As an author, there's nothing more gratifying than meeting
readers who take interest in and appreciate your writing. As a reader, there's
nothing more
fascinating than meeting your favorite authors, then being introduced to more
authors whose
work is new to you. As an author who reads religiously, the combination of those
two things is
heaven…especially when the event is hosted by an indy mystery/thriller bookstore
like the
Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona!
That's what last weekend was for me. Pure bliss. A meeting
of mystery authors from my publishing house that had stars shining down on it. I
got to sit
behind the scenes and chat with fascinating individuals who bring the world of
mystery to life
with their intriguing experiences. And after that, we got to meet readers and
chat about our
writing and just life in general.
You never know what stories will come forward. Like the
author who went out target shooting in the desert with a bunch of men she barely
knew…and
then she stuck one of their guns in her rib cage because she wanted to be able
to describe
the feeling in her book! Now there's a story that could quickly be turned into a
murder
mystery;) Or the other author who's a musician but doesn't talk about his former
life…what
secrets is he hiding? Maybe the author who worked in the IT world with
top-secret software…
was there a Jane Bond in our mix? I should also warn you about the unassuming
gentleman at
the dog park, oh how your comments are inspiring the next great mystery!
Inspiration is all around us, even in the authors we meet.
Here's a quick peek at some of the authors who will be visiting the Cozy Corner
in the year to
come, but don't make assumptions the authors with the secrets could be center
stage or
hiding from view;) Enjoy!
(left to right, Kym Roberts,
Tamara Berry, Lynn Cahoon, Diana Freeman, & Jessica Ellicott)
Eleanor Wilde
#1
When something goes bump in the night . . . it's most likely a plumbing
problem, or something equally mundane. But fake medium Eleanor Wilde is happy to
investigate and cleanse your home of spectral presences—for a fee. Hey, it's a
living . . .
Ellie has an ailing sister to care for, and working as a ghost hunter who
doesn't believe in ghosts helps cover the bills for both of them. When she's
lucky, it also pays for the occasional tropical vacation. Her brother doesn't
exactly approve, but Ellie figures she's providing a service. On her latest job,
though, she may be in for some genuine scares.
The skeptical, reserved, and very rich Nicholas Hartford III has flown her
all the way to his family's ancestral estate in England—supposedly haunted by a
phantom named Xavier. Nicholas thinks it's all just as much a crock as Ellie's
business is, but the fact remains that something is causing the flashes of
light, mysterious accidents, and other apparent pranks in the chilly, eerie
castle. His mother is sure that Xavier is real, and he's willing to employ Ellie
if she can get to the bottom of it and put a stop to the nonsense.
While the food and accommodations are somewhat disappointing (dorm-room
furniture? Really?), Ellie is finding it an adventure to get to know this
eccentric family and their houseguests, and to poke around in the nearby village
for clues. But when an actual dead body appears—and subsequently disappears—at
Castle Hartford, she'll have to apply her talent for trickery and psychological
insight to solve a flesh-and-blood murder.
Mystery [Kensington, On Sale: October 30, 2018, Hardcover /
e-Book, ISBN: 9781496719621 / eISBN: 9781496719652]
Cat Latimer
#3
Love is in the air in Aspen Hills, and it's making a terrible mess of Cat
Latimer's writers' retreat—especially when blood stains the plot…
Ever since her business partner, Shauna, fell for a wealthy landowner in
town, Cat has been working double time to keep her writers' retreat running. And
with the January session almost underway, that spells trouble. As if scheduling
mishaps aren't disastrous enough, Shauna skips out on kitchen duties one
morning, forcing Cat to serve unsuspecting guests store-bought muffins…
But best laid plans really go awry when Shauna discovers her beau missing
from their bed. When his body later turns up in the horse barn, they quickly
find out the victim's scandalous lifestyle left many dying for revenge. While
balancing an eccentric group of aspiring writers and a suspect list for the
record books, Cat soon finds herself on the heels of a killer—and authoring her
most deadly conclusion yet…
Mystery Woman Sleuth
[Kensington, On Sale: November 28, 2017, Mass
Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781496704399 / eISBN: 9781496704405]
In this exciting historical mystery debut set in Victorian England, a
wealthy young widow encounters the pleasures—and scandalous pitfalls—of a London
social season…
Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as
a widow than she did as a wife. After an obligatory year spent mourning her
philandering husband, Reggie, she puts aside her drab black gowns, leaving the
countryside and her money-grubbing in-laws behind. With her young daughter in
tow, Frances rents a home in Belgravia and prepares to welcome her sister, Lily,
arriving from New York—for her first London season.
No sooner has Frances begun her new life than the ghosts of her old one make
an unwelcome appearance. The Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter
implicating Frances in her husband's death. Frances assures Inspector Delaney of
her innocence, but she's also keen to keep him from learning the scandalous
circumstances of Reggie's demise. As fate would have it, her dashing new
neighbor, George Hazelton, is one of only two other people aware of the full
story.
While busy with social engagements on Lily's behalf, and worrying if Reggie
really was murdered, Frances learns of mysterious burglaries plaguing London's
elite. The investigation brings death to her doorstep, and Frances rallies her
wits, a circle of gossips, and the ever- chivalrous Mr. Hazelton to uncover the
truth. A killer is in their midst, perhaps even among her sister's suitors. And
Frances must unmask the villain before Lily's season— and their lives—come to a
most unseemly end…
Mystery Historical
[Kensington, On Sale: June 26, 2018, Hardcover /
e-Book, ISBN: 9781496716873 / eISBN: 9781496716897]
A Beryl and
Edwina Mystery
One would hardly call them birds of a feather, but thrill-seeking American
adventuress Beryl Helliwell and quietly reserved Brit Edwina Davenport do one
thing very well together—solve murders . . .
Sharing lodging in the sleepy English village of Walmsley Parva has eased
some of the financial strain on the two old school chums, but money is still
tight in these lean years following the Great War. All of Beryl's ex-husbands
have proven reluctant to part with her alimony, which is most inconvenient.
So when the local vicar—and pigeon-racing club president— approaches them
with a private inquiry opportunity, the ladies eagerly accept. There's been a
spot of bother: the treasurer has absconded with the club's funds and several
prized birds.
Beryl and Edwina hope to flush out the missing man by checking his
boardinghouse and place of employment at the coal mine. But when they visit the
man's loft, they find their elusive quarry lying in white feathers and a pool of
crimson blood, stabbed to death—the only witnesses cooing mournfully.
After a stiff gin fizz, the ladies resume their search for the missing funds
and prized birds—and now a murderer. Beryl and Edwina aren't shy about ruffling
a few feathers as they home in on their suspects. But they had better find the
killer fast, before their sleuthing career is cut short . . .
Mystery Cozy | Mystery Historical
[Kensington, On Sale: September 25, 2018, Hardcover
/ e-Book, ISBN: 9781496710529 / eISBN: 9781496710536]
The
lady investigators pursue missing pigeons in 1920s Kent...
Until next week when you meet the other authors who
visited The Poisoned Pen, get cozy and read on!
Passion. Mystery. Suspense. Catch the Wave! Because a little
PMS can
change your world!
Kym's love for action an adventure goes all the way back to her childhood when a
special spy
ring guided her and her young pack of sleuths to the henchmen hiding in their
neighborhood.
Armed with a badge and the best equipment a few pennies could buy, she's carried
that code
of honor through adulthood and learned some juicy tricks along the way. ;)
Although she
retired her special shield that's tattooed upon her heart, you might catch her
wearing that ring
when another secret mission calls her name!
Her humor is often raunchy, her jokes are often bad, but her hunger for a story
keep the
adventures coming fast. So Catch the Wave of passion, mystery and suspense—with
some
stupid author tricks along the way;)
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