A New Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

HarperCollins announced today that the new Hercule Poirot novel by Sophie Hannah will be titled The Monogram Murders. It will be published on September 9th, 2014 by William Morrow.

No synopsis yet, but watch Sophie Hannah talk about the book in the video, below.

Please Welcome Back Author Maynard Sims

with Maynard Sims

We are delighted to welcome back to Omnimystery News authors Len Maynard and Mick Sims, who write as Maynard Sims.

They visited with us last week to discuss their most recent mystery thriller, Let Death Begin (Enigmatic Press; February 2014 trade paperback and ebook formats), and we asked them to give us the backstory to the book.

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Photo provided courtesy of
Maynard Sims

Some ideas for stories never die do they? You have an idea, dismiss it, but it stays somewhere in the sub-conscious. You have an idea for a story, write it, but don't like it so you delete, or store away.

Our new thriller Let Death Begin is one of those. Len Maynard wrote the raw draft for the story way back in 1992 when we dared one another to write outside our beloved supernatural arena. We both produced a very short thriller novel, which was unusual for us because up until then we were known for short stories and novellas, many of them ghost stories.

Trouble was both "novels" — little more than novella length really — were not very good. So both manuscripts stayed locked in a drawer until recently when we dusted them off. What we read was nowhere near as bad as we had remembered. With a great deal of work - okay completely rewriting them — we have two "pacy and engaging" (ARC views not mine) thrillers.

Let Death Begin is about East End villains and corrupt cops. Not so much based on the Krays, although the two villains featured are similar to the twins. Corruption in the Police is as relevant a story now as it was then, unfortunately. It was originally called The Killing Room, after the South American rooms built for just that purpose, and such a room does feature in the plot. Now the story is novel length and completely updated and revised. It is a mystery thriller as there are plenty of twists and turns in the story.

That happens a lot — an idea that comes and hangs around. Sometimes the plot needs time to germinate in the mind until it is ready to be born. Other times the idea is little more than an interesting beginning with little meat on the bones of the plot to get to anywhere near an ending. Stories that need to be told don't always find a voice immediately.

With our short stories we have always had a solution to that. If one started a story and got lost along the way they handed it over to the other for them to finish it. Not as easy as it sounds, because a story has to have a voice and that voice has to be consistent. Now we have been doing it for while we have a joint voice that makes the process smoother. Our first professional sale was 1974 and so 2014 marks a significant anniversary for us.

That way of working isn't so easy with a novel of course. The threads are more complex. The plot more involved. The story told over a much greater length. Generally with novels we have found that one writes and one edits and revises. So the narrative voice is consistent.

Sometimes an idea comes fully formed. The beginning, middle and end all present themselves in the mind and the writing takes care of itself. More often though it is a beginning that shouts at the brain and from there it is a process of adding the rest. Sometimes we do that as we go along, other times the whole book is mapped out in outline. When we go the first route and let the narrative drive itself we find the characters have a very loud voice in where the plot leads.

With Let Death Begin that has changed. Because the original was so old Mick Sims has taken up the original story and significantly revised it. The original story is similar but with plot elements added and deleted. The characters are Len's and their actions are unchanged, to a large extent, but the plot has altered. We have been able to work like that because we have a Maynard Sims style now that is natural to both of us.

We have decided to try the self publish route — alongside our traditionally published novels — and have used Enigmatic Press for the purpose. The covers have been professionally produced for us and I have to say that the Createspace paperbacks look and feel really good. The process is simple and the end result is excellent. Putting on Kindle is a piece of cake as well.

In the book James is shot by a clown. Sara's house is broken into and some letters stolen. James is an ordinary man thrust into an extraordinary situation as his current life collides with his past. Soon he is fighting to stay alive. It's a character-led thriller.

Titles are strange things as well. The original title The Killing Room had already been done by the time we rewrote so we had to come up with something different. As the book was so much changed anyway it was an easy choice to make to alter the title.

I always find it interesting where story titles come from. Sometimes the title is created from within the story itself, when the subject just has to be paraded like that. Sometimes I've had story ideas when listening to music and the title has come from a line in the song. Examples of that from my own stories include "Between the Dead Men and the Blind" a line from 40,000 Headmen by Traffic, "Soaking Wet Without a Boat" a line from a Monkees B side (Remember those? The group and 45 singles.), and "Slightly All the Time" which is the title of the Soft Machine track from Third (my favourite piece of music bar none). Oh, and another one of ours — Flame was a follow up novella to Moths, so the title was an easy choice. And then there are oblique titles which are intended as hints or suggestions about a theme. I'm guessing there are loads more ways titles get chosen.

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2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the first professional sale from Len Maynard & Mick Sims who write together as Maynard Sims. Both born in London, and friends for 50 years, they began with short stories and have nine collections, five novellas and numerous magazine and anthology credits. They ran a small press where they edited several acclaimed titles under the Enigmatic brand, before being asked to edit several Darkness Rising anthologies.

2006 saw their first novel published and since then they have had ten novels published with a further six scheduled. These include the Department 18 series, and the Bahamas series. They have won awards for screenplays, have written children's stories, romances and mainstream stories.

They write full time, having held day jobs for the entire time they have been writing together. Each currently lives in Hertfordshire, with two children between them and two grandchildren, one each. They do like symmetry.

For more information about the authors, please visit their website at Maynard-Sims.com or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Let Death Begin
Maynard Sims
A Mystery Thriller

James is shot by a clown. Sara's house is broken into. Mason is killed for what was stolen. What is so important about a few letters? Why is Sara's brother behaving so secretly?

When James becomes embroiled in the police murder investigation it is time for him to step away from his ordinary life and act in extraordinary ways. Only by beating the criminals at their own game, and by staying one step ahead of the police, can James hope to get to the bottom of the mystery — and to stay alive.

  

Moon Mask by James Richardson is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Moon Mask by James Richardson as today's fifth free mystery ebook (An Ancient Relic  … A Deadly Secret  … An Epic Adventure; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 08, 2014 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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Moon Mask
James Richardson
An Ancient Relic  … A Deadly Secret  … An Epic Adventure
Publisher: James Richardson

Jamaica, 1705: An English naval officer boards a slave ship to find its entire crew dead, victims of a horrific disease. The only survivor is the ship's deranged captain, found clutching a mysterious mask, stolen from the depths of Africa.

Venezuela, Present Day: Archaeologist Benjamin King unearths an almost identical mask. But, when members of the dig start dying and the base camp is attacked, he is forced to rely on the enigmatic Nathan Raine, a fugitive and convicted traitor, to save the expedition from a terrible fate.

Hunted from the steamy jungles of the Amazon to the shark-infested waters of the Pacific, Raine and King must navigate a web of deceit and treachery, ancient relics, deadly booby traps and sinister enemies if they are to discover the secret of the Moon Mask  …

  

This is a repeat freebie, last featured on this site on January 21, 2013.

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.

Noble Beginnings by L. T. Ryan is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Noble Beginnings by L. T. Ryan as today's fourth free mystery ebook (A Jack Noble Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 08, 2014 at 7:15 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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Noble Beginnings
L. T. Ryan
A Jack Noble Thriller
Publisher: L. T. Ryan

In March of 2002, while the eyes of the world focused on Afghanistan, Jack Noble finds himself on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. A Marine in name only, Jack is on-loan to the CIA. Normally an integral part of the team, he finds that he is nothing more than a security detail in Iraq.

Jack and his partner Bear have a run-in with four CIA special agents over the treatment of an Iraqi family. Within hours Jack and Bear are detained.

All Jack wanted was to finish his enlistment and move on with his life. All he did was intervene and save a family from unwarranted violence at the hands of four CIA agents. But he soon discovers that he did far more than intervene. He has placed himself dead square in the middle of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of the U.S. government.

  

This is a repeat freebie, last featured on this site on February 01, 2013.

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 Rogue Gentleman by Brian Drake is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Rogue Gentleman by Brian Drake as today's third free mystery ebook (A Steve Dane Adventure; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 08, 2014 at 7:00 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 Rogue Gentleman
Brian Drake
A Steve Dane Adventure
Publisher: Single Bullet Press

International adventurer Steve Dane never should have set foot in Italy. Witnessing a young woman’s kidnapping, he is drawn into the decades-old vendetta behind the crime.

Hired by the girl's father, racing against time as her life hangs in the balance, Dane battles the mafia who want him dead and the police and international agents who want him out of the way. With the help of his lover, Nina Talikova, Dane plunges along a path that leads him past a mere kidnapping and into an ever-more complex world of high stakes, ruled by a powerful and mysterious woman known only as The Duchess.

Life, it seems, is getting cheaper than Dane could ever imagine and The Duchess has put a price on the ultimate weapon that will make it worthless. Only he and Nina have the power to stop a clock that is ticking away the life of both the girl and the world.

  

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.

Blood Bath by Stephen Leather is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Blood Bath by Stephen Leather as today's second free mystery ebook (A Short Story Collection; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 08, 2014 at 6:45 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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Blood Bath
Stephen Leather
A Short Story Collection
Publisher: Stephen Leather

Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale is called in to investigate a series of bloody murders in a struggling hotel.

"Blood Bath" is a short story written by Stephen Leather, accompanied by six more short stories written by fans inspired by the cover and title.

  

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.

Time is of the Essence by Catharine Bramkamp is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Time is of the Essence by Catharine Bramkamp as today's free mystery ebook (A Real Estate Diva Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 08, 2014 at 6:30 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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Time is of the Essence
Catharine Bramkamp
A Real Estate Diva Mystery
Publisher: A Few Little Books

Claim Jump, CA was founded on the principle of act first and suffer the consequences later. But sometimes sooner becomes the new later.
Over building and over population results in disaster when a firestorm sweeps down the forest and into town.

"I could just make out the car lights through the windows on either side of the front door, there was only one way off the mountain. I wondered if anyone considered that a problem? Stuck in traffic, no alternative routes. What a way to live. What a way to die."

  

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.

Havana Lost by Libby Fischer Hellmann is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Havana Lost by Libby Fischer Hellmann as today's Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $0.99 is valid only for today, Thursday, May 08, 2014.

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Havana Lost
Libby Fischer Hellmann
A Novel of Suspense
The Red Herring Press

On the eve of the Cuban Revolution, headstrong 18-year-old Francesca Pacelli flees from her ruthless Mafia-boss father in Havana to the arms of her lover, a rebel fighting with Fidel Castro. Her father, desperate to send her to safety in the US, resorts to torture and blackmail as he searches the island for her.

So begins the first part of a spellbinding saga that spans three generations of the same family. Decades later, the family is lured back to Cuba by the promise of untold riches. But pursuing those riches brings danger as well as opportunity, and ultimately, Francesca's family must confront the lethal consequences of their choices.

  

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 (140508)

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

• Our Featured Title is Relics of Fate: A Penny Macey Mystery.

• The Daily Deal is Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Death Upon an Austrian Sonata: A Dana Knightstone Novel, just $2.99 through Sunday, May 11, 2014 only.

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

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Our Featured Title today is Relics of Fate: A Penny Macey Mystery

Newtown's local PI Jack Macey is kidnapped while investigating a series of robberies linked to a mysterious set of relics discovered in the town. You take on the role of Penny, his daughter, who discovers hes missing after finding a letter addressed to her at his office. Explore the town, talk to its inhabitants and solve intriguing puzzles in this exciting Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour.

Also available for this game:

• Check out the Blog Walkthrough

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Today's Daily Deal is Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova

Here is an incredible adventure based on the true story of the first documented case of vampirism ever! Who or what is killing the townspeople of Kisilova? You and your partner are sent on an improbable journey by the Imperial Court in Vienna. You must investigate a series of strange deaths in a distant town, Kisilova, a far-off region of the Empire on the banks of the Danube River. The murders occurred under strange circumstances and people are fleeing the town in panic. There is a sense of urgency to solving the mystery, as townspeople are dying and it is up to you to find the culprit and stop the murders. In the end you will discover that things are not as they seem; you must put an end to the tragedy that has struck the unfortunate town of Kisilova.

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Thursday, May 08, 2014 — for $2.99.

Also available for this game:

• Get the Strategy Guide.
• Check out the Blog Walkthrough.
• For a more in-depth experience, see the Collector's Edition.

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The current Catch of the Week is Death Upon an Austrian Sonata: A Dana Knightstone Novel

Return to Europe in a brand new adventure as Dana Knightstone, the best-selling novelist who can see ghosts. When your cousin, famed musician Sebastian Knightstone, starts hearing eerie violin music in his Austrian manor, he asks for your help to investigate. But you're not the only one digging up the ghost's secrets — and you find yourself falling headlong into danger! Solve challenging puzzles as you trek through snowy Austrian landscapes in search of missing clues. Can you follow the ghost's trail before time runs out?

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, May 11, 2014.

Also available for this game:

• Get the Strategy Guide.
• Check out the Blog Walkthrough.
• For a more in-depth experience, see the Collector's Edition.

Review: Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood

A Mysterious Review of Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood. A Phryne Fisher Mystery.

Review summary: Phryne Fisher is drawn into two mysteries, one involving the murder of a conductor and the other involving a brilliant mathematician, who is currently lecturing in Melbourne and has ties to British intelligence, in this latest entry of the series. But it is not one of the better ones, with too much time spent on tangential topics and not enough on the mysteries at hand. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Murder and Mendelssohn
Kerry Greenwood
A Phryne Fisher Mystery
Poisoned Pen Press (May 2014)

Publisher synopsis: An orchestral conductor has been found dead and Detective Inspector Jack Robinson needs the delightfully incisive and sophisticated Miss Fisher's assistance to enter a world in which he is at sea. Hugh Tregennis, not much liked by anyone, has been murdered in a most flamboyant mode by a killer with a point to prove. But how many killers is Phryne really stalking?

At the same time, the dark curls, disdainful air and the lavender eyes of mathematician and code-breaker Rupert Sheffield are taking Melbourne by storm. They've certainly taken the heart of Phryne's old friend from the trenches of WW1, John Wilson. Phryne recognises Sheffield as a man who attracts danger and is determined to protect John from harm.

Even with the faithful Dot, Mr and Mrs Butler, and all in her household ready to pull their weight, Phryne's task is complex. While Mendelssohn's Elijah, memories of the Great War, and the science of deduction ring in her head, Phryne's past must also play its part as MI6 become involved in the tangled web of murders.

        

Privileged Lives, A Vince Cardozo Mystery by Edward Stewart: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Privileged Lives by Edward Stewart. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, May 07, 2014 at 5:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

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Privileged Lives by Edward Stewart
A Vince Cardozo Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Open Road

In a private suite at a New York hospital, Beatrice "Babe" Vanderwalk Devens awakens from a seven-year coma. The socialite and fashion designer is stunned to learn that her husband, Scottie, was brought to trial twice — and acquitted — for her attempted murder.

Across town, the naked, mutilated body of a young man wearing a black leather bondage mask is found in an empty apartment in the Beaux Arts Tower, high atop the Museum of Modern Art. Seven miles away, off-duty NYPD lieutenant Vince Cardozo is relaxing on a Brooklyn beach with his twelve-year-old daughter when he gets the call.

Cardozo's investigation into the savage murder of the Beaux Arts John Doe takes him into the exclusive lairs of Manhattan's elite. Babe Devens is part of that world. When Cardozo uncovers a shocking connection between the two cases, it could topple more than just high society.

  

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.

A New MystereBook: Porter's Rule – Saving Grace by Adam Rabinowitz

Here is a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during May 2014 priced $4.99 or less …

Porter's Rule – Saving Grace by Adam Rabinowitz is the first mystery in a new series, introducing crime solving detective Matt Porter.

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Porter's Rule – Saving Grace by Adam Rabinowitz
A Matt Porter Mystery
Publisher: Imagin8 Publishing
Publication Date: May 05, 2014
Price: $3.99 (as of 05/07/14 4:30 PM ET)

Crime solving Detective Matt Porter is a city cop who lives and breathes for justice. He's been single for a while now, and life is going to stay that way. Women, romance and relationships just complicate things. So much so, that Matt lives by his own simple set of rules. Rules which keep him alive. And away from women.

But one morning he meets the beautiful Grace, and despite the warning bells in his head, Matt can't resist the smell of her perfume and the deep sadness she carried in her beautiful green eyes. When two men in black suits threaten to harm Grace, Matt steps in and saves her, and begins breaking all his own rules. But falling for Grace throws Matt into an underworld that destroys everything Matt Porter has worked for.

Now, with his life in ruins, Matt must fight to put his life back together. And face demons from his past. Are his rules strong enough to save him from saving Grace? A fugitive from the law, and hunted by the criminals he seeks to bring to justice, can he solve mystery in time?

  

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

Fly by Wire, A Jammer Davis Mystery by Ward Larsen: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Fly by Wire by Ward Larsen. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, May 07, 2014 at 4:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

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Fly by Wire by Ward Larsen
A Jammer Davis Mystery (2nd in series)
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

With its revolutionary fly-by-wire technology, the C-500 had become the freight airframe of choice. Until a routine delivery goes horribly wrong.

Falling like a stone from six miles up, a brand new C-500 crashes in central France, killing two pilots aboard. When French officials take over this highly public investigation, they call in the best there is: they call Frank "Jammer" Davis.

A retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Davis is part of the NTSB's "go-team". With a reputation for getting things done-and for steamrolling anyone who gets in his way-Davis starts to dig.But just as Davis starts his investigation, news of the crash is overshadowed by a more spectacular disaster: suicide bombers attack oil refineries worldwide, sending governments and financial markets into a tailspin.

A relentless Davis keeps investigating, but uncovering the cause of the crash, and its terrifying connection to this worldwide disaster, reveals a conspiracy of unthinkable proportions — a conspiracy he might not be able to stop.Jammer Davis won't stop until he gets answers — or until somebody stops him from getting answers.

  

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.

Doing It at the Dixie Dew by Ruth Moose, a New 1st in Series Mystery Introducing Beth McKenzie

We are pleased to present you with one of this month's new 1st in Series mysteries: Doing It at the Dixie Dew by Ruth Moose and introducing Beth McKenzie.

What we know about the character: Beth McKenzie owns the Dixie Dew Bed and Breakfast in Littleboro, North Carolina.

For more information about her first murder, see a synopsis of the book, below.

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Doing It at the Dixie Dew by Ruth Moose
Series: A Beth McKenzie Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Format(s): Hardcover, eBook

Winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel.

When Beth McKenzie returns to her hometown and attempts to turn an old Southern mansion into a bed and breakfast called The Dixie Dew, her first guest is murdered. Three days later a young priest who looks better in tennis whites than cleric black is found strangled in his chapel. The whole town of Littleboro is turned upside down, inside out, and Ossie Delbardo, the town cop whose job heretofore mainly involved controlling football traffic on Friday nights, is not cut out to solve the murders. Beth fears her newly opened B&B is in danger of failing. She's even more worried that she is Ossie's number one suspect. Aided by her friend from high school and trusty handyman, she sets out to discover the truth of the murders.

Littleboro has its share of characters, some of which are helpful and others misleading. There's Crazy Reba who lives in a tree, bathes in any bathtub she finds empty, and Dumpster dives; Verna, the town know-it-all and affectionate owner of Robert Redford, a huge white rabbit; and Miss Tempie Merritt, music teacher and organist who always wears hat, gloves, and lace-trimmed white socks. When Beth herself is attacked, there's no more time for baking muffins and stenciling pineapples on the porch. She's in a race to uncover her neighbors' secrets before her hometown becomes her burial ground.

  

Judgment Call, A Joanna Brady Mystery by J. A. Jance: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Judgment Call by J. A. Jance. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, May 07, 2014 at 3:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

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Judgment Call by J. A. Jance
A Joanna Brady Mystery (15th in series)
Publisher: William Morrow

When Joanna Brady's daughter Jenny stumbles across the body of her high school principal Debra Highsmith in the desert, the Cochise County sheriff's personal and professional worlds collide. Though she's tried to protect her children from the dangers of the grown-up world, the search for justice leads straight to her own door and forces her to face the possibility that her beloved daughter may be less perfect than she seems.

Yet the deeper Joanna digs, the more complications she uncovers. It seems the quiet, upstanding principal had a hidden past, full of mysterious secrets she'd successfully kept buried for years.

As the seasoned sheriff juggles professional constraints and personal demands, she finds herself walking a fine line between justice and family that has never been so blurred.

  

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.