The Friday Night Mystery Club (Friday Night Mystery Club Series)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Illinois
Spot On Publishing (September 18, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 346 pages

 

 

Synopsis

 

Decatur, Illinois/1986 – A nasty divorce leaves Cragan Collins with a mountain of bills and her grandmother to support. She takes a job as an ad salesperson for The Gazette. The market is tough, but Cragan finds a mentor in business reporter, Robert Smithson. One icy January day, Robert is found dead in a city park. His murder is dismissed as gay-on-gay crime. Cragan asks The Friday Night Mystery Club to find justice for Robert. Will Cragan’s quest for the truth land her on the obituary page?

 

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Guest Post

 

The Animals in My Life (and My Books)

By Joanna Campbell Slan

 

My readers know that I love, love, love animals. In fact, I can’t conceive of writing a book that doesn’t include them. Probably because I can’t imagine my life without them. Currently, my husband and I have two fur babies and two Siamese Fighting Fish.

The fur babies are Maple, the cat, and Jax, my Havanese puppy. Jax is my best friend, and the sweetest animal I’ve ever known. He’s never met a stranger, and he’s such a good traveler that when we get on a plane, he simply curls up in my lap and sleeps.

Maple was my son’s cat, but when he and his wife adopted a second cat, Greta, the two felines didn’t get along. Fortunately, my husband loves cats, and Maple likes men better than women, so the two of them—Maple and David—are absolutely in love with each other. She stares at the front door for hours after he leaves for work. Honestly, her devotion is touching.

As for the Siamese Fighting Fish, better known as Bettas, it’s odd that we wound up with two, since you can’t put two male Bettas together in the same tank or … they’ll fight! Duh! The first Betta we bought I named Zelenskyy because he’s blue with a yellow fin. The second was a gift for our friend, Jenny, but she hasn’t taken him home yet. We’ve been fish-sitting. (Is that a word?) Jenny named her fish, John, after John Steinway, one of the two Steinway & Sons brothers. Because Jenny is Chinese and red is a lucky color for her, John is a brilliant red.

Given all of this, it’s not surprising that Cragan Collins, the protagonist in The Friday Night Mystery Club, had to have a pet. She adopts Sher Kahn, a cranky Siamese cat. Sher Kahn used to belong to Cragan’s best friend who is killed in The Friday Night Mystery Club. Cragan discovers Sher Kahn at a local vet’s office, in a cage reserved for potential adoptees. Heartsick at the loss of her friend, knowing how much he loved Sher Kahn, and worried about the cat’s future, Cragan takes Sher Kahn home.

Re-reading this, I have to laugh. My books echo my life. Even more so than I realized. Like Cragan, we “adopted” a cat. Now all I need to do is to give my main character a Siamese Fighting Fish!

 

 

About the Author

 

“Our best friend, our next-door neighbor, and ourselves with just a touch of the outrageous.” That’s how RT Book Review describes Joanna’s protagonist, Kiki Lowenstein. The truth is that’s a pretty good description of Joanna Campbell Slan as well.

Joanna is a New York Times Bestselling, USA Today Bestselling, and Amazon Bestselling author, as well as a woman prone to frequent bursts of crafting frenzy, leaving her with burns from her hot glue gun and paint on her clothes. And the mess? Let’s not even go there.

Otherwise, Joanna’s a productive author with more than 80 written projects to her credit. Her non-fiction work includes how-to books, a college textbook for public speakers, and books of personal essays (think Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Currently, she writes five fiction series: The Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award Finalist, contemporary, St. Louis setting, crafting), the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series (contemporary, Florida setting, DIY, and recycling), the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 1830s England, based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic), the Tai Chi Mystery Series (contemporary, senior citizen female amateur sleuth and Washington, DC setting), and the Friday Night Mystery Club Series (traditional mystery, 1980s setting, Midwest).

A former TV talk show host, college teacher, and public relations specialist, Joanna was one of the early Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors. She won a Silver Anvil for her work on the original FarmAid concert to benefit farmers.

In her ongoing quest never to see snow again, Joanna lives with her husband and their Havanese puppy, Jax, on an island off the coast of Florida.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Inseparable: An Alcatraz Escape Adventure by David Kruh

Publisher: DX Varos Publishing (June 21, 2022)

Category: Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure

 

 

Synopsis

 

Tommy knew the right thing to do was turn them in to the cops. But that wasn’t the adventurous thing to do!

What happened to the three men who escaped from Alcatraz prison in June, 1962? Did they meet the same watery fate as dozens who preceded them into the cold San Francisco Bay? There is credible evidence two of them – brothers John and Clarence Anglin – not only survived but lived for years in South America. Inseparable is a fictional account of how a 13-year-old boy named Tommy helped them to freedom.

Tommy O’Conner was an only child whose mother, a widow of the Korean Conflict, had been left to make it on her own. She passed her independent, sometimes lonely spirit, to her son. But Tommy was also, in many ways, no different than other boys his age who dreamed of adventure. Then, one June day in 1962, his daydreams were interrupted by the real thing when he came face to face with John and Clarence Anglin – two of the Alcatraz escapees – and made the decision which would change all their lives.

 

 

Amazon * B&N

 

 

Excerpt

 

“Clarence.”

“Yea?”

“You… okay?” John asked, each syllable punctuated by the splash of his arms through the cold water.

“Yea,” replied his brother. “You?”

“I was thinking.”

“About what?”

“This picture I saw in LIFE magazine. Or LOOK. I can’t remember which one.”

“What about it?”

“These people in Boston who jump into the water on New Year’s Day. Call themselves Polar Bears.”

“They sound like idiots.”

“Yea, that’s what I thought, too,” John said as he momentarily stopped swimming. Clarence gratefully stopped, as well. The two of them dog-paddled for a while, both sucking in as much air as their lungs could hold. “How’s your head?”

“Hurts. Frank got me good.”

“As long as you’re awake, brother. We’ll see how bad it is after we get to shore. You ready?”

Clarence, still catching his breath and shivering noticeably, nodded. In unison the brothers kicked and pushed their bodies towards the shore. John looked to his left as he stroked into the water. The Golden Gate Bridge. It was definitely getting bigger. Boy, what would the people driving across it think if they could see him and his brother out here? Couple of crazies, they’d say. Like them Polar Bears up in Boston.

“John?”

“Yea?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can go on.”

“I know.”

“I’m so cold, John.”

“I know. Me too, but you gotta keep going.”

“I’m trying.”

“Do you want to stop again? Rest?”

“No, I just want to be out of the water already.”

“You will be soon,” John said as he looked at his brother with concern. “I think we’re almost there.”

“Yea. Please, John don’t –”

“No, I mean it. I can make out a cliff or something ahead of us. And I think the water’s getting warmer.”

“Warmer? Yea, right.”

“I’m not lying to ya,” he said in between gulps of air. “Like when we’d go swimming in Lake Michigan in the summer, remember?”

“I remember,” Clarence replied. He didn’t know how to tell John he had just been in the lake a short while ago.

“The water got warmer closer to shore. I remember it…” John said, his voice trailing off.

“John, what is it?”

“I think we’re almost there. Can you see it? It’s a beach.”

“Are you sure? ‘Cause I’m not sure how much longer I can keep going.”

“Damn it, Clarence, you’ll keep going as long as you have to.”

“I’m so cold, John,” Clarence said again, his voice trailing off. “So cold…”

John put his arm around Clarence. He could feel his brother’s body shaking. “Clarence, look… look ahead. Can’t you see it? That little beach? We are soooo close, brother. So close.”

“I’m tired John. So tired and cold,” Clarence said as he flipped onto his back and floated. “Oh, man, look at the stars, John. So many stars up there, just like we used to see at night in the fields, remember?”

“I remember.”

“What happened, John?”

“What do you mean?”

“How’d we end up here? Were things that tough? Or are we just… bad?”

“No. Don’t ever say that. We’re not bad. Things just… happened. We didn’t plan it. They just… happened.”

Still on his back, looking up into the night sky, Clarence’s voice seemed to be getting weaker with each word. “I’m so tired. You go ahead, John. You got a better chance if you –”

“Hey, stop that shit now. No one is leaving anyone behind,” John said as he began kicking and using his free arm for stroking forward. Every few minutes John, near the point of exhaustion, would stop and let his legs dangle beneath them while he slowly dog-paddled. He didn’t want Clarence to know the cold was starting to get to him, too. It felt like his mind was drifting away from his body, from Clarence. He looked at his brother and saw his eyes were closed.

“Clarence,” he said loudly.

“I’m here,” his brother replied, softly, without opening his eyes.

The sight of his brother looking so helpless – perhaps near death – filled John with regretful rage. This is my fault. I prayed for Clarence to be sent to Alcatraz so we could escape together and now… no, damn it, not now. John took a big gulp of air and began kicking and stroking with a vengeance. But after only a few strokes his body fought back, forcing him to stop and lower his legs again. He began a slow dog paddle when he felt one of his feet hit something.

“Clarence. Clarence.”

“I’m here, you don’t have to yell.”

“I think I touched bottom.”

Clarence’s eyes opened slightly. “Don’t lie to me.”

John looked and saw the shore was now so close he could make out details of a bluff in front of them. “Hang on Clarence, just hang on. I swear to you we are almost there.” With more difficultly than he would admit, John brought his legs up and began kicking again. All he needed was to get a few more feet closer and… he slowed and brought his legs down to…

“Clarence, I can stand.”

“What?”

“My feet… they’re touching the ground,” John said as he placed his arms around his brother and began trudging through the water moving Clarence, still on his back, closer to shore. The water was soon only waist-high and John felt a surge of exhilaration as he saw how close they were to the beach.

 

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

It was a feat that had never been accomplished—escaping from Alcatraz was in their sights and they had no intentions of giving up now. Alcatraz was said to be the U.S.A.’s most inescapable prison.  Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and John Anglin set out from the island one summer night in 1962 on a raft made of carefully hand stitched together raincoats.

None of the men knew whether they would make it across the bay to San Francisco alive, but they did know one thing– the possibility of death was a better option than the possibility of being caught. Most prisoners in Alcatraz were sent there after attempting to escape from other prisons, and Frank Morris had actually escaped from the Louisiana State Penitentiary and managed to avoid capture for an entire year before he was caught while attempting another burglary. Because of this, and his high IQ score, Frank was considered somewhat of a mastermind in Alcatraz.

When Frank devised a plan, the other inmates could be certain that it was a winner, and this plan was so simple that it was actually genius. The 3 men crafted fake papier-mâché heads to put in their bunks so that the guards that did rounds in their cell block overnight would not realize that their beds were empty. After this, they climbed through the vents in their cells that they had been steadily chipping away at for months, and up to their workshop where they had stowed their raft and paddles. It was audacious, it was clever and it did work. The men escaped and were never found again.

‘Inseparable: An Alcatraz Escape Adventure,’ written by David Kruh is a historical fiction novel about what might have happened to the three prisoners after they fled from the island, and who might have helped them along their way.

This is an outstanding book of history and adventure and one that would be great for book club discussions! I could not put it down and read all the way to sunrise.  It’s a good thing I didn’t have to work that day!

 

 

About the Author

 

David is the published author of several books on Boston history and the co-author, with his father Louis, on a book about presidential homes and landmarks.

A frequent contributor to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and History Magazine, David is also a published and produced playwright, and a popular lecturer on a variety of historical subjects. ‘Inseparable’ is his debut novel.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 1 print copy and 2 eBook copies open to the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on July 27, 2022, midnight pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Synopsis

 

As a young book lover with dyslexia, Barbara found the solution to her reading struggles in Miss Gluding, her first-grade teacher, who showed compassion for her student’s plight—and knew how to help her. From that time on, Barbara knew what she wanted to be: a teacher, just like Miss Gluding.

Unfortunately, Barbara also had some bad teachers in the years that ensued—including her sixth-grade teacher, an exacting woman who called attention to Barbara’s learning disabilities in front of classmates. Still wanting to follow in Miss Gluding’s footsteps in 1964, Barbara vowed she would be a better one than her sixth-grade teacher; instead, however, she became very much like her, with unattainable expectations for her students and herself. After seventeen years in the teaching profession, she realized she had to either change her teaching style or change careers. By providence, right as she stood at this crossroads, she was offered the opportunity to teach overseas at The Dragon School in Oxford, England, for a year—an opportunity she jumped at.

In the year that followed, Barbara would rely on her faith in God to give up a lot of what she knew about teaching and learn to do it differently—ways that wouldn’t have room for her perfectionism. In short, she would have to begin again.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Indiebound

 

 

Advance Praise

 

“In this memoir, an English/dramatic arts teacher recounts a pivotal year at the Dragon School in Britain as part of an exchange program. . . . engaging and thought-provoking. . . . will be of special interest to aspiring as well as seasoned teachers. A well-crafted account about the search for greater flexibility when confronting life’s inevitable challenges.”—Kirkus Reviews

“ . . . engaging . . . This book is an endearing testament to the power of personal growth and reflection in one teacher’s incredibly rich professional life.”—StoryCircle Book Reviews

“In this memoir, Barbara Kennard so expertly captures the array of experiences that teachers encounter—the high and the low, the heartwarming and the hilarious. During her year teaching in Oxford, she comes to learn a new way of approaching both her classroom and her life that makes for an incredibly engaging read. Teachers everywhere will love this book.”—Nadine Kenney Johnstone, writing coach and award-winning author of Of This Much I’m Sure: A Memoir

“For any who struggle to distinguish between perfectionism and a yearning to grow into the fullest version of who God has created us to be, this book is a balm. Barbara Kennard writes candidly and compassionately about the people and places that taught her about self-acceptance and mercy. Her love of great writers and her appreciation for those she teaches and those who teach her shine through in vivid prose and engaging stories. Kennard is a lifelong educator. With humor, honesty, and self-awareness, this book invites readers to learn lessons alongside her about forgiveness, surrender, grace, and love.”—Dr. Jennifer Howe Peace, coeditor of My Neighbor’s Faith: Stories of Interreligious Encounter, Growth, and Transformation and Interreligious/Interfaith Studies: Defining a New Field

“The story of Barbara Kennard’s quest should inspire anyone who feels a calling to seek patiently for the best way to answer it and put it into play. This wise memoir should also remind us that although perfection can never be attained, we stand to have a lot of fun in the pursuit.”—David Smith, author of Be a Teacher: A Memoir in Ten Ideas

 

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

If you are a teacher, you will love this book! In fact, I would even go so far as to say, if you know a teacher, you should give this book to them as a gift. Even if you are not a teacher, you will love it.

Barbara Kennard’s memoir about her time teaching at the Dragon School in Oxford is as compelling as many other memoirs I’ve read, and twice as heartfelt. Kennard was a teacher in the eighties and nineties, and, after teaching at an all-boys school in Boston for several years, she decided that she needed a change of scenery.

The school that she was working at, Fessenden, was not providing her with enough support and the parents were making her feel attacked and underappreciated. But a co-worker at the school told Kennard about a teacher exchange program with the Dragon School that would mean Kennard would get to teach in Oxford, England for a year. This seemed like the perfect job for Kennard, who had begun to wonder if teaching was even the right path for her after all.

After moving to England and meeting the staff and children that attended the Dragon School, Kennard began to slowly acclimate to the differences in culture, curriculum, and what was expected of her as a teacher. The thirteen year-olds that she taught were as sneaky as any teenagers in the States and Kennard had to work to gain their trust and love– a process that she executes with as much grace and kindness as any favorite teacher would.

Reading about Kennard growing to love teaching again after a few hard years in the profession was as rewarding as watching a friend succeed at something. In fact, by the end of the book I almost felt like Kennard was a friend of mine, and I was glad to know her for the brief time that I spent reading her book. She made me think way back when I had a excellent teacher in my life.  I am sure my favorite teacher is long gone but not forgotten! I am sure Kennard’s students will always remember her as well!

 

 

About the Author

 

Barbara Kennard taught English and performing arts to elementary, middle, and high school students from 1980 to 2015 and has received two teaching awards: The Christa McAuliffe Award for Teaching Excellence and The Barbara Kennard Sixth Grade English Prize, established in her name at The Fessenden School by a Fessenden family.

Barbara lives in Texas with her husband, pianist Brady Millican, and their cat, Piper.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 3 print copies and is open to the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on July 15, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Synopsis

 

Evita Peron’s jewels are missing. Only three people know that they are in a vault in the Swiss Alps; Evita’s corrupt and brutal brother Juan, her bodyguard Pierre, and a teenaged girl Mona, her newest protegee. What happens if two of them team up?

Like Eva herself, Mona comes from a broken family and has to make her own way. Perhaps that’s why the two women feel close. Evita is at the pinnacle of success but already in the grip of a fatal illness. We see her life through the eyes of Mona and Pierre, two people she trusts — and who betray her in the end. Or can theft and murder be justified?

A story of love, adventure, and murder.

 

 

Amazon * DX Varos Publishing

 

 

Praise

 

“This is a fast paced page turner.  A suspenseful, thrilling roller coaster ride with lots of twisty, loopy sections.  Head Games is an apt title for this enthralling read. “- Joy Renee, Joy Story

“Identity’s a big theme in this work, so if you’ve ever felt you were someone other than yourself, if you thought you might like to try living in someone else’s skin, if you’ve wondered whether your friends and loved ones were not exactly who they claimed to be, then this psychological labyrinth might just be your winding road to a good read”.- Carole Giangrande, Words to Go

“This was a book that grabbed me from the start. It’s a period in history that offered much to the world but also had some of man’s darkest moments.  Due to that it does provide rich material for a novelist and Ms. Rummel does an excellent job of taking her reader on a dangerous journey through the twists and turns of what many faced during the time. The characters are well developed and defined. The scenes are well described and I found myself feeling like I was actually walking the streets with the characters of the book.”-Patty, Books Cooks Looks

“To live during such tumultuous times would be horrible. You would have to be careful of every word that came out of your mouth. That might be easy when you are alert, but what about when you are so tired that you can’t even think? This book made me thankful that I was born in America in the 20th century. Any fan of riveting historical fiction will get lost in this book from page one.”-Lisa, Lisa’s Writopia

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

Among some of history’s greatest public figures, Eva Peron stands tall.

Perhaps one of the best loved politicians in Argentinian history, Eva, nicknamed Evita, was the wife of Juan Peron, who was president in the late 1940’s to early 1950’s (and again in the 1970’s). Because of her openness with the Argentinian people, Evita became beloved by her country and, when she passed in 1952 from cancer, the country went into mourning.

‘Evita and Me,’ is a historical fiction novel about a teenage girl who meets Evita in the final years of the great woman’s life and quickly becomes a close confidant.

Mona Ford is a sixteen-year-old girl living in Toronto with her mother whom she does not get along with. In the Spring of 1947, Mona’s mother informs her that a friend of hers, Liliana, has asked for Mona to come and visit her in Argentina.

Although Mona is initially hesitant to agree, she eventually decides to take the trip. Living with Liliana has it’s perks, as the woman is friends with (and works for) Evita Peron.

When Mona meets Evita, she is instantly smitten, and falls hopelessly in love with the older woman, determining that she will do anything to stay in her presence. Soon, Evita asks Mona to travel with her to Europe on a presidential tour, and Mona agrees. But after the tour is suddenly cut short, Evita asks Mona to go to Switzerland, to hide some of her jewelry in a vault and accept one of the keys. Years later, when Mona hears of Evita’s death, she realizes that she is one of three people to know about the vault, and one of only three that has a key.

This is a gorgeous, immersive book that reads almost like you are watching a great film. I felt so enveloped in the world that Erika Rummel creates in this book that I found myself wishing it was longer. ‘Evita and Me,’ is a reading experience that is unmatched!

 

 

Excerpt

 

26 July 1952

 

I knew she was dying, but when I saw the obituary in the Globe and Mail, it triggered an inner quake. The print lines wavered so that I had a hard time reading the words. She made herself one of the most powerful women in the world. She founded charitable institutions. She battled on behalf of workers and women. The print lines steadied, but I still couldn’t make sense of the words. They sounded unfamiliar. I didn’t recognize the woman on the page. Of course, that was the official version of Evita, as opposed to my private memories. And I’m no longer sure about them either. If I knew anything about Evita once, I gave it up when we said goodbye in Madrid, five years ago. I could feel her retreating even earlier. During the last days of our togetherness, she took all the necessary steps, preparing to go away and vanish from my life. That’s why I stole her necklace. I needed a tangible connection, a solid piece made of precious metal and stone, with its own expensive light, something she had touched and I could touch in turn, something that was forever. It was theft, yes, but was it a crime? It’s not as if I had a choice. I didn’t weigh the pros and cons. I didn’t make a conscious decision to act. It was more like basic instinct, an overwhelming need that could not be denied. I can’t be blamed for doing what I had to do.

After I got back to Toronto, I pushed the memory of Evita to the back of my mind, but I couldn’t keep it shut up there entirely. It lay in ambush for me, waiting to stab me with the sudden recall of a personal detail – the perfect curve of Evita’s lips, for example, or the elegant movement of her hand waving to the people as we drove through the city in an open car, the sudden roughness in her voice when she was angry, the way she kissed Juan, carnal and angelic at once. I had these retro-glimpses of Evita, but I never looked at her life as a whole the way the obituary did. I couldn’t come up with a coherent story to explain who she was and how she lived and why I adored her. In fact, you can’t compose a person’s life story until they are dead and can no longer interfere with your imagination or the memories that have congealed into nostalgia. As long as people are alive, there is always a chance they might disappoint you. I mean, you think of them as young and beautiful, the way they were when you saw them last, and then you run into them again and they have become old and their faces have turned to dust, a sight from which you cannot recover. Or you remember them as brilliant, and the next time you see them, they talk about the weather or their allergies and bore you until you have no goodwill left.

But Evita was dead now. I felt a strange lightheadedness when I thought of her, a centrifugal pull to lose myself in the memory of her beauty and the beauty surrounding her, the presidential palace which must be hollow now without her, but with everything still intact, the white bedroom, the dressers full of lingerie and closets full of haute couture dresses, dozens of furs – an ermine bed jacket and an ostrich feather cloak, rows and rows of delicate high-heeled shoes and designer purses. Only Evita was missing, and I felt a longing for her ardent temper, her vivacious gestures, and electric intensity — a longing beyond adoration. I wanted to be like her.

I turned back to the obituary and the photo spread that went with it. There was a picture of people lining up to see Evita lying in state. They knelt in prayer on the rain-soaked pavement. A field kitchen had been set up for them, the article said. The queue was twenty blocks long, and they were standing four abreast. They were like pilgrims who had come to visit the shrine of a miracle-working saint. There was also a close-up of Evita lying in state in a mahogany coffin with a glass lid, surrounded by mauve and white orchids. She looked tranquil and beautiful. Her hands were folded in prayer, a rosary of silver and mother of pearl wound around them – a gift from the Pope, the article said. On the fingers of her left hand were the three rings she always wore: a large solitaire diamond, an eternity ring set with sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, and a simple band of gold – her wedding ring. But the bulk of her jewels, worth millions, was missing, the article said. Yes, and I wonder how long it will take Peron to catch up with us. I never told anyone about our night journey or the two steel caskets we deposited in the bank vault. Did the others keep their mouths shut as well?

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Award-winning author, Erika Rummel is the author of more than a dozen non-fiction books and seven novels. Her seventh novel, ‘Evita and Me’ is being published on May 24, 2022.

She won the Random House Creative Writing Award (2011) for a chapter from ‘The Effects of Isolation on the Brain’ and The Colorado Independent Publishers’ Association’s Award for Best Historical Novel, in 2018. She is the recipient of a Getty Fellowship and the Killam Award.

Erika grew up in Vienna, emigrated to Canada, and obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. She taught at Wilfrid Laurier and U of Toronto.  She divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles and has lived in Argentina, Romania, and Bulgaria.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 2 print copies and is open to Canada and the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on July 23, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in the Series
Setting – Alabama
Kensington Cozies (June 28, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

 

 

Synopsis

 

When Sarah Blair’s mother participates in a reality show competition for brides in Wheaton, Alabama, things get a little too real as a murderer crashes the wedding party . . .

 

Sometimes Sarah’s mother, Maybelle, can be higher maintenance than her Siamese cat RahRah. Maybelle and her friend, Mr. George Rogers, have been chosen to be one of five couples competing for a small-town “perfect” wedding and dream honeymoon on a Southern Belles reality show—and guess who has to be chaperone. Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put up the crew and participants at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah’s nemesis Jane Clark.

But when someone turns up dead with Jane kneeling by the body with blood on her hands, she goes from being Sarah’s chief rival to the police’s chief suspect. Neither Sarah nor her twin, Chef Emily Johnson, can stand Jane—still, they don’t think she’s a murderer. The producers vow the show must go on, but to protect their mother and the other contestants, Sarah vows to find the true killer before someone else gets eliminated . . .

Includes quick and easy recipes!

 

 

Amazon * B&N

 

This book releases on 6/28/22, pre-order today!

 

 

Guest Post

 

Helping Jane Against My Better Judgment by Sarah Blair (and Debra H. Goldstein)

 

I, Sarah Blair, hate kitchens! In fact, the thought of being in a kitchen is more frightening to me than murder. That’s why it’s ironic that I’m co-owner of the Southwind restaurant. It really belongs to my twin sister, Chef Emily, and her boyfriend, Chef Marcus, but they insist I’m an equal partner because I own the building the restaurant is in. Being a law firm receptionist is my real day job, but in the last year, I’ve also ended up solving several murders here in Wheaton, Alabama. Luckily, my boss Harlan Endicott not only puts up with my being distracted when I’m drawn into a murder, but he’s a saint at helping out my friends and family when they get into trouble.

In fact, he’s doing it again, but this time for my worst enemy in the world, Jane Clark. Jane, who I refer to under my breath as Bimbo, broke up my marriage. After my ex-husband’s death (but before they could be married), she tried to steal the only thing I came out of my marriage with, RahRah, my Siamese cat. Jane also repeatedly tried to beat Emily and Marcus in the restaurant business by opening Jane’s Place directly across the street from Southwind. Reinventing herself again, she recently converted Jane’s Place into a bed and breakfast. For the next week, she’s rented rooms to the television show sponsoring a Southern Belles competition for the perfect Southern wedding. My mother, Maybelle, is one of the five finalists. To my dismay, she roped me into being her chaperone.

I understand the television show wanting the other four twenty something finalists to be chaperoned, but my mother is over sixty! The producer explained there would be no exceptions. Because my twin works nights and Mother didn’t want to inconvenience any of her friends, she “enlisted” my help. It’s bad enough that I’m juggling my day job, caring for my furry pets, RahRah and Fluffy, but having to stay at Jane’s bed and breakfast is almost more than I can bear. Mother Maybelle reminded me that I’d be sleeping most of the time. In theory, that sounded good, but she didn’t consider that on the first night of the competition we’d find the producer dead in the entry way of Jane’s Place with Jane crouched over him, her hands covered in blood. Jane begged me to prove she didn’t do it.

Hating Jane ranks right up there with my aversion to kitchens and cooking, but I don’t think she’s a killer. That’s part of the reason I called Harlan to represent her while I look for clues to her innocence. That other reason I’m involved is that while I’m afraid of being scorched if I get too close to a stove, I’m afraid that without my help, my mother and some of the other contestants might be permanently eliminated.

 

 

About the Author

 

Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). Her novels and short stories received an IPPY award and have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Silver Falchion finalists. Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters.

 

 

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

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Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology
Aye Alba Publishing (June 21, 2022)
Number of Pages ~1600

 

Synopsis

 

Poisonous picnics, burgled barbeques, deadly deckchairs… and midsummer mayhem!

From a brilliant bunch of amazing authors, including multiple prizewinners and USA Today best sellers, comes this wonderful collection of 21 summer-themed cozy mysteries.

Featuring peril at the pool, blood on the beach, and felony at the festival, these fabulous stories—21 brand new and exclusive tales—will keep you entertained until long after the sun has set.

With stories from Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter, you’ll surely find some of your favourite authors and discover some great new writers within the ~1600 pages of this set.

This collection will only be available for a limited time so don’t miss out – grab yourself a bargain today!

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Guest Post from author Wendy Meadows

 

HI EVERYONE!

My name is Wendy Meadows, and I’ll be with you for the next half hour!

I write several cozy series, but one of my favorites is the Sweetfern Harbor series which takes place on the seacoast in Maine. I live in New Hampshire and visiting the seacoast is a yearly tradition I’ve done since I was younger.

 

Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite place to visit and why?

—

Sunday is usually downtime for me. Downtime meaning no running around to appointments. I still have household chores to do, yuck. LOL. There is ONE thing I enjoy the MOST on Sundays though. It’s making bacon, eggs, and biscuits for my family and gathering around the table for Sunday morning chat. What is the ONE thing YOU enjoy most about Sundays?

—

Coffee, it’s a daily routine for me. I also have a favorite mug I use every day. A purple mug from Rachel Ray’s round and square collection. Purple is my favorite color. 🙂 Do you have a favorite cup/mug you like to use often if so share a pic with us!

About The Authors

 

About Ellen Jacobson

 

 

 

Click Here for the Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valued for Murder: A British Cozy Murder Mystery
(A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kanga Press (June 10, 2022)
Number of Pages c. 240

 

Synopsis

 

An antiques show. A dead diva. For an amateur sleuth the truth is not always crystal clear.

Dotty Sayers is enjoying her job in a Cotswold auction house. When she’s offered a place on an antiques TV show, she nervously agrees to a makeover and is surprised by the admiring glances she receives. Working on set at a historic country hotel, she realises all that glitters is not gold when at the bottom of the circular staircase, one of the experts is found dead.

Was the death accidental or something shadier? Dotty promises to leave the investigation to the police, but as this amateur sleuth appraises the dead woman’s estate, she can’t help unveiling clues. But when she returns from viewing a priceless sculpture, and finds her British blue cat missing, she knows that life does not imitate art.

Can Dotty tell a fake from the real deal and identify the killer?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Guest Post

 

Dotty’s Top 5 Places to Visit in the English Cotswolds

 

The Cotswolds are a wonderful area in southwest England, with rolling hills, honey-coloured stone buildings, and historic sites.

They cover a vast area – almost 800 square miles (2,000 square kilometres) – and span across 5 British counties: Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

Here are some of my favourite places to visit.

 

Cirencester

 

Referred to as the ‘Capital of the Cotswolds’, this market town has prehistoric roots but rose to prominence in Roman times, when it became the second largest city in England, after London.

Wool has always been important, even for the Romans, and it led to great prosperity in medieval times, and the building of the impressive Cirencester Abbey.  For four centuries, the Abbey’s abbot ruled over the town and its inhabitants, not always in harmony, until, in the sixteenth century, Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monastery and demolition of the Abbey.  Some buildings today were partly built with stone from the Abbey.

I enjoy shopping in the town, meeting my friend Keya for lunch, and exploring the various markets in the Corn Hall.

 

Bibury

 

Bibury is close to Coln Akeman, where I work, and sometimes, on a warm summer’s evening, I drive a slightly longer route home to Fairford, and park by Bibury’s stone bridge, opposite the trout farm.

Bibury is a typical, charming Cotswold village and I enjoy walking beside the refreshing River Coln, from the impressive Swan Hotel, and taking the track up to the stone cottages of Arlington Row, referred to as the most photographed buildings in Britain.  And it’s easy to see why, especially in summer when the National Trust maintains the most wonderful trailing roses, and small beds of wildflowers in front of cottages.

If I’m feeling energetic, I’ll continue walking past Arlington Row, up the fabulously named Awkward Hill to No 9, a quaint little cottage sitting on its own which holidaymakers can rent out and stay in.

The walk back to the car is along a path through the National Trust’s Rack Isle, a boggy water meadow which is an important wildlife habitat.

Sometimes my friend Keya, Constable Varma, joins me and after our walk, we sit outside the fifteenth century Catherine Wheel pub.  Keya told me that the village has also been the setting for Bridget Jones Diary and a film I haven’t watched, Stardust.

 

Cotswold Walks

 

I am not a great walker but Aunt Beanie and Norman, if he can find someone to sit with Uncle Cliff, have persuaded me to join them and explore the many paths which criss-cross the Cotswolds.

We recently visited the village of Coleshill, and the Heritage Skills Centre at Home Farm.  Norman said the village trained thousands of men during the second world war, and that Coleshill House was a training centre for the British Resistance.

We walked through the rather boggy estate meadows, keeping clear of the grazing cows, along paths beside fields of fluffy-headed barley, and through the woods, alive with the birdsong.  Everywhere, there was an abundance of colourful wildflowers such as the vibrant purple common knapweed, a thistle-shaped flower that is popular with bees.

Afterward, Aunt Beanie treated us to toasted tea cakes in the Old Carpenter’s Canteen.  What a wonderful way to round off a day out in the Cotswolds.

 

Kiftsgate Court

 

Aunt Beanie and I recently visited Kiftsgate Court gardens, perched on the edge of the Cotswolds, north of Chipping Campden, overlooking the Malvern Hills.  Aunt Beanie was friends with Diany Binny, one of three generations of women who’ve created and maintained the gardens.

Of note is the Kiftsgate Rose, which is not a normal small bush but is described as a ‘cascading waterfall of white blooms’, and Kiftsgate claims it to be the largest rose in England.

My favourite spot, to escape from the crowds, is the tranquil water garden, recently created on the old tennis court. It is enclosed by a tall hedge and has no flowers but the black of the water, the white of the stone path, and the green of the immaculate lawn contrast with the vibrant colours elsewhere at Kiftsgate.  Water trickles out of a row of raised gilded bronze leaves at one end of the rectangular pond, which is so soothing.

 

Highgrove Gardens

 

On my wish list is a visit to Highgrove, the private residence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, near Tetbury.  Prince Charles has transformed the gardens, which can only be visited as part of an organised tour.  Inspector Evans recently went with his mother and he was particularly enthusiastic about the arboretum and the orchard where 150 chickens roam freely under a range of fruit trees.

This is only a small selection of the wonderful places to visit in the Cotswolds.  I hope to see more, especially the prehistoric carving of a horse on Uffington Hill and some of the imposing castles and stately homes.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Victoria Tait is an exciting new author launching her Kenya Kanga Mystery series.  She’s drawn on 8 years living in rural Kenya with her family to transport her readers to a world of curiosity, community, and conspiracy.  The Kenya Kanga Mystery series brings to life the beauty of the Kenyan landscape, the magic of its wildlife, and the warmth of its people.

 

Website * Goodreads * Pinterest

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

In this laughter-through-tears memoir, Sallie H. Weissinger, a late-in-life widow, recounts the highs and lows of navigating the tricky online dating world of the 2000s. Interwoven throughout her adventures in search of a new relationship are stories from her childhood as a military brat, her southern heritage, her various marriages, and the volunteer work in Central and South America that helped her keep moving forward through it all.

Weissinger keeps her sense of humor as she meets men who lie, men who try to extort money, and men with unsavory pasts. When she experiences even more loss, her search for a partner becomes less important, but—with the help of friends and dogs—she perseveres and, ultimately, develops her own approach to meeting “HIM.” Blending the deeply serious and the lighthearted, Yes Again shows us that good things happen when we open up our minds and hearts.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Indiebound

 

 

Praise

 

“A funny, touching, and ultimately uplifting story of a woman searching for love and purpose.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Weissinger celebrates her 75th birthday in Yes, Again by taking the reader on a tour of her big heart and where that heart has taken her. This glorious story of a life lived in love is the perfect read because it’s hilarious, honest and full of hope. We are all lovers, or we wish we were and Sallie shows us how: never give up, occasionally give in and don’t stop believing. Brava!”-Adriana Trigiani, Bestselling author of Tony’s Wife

“If you like to read memoirs, you won’t be disappointed in Sallie H. Weissinger’s Yes, Again. I really loved it….it was a pleasure to read a book written by a woman who didn’t let age get in the way of seeking love and living life fully. While she may not have realized it when writing, Sallie provided a life lesson for those of us of a certain age: There’s no reason not to take charge of our lives and make things happen. Whether it’s looking for love, reaching personal and professional goals, or living on purpose every day, women can disrupt aging and rise to life’s challenges.”—Camille Goscicki, vitalaging4women.com

“After reading Sallie’s soulful book, I have to say this gifted writer got the love she wanted the old-fashioned way . . . she earned it!”-Lacy J. Dalton, singer, and songwriter

“Linearity works for many things; however, in Sallie H. Weissinger’s potent book (and even more potent life) she shows us how tapping into grace can be a tangible way of entering into mystery, meaning, and direction. By recounting times of staggering loss, loneliness, self-doubt, perseverance, and openness to the ineffable, Sallie demonstrates how the journey of life can be a glorious pathway for those with a bit of daring!”-Bill Say, MA, life coach, Process Work Diplomate, and instructor at CIIS, JFK University, and the Wright Institute

 

 

Review by Gracie

 

A memoir wholly unlike anything you’ve ever read, ‘Yes, Again: (Mis)adventures of a Wishful Thinker’ by Sallie Wiessinger starts at the end. Or, at least, I’m sure that is what Wessinger herself thought at that point in her life.

At the age of 57, Weissinger lost her husband of 24 years to esophageal cancer. Feeling lost and not sure what to do with herself, Weissinger took a year to mourn before deciding that she was not quite ready to hang up her hat and spend her twilight years alone.

Now, many of us are probably all too familiar with the concept of online dating. You make a profile, hope that someone likes what they see and contacts you, and then, with any luck go out on a date that doesn’t end in a restraining order.

But Weissinger choose to do online dating a little bit differently. Not only was she doing it well before the days of Tinder and Bumble (her husband passed in 2002 when online dating was still very much in its infancy) but she also established a list of rules for herself early on.

She would seek out a man that fit a certain list of criteria. He had to be emotionally stable, spiritual, religious (not or not very), adventurous, physically fit, a travel aficionado, intelligent, and have no monkey business.

As a lover of puzzles, Weissinger came up with an anagram for the first letter of each attribute. PASTRAMI was the anagram that she landed on, and from there on everything was gravy. Or…almost anyway. But you’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean by that.

‘Yes, Again,’ is an absolute riot. Both a celebration of life and a reminder that you are never too old to start over, this memoir is a win for book lovers everywhere.

 

 

About the Author

 

Sallie H. Weissinger is a native of New Orleans and was raised as a military brat away from the South (Germany, New Mexico, Ohio, Japan, and Michigan). Every summer, she and her family returned to visit her mother’s relatives in New Orleans and her father’s family in a small Alabama town. She has lived most of her life in the Bay Area and also in New Orleans. These days, “home” includes not only New Orleans and Berkeley, but also Portland, Oregon, where she lives most of the time with her husband, Bart McMullan, a retired internal medicine doctor and health care executive, and their three dogs.

A retired executive herself, she now teaches Spanish and does medical interpreting for non-profit organizations in Central America and the Dominican Republic. Weissinger is a passionate member of the Berkeley Rotary Club and has served on the boards of Berkeley Rotary, the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley, and the East Bay (formerly Oakland) SPCA.

 

Website

 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 1 print copy.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on June 10, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Set in the shadows of the Spanish Inquisition, this is the coming-of-age story of José Alfaro, a young refugee who forms a powerful bond with the mysterious Pirate Captain Toledano. It’s also a dynamic pirate adventure on the high seas, with hand-to-hand combat and ship-to-ship action, and the powerful story of a dark time in history when people took different paths to survive.

José Alfaro is a cocky, rambunctious teen in the 16th-century colony of Santo Domingo, pulling pranks and dodging the authorities. One day, José’s mischief lands him in serious trouble.

Hoping for a fresh start, he stows away on the Laqish, not knowing that it’s a pirate ship. From his hiding place, he watches the pirates divide their loot and plan their attacks on long days at sea. He also takes note of the respect they have for their captain, the intimidating Toledano.

But the captain has a secret―like José, he is a Jew. For him, piracy is not about the gold; it has a different purpose.

Under the tutelage of the ship’s quartermaster, José learns the intricacies of pirate life. But when he can, the captain finds ways to pull José away from the crew, to teach him about his ancestors.

 

 

Amazon * Barnes&Noble * IndieBound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Review

 

Review by Nora

 

A one-of-a-kind graphic novel where the fight for justice never takes a backseat. 

‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ by Arnon Z. Shore is not only a graphic novel, but a full world that readers of all ages can escape into for fun and adventure.

The story centers around Jose, a teenage boy living in the colony of San Domingo with his father. Though his father is the treasurer of the colony, he is immediately arrested when the Spanish Inquisition discovers that he and Jose are Jewish. Only barely managing to escape arrest himself, Jose makes it onto a ship where he stows away.

Once he is found, he quickly discovers that the ship is, in fact, a pirate ship belonging to a man called Captain Toledano. Toledano rescues Jose and eventually takes him under his wing. After telling Jose that he, too is Jewish, Toledano begins trying to teach the boy the ways of their shared faith, although Jose is not sure that he is interested.

Of course, Jose’s main interest is in saving his father from prison, and Toledano wishes to punish the head of the Inquisition in San Domingo, a man who caused him great pain in the past.

Although it deals with some heavy themes, ‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ is an entertaining and fun story for all ages. The historical aspects of the story are educational, without weighing down the swashbuckling adventure aspects.

This was a five-star graphic novel for me just based off of the story, but the art definitely adds to the overall appeal. Joshua Edelglass creates a stunning visual landscape that makes the reader feel as if they have been pulled into the story and makes you feel regret when it ends.

A wonderful adventure that just keeps on giving, ‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ is a work of art!

 

 

Read an excerpt here

 

 

About the Author

 

Arnon Z. Shorr is an author, screenwriter, and filmmaker of character-driven adventures and thrillers, where heroes grapple with the extraordinary, and in doing so, learn important truths about themselves.

Arnon spent most of his childhood between worlds: a Hebrew speaker in America, a private school kid in a rented two-bedroom apartment. Whenever he’d set foot in one world, his other foot would betray him as different. For that reason, he tells stories that embrace the peculiar, where encounters with the unexpected reveal who we are.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

About the Illustrator

 

Joshua Edelglass is a freelance illustrator from Massachusetts. He is also the Assistant Director of Camp Ramah New England. At Brown University, Josh wrote and drew the political cartoon, WorldView for The Brown Daily Herald. That experience gave him the bug for cartooning, a passion that has never left him.

Josh’s work has appeared in a variety of exhibitions, including Pow! Jewish Comics Art and Influence that ran at the Brooklyn Jewish Art Museum in Spring 2018. Josh was included in the Jewish Comix Anthology, published in 2014 by Alternative History Press. Josh was also included in SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology vol. 2, which was published in the fall of 2018.

 

Website * Instagram

 

 

Giveaway

 

There is a tour-wide giveaway for 2 print copies of this bookThis giveaway is for 2 print copies One for each of the 2 winners.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on July 1, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Fake Death (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kanga Press (April 8, 2022)
Number of Pages c. 240

 

Synopsis

 

 

A dead body. Multiple disguises. Can an amateur sleuth see through the charade – or become a tragic victim?

 

Young military widow, Dotty Sayers, is delighted with her new job at an auction house in Britain’s picturesque Cotswolds. She agrees to take part in a Remembrance parade to commemorate her husband and his fallen comrades. But drama ensues when an unknown soldier is found dead.

Dotty assists the police and appraises objects found at the victim’s house, but rather than identifying the deceased, she discovers numerous personas. When a suspect is arrested, and Dotty is asked to look after Earl Grey, a British Blue cat, she realizes appearances can be deceiving. Can she track down the real culprit and prevent an innocent man from being imprisoned?

Can Dotty unmask the killer without putting her own life at risk?

Fake Death is the first book in the captivating Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series. If you like intriguing mysteries, entertaining characters and the glorious British countryside, then you’ll adore Victoria Tait’s enthralling tale.

Buy Fake Death and unmask a killer today!

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Guest Post

 

Should a Main Character Stay the Same or Change During a Series?

 

I enjoy writing in series and as I get to know my characters, I start to understand their habits, their likes, and their dislikes, and I can begin to have some fun with them.

In my first series, The Kenya Kanga Mysteries, my protagonist, ‘Mama Rose’ is in her golden years and already an intelligent, resourceful yet charitable woman.  She doesn’t change during the books, although she shows plenty of emotion when events occur around her, particularly when they involve her family and her terminally ill husband.

Many of the Golden-age crime writers wrote characters who remained the same.  Like Mama Rose, Miss Marple is a silver-haired amateur sleuth who observes rather than participates in local village events, and although she invariably identifies the culprit, his or her crime does not affect the elderly detective.

Poirot is similar, although the new Death on the Nile film attempts to add some backstory and create a resonance with viewers.  I like the changes, although I know many die-hard Christie fans do not.

Dorothy L Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey does not, in my opinion, change but the way the readers see him does.   In Gaudy Night, where he interacts with Harriet Vane, we learn there are depths to his seemingly foolish character not previously revealed, and that these are being utilised by the British intelligence services.

When I thought about my new Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series, I wanted to push myself and write a female lead who does change and grow through the books.  I believe it is important to continue to study, learn and develop my writing craft so I can write books which increasingly appeal to readers, and hopefully sell more copies!

In the prequel, Hour is Come, which readers can download for free from my website, VictoriaTait.com, my main character, Dorothy Sayers, known as Dotty, is only 28 and she recently lost her husband in a military peacekeeping operation.

Alasdair, or Al, her husband, was 15 years her senior and she married him when she was in her late teens.  Her father had been controlling and she married a similar, domineering man.  Further, being part of the military community, many of the usual life tasks such as searching for accommodation, and organising workmen were done for her.

She is naïve and some readers have complained she is weak, but that is not so.  She is submissive, kind, and happy to please, so she concentrated on cooking, gardening, and maintaining a home for her husband.

She does not look after herself or buy fashionable new clothes.  Al thought such things a waste of money and he told her she did not need to impress him.  He kept her short of money, as a way to control her, so she learned to be frugal and resourceful, traits which start to surface as she investigates crimes.

On the death of her husband, in Hour is Come, she had to choose between returning to live with her controlling father and emotionally absent mother, or finding a job and live on her own.

Dotty continues her journey in Fake Death as life throws obstacles in her way and she has to decide whether to accept the security and comfort of the military life she is comfortable with, or throw off its shackles, and make her own way.

Join Dotty and find out what decision she makes, while at the same time, she pieces together clues to identify a double murderer in Fake Death.

 

 

About the Author

 

Victoria Tait is an exciting new author launching her Kenya Kanga Mystery series.  She’s drawn on 8 years living in rural Kenya with her family to transport her readers to a world of curiosity, community, and conspiracy.  The Kenya Kanga Mystery series brings to life the beauty of the Kenyan landscape, the magic of its wildlife, and the warmth of its people.

 

Website * Goodreads * Pinterest

 

 

 

Giveaway