Murder at the Million Dollar Pier (Three Snowbirds)
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Mystery and Horror, LLC (September 26, 2019)
Paperback: 260 pages

Synopsis

“Never waste good rum on a bad night.” – Teddy Lawless, February 1926.

There are many bad nights ahead for Teddy. Shortly after she arrives at the newly opened Vinoy Hotel in Saint Petersburg, she comes face to face with her ex-fiancé, Ansel Stevens, in the dining room. Cue the slap that was thirty years in the making. Unfortunately, her ex-fiancé dies during a yacht race shortly thereafter. Conclusion of the authorities: poison. His family closes ranks, leaving Teddy as the prime suspect. Worse, Teddy’s hair comb is found on the deck of Ansel’s boat, leading to her swift arrest.

Can Cornelia Pettijohn and Uncle Percival save fun-loving Teddy before she goes from the grand hotel to the big house?

Guest Post

Today we welcome Percival Pettijohn who gives us some insight into this new series and his role in the books.  Take it away!

Greetings; Professor Percival Pettijohn at your service. This morning my writers asked me to step in and tell readers a little about myself and how I ended up in the Three Snowbirds series. I will do my best, but it’s complicated. I didn’t expect to live this long, let alone participate in a second book series. Quite honestly, I didn’t expect to participate in the first.

My first writer, Gwen Mayo, introduced me to her readers in Concealed in Ash.  My young assistant, Jacob, was framed for murder. The officer in charge of investigating the case was once a romantic rival of mine.  I was concerned that his animosity toward me would have adverse consequences for young Jacob. That young man was like a son to me. It was my moral obligation to step in and help Jacob.

That was the beginning of my crime-fighting interest. I was in the prime of my life then, and able to provide invaluable assistance to Jacob. At the time, I was a respected professor of mechanical engineering at the Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical College in Lexington, Kentucky. My inventions were improving farming practices around the country and providing me with a handsome income.

I continued to teach for another thirty years before retiring to my farm in Midway. I thought I had retired from investigating criminals, too. Then Sarah Glenn and Gwen Mayo wrote a short story featuring my niece, Cornelia, and her friend, Teddy Lawless. I wasn’t in the first story, but Sarah insisted on including me in the second one. I’m glad she did. That one got published right away.

There were a few more short stories, then this series started when I got accused of murder. We were in New Homosassa, Florida and the rotter who died was no friend of mine. In Murder on the Mullet Express, Cornelia showed remarkable character.  I was so proud of her.

I have to admit, my retirement is infinitely more fun traveling with the ladies. My niece is a bit stuffy. Reminds me a lot of her father. Her friend Teddy is a delight. She finds the best parties and the best booze everywhere we go. Cornelia didn’t think it was much fun when Teddy got arrested in our last adventure. Murder at the Million Dollar Pier started out innocently enough. I was having a grand time documenting the construction, and filming it as an educational piece that I planned to donate to the engineering school back home.

If I had known that Teddy’s former beau was going to end up murdered, I would have reconsidered my plans. It all turned out well though, and I haven’t had so much fun since leaving my post at Kentucky A&M.

Oh, you haven’t heard of Kentucky A&M. The school is still there, but the state expanded the curriculum and renamed it the University of Kentucky. I am quite pleased that they also started allowing women to attend. Both my writers graduated from UK. Overall, I think they are a credit to the university, but I am relieved that I retired before either of them arrived. They have an annoying tendency to arrive late. I tried to teach them the importance of punctuality. To date, I’ve seen no improvement.

Please forgive me for that digression. Tardiness is a character flaw that shows amazing disrespect for others.

Excuse me … I have to go now; a pair of thugs just kidnapped my niece.

“You there, unhand her this instant!”

About the Authors

Gwen Mayo is passionate about blending the colorful history of her native Kentucky with her love for mystery fiction. She currently lives and writes in Safety Harbor, Florida, but grew up in a large Irish family in the hills of Eastern Kentucky.

​Her stories have appeared in anthologies, at online short fiction sites, and in micro-fiction collections. She belongs to Sisters in Crime, SinC Guppies, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Gwen attended the University of Kentucky on a poetry scholarship but has an associate degree in business and a bachelor’s degree in political science. Interesting side note: Gwen was a brakeman and railroad engineer from 1983 – 1987.

Blog * Website

Sarah E. Glenn loves mystery and horror stories, often with a sidecar of humor. Several have appeared in mystery and paranormal anthologies, including G.W. Thomas’ Ghostbreakers series, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, and Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology. She belongs to Sisters in Crime, SinC Guppies, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Her great-great aunt served as a nurse in WWI, and was injured by poison gas during the fighting. After being mustered out, she traveled widely. A hundred years later, ‘Aunt Dess’ would inspire Sarah to write stories she would likely not have approved of.

Website * Twitter

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