Synopsis

DIY Diva Laurel McMillan learns that the high walls and guarded gates of Hawkeye Haven can’t protect her community. When Laurel takes her pampered, chocolate Labrador retriever, Bear, for an early morning walk, she finds her friend, security guard Bessie, bleeding and unconscious at her guardhouse post. If the attack on Bessie isn’t enough to set the resident’ nerves on edge, the murder of Victor Eberhart, the unpopular president of the powerful homeowners’ association, certainly does the trick. Despite teaching DIY classes and writing project instructions for her latest book, DIY for Dog Lovers, Laurel manages to squeeze in time for some DIY detective work. But as she gets closer to the truth, Victor’s killer would like nothing better than for the DIY Diva to take a dive.

Project instructions and dog treat recipes included.

About the Author

An instructor at five colleges over the years, Paula Darnell most often taught the dreaded first-year English composition classes, but she’s also been happy to teach some fun classes, such as fashion design, sewing, and jewelry making. Paula has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Like Laurel, the main character in Death by Association, Paula enjoys all kinds of arts and crafts. Some of her memorable projects include making a hat and a cape to wear to Royal Ascot, sewing wedding gowns for both her daughters, exhibiting her textile and mixed-media artwork in juried art shows, and having one of her jewelry projects accepted for inclusion in Leather Jewelry, published by Lark Books. She sells some of her jewelry and hair accessories in her Etsy shop.

Paula’s interest in DIY craft projects and fashion led to her writing hundreds of articles for print and online national publications.

Living in a guard-gated community governed by a homeowners’ association gave Paula the idea for the setting of Death by Association. She finds that residing in an HOA community can be both a blessing and a curse. A Happy-New-Year greeting from her community association called on residents to “start the new year by reviewing your Rules and Regulations booklet,” something unlikely to top anyone’s list of New Year’s resolutions.

Paula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband Gary and their 110-pound dog Rocky, whose favorite pastime is lurking in the kitchen, hoping for a handout.

Website * Etsy * Pinterest

The Gun Also Rises (A Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Kensington (January 29, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages

Synopsis

TO RECOVER A PRICELESS MANUSCRIPT . . .

A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage sale business. While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman’s attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922. How did they end up in Belle Winthrop Granville’s attic in Ellington, Massachusetts, almost one hundred years later?

WILL SARAH HAVE TO PAY WITH HER LIFE?

Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets. And when rumors spread that Belle has a limited edition of The Sun Also Rises in her house, Sarah is soon mixed up with a mobster, the fanatical League of Literary Treasure Hunters, and a hard-to-read rare book dealer. With someone willing to kill for the Hemingway, Sarah has to race to catch the culprit—or the bell may toll for her . . .

Guest Post

It seemed like such a great job opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to get paid to organize and price a collection of mystery books? Add to that that I would be doing it in a lovely mansion with an attic that was a clean, well-lighted place to work. Hi, I’m Sarah Winston and I run a business organizing garage sales in Ellington, Massachusetts.

And it was great until I made a huge find! Hemingway manuscripts that were stolen in 1922 and thought to have disappeared forever. Hadley Hemingway was taking the train from Paris to Lausanne, Switzerland to meet Ernest. She thought he’d be delighted when she packed his Nick Adams manuscripts along with the carbon copies so he could show them to a friend. Once on the train, Hadley stashed her luggage and went in search of a bottle of water. When she came back the bag with the manuscripts was gone. Never to be seen again until I found them in Miss Belle’s attic almost one hundred years later.

I took the manuscripts straight down to Miss Belle and explained what they were. She looked so shocked. I confess I did wonder if it was shocking that I’d found them or shock that they were in her house. She quickly professed she no prior knowledge of their existence. If Miss Belle was lying she really deserves a best actress award.

So by now, you must be asking what isn’t great about this find? Oh, it’s what happened next. Something that I’ll regret for the rest of my life. I left the manuscripts with Miss Belle. She asked me to and it is her house so I couldn’t say no. Miss Belle wanted to think about how they could have possibly ended up here. Her exact words were, “Give me a few minutes alone, please.” And as I walked out of the room I heard her say, “How can this be?”

After continuing to sort through a stack of old Nancy Drew mysteries I decided to go back down and check on Miss Belle. As I went down the stairs I hear a thump and a cry. Not good. When I ran into Miss Belle’s study she was on the floor with a knot swelling up on the side of her head. The overnight case was nowhere to be found.

Miss Belle beseeched me to go in search of the manuscripts. I won’t tell you all of the details here, but it didn’t go well. And even though we tried to keep it quiet word got out that the manuscripts and been found then lost again. I swear people lost their minds. Reporters swarmed the town and this crazy group of people who called themselves The League of Literary Treasure Hunters were everywhere I turned. It got so bad I wasn’t even able to stay in my own apartment.

The only way to return to some sense of normalcy was to figure out who stole the manuscripts. It wasn’t easy and what happen shocked even me.

About the Author

Agatha award nominated author, Sherry Harris, started bargain hunting in second grade at her best friend’s yard sale. She honed her bartering skills as she moved around the country while her husband served in the Air Force. Sherry uses her love of garage sales, her life as a military spouse, and her time living in Massachusetts as inspiration for the Sarah Winston Garage Sale series.

Webpage * Facebook * Twitter * GoodReads * Pinterest

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Picture Not Perfect (The Not So Reluctant Detectives)
Cozy Mystery/Romance/Humor
2nd in Series
Self Published (January 21, 2019)
Print Length: 230 pages

A picture tells a story. But is it the truth?

When the police find pictures of Melanie hanging up at her murdered colleague’s house, they’re convinced he was stalking her. Maybe she even killed him. Melanie was not being stalked! And she certainly didn’t kill her supposed stalker – as if. But Mel – always up for a bit of drama – jumps at the chance to go search for the real killer. When Mel’s ex-boyfriend, Owen, discovers her plans, he pulls out all the stops to ensure she’s safe and to win her back. No matter what happens with the murder investigation, he’s not letting her go. With the police setting their sights on Mel, he may need to jeopardize his own career on the police force to protect her.

Will Mel find the real killer before the detectives arrest her for murder?

Review

I had a love-hate relationship with this book.

On one hand, I loved the book and the mystery portion because I did not suspect the killer until the clues were all revealed at the end and it was quite a surprise how it all came together. I also loved the addition of Pru, the English Lit teacher that somehow found herself dragged into the middle of Melanie and Terri’s shenanigans. I even loved how we learned more about Melanie and Owen’s relationship and what went wrong or why Melanie broke it off with Owen.

On the other hand, I did not like Melanie at all, or very little. She was like the Energizer Bunny on speed and while we learn why she is this way, I felt like it was over the top and no sane person would jump to as many conclusions as she did throughout the book. While I know she is a suspect in her fellow teacher’s murder and wants to clear her name, it was just too much for me.

I should note that the first book had Terri as the protagonist and I enjoyed that book. Probably because Terri is calmer. There will be a third book that features Pru and based on what we know about her character I think it will be more like the first book.

Overall I did enjoy the book and do recommend it, just be warned that Melanie will be all over the highway with her theories and suspicions.

We give this 4 paws up

About the Author

I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Google+ * Amazon author page

Pinterest * Instagram * BookBub * Newsletter Sign up * LinkedIn

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (January 22, 2019)
Paperback: 200 pages

Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .

After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.

Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .

Review

The first book in a new series and it was very enjoyable! I love cozies anyway and this one checked off all the boxes of what I expect – a protagonist that inserts themselves into an investigation while not being a detective/police officer, red herrings, twists in the plot and with the characters, multiple suspects..the list goes on.

I have not read many series that center around a thrift/consignment store and so I found this one quite interesting since Kelly took over this store when her grandmother died and they have different objectives to make the store a success. Kelly has a background in fashion so it makes her the perfect person to run the shop. Granted she wants to put her own stamp on the shop but comes across resistance from her grandmother’s best friend and employee, Pepper. Change is hard but eventually, both Pepper and Kelly come to a mutual understanding.

The mystery itself was hidden well and I did not expect the twist at the end. I supposed I should have seen it coming because there are some subtle clues hidden in the text.

There is another mystery that isn’t revealed yet – who is Lulu that runs a blog and is spilling some information about Kelly’s shop that may or may not help? I can’t wait to find out how long the identity of this blogger remains a secret.

We give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

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.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Romance Writers of America.

Website – Facebook – Goodreads – Twitter

Moon Games
Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuth
Milford House Press (August 6, 2018)
Paperback: 264 pages

Synopsis

At the outset, Miranda Davis has nothing much going for her. The tourists are long gone by October in the quaint Carolina town of Black Mountain, her realty business is at a standstill, and her weekend stint managing the local tavern offers little to pull her out of the doldrums. When prominent church lady Cloris Raintree offers a stipend to look into the whereabouts of a missing girl hiker on the Q.T, Miranda, along with her partner Harry (an unemployed features writer) agree.

But then it all backfires. A burly figure shambles down a mountain slope with a semi-conscious girl draped over his shoulder. Miranda’s attempts to uncover Cloris Raintree’s true motives become near impossible as she puts up one smokescreen after another, including a slip of the tongue regarding an incident in Havana. The local police keep stonewalling and Harry is of little help.

Tarot cards left on Cloris’ doorstep and arcane prompts on her e-mail only exacerbate the situation. Growing more desperate over the captive girl’s fate, Miranda comes across a link to a cold case of arson and murder. With the advent of the dark of the moon, she is summoned to “Tower Time” as this twisty tale continues to run its course.

Review

You might want to have a notepad handy when reading this book!  The characters move at warp speed and the information hits you like a runaway locomotive.

This is the first book I have read by this author and the book took some time for me to get into the groove.  When I first started reading this book I wasn’t really sure what was going on or why Miranda and Harry were looking for this missing girl.  There were many pieces to the puzzle and it was hard to determine what clue went where and who did what which is why the reader might need a notebook or whiteboard to keep track like Miranda and Harry.

Miranda is the protagonist with quite a varied background.  She is a realtor, manages a tavern, and plays detective in her spare time.  I think she is a bit scattered which is why she needs a whiteboard to keep track of it all.  I’m not quite sure why she isn’t telling those that are helping her all the details.  She even admits later in the book about trying to keep straight what information she shared with Harry or Scooter.  I suppose since Scooter is sort of an unknown in the equation.  I will say that when I first started reading the book and Scooter came up, I thought it was a man but I was wrong.  Scooter is a bit of a wildcard and I’m not sure what her end game is and what she really wants from Miranda.

The clues start coming together about 60% of the way through the book and things start to make a little more sense.  There were some twists I wasn’t prepared for and they helped round out the story.

Overall we would give this 3 1/2 paws.  I feel like the story could have been set up better in the beginning so the reader does not feel like they have been thrown into the middle of a story with no guidance with the objective.  However, the story does end well and made it worth reading.

About the Author

Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor and, all told, has written over twenty-five plays in addition to his articles and novels.

A frequent contributor of articles on all facets of creative writing and acting, Shelly appears in numerous periodicals including Southern Writers Magazine where he is the film columnist. He is also a contributor to writers’ blogs and websites in the U.S. and the U.K.

His fiction includes Twilight of the Drifter, The Twinning Murders, and Lilac Moon. His Hollywood crime caper Tinseltown Riff was released in March 2013. His latest crime novel Murder Run was just released in August.

Among his works of non-fiction are the acclaimed The Actors Studio and texts on The Art and Craft of Screenwriting and writing for the stage. Shelly lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Broken Heart Attack (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (November 25, 2018)
Paperback: 270 pages

Synopsis

When an extra ticket becomes available to see the dress rehearsal of King Lear, Kellan tags along with Nana D and her buddies.

When one of them dies of an apparent heart attack in the middle of second act, Nana D raises her suspicions and asks Kellan to investigate the death. With family members suddenly in debt and a secret rendezvous between an unlikely pair, Kellan learns that the Paddingtons might not be as clean-cut as everyone thinks.

But can Kellan find the killer, or will he get caught up his own stage fright?

Braxton Campus Mysteries

Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)

Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)

Flower Power Trip – #3 (Early 2019)

Other Books

Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)

Father Figure (April 2018)

About the Author

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball,, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

Website * Blog * Amazon * Twitter * Facebook

Facebook – Braxton Campus Mysteries * BookBub

Instagram * Goodreads * LinkedIn * Pinterest

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fashions Fade, Haunted Is Eternal (A Haunted Vintage Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Kensington (December 18, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

A photo shoot in a graveyard ends in a grave shooting . . .

Cookie Chanel—owner of the chic clothing store It’s Vintage Y’All in Sugar Creek, Georgia—has been hired to dress models for a fashion shoot. The spread will be featured in Fashion and Style magazine’s October issue—so the models are posing in a cemetery. As someone who can see and talk to ghosts, Cookie’s not spooked by the location. But she is surprised when a new ghost appears, decked out in 1920s couture. And she’s shocked when she hears a gunshot. Then a model runs toward her, saying the grumpy photographer has been edited out of the picture – for good. With help from her ghostly pals, Cookie must zoom in on the truth before she’s the next to strike a final pose . . .

Don’t Miss Cookie Chanel’s Shopping Tips!

Guest Post

Unlike the main character in my Haunted Vintage Mystery Series, I don’t have a ghost hanging around all day and night. Though I have visited my share of locations that are reported haunted. I thought I’d list a few of those places and the supposed paranormal activity that occurs.

1. Whispers Estate is a bed and breakfast in Mitchell, Indiana. The house has been featured on paranormal TV shows and has quite a bit of documented paranormal events. On my overnight stay I experienced several unexplained events. It’s a spooky place!
2. Jailer’s Inn- I stayed overnight in a cell! Thank goodness it wasn’t because I’d been arrested. Jailer’s Inn made the Travel Channel’s list of 10 Most Haunted Places. This former jail is now a bed and breakfast. Ghostly sounds and apparitions have been reported. Perhaps the inmates from bygone days are still serving out their sentences. One of the creepiest parts of the place is the courtyard outside. Hangings occurred there so it’s kind of eerie to try to enjoy your breakfast there on a sunny summer morning.
3. Next door to the Jailer’s Inn is the Talbot Tavern. Reportedly many famous people from the past stayed at the tavern. Including Abraham Lincoln and Jesse James. It’s claimed that the bullet holes from when Jesse James shot at the wall are still there today. The southern cuisine like bourbon BBQ ribs and cheese grits are reason enough to visit. However, if you want the possibility of seeing a ghost with your dinner you might want to stop in for a meal.
4. Perryville Battlefield. One the biggest Kentucky Civil War battles was fought there. This is one of my favorite places on earth. The landscape is beautiful and peaceful. A huge change from the days of the Civil War battle which once took place. Apparently, some of the soldiers are still hanging around. There are even accounts of hearing a ghost horse.
5. Louis Cemetery *1 is the oldest cemetery in New Orleans. Many people have reported seeing ghosts wandering around the old tombs. I braved a tour of the place in the daytime. After dark might be more than I could handle.
6. Morgan is located on Mobile Point at the end of Scenic Fort Morgan Peninsula. This Civil War fort is obviously full of history but is it full of ghosts too? With breathtaking views of the water and beaches to enjoy, it’s definitely worth the trip. You might run into a specter or two.

About the Author

Rose Pressey enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. The paranormal has always captured her interest. The thought of finding answers to the unexplained fascinates her.

When she’s not writing about werewolves, vampires and every other supernatural creature, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties. Yeah, she loves Elvis. She can’t help myself.

Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky with her husband, son and two sassy Chihuahuas.

Facebook * Blog * Website * Twitter

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Botched 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Kensington (December 18, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages

Synopsis

Bowled over . . .

Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community mem.ber’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.

But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident—and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . .

Guest Post

It’s Not Start up Fatigue, It’s Distraction Fatigue

By Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp, writing as J. C. Eaton

Juggling three mystery series can be daunting, but we’re retired and we should have plenty of time. So how come we don’t? We finally figured out what’s preventing us from maximizing our work time. Other authors have said it’s something called “Start–up fatigue,” but we beg to differ. You see, every time we sit down to write, we find ourselves immersed in something else. It’s a new phenomenon and we’ve named it “Distraction Fatigue.” Frankly, the fault rests with all those cute icons on our computer screens.

Inevitably we have to check our emails. Yikes! What would happen if we missed some compelling bit of news or messages? And those messages all have tentacles. We can spend hours just dealing with someone’s lost dog or the selection of a restaurant that all of our friends can agree on for breakfast tomorrow.

“Not Panera Bread again. We were just there.”

“What about the Corner Bakery?”

“They went out of business.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. It’s been replaced by another Starbucks.”

And so it goes. Then there’s our banking. Ann absolutely cannot concentrate until she knows for certain that no one has hacked into our paltry accounts to rob us of tomorrow’s breakfast money. So we wind up checking those. Another half hour…

Of course, there are the book rankings. Inevitably one of us will sneak a peek at our latest Amazon or Barnes and Noble ranking for a particular book and then drive ourselves nuts over it. And if that’s not distracting enough, there’s Goodreads, which really should be termed, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for Authors.” If we get a great review, we revel in it. If not, Jim ignores it and Ann mopes around. Another distraction.

Then, the mother of all distractions – Facebook. We spend lots of time wishing people a happy birthday and commenting on cute kitties, adorable grandkids, and food other people have eaten. We push the LIKE buttons endlessly and watch videos that range from forest animals crossing streams in winter to crazy people climbing up mountains that even a seasoned mountain goat wouldn’t attempt. Yep, lots of lost time here.

There is one bit of good news. Now that both of us have reached Medicare age (Still not sure how that happened), we no longer have to log into our health insurance company and list the exercises we did for the day in order to reap rewards. Ann usually wrote “Vacuum and dust,” while Jim wrote “cleaning the litter box.” Whew! One less distraction…

Suddenly we remember our website and race off to make a post that will either be engaging, or immediately ignored. Anyone’s guess.

Finally, we’re ready to write. But by now, we really are fatigued. The good news is that we’ve figured out a cure. We just need to find an old word processor that has no internet capability. Then we might have a fighting chance to get our next novel penned. LOL

NOTE: Our posts tend to be tongue-in-cheek so don’t take us too seriously.

About the Authors

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name.

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

Website * Time Travel Mysteries * Facebook * Twitter

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Murder of Ravens (Gabriel Hawke)
Mystery
1st in Series
Windtree Press (January 20, 2019)
Paperback: 302 pages

Synopsis

The ancient Indian art of tracking is his greatest strength…

And also his biggest weakness.

Fish and Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke believes he’s chasing poachers.

However, he comes upon a wildlife biologist standing over a body that is wearing a wolf tracking collar.

He uses master tracker skills taught to him by his Nez Perce grandfather to follow clues on the mountain. Paper trails and the whisper of rumors in the rural community where he works, draws Hawke to a conclusion that he finds bitter.

Arresting his brother-in-law ended his marriage, could solving this murder ruin a friendship?

Guest Post

Today we have Hawke from Murder of Ravens joining us and giving us a little background on himself and his job.  Fascinating stuff!

My name is Hawke. Actually, it’s Oregon Fish and Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke, but I prefer to be called Hawke. My mother named me Gabriel from the Bible, but my life has been anything but angelic. Which is why I prefer Hawke.

I enjoy my job. Because my Nez Perce grandfather spent time with me, teaching me how to track, I am known as a Master Tracker. I use this gift to help when people are missing in the Wallowa Whitman Forest as well as all over the Northwestern United States and Canada. I also give seminars on tracking at law enforcement conferences.

The ability to track was a skill my Nez Perce and Cayuse forefathers used to find food for their families. These days I use the skills to find lost backpackers and hunters in Wallowa County, the land where my Nez Perce ancestors lived during the summer and winter.

You can tell which direction a person or animal is going to go by the depth of the indentions in a footprint. You can tell if they are hesitant or hurrying. When there appears to be no footprint, you look for other clues to assess which way the creature is going. It could be displaced dirt, sand, grass, or leaves. Everyone leaves a trail, it’s just knowing how to see what is and isn’t there. Knowing the surroundings and seeing what is out of place is also a good way to deduce which path a creature has taken.

It takes a certain skill and focus to be a tracker. Unfortunately, the type of focus it requires can make me single-minded when I get caught up in clues and information that pertains to a case I’m on. As in my first book, the apprehension of the person who strangled a man with a wolf tracking collar on Goat Mountain. I came upon the body and a wildlife biologist. It would have been easy to assume the biologist killed the victim, but the facts and tracks didn’t add up to that being the case.

Back down in the valley, listening to rumors and following the paper trails, I managed to dig up information that slowly helped to build a case. Because I came across the body and had to find the answers, I was allowed more freedom to work the case than usual.

That is the best part about working in a large, rural county. There is a small law enforcement group, few people, and a lot of ground to cover. We are given more latitude to work cases and help out other law enforcement.

About the Author

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 35 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her Shandra Higheagle mystery series has been a runner-up in the RONE Award Mystery category, and a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier.

 Website * Blog * Facebook * Amazon * Pinterest

 Twitter * Goodreads * Mystery Newsletter * Bookbub

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Academic Curveball (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (October 14, 2018)
Paperback: 281 pages

Synopsis

When Kellan Ayrwick returns home for his father’s retirement, he finds a dead body in Diamond Hall’s stairwell.

Unfortunately, Kellan has a connection to the victim, and so do several members of his family. Soon after, the college’s athletic program receives mysterious donations, a nasty blog denounces his father and someone attempts to change students’ grades.

Someone is playing games on campus, but none of the facts add up.

With the help of his eccentric and trouble-making nana, Kellan tries to stay out of the sheriff’s way. But who is behind the murder?

Braxton Campus Mysteries

Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)

Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)

Flower Power Trip – #3 (Early 2019)

Other Books

Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)

Father Figure (April 2018)

About the Author

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball,, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

Website * Blog * Amazon * Twitter * Facebook

Facebook – Braxton Campus Mysteries * BookBub

Instagram * Goodreads * LinkedIn * Pinterest

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway