abuse, bullying, disordered eating, and societal norms. A journey of self-deprecation and the promise of continued growth. An anecdotal warning of the challenges kids, teens, and adults still face today.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Chapter Indigo

 

 

 

Praise

 

Brutally honest, beautifully empowering, and haunting in how many of our own lives’ bits and pieces we can see in Rachel’s journey. – Kristen Caldwell, High School Library Media Specialist

I Am Not is more than a memoir. It’s a mirror for all of us. Rachel’s reflections of who she was, is, and strives to be, resonate with all of us. Her recollections vividly transport the reader from our most vulnerable to our most victorious and serve as a reminder that we are all growing, learning, and becoming our best selves. ~ Marla Zack, Entrepreneur

With each vignette, we feel the impact of the heartbreaking reality of a society that unapologetically tells us that we are ‘not good enough’. Yet through Rachel Boehm’s deeply human and emotionally vulnerable story, we are reminded of the beauty in resilience and are inspired to begin our own journey toward unconditional self-love. ~ Alison Morogiello, National Certified Counselor

 

 

About the Author

 

Rachel Boehm is an award-winning journalist, turned workplace wellness organizer and advocate. Her experiences with school and workplace bullying, fat shaming, disordered eating, perfectionism, and verbal and emotional abuse began at a young age and continued into her late-twenties.

Embracing a survivor’s mindset, Boehm now views her journey as a calling to transform the way individuals and organizations view well-being, the beauty of the human body, metrics of success, and the fragility of time.

Boehm was raised in Austin, Texas. A love for the fine arts, film and television took her to Southern California for undergraduate studies and to pursue a career in the industry.

A quarter-life crisis fueled by the tumultuous nature of the industry and a realization of society’s flawed definitions of beauty and success, sent her on a multi-year soul-searching quest. She traveled back to Austin, then on to the UAE, Syria, Jordan, Europe, and New York City, before accepting a graduate studies scholarship with American University in Journalism and Public Affairs. Following commencement, she moved to Northern Virginia.

This journey is detailed in her memoir I Am NOT, which in many ways provides the backstory for her 2018 self-published collection of quips and lessons learned, Tripping in Public.

Today, Boehm works at an individual and organizational level to change the dialogue around the workplace well-being experience. She shares her story and works to help others: redefine success and beauty; develop mindfulness and self-compassion; and embrace the art of the “always something” mindset.

Through her many endeavors (day job, side hustle, and private practice), Boehm seeks to help everyone bring their best selves to work and life, and to truly love the skin they’re in. You can learn more about Boehm and her work at YesYou.Co, and connect with her directly via Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You can join her YesYou Community on Facebook.

 

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She Hates Him But She’s In Debt To Her Millionaire Foe

Releasing on 25th October

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

When the songbird owes the business tycoon…

Former gangster, Devansh Thackeray has finally managed to carve the life he’s always aspired to.

Building a chain of seven-star hotels all over the world, a reputation for being an honest businessman…and all the women he could ask for.

Ansh’s life is perfect. Or so he thinks.

Because he is about to hit by a lightning bolt from the past that’ll make him question everything he’s worked so hard for.

And her name is Kahini Palekar.

Kahini’s life is a nightmare.

She works three jobs to pay off the loan sharks circling her.

But, Kahini doesn’t mind because she also gets to do the only thing she’s always wanted to do.

Sing.

Even if it is at a shady nightclub in the backstreets of Goa, the beach paradise of India.

Kahini’s day of reckoning arrives when Ansh arrives back in her life, right when she’s almost assaulted by the manager of the nightclub.

Ansh offers both salvation from her debt and a chance to sing at the most exclusive wedding of the decade.

But there’s just one catch.

Kahini hates Ansh’s living guts and blames him for the destruction of her life.

Even though he was the boy she once recklessly gave her heart to.

Can Ansh get to the bottom of the problems plaguing Kahini or will this songbird fly away again after repaying her debt to him?

Meet the Millionaire Foes – rising from ruin through ruthless ambition, these self-made tycoons have everything. Except, the heart of the one woman who means everything.

 

The Millionaire Foe Quartet series contains four steamy romances set around the world, each of which can be read as a standalone. 

 

 

 

Amazon – IN * Amazon – US

 

 

Excerpt

 

Ansh entered the bar when the lights had dimmed, already in a foul mood from the altercation he’d had outside Grungy’s.

The term “bar” was a loose translation for what the seedy confines really were. It was set in a shady part of Calangute Beach, where the locals lived. It was not the area the posh, firang tourists frequented. The air here smelled of brine and fish and cheap liquor.

The smell of the ocean was everywhere.

It was, after all, Goa the beach paradise of India.

And to everyone who came here, it promised nothing but a good time.

The patrons of Grungy’s, the small-time bar that operated till four in the morning during season, had that look about them. They were local men, embittered and looking for cheap thrills. And some willing victim to provide that for them.

Ansh knew the type. They resented the tourists for showing up and flinging their foreign currency around and expecting their silly demands of room temperature water and late-night cruises to be catered to.

And they really resented needing the silly tourists and their foreign currency too.

A classic catch-22.

But, tonight, these patrons, and that was a loose term too for what the customers of Grungy’s were, were not looking for foreign currency or cheap thrills.

They were all gathered on the rickety tables that the bar owner had graciously provided and murmuring amongst themselves while the poorly-named stage was being set up.

She was the main act tonight.

Ansh frowned and sank deeper into his chair while the bar-back set him up with a glass of the local feni – a local toddy made from fermented coconut water and rum. He frowned deeper when he saw the lipstick mark around the edge of the shot glass and gingerly cleaned the lip with his monogrammed handkerchief.

Places like these reminded Devansh Thackeray of his squalid past.

He couldn’t stand them anymore.

Then, the spotlight hit the stage. The band struck a chord and a woman in black walked up to the mike.

Ansh sat up straighter.

Was she going to start stripping or something? He hadn’t heard the best things about these places on the wharf and this one didn’t have a stellar reputation either.

And, what the hell was she doing here anyway?

He’d sent her plenty of funds seven years ago, deposited in the account her brother had set up for both of them when he had turned eighteen.

Kahini had enough money to keep her in style, because he’d instructed the company’s bankers to always replenish the funds in that account should the need ever arise. The need had never risen, to the best of his knowledge. Even though he knew the money would never bring back her dead brother.

So, was she doing this for kicks?

Some poor little rich kid slumming it thing that all the society madams were doing these days?

He honestly had no idea. And that ate at his insides, like the strength of the feni he’d gingerly taken a sip out of.

Ansh had come here to find out what the hell she’d been up to the last seven years. Since the last time he’d seen her and she’d flung bitter, accusing words at him.

 

 

About the Author

 

Hi, I’m Aarti V Raman aka Writer Gal. I have been a former journalist, editor, and even a sometime-teacher before I plunged into my dream job. That of being a full-time writer.

In fact, my three favorite words are ‘happily ever after.’

This comes in handy as I primarily write bestselling contemporary romantic women’s fiction, which is all about living happily, after going through some hard times.

My more notable works include the Geeks of Caltech and Royals of Stellangård series, Something Old, Something New, More Than You Want, and The Perfect Fake among others. My chicklit family drama, The Worst Daughter Ever, has been picked up for screen adaptation.

I always love to hang with you, my dear reader friend. I’ve created Writer Gal’s Reader Pals on Facebook for this reason and I hope to see you there.

If not, I’m there on all social media as @aartivraman but I’m most active on Instagram.

 

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