Framed For Murder (A Pine Cove Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Wild Rose Press, Inc. (June 17, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages

Synopsis

After a life-changing injury, Mel O’Rourke trades in her badge for bed sheets, running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. Her peaceful life is interrupted when an old frenemy, the notorious and charismatic cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, shows up on her doorstep, claiming she’s been framed for murder. While she’s broken plenty of laws, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone. Good thing she’s a better detective than she is a cook as she sets out to prove Poppy’s innocence.

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

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Guest Post

Framed for Murder Character Interview with Jackson and Gregg

“Framed for Murder” is the first full-length novel in the Pine Cove Mystery series. The series began with the novella, “The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder” and the characters grew on me so much I gave them their own series.

In “Starlight,” Mel meets neighbor and café owner Jackson Thibodeaux and Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks over a dead body. From the get-go, both men annoyed her. Once Jackson found out about her debilitating fear of heights, he treated her like she was made of glass. Gregg thought she was perfectly capable, just not of investigating the suspicious death. She’d hung up her police badge back in L.A., after all. Their constant bickering, a leftover from high school, didn’t help. But in the end, the three came together to find justice. Now, where does that leave them? That’s what I came to find out.

Marla: Gentlemen, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to talk with me. I really appreciate it.

Jackson: My pleasure.

Gregg: (scoffs) Like you’re really that busy. I’m out there keeping the mountain safe while you’re baking cookies, but whatever.

Jackson: At The Hungry Puppy, we make healthy, nutritious food for humans and dogs alike and yes, do some baking. What was the latest crime spree you saved us from? Oh, right (leans in toward me and stage-whispers) there was a rash of houses getting toilet papered. Thank goodness the deputy was there to protect us from rambunctious teenagers.

Marla: Gentlemen, before this gets too out of hand, readers are dying to know if there’s a love triangle between the two of you and Mel O’Rourke?

Jackson & Gregg: (both snort derisively in agreement) No, there’s no triangle.

Gregg/Jackson: Mel has feelings for me. (turn to look at each other) What? You’re crazy/You’re delusional.

Marla: (note to self—score!) Okay guys, so we can agree that there are sparks flying around Pine Cove. Let’s talk about the object of your interest. What do you like most about Mel?

Jackson & Gregg: Her smile. (glare at each other) Stop it!

Marla: How about one at a time? Gregg, what was the first thing you noticed about Mel?

Gregg: (with a smirk) If I’m being honest, her ass. I walked into the Babbling Brook while she and some guests were taking a yoga class. She had me from down dog.

Jackson: Sweet baby Jesus (rolls his eyes)

Marla: What about you, Jackson? First impression?

Jackson: Her fiery temper that matches her hair. It was right before Christmas and she came charging out the front door, yelling at me for taking up her guest parking. Not ten seconds later, we hear a scream from her lobby and run back to find a dead guy. (smiles) For the second time in like thirty-seconds she’s mad at me, this time for trying to protect her from seeing the corpse.

Gregg: She was a cop, you idiot. Pretty sure that wasn’t her first DB.

Marla: Let’s talk about that, Deputy. Currently, Mel is looking into the murder of an oil executive and you keep telling her to stay in her lane. So what’s the deal? Either she deserves the respect of having been a cop or she doesn’t?

Jackson: (smirking) Yes, Deputy, do tell?

Gregg: Well, like you just said, she was a cop. Past tense. She needs to stay out of the investigation before she messes up the evidence, or worse, winds up getting hurt. She nearly got killed the last time. I won’t let that happen again.

Jackson: Won’t let that happen? Go ahead, order her to stand down. I can’t wait to see how that goes for you.

Marla: Gentlemen, I think we’re getting off topic. Jackson, what’s the last thing you and Mel did on a date?

Jackson: We went to the rock climbing gym. I’ve been helping her get over her fear of heights. To be fair, she claimed it wasn’t a date, but she put on lipstick and perfume for it, so it sure seemed like a date to me.

Marla: Hmm, that is a bit of a mixed message there. Gregg, how about you?

Gregg: (grinning) Netflix and chill, baby!

Jackson: Seriously? I don’t buy it.

Gregg: Okay, that’s actually all we did. I brought over some wine; we watched a movie on Netflix we both wanted to see and I might have dozed off. There was definitely no sex.

Marla: You both have obvious feelings for Mel. If she was standing here right now, what would you say to her?

Jackson & Gregg: Please be careful. (they look at each other and shrug)

Gregg: It’s true. She’s the funniest…

Jackson:…smartest…

Gregg:…bravest…

Jackson…most stubborn person I’ve ever met. There’s only one Mel in the world and if something happened to her, I don’t know what I’d do without her. (Gregg nods in agreement, appearing to have something caught in his throat.)

Marla: Thank you both for talking to me today. I have to leave now because there’s something in my eye that’s making me tear up. It’s definitely not because I find it incredibly sweet and would love to hear someone say it about me someday. (sniffling) Yep, definitely it’s the pollen count.

To read more and decide for yourself who’s going to get the girl in the end, pick up a copy of “Framed for Murder” at any online book site! 

About the Author

Marla White is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s out in the garden, hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails.

Fun facts – Something readers might find interesting about this book:

The quirky Babbling Brook Bed-and-Breakfast is loosely inspired by the Silver Pines Lodge in Idyllwild. Highly recommend staying there if you’re even in that neck of the woods.

A fact about me that readers might find interesting:

I share Mel’s nearly debilitating fear of heights. Well, not to the same extent I can climb a set of stairs, but looking down more than a few flights? No way 😀

There’s a scene where Mel does a singing bowl session. I’ve done that, and honestly, it’s pretty cool!

I accomplished the dream of becoming a published writer in my late fifties after helping other writers craft their stories for thirty years.

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