Something Shady at Sunshine Haven (The Accidental Detective) by Kris Bock

She’s pursued the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Injured in a bombing, war correspondent Kate Tessler returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she's starting to feel her age of nearly fifty despite living like a teenager again: staying in her childhood bedroom with only a cat for company, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still refer to her as Kitty. The hardest part? Seeing her once-sharp and witty mother stuck in an Alzheimer's unit.

When an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at the nursing home, Kate limps into action. Is a self-appointed "Angel of Mercy" killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit.

If Kate can't uncover the truth quickly, her mother could be next on the killer's list.

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Excerpt

I put a hand on Tommy’s wheelchair and leaned down. “I’ll tell you all about it sometime, if I can. But for now, please pretend we’ve only been chatting about times long past.”

Mendelson joined us, his hands on his hips. “Miss Tessler, I see you’re here again. I hope you aren’t bothering the residents with your questions.”

“I prefer Ms. Tessler, and I was having a lovely chat with a very interesting man.”

My new friend beamed at Mendelson. “Not many people want to listen to my war stories, but this young lady has been humoring me.”

I spotted Mrs. Gregorian and her family. I’d probably learned all I could from them about Mrs. Gregorian’s illness and recovery, but if Mrs. Gregorian was one of the overmedicated patients, that opened up a new line of questioning.

And another thing: Mom had gotten worried about money shortly after seeing Mrs. Gregorian. Could that have been the neighbor she meant, the one who claimed she’d been asked for more money? Could “Mr. Brown—no, Mr. Rogers” actually be Mendelson, the memory care program coordinator? He’d been wearing a brown button-up sweater, so maybe that triggered Mom’s memory but sent it in the wrong direction.

I turned to Tommy. “It was lovely talking to you. I hope we’ll meet again when I’m here visiting my mother. I need to speak to some other new friends now.”

Mendelson scowled and shuffled his feet.

I grinned. “Have a great day.”

I felt his gaze on me as I turned to cross the room.

Between the residents, visiting family members, dogs, and their handlers, the spacious room was a swirl of activity. I waited for a woman using a walker to cross in front of me. My leg ached, so I shifted more of my weight onto my good leg and the cane. A man to my right half turned, gesturing wildly with his arms while he told a story. I flinched back to avoid being hit.

Something slammed into my left leg. I grunted in pain as my leg collapsed. My cane swung upward, goosing the gesturing man and tangling in his legs.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the floor in a heap.

About the Author 

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels.

Kris is also writing a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Website ~~ Blog ~~ GoodReads Author Page ~~ BookBub

Amazon US Author page ~~ Amazon UK page

Twitter ~~ Instagram ~~ TikTok ~~ Facebook ~~ Pinterest

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 24 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 25 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 25 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
May 27 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
May 28 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
May 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
May 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 30 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Mysteries with Character  - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 31 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 1 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
June 2 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 2 – Rebecca M Douglass, Author – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 3 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
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June 5 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT
June 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
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June 6 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

Crown Court Killer by Dahlia Donovan

Crown Court Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 3

by Dahlia Donovan

Genre: Cozy Mystery, M/M Romance

Months after saving their flamboyant theatre friend from disaster, Dannel Ortea and Osian Garey are back with a thrilling murder investigation in the third London Podcast Mystery series novel.

Dannel and Osian's breakfast double date rapidly devolves into a murder mystery when a dead body is found in their solicitor friend’s car. Wayne is taken for questioning by police. He was last seen arguing with the deceased.

When Wayne’s tie is identified as the murder weapon, it’s hard to refute the growing evidence stacked against him.

Convinced of their friend’s innocence, Dannel and Osian throw themselves into the investigation. When Wayne’s boyfriend, Roland, finds himself suspended from the police, they realise powerful people are involved in the murder.

With a philandering crown court judge, two disgruntled wives, and an angry client as suspects, the clock is ticking for them to find the killer before Wayne winds up arrested—or dead.

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Ghost Light Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 2

Several months after their first brush with death, Dannel Ortea and Osian Garey are back with a thrilling murder investigation in the second London Podcast Mystery Series novel.

While helping their flamboyant neighbour with his play, Dannel and Osian discover more than a ghost haunting the stage at the Evelyn Lavelle theatre. It's all fun and games until a friend is found kneeling over a dead body.

Is he the murderer or an unfortunate witness?

When one body turns to two, then to three, will the killer ever be found?

As Dannel and Osian work together to solve the mystery, the murderer focuses on them. Their drive to clear their friend’s name puts them centre stage. But not everything under the glow of the bright lights glimmers.

Will anyone be left when the curtain falls?

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Cosplay Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 1

What happens when an autistic firefighter and his paramedic boyfriend share a thirst for true crime?

Osian Garey and Dannel Ortea live together in a colourful flat in Covent Garden. They run a podcast and throw themselves wholeheartedly into Cosplay, video games, and musical theatre. This year, they’re all fired up to attend their annual convention with a group of first responders.

When Osian finds a paramedic friend murdered in the middle of the crowded venue, the police immediately turn their attention to him.

They have one question on their mind.

Is he the first witness on the scene or the killer?

As the mystery unfolds, Osian has to face the trauma of his last job as a paramedic. Somewhere in those memories, a killer waits to exact revenge. They’ll have to prove Osian’s innocence and fight for their own survival when the killer puts them both in their sights.

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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

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Songbird by Gail Meath

It’s all fun and games, until someone gets killed.

Meet Jax Diamond, a sharp, sophisticated, skilled, no-nonsense private detective. Or is he? Glued to his side is his canine partner, Ace, a fierce and unrelenting German Shepherd whose mere presence terrorizes criminals into submission. Well, maybe not.

But the two of them are a whole lot smarter than they look. And they have their hands full when a playwright’s death is declared natural causes, and his new manuscript worth a million bucks is missing.

Laura Graystone, a beautiful rising Broadway star, is dragged into the heart of their investigation, and she’s none too happy about it. Especially when danger first strikes, and she needs to rely on her own ingenuity to save their hides.

Join Jax, Laura and Ace on a fun yet deadly ride during the Roaring Twenties that takes twists and turns, and a race against time to find the real murderer before he/she/they stop them permanently.

~~ Amazon ~~

 

Excerpt

Twenty minutes later, they parked in front of Laura’s apartment building.  Jax turned the car off and leaned back in his seat.  “I’m not convinced it was a heart attack.”

“I knew it,” she whispered under her breath.

“There were a couple of things I found and some things I didn’t find in Sanders’ apartment that night that don’t add up.  I have a friend who is a sergeant on the police force, and I haven’t said anything to him yet.  He’s always accusing me of making a mountain out of a molehill, so I wanted to check things out first in case I’m wrong.  Does that fit in with your quid pro stuff?”

Proudly, she folded her arms in front of her.  “Yes, I believe it does, Detective Diamond.  What did you want to ask me?”

He pulled out his notepad and pencil.  “You said that your meetings with Sam Sanders pertained to your career.  How?”

“He’d written a new musical and...I was hoping he’d choose me for the lead.”

He pointed the pencil at her.  “Aha!  You’re lying again, Miss Graystone.”

She glared at him.  “How do you know?”

“Your pretty hazel eyes moved away from me as you spoke.”

Now they rolled upwards in exasperation.  “Okay, so he chose me for the lead in the play.”

“That’s better.  What was the name of the play?”

“Oh, no, Detective.  You need to give me an answer first.  What did you find at his apartment that you’re not sharing with the police?”

He looked straight ahead now.  “Something in his wastebasket.”

“Such as?  And let me see those baby blues of yours, Detective.”

He laughed.  “Several sheets of paper.  From what I could tell, the title of the play he was writing was Songbird.  That’s your nickname, isn’t it?”

She lowered her head.  “Yes.  Mister Sanders approached me a few weeks ago and mentioned that he’d been working on the play.  He asked me to meet him at L’Aiglon’s to tell me more about it.  The other night, he gave me a copy of the music score to look over.  That’s why I went to his apartment.  It was a great honor having him write a musical for me, especially with his reputation.”

“So, he wrote it for you?”

She snapped her head up.  “With me in mind for the lead, I meant to say.”

“Right.  If he gave you a copy, then he still had the original?”

“He was reviewing it when I left his apartment.”

Jax wrote that down.  “Did he get along with everyone at the theater?”

“Hold on.  It’s my turn.  What didn’t you find at the apartment?  You said there were things you found and didn’t find.”

Jax hesitated, then flipped through his notepad.  “He was carrying his dinner with him when he arrived at the apartment, but I couldn’t find any remnants of it.  Was he eating dinner when you got there?”

“I saw a lunchbox on his desk, but he hadn’t started eating yet.”  She closed her eyes and smiled.  “I don’t know what was in that lunchbox, but it smelled just like my mother’s chicken and dumplings with lots of garlic sauce.  She’s a fabulous cook.”

Jax watched her.  “Most mothers are.  Was Sanders close with any of the performers?”

She broke away from her thoughts.  “Honestly, he wasn’t a very friendly sort, which is probably why none of the other employees attended his service.  He was always strictly business with everyone.  But tell me, Detective, why is it so significant that you didn’t find his dinner that night?  I toss the trash down the chute at the end of the hall in my building.”

“His apartment doesn’t have that convenience.  Tenants are expected to empty their trash in the dumpster outside.  And I couldn’t find any sign of his metal lunch pail either.”

“So, what does that mean?”

“I’m not sure yet.”  He looked at his notepad again.  “How well do you know Robert Ashworth?” 

She didn’t like where this was going.  “I think I’m done playing this game, Detective.  Maybe your friend on the police force is right and you’re making a mountain out of a molehill again.  They don’t think any crime has been committed.  Besides, this is none of my business.”  

He smiled at her.  “Oh, I think you’re just as curious as I am to know what really happened.”

 

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Meath writes historical romance novels that will whisk you away to another time and place in history where you will meet fascinating characters, both fictional and real, who will capture your heart and soul. Meath loves writing about little or unknown people, places and events in history, rather than relying on the typical stories and settings.

The subgenres of her books vary from action-packed westerns, plot twisting murder mysteries and biographies of powerful women who defied the strict rules of society fighting for the freedom of their countries. Her romances may exclude steamy sexual scenes, yet the intensity between heroine and hero will satisfy your deepest fantasies.

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Lies, Spies, and the Baker’s Surprise by Terry Ambrose

Rick Atwood is happy to welcome Henry and Tara Nicholas to his Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast. Henry owns a bakery and Tara, a bookstore. They seem like a nice couple—until Rick’s daughter Alex overhears Henry talking on his cellphone to his real wife. The situation blows up the following morning when Tara discovers Henry has been lying to her—thanks in part to Alex’s interference. Tara disrupts the entire breakfast service. She then demands Rick evict Henry.

After finding Henry a room at the town’s motel, Rick hopes the drama is over. But when Henry is found dead the following morning, Rick feels partially responsible. He and Chief of Police Adam Cunningham launch an official murder investigation. They quickly find multiple witnesses who saw Tara in Henry’s room at the time of the murder.

Alex, convinced Tara is innocent, launches her own undercover investigation. Her discovery puts her in a deadly showdown with a sociopath on a bluff near the Seaside Cove Lighthouse. What happens on the bluff could make or break the official murder investigation.

~~ Amazon ~~

About the Author

Once upon a time, in a life he’d rather forget, Terry Ambrose, tracked down deadbeats for a living. He also hired big guys with tow trucks to steal cars—but only when negotiations failed. Those years of chasing deadbeats taught him many valuable life lessons such as—always keep your car in the garage.

Terry has written eighteen books, several of which have been award finalists. In 2014, his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. His series include the Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mysteries, the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries, and the License to Lie thriller series.

You can learn more about Terry and his writing at terryambrose.com.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 23 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT  
May 24 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 25 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
May 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Celticlady's Reviews -SPOTLIGHT
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May 27 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW 
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May 28 – Ravenz Reviewz – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 29 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
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May 31 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST
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June 1 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST
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April Showers Bring Dead Flowers by Krista Lockheart

A powerful new cozy mystery series from award-winning author Krista Lockheart. Join greenhouse expert Heather Moore and her sassy chihuahua as they uncover something unexpected in her new estate garden in this buzz-worthy fresh novel.

There’s something growing in the garden . . . and it’s not a flower.

A mystery is growing in the garden!

Greenhouse expert and horticulture Professor Heather Moore gets a new lease on life when she inherits her grandparents’ estate in New England. But the garden she loved as a child has seen better days. Determined to restore her grandfather’s garden to its former beauty, she’s accompanied by Ant, her charming chihuahua, and two of her favorite former students.

But wait, what? Ant suddenly digs up an even bigger challenge when he finds some human remains buried in an old potting shed. As she discovers clues and follows the evidence, a few suspects cross her mind, but ultimately they point to one wily and clever killer. Suddenly in danger herself, can Heather solve this puzzling mystery, restore her family’s legacy, and bring about justice?

April Showers Bring Dead Flowers is the first novel in the Murder on the Vine series. Join Heather and Ant as they explore the seedy underworld of gardens, greenhouses, and flower shops in this 'unputdownable' murder mystery!

Extremely funny, with a fast-paced plot and appealing characters, this adorable and ingenious story will embed itself in your heart and grow into one of your favorite reads.

Perfect for chick-lit fans, and with a dash of sweet romance as well, this will appeal and be highly accessible to many readers.

Don't miss this breakout novel in the cozy genre and pick up a copy today!

~~ Amazon ~~

Excerpt

The alarm stopped briefly, and they both looked toward the entrance. Several firefighters ran inside the market with their equipment right before the alarm went off again—louder and more agitating than before. Ant suddenly perked up, getting spooked at the loud noise. Heather had put her guard down and didn’t have a strong hold on the leash anymore, so he slipped right out of her grasp. Before she knew it, Ant took off running on his little frantic legs that were determined to get away from all this noise.

Heather took off running to find Ant. Once she got into a wide-open space, she stopped to calm herself, looking all around to see where he headed off to, but her little guy was nowhere to be found. Now, panic struck her, and she ran to her car to see if he was hiding there. She dropped to the ground immediately to look under her car, but there was so sign of him. Rolling over to check under the other vehicles, her hopes were dashed yet again. This day had turned out to be a complete disaster!

She jumped up, hitting her head against her side mirror in the process, and she rubbed her head to soothe the pain of the sudden impact. A little pain wouldn’t slow Heather down when her most favorite thing in the world was missing. “Anthurium!” she yelled to get his attention. “Where are you?” 

A group of people walked past Heather, and she stepped in front of them. “Have you seen a little Chihuahua running around here? He got away from me, and I can’t seem to find him!”

They all looked at each other and shook their heads. “I’m sorry. We haven’t seen your dog,” one of the women said. “We’ll keep an eye out for him.”

Though she felt dejected and overwhelmed, Heather kept searching for Ant until a hush fell over the area after the firefighters turned off the fire alarm. That was when she heard it—his funny little bark that almost sounded like a turkey call. It was unmistakable—that was Ant! 

She looked all around, and then suddenly, she saw him high on top of a steep hill she knew she’d never be able to climb. Heather ran to the bottom of the hill and called up to reassure him. “Mommy’s here, Anthurium! And I’m going to save you, no matter what it takes.” She looked back at the main road and saw a line of firefighters headed back to their trucks.

“No, you can’t leave! I need your help!” As Heather yelled, she ran toward the firemen as the last one was about to step onto the truck. “Please! Please! You’ve got to help me! My dog is stuck up on that tall hill!”

The young firefighter followed Heather’s finger and had to squint to see the little guy bouncing around on top of the hill. He looked like he was having the time of his life, but Heather knew he was more nervous and frantic than playful. 

“Please!” Heather begged the fireman again. “He’s my entire world! I can’t lose him.”

“Okay, okay, okay. We’ll help you.” The young man put his hand on Heather’s back to calm her. “Don’t worry. We’ll get him down in no time.”

Heather watched as they drove their truck around the block to get to the bottom of the hill, then she ran like crazy to get as close as she could. They extended the ladder up to the top of the steep hill, and the young firefighter climbed up to retrieve Ant. From where Heather stood, she could see him shaking like a leaf. Tears fell down her face upon realizing how scared he was. 

Once the firefighter got back down the ladder with Ant, he jumped out of the young man’s arms and into Heather’s, then licked her face all over and wagged his tail. He was no longer shaking out of fear—now, he was just happy to be back with Heather.

“I’m so over this place, big boy! What do you say we get out of here?” Heather finally let out a deep sigh of relief and thanked the firefighters for their help. She held on tight to Ant as she walked toward her car. There were more important things in life than getting her hands on some beautiful flowers, and she was grateful to learn that lesson with no harm befalling her best friend.

 

About the Author

Award-winning author Krista Lockheart writes irresistible cozy mysteries filled with humor and buzzworthy characters and plots. Her favorite activity is interacting with her readers from all over the world, and she enjoys their feedback and comments on her social media platforms. She loves good food, good conversation, and good books! Cooking is a passion and she especially enjoys making pasta with vegetables. Chocolate, avocado, and seafood are her favorite foods to celebrate with.

Krista comes from an artistic background, and her art workshops sell out within a few hours of signup. Her work has earned cultural council grants and has been featured in newspapers, magazines, and on TV and on the radio.

In the past few months, her memoir, travel travels, and short stories were published four times in the Writer & Readers’ Magazine, and her travel tale about her expedition to Peru was the editorial feature in DRIFT Travel magazine.

She contributed a short story to a Halloween anthology, and her debut novel was #1 in 12 categories on Amazon during its initial release (including in the Free Kindle Store and in New release categories). It also earned five book awards, including a a First Place award from Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, First Place in Humorous at The BookFest, and a Silver Award from Literary Titan, along with five star editorial reviews.

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Pura Vida by Jim Utsler

Detroit homicide detective Jacob Miller has been accused of many things, but being smart isn’t one of them. The murder of drug dealer Willy is proof enough, but not covering it up is even worse. So why would he think that stealing a fellow inmate’s hidden fortune is any wiser, especially when an ex-mafia family head is after the same thing?

But even the stupidest people have occasional flashes of brilliance, and Jacob is no exception. After being released from prison and moving to sunny Costa Rica, he solves an international murder mystery involving the usual suspects: love, lust, and murder.

Despite that mildly brainiac feather in his cap, he still has to deal with the beef between him, his fellow inmate, and the mob boss…and the violent fallout that ensues.

 

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Excerpt

He just stood there, staring at me, not so casual now. “So why are you here?” he finally said. “And who’s this?” he added, throwing a thumb over his shoulder toward Bob.

“He’s no one. No offense, Bob.” Bob didn’t say anything.

“And why am I here?” I continued.

“Yeah.”

“Because…” I paused. “Bob, would you mind stepping out for a minute?”

Bob shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever.” He closed the door behind himself.

“So, like I was saying—”

“Look, you and your sister and your friend, you already bled me dry. There’s no more.”

I looked around his room, office, study, and all the expensive baubles here and there. I thought about the trophy car his trophy wife drove, the gate that opened and closed automatically, the everyday maid, the pool and hot tub out back. “Looks like you don’t have it so bad.”

“This, this is all my wife’s. I don’t own a damn thing. Between what you and Patari did, you left me nothing.”

“Oh, c’mon,” I said. “It might be in your wife’s name, but it’s yours. I’m sure you, your accountant and attorney Condon took good care of that.”

“And what you did?”

I shook my head. “That’s kind of off the table right now.”

“Is it?” He stood a little straighter now, more forcefully. He was going into offensive, CXO mode.

I had to get the advantage back.

“Yep,” I said. “We have other things to discuss.”

“Such as?”

“A couple of premature deaths.”

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Cover Art (A Charley Scott Mystery) by Vanessa Westermann

Charley Scott is thrilled to be running a summer pop-up gallery in cottage country. Returning to the lakeside village, not on vacation but as an artist, she’s determined to turn her hobby into a career.

But, beneath the surface of this peaceful town, darkness lurks. There’s a history.

Local chocolatier, Matt Thorn, is struggling with his father’s death and his legacy of deception. As Matt plans to expose his father’s secrets, a local is found dead, the result of eating Matt’s chocolates.

Luckily, art is all about perspective and Charley’s always had a keen eye. Can she see past the obvious and find the killer?

Amazon ~~ B&N ~~ Indigo

Excerpt

Charley stepped out onto the stone patio, but behind her she felt the space open up, widen. She glanced back.

Kayla hesitated on the threshold. One frozen beat. Then she seemed to jerk into motion, to force herself forward.

They clustered on the patio, in the line of the wind. The lawn sloped down and away, toward the water. From that elevated position, even in the dusk, the view was stunning. The lake shimmered sunset red. The sky inverted, clouds and spruce and all. The reflection like a lithograph on stone, freshly inked.

Andrew’s house looked out onto the bay. The perspective here was different than theirs, the property more secluded. Private. A shield of evergreens blocked the view to the neighbours, the shoreline between the waterfronts thick with cattails and bulrush.

Unless someone was out on the lake, there would be no witnesses. No one to help.

“When did Andrew come outside?” Meghan asked.

“Right after dinner,” Kayla said. “We ate late. I’m not sure what time it was.”

The tag-team questions kept up a steady stream of conversation. A distraction to ease the pain and, in this case, Charley knew, a tool. To gather information.

Alex pulled out his phone. A bright beam of light hit the ground. He’d switched on the flashlight app. For some reason, that single action sent a shiver down her spine. A loon cried, an eerie, haunting sound that carried across the water.

Meghan turned to Kayla. “You don’t need to go through this again. Charley can wait inside with you.”

Alex nodded. “We can take it from here.”

He caught her eye and she got the message. The offer wasn’t an act of kindness. It was a trap.

But Kayla set her jaw, a stubborn tilt to her chin. “I can handle it.” As though to prove it, she led the way.

Grass rustled beneath the soles of their shoes. Someone’s breath rasped, faster, louder than it should have in that ominous silence as Kayla led them to her husband’s body.

In the shadow of the trees, it was darker still. Insects hummed around them, on the hunt for blood.

The beam of light caught the back of a red Adirondack chair. One solitary chair, positioned on its own. Light flooded over the curved yoke, crisscrossed through the wooden planks.

The chair was empty.

The light moved on, sweeping through the air, then down over indistinct shapes, the rocks by the water.

“There.” Kayla broke the silence. “Grandmother would say, he’s gone to live with the People of the Day.” In the sky, where spirits laughed and sang and played. His soul purified by a quick, violent death.

A motionless figure lay on the ground.

When the light hit the man’s face, Charley sucked in a breath. The swollen mouth and throat, the welts on the skin—

“His worst nightmare come true,” Kayla said in a calm, almost detached voice. “Not being able to breathe and out here alone.”

There was little doubt what had caused Andrew’s death.

About the Author

An avid reader of mysteries, Vanessa Westermann is a former Arthur Ellis Awards judge, holds an M.A. in English Literature, as well as a Bachelor of Education, and has taught creative writing. Her debut mystery, An Excuse for Murder, was published in 2019. At the heart of all of Westermann’s stories are strong female protagonists inspired by the heroines in her own life. She currently lives in Ontario.

Blog ~~ Twitter ~~ Facebook ~~ Goodreads ~~ BookBub

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 13 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 13 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
May 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
May 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 15 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
May 16 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 17 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 17 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
May 18 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
May 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 20 – Baroness' Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 21 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
May 22 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – I Read What You Write – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 25 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT  
May 25 – Drink Coffee and Read Books – REVIEW
May 26 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  
May 26 – Novels Alive – REVIEW