Synopsis
Just when Fawn Malero was getting comfortable in her new life….
Fawn was enjoying her new-found career as a Supernatural P.I., settling into a relationship with the Werewolf, Logan, and figuring out how to interact with all the supernatural creatures living in the Seattle area. But it never occurred to her the water off the shore was also under her administration…that was until they started crawling out to beg for help.
Before she knew it, Fawn was on a quest to learn who was attempting to steal the magical properties of the ocean, where a powerful Vampire’s daughter was being held captive. And could she catch the Magician who’d been selling dangerous items to humans?
Of course, she wasn’t alone. The posse she’d collected were still with her and determined to help. If she was going to make it as a P.I. she wasn’t going to do it without backup.
Praise
The Fawn Malero Mysteries Book 1
“A Life with Beasts is a story of intrigue and attraction that is especially recommended for mystery readers who enjoy more than a light dose of paranormal encounters and a touch of romance.”-D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review
“a fun adventure/mystery. Courtney Davis brings a fresh perspective to the supernatural creatures we are all familiar with without sacrificing the original ideas associated with them. She creates an exciting world of werewolves, vampires, witches/warlocks, magicians, trolls, and many others.
The book is easy to read and fast-paced. It’s a great read for the summer holidays or when you want a light, fun read. Can’t wait for the sequel!
Also, there is a healthy dose of romance, which can tend to be a bit much for those who don’t read romance (like me). However, Davis has done a great job of making the romance central to the plot, so I found it quite enjoyable.”- Writa Bhattacharjee, GoodReads
“This was a fast read and I really enjoyed it. It gave me some high school Twilight memories but brought more supernatural beings into play. There were several mysteries and problems being solved but they didn’t feel. I found the characters likeable and funny.”-Sara, GoodReads
Guest Review by Nora
“It started about a month ago. A weakening among all of the supernaturals in the ocean. It’s like something is pulling the power out of the ocean and with it, our life forces. I don’t know how long until it’s too much, we could all die.”
This was a great read and one that I cannot stop thinking about!
It is evening in a bar for supernaturals in Seattle when a dripping-wet, naked woman stumbles through the door. Her mission: find Fawn Malero.
As the only private investigator for supernaturals in the area, Fawn feels compelled to help the woman, Eldoris, find the missing artifact that she is looking for. The artifact is a stone that was supposedly given by Poseidon to his daughters. The stone is supposed to have the ability to control the seas, but it was recently stolen by a human.
Fawn is not only compelled to help because of her profession but because she is a supernatural herself. Coming from a family of magicians, Fawn is also blessed (or cursed, depending on your outlook) with an empathy for the plight of other supernaturals.
As well as an ability to understand the thoughts of animals (and the half-dozen animal companions that this naturally draws) Fawn also has super-bendability and some healing capabilities. All of this combined makes her an excellent candidate for a private investigator, and she makes quick work of this case, soon finding the human who has taken the stone. But more problems begin to crop up, and Fawn is soon burdened with the decision of who, exactly, the stone is supposed to be returned to.
On top of this, Fawn is also dealing with a new vampire who has recently come to town searching for his daughter. But there is something suspicious about this vampire that sets Fawn on edge, even as she feels a strange attraction to him.
This is a madcap adventure that you are bound to have fun reading! Five stars for Fawn Malero!
Excerpt
It wasn’t more than ten minutes later that my next mission walked into the bar.
The bar door burst open and a woman walked in, dripping wet, naked, and wrapped in a towel. She looked like she had just crawled out of the sound. There were bits of seaweed dangling from her red hair, she wore a seashell necklace, and her emerald green eyes practically glowed. The entire bar turned to stare at her, she was beautiful and frantic, running across the room, clutching her towel and her bare feet left water marks on the floor. There was an odd sucking sound when she walked that I couldn’t explain and as she passed, I was hit with a smell I couldn’t at first identify.
“What the hell?” Logan whispered next to me, his eyes were wide, and he was watching the woman as close as anyone else.
I had a moment of jealousy but then saw his nose bunch, he didn’t like the smell of her either. It wasn’t like the rotten smell of a Troll; it was just unusual. The woman practically threw herself against the bar in front of Lila. Lila’s eyes went a little wide, but she was doing a very good job, I thought, of hiding her shock at this woman.
“I am looking for Fawn Malero,” the woman said, and Logan growled.
Her voice was surprisingly deep for such a small body and the sound of my name coming out of her mouth was jarring. If I had been drinking at that moment, I probably would have done a spit take. Lila pointed at our table; we were all still staring.
“Traitor,” Logan growled at his sister quietly.
I put a hand on Logan’s leg, hoping to keep him calm. This woman definitely didn’t look dangerous, and she certainly looked like she needed help. I could already feel something inside me waking up, my need to help a helpless creature activating. I stood as she hurried over, “I am Fawn, what can I do for you?” The rest of the bar seemed to still be listening though many were now being more subtle about it.
“I need your help, Fawn,” she said looking around nervously. “I am Eldoris, I was sent to find you.” Her peculiar scent was strong now and I felt like I had smelled it before, maybe this type of creature had been around my father’s house at some point when I was growing up.
“Why don’t you have a seat, Logan see if Lila has some clothes this poor woman can borrow.” I motioned for Eldoris to take my seat and gave Logan a pointed look. He frowned but left to do as I asked. “Can we get you something to eat? Or Drink?”
“No, thank you.” She took my seat and I sat in Logan’s.
We were secluded enough that a whisper wouldn’t be readily heard over the loud music that Lila had thoughtfully just turned up. I looked at the woman and smiled, I noticed now that she had a strange pattern to her skin along her inner arms and palms, her fingers were longer than normal and as she touched the table, I heard that slight sucking sound again. I was beyond confused, what the hell was she?
“I came out to find you,” she said a little frantic still. “I didn’t know who else to come to for help, we are all suffering.”
“Who? Suffering what?” I asked, deeply concerned.
Eldoris looked around, nervously.
“Who told you to find Fawn?” Drake asked quietly.
“Fanlin,” she said simply.
“The Elf?” I said incredulous. Fanlin was the leader of the Water Elf clan that was technically part of my father’s territory, however they kept very separate and lived northwest of Seattle, farther out on the Olympic Peninsula near the water.
“Yes, Fanlin and his clan are caretakers of the ocean and he told us that you were the one to speak to here about what’s happening.” She was speaking quietly now.
“What exactly is happening?” Logan asked, handing her a pile of clothes.
“Oh, thank you…” she looked around, nervous again. “I’m sorry this was all I could find to cover my body on my way here. I’m not used to being around such prudish creatures as you all are up here.” She dropped the towel revealing her completely nude body, much to the delight of many males in the room. Her stomach and chest were covered in the same odd circular pattern I had noticed on her arms and palms. Drake and Zin moved fast, putting themselves between her and the crowd even as a few brave males moved closer. Logan rushed to grab the towel and held it up to give her a little cover, not that she seemed to care. “How do I work this?” she said holding up a t-shirt. I tried to hold back my frustration as I grabbed it from her and pulled it down over her head. “Oh neat!” she giggled, smoothing it over her body, her wet hair immediately soaked the thin material which clung to her in a very revealing way.
This was not going to work. I handed her the leggings. “Pants, like this.” I mimed putting on pants, I was not going to do that one for her.
“Fun!” she said, pulling up one leg and then the other and ending with a loud snap as the stretchy material hit her stomach. “I can’t believe I am wearing clothes like you guys!” She twirled and lifted one leg then the other.
Bonus Excerpt
“What are you lovely ladies up to this time of night, in a place like this?”
Betina and I both jumped at the voice, we spun around and I pulled out my stun gun. When I bought it, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to use it, but standing there in the dark I did it without a second thought. I would do whatever necessary to protect Betina and myself. As the buzz lit up the shadow so did the smell of rotten milk and fish, Betina was defending us as well. The man shook, groaned, and hit the ground hard.
We both stared, unmoving for a full minute. The man didn’t move either. We leaned close. “That’s no human,” Betina said.
“I can’t even think right now,” I said. “Can you tone down your magical stench?” When I could concentrate again, I had to agree, this was no human. “A Vampire?”
“Maybe he’s just pale because you shocked the crap out of him,” Betina suggested.
“Take a closer look, if he was human, I might have killed him.”
“You take a closer look!” Betina whispered harshly.
I held the stun gun ready and leaned closer to the body. “He’s not breathing.”
“Dead not breathing, or Vampire not breathing?” She asked.
“How am I supposed to know?” I whispered a little too harshly, this was not part of the plan. In fact, this was exactly why I didn’t want to carry weapons. If I start killing humans I’m going to end up in my father’s basement behind bars.
“Feel for a pulse, Vampires have a pulse, don’t they?”
I knew enough about Vampire anatomy to know that was true, they didn’t have to breathe but their blood pumped through their body, full of oxygen from the blood they drank from humans. “Okay, take the stun gun. If he moves, shock him again.” I handed Betina the stun gun and she moved to stand on the other side of the body. She held the stun gun close to his stomach, ready. He was dressed in black slacks and t-shirt, boots and a leather jacket, goth enough to be a Vampire. The clothes looked a little out of date, but not enough to be overly obvious, Vampires didn’t tend to dress with the times, but more in a timeless fashion. I was starting to feel hopeful, shocking a Vampire into unconsciousness wasn’t a crime. “Okay, here I go…” I reached down and pressed two fingers to the side of his throat and waited. “Yes!” I said, a little too loud apparently because Betina got spooked and shocked the poor Vampire again. The smell of rotten milk and fish was again assaulting my nose and burning my eyes.
“Uh-oh, well if he wasn’t dead before, he might be now.” She dropped the stun gun and stepped back.
I stepped away too, mostly from the smell Betina was emitting. I wasn’t afraid of the stunned Vampire at this point. “He’s a Vampire, the shock won’t kill him, but I don’t know how long he’ll be out, we can’t leave him here where the sun could get to him.” If I were in any way responsible for a Vampire’s untimely death, that would mean serious trouble with Cassius Vamprose, the leader of the U.S. Vampires and a very scary being.
“And what do you suggest we do, drag him to the car and shove him in the trunk?” Betina said. I looked at her and shrugged, I didn’t have a better idea. She sighed, “I’ll grab his legs, I don’t want to be anywhere near that mouth when he wakes up.” I grabbed under his armpits and Betina lifted his legs then we shuffled back to where we had parked Annabel’s car. “You know, he’s kind of cute.”
“In an almost dead I want to rip out your throat and suck you dry kind of way?” I said sarcastically.
“Exactly!”
We dropped his body in the trunk and I slammed the lid. I stepped back slowly, half expecting it to burst open and the Vampire to come out in a rage.
“What if hottie Vampire wakes up in there?” Betina asked.
“Well… hopefully we aren’t in the car when he does. He can just bust out and walk away, that would be great.” I didn’t add what I was really thinking, which was hopefully he’d leave without figuring out who we were or trying to get any kind of revenge for the harsh treatment. I didn’t need the Vampire community thinking I was prejudice or afraid of them, though I was.
“What if he’s friends with Drake or Zin and they bring him to the house one day and he’s like oh my god you tazed me and locked me in a trunk.”
I looked at Betina like she had lost it, because in what world would something like that happen. “Let’s go back to watch the docks.”
“It could happen,” she mumbled.
About the Author
Courtney Davis is a mother, wife and teacher who has always loved to find time to escape into a good story. She’s been in love with reading and writing since she was a child and dreams of a life where she can devote herself fully to creating worlds and exploring relationships. To give someone else enjoyment through her words is the ultimate thrill.
Giveaway
This giveaway is for 3 print copies, open to the U.S. only.
This giveaway ends on November 16, 2022 midnight, pacific time.
Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Award-winning author Nellie H. Steele writes in as many genres as she reads.
Amy Schisler is a novelist, poet, children’s book author, spiritual writer, blogger, reader, and avid traveler with years of professional experience in all manner of writing-related endeavors. Whether she’s writing novels filled with faith and inspiration, books that children will love, or her weekly blog devoted to family life and faith, she loves connecting and resonating with her readers. Amy’s first novel, A Place to Call Home, a romantic suspense, debuted in 2014, and her much-loved Chincoteague Island Trilogy has won numerous literary awards.
Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.
Joyce St. Anthony was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail. In addition to the Homefront News Mysteries, she is the author of the Brewing Trouble Mysteries and the upcoming Cider House Mysteries, written under her own name, Joyce Tremel. She lives in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania with her husband.
