A Conversion with Mystery Author Annie Adams

with Annie Adams

We are delighted to welcome mystery author Annie Adams to Omnimystery News today, courtesy of Cozy Mystery Books Tours, which is coordinating her current book tour. We encourage you to visit all of the participating host sites; you can find her schedule here.

Annie introduces flower shop owner Quincy McKay in The Final Arrangement (CreateSpace, January 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats).

We recently had a chance to talk to Annie about her new series.

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Omnimystery News: We're always curious how a writer decides between a stand-alone and a series book. How did you make your decision?

Photo provided courtesy of
Annie Adams

Annie Adams: I'm really drawn to recurring characters and series in my own reading. Before I had read Agatha Christie, when I was young, my dad would watch Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. I loved when Poirot with David Suchet would come on. In junior high school I checked out all of Agatha Christie's books from the library, but I gravitated toward the series books. My main character, Quincy, definitely changes throughout the book as she faces certain challenges, but she also remains the same person with the same background that has influenced who she is.

OMN: Into what genre would you place your books?

AA: The Final Arrangement and the entire planned Flower Shop Mystery Series are cozies. Cozy mysteries are definitely a niche category, but the great thing about that is that cozy fans are very sincere and very loyal. Cozy fans (like me) search out new books in the genre, which makes up for what might be a less broad appeal to other genre fans.

OMN: Tell us something about the book that isn't mentioned in the synopsis.

AA: Quincy calls her flower delivery van Zombie Sue. Sue has got to be a member of the undead. She drives and drives, gets bumped and bashed, but doesn't seem to retain any dents. While she may be old, she still has her get up and go.

OMN: How much of your own experiences did you include in The Final Arrangement?

AA: The cliche about truth being stranger than fiction is true in the case of the flower shop. I've seen what seems to be everything, but then I'm frequently reminded that I haven't seen it all by a wonderfully bizarre real character. The characters in my book are fictional, but some of the scenes which might seem to readers to be hard to believe might have actually happened. The exploding tire episode actually happened!

OMN: Describe for us the setting for the series.

AA: The Final Arrangement is set in Northern Utah in a fictional town that matches where I'm from or have lived. The setting is an extremely important element in the book, because the influence of culture and religion is deep seated in the background and every day lives of the characters. I couldn't ignore the influence the predominant religion has on the lives of the characters in the book, because it has the same presence in the real lives of Utahns

OMN: What kind of research did you engage in while writing the book?

AA: In all of the books in this series, there will be a mention or a focus on some type of ecological theme. The first book includes a thread involving switch grass. I did some online research, but I also had a friend who was involved in switch grass farming who gave me a lot of info. There are other examples in the book as well. It's great to have friends with different interests and backgrounds!

OMN: What authors do you enjoy reading?

AA: I read Janet Evanovich, Dianne Mott Davidson, Ray Bradbury, Jonathan Kellerman, Suzanne Collins and others.

OMN: What's next for you?

AA: I'm in the middle of book two in the Flower Shop Mystery Series, Deadly Arrangements. I'll also be attending RWA's national convention for the first time next month.

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Annie Adams lives with her husband, two giant dogs, and two too giant cats in Northern Utah at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. When not writing she can be found arranging flowers or delivering them in her own Zombie Delivery Van. To learn more about the author and her books, please visit her website at AnnieAdamsTheAuthor.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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The Final Arrangement
Annie Adams
A Quincy McKay, Flower Shop Mystery (1st in series)

Pushing petals can be murder …

The body of Quincy McKay's nemesis and biggest competitor in the floral business has just been discovered in a casket at the mortuary, complete with flowers on the lid.

Derrick Gibbons, aka The Vulture, stole all of Quincy's funeral business, and now she's on a mission to get it back. But there's a problem — Quincy is now the main suspect in The Vulture's murder.

Armed with only her Zombie delivery van, good intentions, and the business card of a handsome cop named Alex, she must find the killer, save the flower shop, and keep from ending up in the next casket. If she can dodge burning bushes, the plague of a polygamist ex, and her mother's Mormon Mafia Spy Network, her life with Alex and her shop could become the perfect arrangement.

    

Buffalo Dick by Duff O'Brian is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Buffalo Dick by Duff O'Brian as today's fifth free mystery ebook (A Buffalo Dick Maddock Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 15, 2013 at 7:50 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Buffalo Dick
Duff O'Brian
A Buffalo Dick Maddock Mystery
Publisher: Wolf House Press

After a bullet to the head ends his bright career in the darkest part of America’s 21st century military, Buffalo Dick Maddock is adjusting to civilian life as an open-source intelligence agent. His first assignment: Investigate the gruesome deaths of four young day-laborers at a food irradiation plant under construction in rural Brazil.

Buffalo Dick discovers quickly that everyone around him is lying — everyone, that is, except Rosario, his beautiful Brazilian photographer and translator. But then, Dick is lying to everyone as well. Within minutes, it becomes apparent that his first civilian assignment might very well be his last. Suddenly, the man who has all the time in the world is racing the clock to keep a group of aging radicals from turning Manhattan into a ghost town.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Body Toll by Bruce Thomason is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Body Toll by Bruce Thomason as today's fourth free mystery ebook (A Clay Randall Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 15, 2013 at 7:40 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Body Toll
Bruce Thomason
A Clay Randall Mystery
Publisher: BATJAK Publishing

In a city known for its beautiful white sands and vibrant downtown, a vicious murderer is on the prowl for his next victim. As the body toll rises, Detective Sergeant Clay Randall and his team work around the clock to catch the elusive killer before he strikes again.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Destiny Canyon by Val Welch is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Destiny Canyon by Val Welch as today's third free mystery ebook (A Pine Ridge, Arizona Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 15, 2013 at 7:30 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Destiny Canyon
Val Welch
A Pine Ridge, Arizona Mystery
Publisher: Val Welch

Evil, in the form of a psychotic terrorist known as Dante now resides in the remote mountain community of Pine Ridge, Arizona.

Police Chief Gabe Navarro thought he knew his town, yet nothing could have prepared him for the journey he and federal agents Shelby Ryan and Carson Billings of the domestic terrorism unit are about to make into the depths of Dante's terrorist network.

The case begins very close to home for Gabe Navarro. His former fiancée, Eden Malone, and her brother have already been arrested by the agents. They're the children of two dysfunctional sixties era throwbacks who turned the cooking and distribution of meth into the family business. Gabe tried repeatedly to rescue Eden from her family, but their hold over her was too great and ultimately she, along with many others from the community have become deeply entangled in Dante's web.

As the case spins out of control and Gabe Navarro learns the depth of their betrayal he's forced to decide who will survive the final showdown with Dante.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

The Scent of Evil by Rachel O'Brien Kolk is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Scent of Evil by Rachel O'Brien Kolk as today's second free mystery ebook (A Novel of Suspense; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 15, 2013 at 7:20 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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The Scent of Evil
Rachel O'Brien Kolk
A Novel of Suspense
Publisher: Rachel O'Brien Kolk

An artist, living in a small rural community on the shores of Lake Huron, is tormented by ghostly visitations of terrified women. Unidentified and unknown to her, she does not understand why the specters are drawn to her, but each frightening sighting brings with it the tumultuous and chilling emotions of the restless souls. As the visitations become more frequent and her life begins to slowly unravel, she calls on old family friends who are the only hope she has left. Coming to her rescue is a jaded, hard-hearted, paranormal investigator, who is haunted by memories of a betrayal that left his young wife dead and a dream career in ruins.

As the two childhood acquaintances reconnect and investigate, feelings between them start to smolder. Sparks begin to fly, while a correlation is made between the spectral visitors and a nearly forgotten skeleton in the closet of the sleepy little lakeside town. Will the jaded investigator be able to piece it all together in time to save, not only, his second chance at love and happiness, but possibly himself at the same time?

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Black Water by Rosemary McCracken is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Black Water by Rosemary McCracken as today's free mystery ebook (A Pat Tierney Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 15, 2013 at 7:10 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Black Water
Rosemary McCracken
A Pat Tierney Mystery
Publisher: Imajin Books

When Pat Tierney's daughter, Tracy, asks her to help find Tracy's partner, Jamie Collins, their mother-daughter relationship is stretched to the limits. Pat heads out to cottage country where an elderly man, who killed Jamie’s sister in an impaired driving accident ten years ago, has perished in a suspicious fire. Unfortunately, Jamie is the prime suspect.

Pat takes charge at the new branch her investment firm has opened in the seemingly idyllic community where Jamie grew up, and her search for Tracy's missing sweetheart takes her through a maze of fraud, drugs, bikers and murder.

Once again, Pat proves that family can always count on her.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

White Cargo by Stuart Woods is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature White Cargo by Stuart Woods as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, June 15, 2013.

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White Cargo
Stuart Woods
A Tale of Danger and Intrigue
Simon & Schuster

Cat Catledge is a happy man. A self made multi millionaire at fifty, he has a loving wife and a beautiful teenaged daughter. And after years of hard work, he is taking his family on the ultimate dream sabbatical: a two year cruise to the South Pacific via the Panama Canal, aboard his custom built forty-three-foot yacht. He gets as far as Colombia.

Off that country's cocaine dusted shores, Cat's bliss — and his dearly loved family — are permanently shattered by an event so unexpected, so savage, and so tragically final that it leaves Cat completely devastated. Consumed by terrible guilt, he returns home alone, a broken man. Investigations by both the Colombian authorities and the U.S. State Department prove fruitless.

Then, late one night, Cat is awakened by the telephone and, from far away, over a static filled line, an achingly familiar voice utters a single, electrifying word.

Driven by a mixture of hope and anguish, Cat slips back into South America on a desperate search for the daughter he cannot bring himself to believe is dead. Aided by an Australian ex-convict, a beautiful television journalist, and a man known to him only as "Jim", Cat follows a trail of blood and graft, white powder and white slavery, and discovers in himself an unsuspected capacity for ruthlessness and cunning, and — even more surprising — a rekindled capacity for love.

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130615)

Here is today's mystery and suspense update from Big Fish Games …

• The Daily Deal is Fabled Legends: The Dark Piper, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Spirits of Mystery: Song of the Phoenix, just $2.99 through Sunday, June 16, 2013 only.

• Today's Special Deal — Father's Day Two for One Sale! Add two games of equal value to your shopping cart, use coupon code CELEBRATE for Collector's Editions or DAD for standard versions, and the second one is free. No limit on the number of games you may purchase. Offer valid through 11:59 PM PT on June 16th, 2013.

Visit the Omnimystery Entertainment Network for more games of mystery and suspense!

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Today's Daily Deal is Fabled Legends: The Dark Piper

Stop the Dark Piper! The fiend unleashes infested rodents into the town of Hamelin using the magical Pied Piper Flute. As the Fabled Inspector, you are summoned by the duke to investigate and stop this mysterious figure. Defeat the Dark Piper before he leaves a trail of destruction all across Europe!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Saturday, June 15, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Spirits of Mystery: Song of the Phoenix

The Kingdoms of Dragon and Phoenix have been warring with each other for over 300 years. The Princess of the Dragon kingdom was set to wed the Prince of the Phoenix Kingdom in order to bring an end to the conflict but the Prince has been kidnapped! An evil witch, trapped in stone hundreds of years ago, orchestrated the abduction of the Prince. If the two Kingdoms cannot form a truce through matrimony, then the witch will break free from her prison. Help the Princess locate her missing groom and unite the two Kingdoms in this captivating Hidden Object game!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game at the special price of $2.99 through Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Kneading To Die, a Kristan Connor, Pawsitively Organic Gourmet Pet Food Mystery by Liz Mugavero, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Kneading To Die by Liz Mugavero, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Kensington.

(Parenthetical editorial comment: This is one of those discounted mysteries that we're often unsure whether to mention or not. It's a brand new title, published just last month; listed at an odd, possibly posted in error, price; and not price-matched by any other vendor; all of which suggests to us it may not be available for very long at this price.)

The ebook format of this title was priced at $2.10 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (06/14/2013 at 1:30 PM ET). Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

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Kneading To Die by Liz Mugavero
A Kristan Connor, Pawsitively Organic Gourmet Pet Food Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Kensington

Maybe the best thing that ever happened to Kristan "Stan" Connor was losing her high-stress public relations job. Now there's plenty of time to spend in her sleepy new Connecticut town working on her dream: baking healthy, organic pet treats!

Before long the neighborhood dogs are escaping their yards to show up at Stan's doorstep, begging for the kinds of special homemade treats her Maine coon cat Nutty loves so much. And Stan's pet-loving neighbors are thrilled with the new organic options available to their furry family members. But not everyone loves Stan and her newfangled organic ways …

It seems Carole Morganwick, the town vet, is from the old school of pet care. But when Stan swallows her pride and brings a very unwilling Nutty in for a checkup, she not only finds Carole dead under a pile of kibble … but also that she's in the dog house as the prime suspect! Finding the real killer and clearing her name will require some seriously surreptitious sniffing around … and hopefully, curiosity won't kill this innocent cat!

  

Important Note: This book was listed at the above mentioned price on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Open Road's Map of Mystery: Read Your Way Through the USA

Earlier this week we mentioned that Open Road Integrated Media had lowered the price on a number of its mystery and suspense ebook titles. At the time we didn't realize there was a theme behind their promotion … and what a clever theme it is!

Open Road has selected over 60 books representing every state in the US plus Washington DC and created a Map of Mystery: Read Your Way Through the USA (right; click for larger, more complete version). "Each novel encapsulates the unique flora and fauna of its home state and weaves in a tale of villainy and intrigue you won't want to miss," the publisher says in a blog post announcing the promotion.

We're listing all the featured books below, alphabetically by author within each of four regions with purchase links on Amazon and iTunes. All are priced (as of the date and time of this post) at $3.99 or less. If you'd like to see the complete list of titles on Amazon, use this link (which includes a few other titles by the publisher, also in this price range, but not part of the promotion).

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Northeast …

No One Rides for Free by Larry Beinhart — Amazon | iTunes
The Manx Murders by William L. DeAndrea — Amazon | iTunes
Death on Deadline by Robert Goldsborough — Amazon | iTunes
Blunt Darts by Jeremiah Healy — Amazon | iTunes
Compromising Positions by Susan Isaacs — Amazon | iTunes
Smugglers Notch by Joseph Koenig — Amazon | iTunes
The Gladstone Bag by Charlotte MacLeod — Amazon | iTunes
To Die For by Joyce Maynard — Amazon | iTunes
Jimmy the Stick by Michael Mayo — Amazon | iTunes
Charisma by Orania Papazoglou — Amazon | iTunes
Strike Three You're Dead by R. D. Rosen — Amazon | iTunes
No Lesser Plea by Robert K. Tanenbaum — Amazon | iTunes
Law and Order by Dorothy Uhnak — Amazon | iTunes

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South …

Perfect Justice by William Bernhardt — Amazon | iTunes
Primary Justice by William Bernhardt — Amazon | iTunes
The Pistoleer by James Carlos Blake — Amazon | iTunes
The Institute by James M. Cain — Amazon | iTunes
Streets of Fire by Thomas H. Cook — Amazon | iTunes
Under Siege by Stephen Coonts — Amazon | iTunes
The Obstacle Course by J. F. Freedman — Amazon | iTunes
Calling Dr. Patchwork by Ron Goulart — Amazon | iTunes
Under Cover of Daylight by James W. Hall — Amazon | iTunes
The Woman Who Fell from Grace by David Handler — Amazon | iTunes
Powder Burn by Carl Hiaasen — Amazon | iTunes
Eye of Vengeance by Jonathon King — Amazon | iTunes
The Ninth Dominion by Jon Land — Amazon | iTunes
Murder at Monticello by Jane Langton — Amazon | iTunes
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye by Horace McCoy — Amazon | iTunes
Only the Wicked by Gary Phillips — Amazon | iTunes
The Egyptian Cross Mystery by Ellery Queen — Amazon | iTunes
They Don't Dance Much by James Ross — Amazon | iTunes
Carolina Skeletons by David Stout — Amazon | iTunes
Labyrinth by Mark T. Sullivan — Amazon | iTunes

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Midwest …

Notches by Peter Bowen — Amazon | iTunes
Wolf in Man's Clothing by Mignon G. Eberhart — Amazon | iTunes
Whiskey River by Loren D. Estleman — Amazon | iTunes
Manifest Destiny by Brian Garfield — Amazon | iTunes
Ticket to Ride by Ed Gorman — Amazon | iTunes
Desperadoes by Ron Hansen — Amazon | iTunes
Drawing Dead by Pete Hautman — Amazon | iTunes
Lieberman's Folly by Stuart M. Kaminsky — Amazon | iTunes
Gray Matter by Shirley Kennett — Amazon | iTunes
Dancing with the Dead by John Lutz — Amazon | iTunes
The Harker File by Marc Olden — Amazon | iTunes
An Officer and a Lady by Rex Stout — Amazon | iTunes

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West …

Coyote Wind by Peter Bowen — Amazon | iTunes
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C. J. Box — Amazon | iTunes
The Alvarez Journal by Rex Burns — Amazon | iTunes
Sudden Exposure by Susan Dunlap — Amazon | iTunes
The Rabbi of Lud by Stanley Elkin — Amazon | iTunes
Clandestine by James Ellroy — Amazon | iTunes
The Case of the Angry Actress by Howard Fast — Amazon | iTunes
Outlaw in Paradise by Patricia Gaffney — Amazon | iTunes
Sweeny's Honor by Brian Garfield — Amazon | iTunes
Cry of the Panther by Jeff Gulvin — Amazon | iTunes
Troublemaker by Joseph Hansen — Amazon | iTunes
Burning Rose by Shirley Kennett — Amazon | iTunes
The Golden Gate Is Red by Jim Kohlberg — Amazon | iTunes
The Little Death by Michael Nava — Amazon | iTunes
One for Our Baby by John Sandrolini — Amazon | iTunes
Wall of Glass by Walter Satterthwait — Amazon | iTunes
The Fall Line by Mark T. Sullivan — Amazon | iTunes
Way Down on the High Lonely by Don Winslow — Amazon | iTunes

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Open Road says that the promotion will go through Tuesday, June 18th, 2013.

New Trailer for Action Thriller Elysium

A new, very long — 3+ minutes — trailer has been released by TriStar for the futuristic action thriller Elysium (embedded, below).

In the year 2159, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet's crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium — but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens' luxurious lifestyle.

The only man with the chance bring equality to these worlds is Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission — one that pits him against Elysium's Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line forces — but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well.

To be honest, we're not entirely convinced about this, though we generally enjoy Matt Damon's films and will watch almost anything starring Jodie Foster, so will likely see it at some point. And, to be sure, the trailer has a strong look to it.

Written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, Elysium opens in theaters August 09, 2013.

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A Conversation with Forensic Mystery Author Jen J. Danna

with Jen J. Danna

We are delighted to welcome mystery author Jen J. Danna to Omnimystery News today.

Jen's new mystery is Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It (Five Star; June 2013 hardcover), which introduces homicide detective Leigh Abbott and forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell.

We recently had the opportunity to talk to Jen about her new series.

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Omnimystery News: Why did you choose to write Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It as the first in a mystery series?

Photo provided courtesy of
Jen J. Danna

Jen J. Danna: I've always loved series. From Sherlock Holmes to Perry Mason to Inspector Gamache to Eve Dallas and Roarke, I love getting to know characters and then travelling with them as they grow and evolve over a long arc. So when I first started to plan the Abbott and Lowell forensic mysteries, that kind of long arc storytelling was always my intention. So far, two novels and a novella are written and even in that short span, the characters are growing and deepening in great ways.

OMN: What kind of "mystery" is it?

JJD: A forensic mystery. My publisher would label it a forensic thriller, and it definitely has thriller aspects to it, but at its heart it's a forensic mystery. I don't think there's a disadvantage to marketing it as such as that's really what it is. It may not appeal to all mystery lovers, but there absolutely is a group who love that kind of sub-genre.

OMN: The book has a very interesting title. Is there a backstory to it?

JJD: The title for Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It is actually a line from a poem entitled "Across the Lines" by Ethel Lynn Eliot Beers. Composed during the American Civil War, the poem tells of a Union soldier, fallen on the battlefield and on the brink of death, who fears being buried in an unmarked grave without a headstone to tell the world of his passing. It was a perfect fit for the main theme of the novel.

Dead? and here — where yonder banner
Flaunts its scanty group of stars,
And that rebel emblem binds me
Close within those bloody bars.
Dead? without a stone to tell it,
Nor a flower above my breast!
Dead? where none will whisper softly,
"Here a brave man lies at rest!"

OMN: Describe your writing process for us.

JJD: My writing process is a little different than most authors as I write with a partner. Ann Vanderlaan and I have been writing together since 2007. What initially started out as an author-beta relationship quickly evolved into something much stronger as Ann became an equal partner in the story planning and brainstorming. Ann is often the brain behind the writer because it's her flashes of insight that produce the best twists in our storytelling. It's definitely a case of two heads are better than one.

Once we have the basic story outlined, leaving enough gaps to allow for creative leeway during drafting, I write each chapter and then we edit that chapter several times together before moving on. Once the novel is complete, we do a full story edit before sending it out to our fantastic critique team. Only once we've done one more edit based on their comments is the book ready to go to our editor.

OMN: You're a scientist yourself. Did you include any of your own experience into the book?

JJD: There's a lot of me in one of the two main characters — forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell. Matt is a scientist surrounded by grad students in an academic setting, which is me in my day job. A lot of what comes out of Matt's mouth has come out of mine to my own grad students. His logical thought patterns and scientific method come directly from my own training. Also, many of his mannerisms are mine; my daughters enjoy picking those parts out of the book because they're so recognizable, at least to them.

OMN: As a modern forensic mystery, we're guessing there is a lot of real science to the story.

JJD: I'm a bench scientist by trade, and Ann is a retired scientist, so real fact checking and boots-on-the-ground research is crucial to us. All the science in the book is real and accurate, coming straight from learning the field of forensic anthropology from professional papers written by the top scientists in their field. I visited Boston and Salem twice for research so the locations and people in the book are absolutely true to life. I'm so very grateful for the support and assistance I've received from the Massachusetts State Police, the Essex District Attorney's Office and the Salem Fire Department. Everyone is always so willing to share their knowledge and experiences, and that makes a huge difference when trying to set your series in the real world.

OMN: Tell us about the setting for the book, more specifically the "lonely stretch of coastline" mentioned in the tagline.

JJD: I definitely try to be as true to the setting as possible. In fact, many aspects of the story have come directly from travelling to the area and discovering real places. For instance, the body dump site chosen for Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It changed as I stood on Essex Bay looking out over the coastline. The location of that site is a real place, chosen specifically for its characteristics.

OMN: Who are some of your favorite series characters?

JJD: J. D. Robb writes the "In Death" series. I love the characters in that series, not just the leads, but the entire ensemble. Robb has allowed both the main and secondary characters to grow as the series progresses and that makes for a fuller reading experience.

OMN: When will we next have an opportunity to meet with Leigh and Matt?

JJD: Ann and I have just finished our first series novella, No One Sees Me 'Til I Fall, which occurs in the timeline between Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It and the second book in the series, A Flame in the Wind of Death (release date, May 2014). The novella is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2013. We're hoping to have the third book in the series planned in the next month or so and drafted over the summer for our editor to look at by mid-autumn. We've already got some of the major plot points in place and we're looking forward to being able to continue some of the long arc subplots started in the second book. This time around, we'll be using some of the history of the area to our advantage in an interesting way, and that should make for some very entertaining storytelling.

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A scientist specializing in infectious diseases, Jen J. Danna works as part of a dynamic research group at a cutting-edge Canadian university. Her true passion, however, is indulging her love of the mysterious through her writing. Together with her partner Ann, she crafts suspenseful crime fiction with a realistic scientific edge. Jen lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband and two daughters, and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada.

For more information about Jen, please visit her website at JenJDanna.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also reach her at jenjdanna@gmail.com.

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Dead, Without a Stone To Tell It
Jen J. Danna with Ann Vanderlaan
A Leigh Abbott and Matt Lowell Mystery (1st in series)

When a human bone is found on a lonely stretch of coastline, a determined homicide detective and a reluctant scientist risk their lives as they join forces to bring a serial killer to justice.

Homicide detective Leigh Abbott has something to prove both to herself and to the men in her department.

She's been assigned a difficult challenge: solve a murder where the only evidence is a single bone. To identify the victim and find the killer she must join forces with forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell. Matt's initial refusal is only the first in a series of setbacks.

Matt and Leigh's skills and tenuous partnership are tested when the evidence leads them to a burial ground of unidentified victims where to their horror they stumble upon a freshly ravaged corpse. Before long the serial killer raises the stakes and Matt and Leigh find themselves marked as targets. Now they must stop the killer before they become the next victims.

    

Black Daffodil by Katherine John is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Black Daffodil by Katherine John as today's fifth free mystery ebook (A Trevor Joseph Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 14, 2013 at 7:50 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Black Daffodil
Katherine John
A Trevor Joseph Mystery
Publisher: Accent Press

Detective Trevor Joseph has his work cut out with the advent of a new Welsh synthetically produced drug — black daffodil — and its impact on the criminal fraternities operating in and around Cardiff Bay and the Welsh Valleys.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Ill-Timed Entanglements by Kassandra Lamb is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Ill-Timed Entanglements by Kassandra Lamb as today's fourth free mystery ebook (A Kate Huntington Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 14, 2013 at 7:40 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

— ♦ —

Ill-Timed Entanglements
Kassandra Lamb
A Kate Huntington Mystery
Publisher: Misterio Press

When Kate Huntington agrees to help Rob Franklin's elderly aunt with a problem, the "problem" ends up dead and Kate ends up in the middle of a police investigation. This second adventure in the series has a cozy mystery flavor, and a budding romance to spice things up.

As she and her friends wade through a brimming pool of suspects — some of whom have secrets they would prefer stay buried — Kate finds it hard to deny her growing attraction to another party in the investigation. But it's too soon; she is still grieving for her beloved Eddie. Then Rob surprises everyone when his reaction to this potential romance is both intense and negative. Is he just trying to keep his friend from getting hurt, or could he possibly be jealous?

As the residents of The Villages retirement community continue to die off, and not from natural causes, the question soon becomes not just whether they will find the killer, but at what cost?

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Bad Wolf by Tim McGregor is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Bad Wolf by Tim McGregor as today's third free mystery ebook (The Bad Wolf Chronicles; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 14, 2013 at 7:30 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

— ♦ —

Bad Wolf
Tim McGregor
The Bad Wolf Chronicles
Publisher: Tim McGregor

Detective Lara Mendes's hard work finally pays off when she gets the chance to join the homicide detail. There's only one catch; she has to partner up with a cop no one wants to work with.

John Gallagher is a veteran homicide detective who loves stomping bad guys and hates partners. When the Lieutenant saddles him with this green kid named Mendes, his first reaction is to ditch her but a call comes in about a body on the river bank and the rotation says they're up.

What they find are human remains, mutilated and partially devoured. Their investigation reveals a killer stalking the city with a pack of vicious, feral dogs. And the suspect believes he is a werewolf.

But this is Portland, where crazy bastards outnumber normal ones ten to one. Except there's another catch. The crazy werewolf guy? He isn't crazy …

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.