Book Review: Reversal of Fortune by F.M. Meredith

The Rocky Bluff P.D. is back investigating its latest murders in Reversal of Fortune by F. M. Meredith.

Beth Milligan and Kayla Duval stumble upon the body of the  town's fortune teller. Detective Doug Milligan and his partner, Detective Felix Zachary, arrive to investigate. Reviewing the woman's long list of clients, it soon becomes apparent more than one person could have a reason for wanting Bernadette Wolfort dead. 

When the body of one of their prime suspects is discovered on the fortune teller's property, Doug and Felix know the two murders are related. But who wanted both of them dead? And why? 

It is so wonderful to be back in the small beach town of Rocky Bluff, where the understaffed and overworked members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. live. Having followed this community for years, it is always good to catch up with what is going on in my favorite characters' lives. 

As Doug and Felix investigate these murders, the personal lives of the Rocky Bluff P.D. unfold in the background. Meredith does a fabulous job of sprinkling in a bit of backstory and bringing readers up to date with our favorite Rocky Bluff P.D. members, with one or two of those personal stories unfolding as subplots during the investigation. In Reversal of Fortune, Kayla Duval, the mayor's daughter and Beth's best friend, is dealing with a pushy aunt who has got it in her mind that the girl's deceased mother would prefer Kayla live with her in Los Angeles instead of staying with the father she didn't even know until her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The other subplot is that trouble could be brewing for Gordon Butler and his wife Lizette. 

Reversal of Fortune, like other books in the series, stands alone as an engaging and easy read. You can sit down and read a book in one or two sittings and feel totally satisfied with the outcome when done. I am not sure what is up next for the Rocky Bluff P.D., but I know I will keep reading as long as Meredith keeps writing.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09XLQCNZB
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 9, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8449705860

I received a paperback copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

This post originally appeared at The Book Connection. 

On Sale!: Tangled Webs by F. M. Meredith only 99 cents Jan 25 - 28, 2019

Officer Gordon Butler and his overanxious trainee Dakota Ayala are dispatched to a scene where they find a woman named Melody White who has been stabbed to death. Gordon is not surprised. He’d been called to that address several times to confront Jacob Hulsey who had stalked the victim. The neighbor who placed the call to the Rocky Bluff Police Department reported seeing Hulsey there the night before. But when another neighbor says Melody’s ex-husband had threatened her, and then one of Melody’s co-workers at the day care center where they worked reported a clash between Melody and her boss, suspects seem to be multiplying like Russian nesting dolls. And to add to the difficulty of sorting it all out, Gordon’s new partner is making moves on Gordon’s wife, and detective Doug Milligan’s daughter Beth has become moody and secretive. At least two of the suspects and maybe some others are weaving tangled webs.

File Size: 736 KB
Print Length: 137 pages
Publisher: Aakenbaaken & Kent (September 27, 2018)
Publication Date: September 27, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07HRKZ927

PURCHASE HERE!

F.M. Meredith is the author of over thirty novels including the Rocky Bluff P. D. crime series. Her many relatives and friends in law help her provide realistic stories of police officers and their families. She is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her online at http://fictionforyou.com

Guest Blogger: F.M. Meredith, Author of Unresolved (Rocky Bluff P.D.)

Rocky Bluff P.D. is underpaid and understaffed and when two dead bodies turn up, the department is stretched to the limit. The mayor is the first body discovered, the second an older woman whose death is caused in a bizarre manner. Because no one liked the mayor, including his estranged wife and the members of the city council, the suspects are many, but each one has an alibi.

Copies may be purchased from Book and Table by emailing bookandtablevaldosta@gmail.com with a 10% discount and free shipping.

Books may be ordered from all the usual places as well.

One of My Favorite Characters in the Rocky Bluff P.D. Series

Cheryl asked me to tell about my favorite character in this series, but instead, I wanted to tell you about a fairly new character that I’m growing fond of, the new Chief of Police, Chandra Taylor.

Chandra, the second African American on the RBPD, came to Rocky Bluff from the San Francisco Police Department. She knew her chance of advancing beyond lieutenant were nil. Though the small beach town of Rocky Bluff certainly didn’t compare to San Francisco, it didn’t take long before Chandra began to enjoy her job, the police officers who worked under her and the community itself.

In A Crushing Death, Chandra’s life was threatened by a man she’d arrested in the past and Detective Milligan and his wife, Officer Stacey Milligan, not only protected her but became friends in the process.

When the mayor is murdered and the other members of the city council all become suspects, Chandra finds herself attracted to the man who has become the new mayor, Devon Duvall. Whether or not this attraction will develop, of course, depends upon Devon’s innocence.

It’s always fun for me as an author, when new and interesting characters become a part of the Rocky Bluff series. I hope that readers will enjoy this new twist as well.

F. M. Meredith lived for many years in a small beach community much like Rocky Bluff. She has many relatives and friends who are in law enforcement and share their experiences and expertise with her. She taught writing for Writers Digest Schools for 10 years, and was an instructor at the prestigious Maui Writers Retreat, and has taught at many writers’ conferences. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Violent Departures Blog Tour Schedule

College student, Veronica Randall, disappears from her car in her own driveway, everyone in the Rocky Bluff P.D. is looking for her. Detective Milligan and family move into a house that may be haunted. Officer Butler is assigned to train a new hire and faces several major challenges.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

April 1 http://mmgornell.wordpress.com/

What’s Happening with Gordon Butler?

April 2  http://christanardi.blogspot.com/

            Introduction to the Rocky Bluff P.D. Mystery Series

April 3 http://gumbojustice.blogspot.com/

            My Writing Process

April 4 http://justthefactsmaam.blogspot.com/

            Research

April 5 http://jrlindermuth.blogspot.com/

 What’s Up Next?

April 6  http://marianallen.com/

The Importance of Place

April 7 http://buriedunderbooks.blogspot.com

            Coming Up With New Ideas for an Ongoing Series

April 8  www.paguthrie.blogspot.com

Where Do My Characters Come From?

April 9 www.stephenbrayton.wordpress.com/

            What About the Dialogue?

April 10 http://anastasiapollock.blogspot.com

  Interview

April 11 http://pat-writersforum.blogspot.com/

            How I Keep Up With my Characters and What’s Happened

April 12 http://lesleyadiehl.com/

            After So Many Books, How Do You Get Fresh Ideas?

April 13 http://www.lindathorne.com/blog/

            When to Think About Promotion

April 14 www.samwriteaway.blogspot.com

The Good and Bad of Writing a Series

April 15 http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com

            Ghosts and Why I Write About Them

April 16  http://jlgregerblog.blogspot.com/

            Reading Reviews of my Books

April 17 http://drusbookmusing.blogspot.com/

            Stacey Milligan’s Dilemma

April 18 http://marjamcgraw.blogspot.com/

            The Inspiration for Violent Departures

April 19 http://evelyncullet.com/blog/

            Who Do I Write For?

April 20 https://bookbrowsing.wordpress.com/

            What Makes the Rocky Bluff Mystery Series Unique?

April 21 http://blog.jamesmjackson.com

Final Interview

F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of over thirty published novels. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Besides having family members in law enforcement, she lived in a town much like Rocky Bluff with many police families as neighbors.

Links:

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/ (Check out the contest she is running during the tour!)

Facebook: https://facebook.com/marilynmeredith

F. M. Meredith, Author of the Rocky Bluff P.D. Series at The Busy Mom's Daily Tomorrow!

F. M. Meredith, author of the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, is visiting The Busy Mom's Daily tomorrow to promote the latest book in the series, Murder in the Worst Degree. She's also running a contest. Hope you'll stop by.

Book Review: Dangerous Impulses by F. M. Meredith

Officer Gordon Butler is thrilled to learn he is being partnered with the drop-dead gorgeous new hire, Lizette Gibbs, but happenings in Rocky Bluff are going to keep them too busy for much socializing.

Detectives Doug Milligan and Frank Marshall are called in to investigate the murder of a mother and her teenage son. They have trouble narrowing down the suspects to one likely candidate. Meanwhile, Doug's wife, Vice Officer Stacey Milligan, is looking into a party where numerous teenagers were sickened by a recreational drug, and none of the kids will talk about what happened that night.

The latest installment in F. M. Meredith's Rocky Bluff P.D. series is more proof of why the author has carved out a lengthy and prosperous writing career. In Dangerous Impulses, Meredith brings back favorite characters and introduces new ones, always blending the elements of the characters' personal lives and their jobs. Perfect as a stand-alone novel, new readers will enjoy this murder mystery, and longtime fans of the series will be thrilled to see how everyone in Rocky Bluff is getting along. 

Meredith weaves in numerous sub-plots around the larger plot of the murder investigation and Stacey's questioning of the kids at the party. This gives readers a true sense of community inside and outside of the department. 

Dangerous Impulses is a quick, enjoyable read. I dusted it off in two nights. It only took me that long because I was working on deadline. It was hard to stay away. 

Lovers of police novels and murder mysteries will like this one.

Paperback: 202 pages
Publisher: Dark Oak Mysteries (December 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1610090608
ISBN-13: 978-1610090605

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.


This post first appeared at The Book Connection.

Book Review: Angel Lost by F.M. Meredith

The Rocky Bluff P.D. is back with the latest book in this mystery/crime series, Angel Lost, by F.M. Meredith.

Vice Officer Stacey Wilbur is having trouble keeping the thoughts of her upcoming wedding at bay while at work. Between her job and all the wedding plans, she hasn't had much time to spend with her fiancé, Detective Doug Milligan. Then comes a new case, a flasher showing himself off to women jogging along the beach. Stacey decides to set herself up as bait and Doug is less than happy about it.

Vaughn Aragon has recently transferred to the Rocky Bluff P.D. from L.A. He says he is looking for a slower lifestyle, but his strange behavior makes some of his fellow officers suspicious.

Abel Navarro has trouble concentrating on his work when his mother begins to show signs of Alzheimer's. One forgotten memo could put an officer's life on the line.

When a mysterious angel appears in the window of a local furniture store, not everyone is sure what to make of it. Is it real? Is it a hoax? One thing's for sure, it means members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. will be working crowd control until the excitement dies down.

The lives of the Rocky Bluff P.D. are never boring.

I began reading the Rocky Bluff P.D. series when Smell of Death came out. That was prior to my working with Marilyn Meredith (also writing under the name F.M. Meredith), to promote her Deputy Tempe Crabtree and Rocky Bluff P.D. books. What I picked up right away on with this series, is that Meredith focused on showing how the personal lives of the members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. are impacted by their jobs. From divorces, to deaths, to marriages, and everything in between, a career in law enforcement means you don't leave your job at the door when you come home.

With Angel Lost, it appears the author decided to concentrate more on the personal lives of her characters than their jobs. Not that there isn't a lot going on at the Rocky Bluff P.D.--there is--it's just that we have Stacey and Doug's upcoming wedding, Gordon Butler (my favorite) planning to move out of Doug's house so that Stacey and her son Davey can move in after the wedding, and Abel's mother developing signs of Alzheimer's. The appearance of the angel in the furniture store window is also something I consider more personal, as Barbara and Ryan Strickland are a bit divided over if it's real or not.

I was glad to see the addition of Vaughn Aragon to the force. He quickly became a favorite. I hope we see more of him in future books. I'm also hoping my other favorite, Gordon, gets a book that focuses mostly on him. A lot of what he gets into brings comic relief, but you have to like a guy who attracts nothing but bad luck and odd cases.

With Angel Lost, Meredith continues to do what she does best:  provide an entertaining story that draws you in and takes hold of you until the very last word. In addition, all these books, while part of a series, are excellent stand-alone novels. This book, like the others, left me eager for more of the members of the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Title:  Angel Lost
Author:  F.M. Meredith
Publisher:  Dark Oak Mysteries
ISBN-10: 1610090055
ISBN-13: 978-1610090056

The author paid a fee to promote her book with a virtual book tour through Pump Up Your Book! This fee did not include a favorable review. I received no monetary compensation for this review, which contains my honest opinions of the book. An e-Copy of the book was provided free of charge by the author.

This post first appeared at The Book Connection.

Book Review: Fringe Benefits by F.M. Meredith

A bored, self-centered housewife, a cop who plans the perfect murder, a teenage son who can't handle life at home, a violent rapist who only attacks on Wednesdays, and a series of odd break-ins, come together for an engaging police procedural in Fringe Benefits by F.M. Meredith.

Officer Cal Sylvester has been known to step out on his wife, but he gets more than he bargains for when he hooks up with the greedy wife of a fellow officer. Darcy Butler, the wife of Sylvester's rookie partner, Gordon, is a looker, but his plan to make their affair a more permanent relationship is squashed when Darcy refuses to marry someone who makes as little money as a cop. So Sylvester plans the perfect murder to get his hands on his wife's insurance money.

Sixteen-year-old Adler "Patch" Costello has always been a screw up. Unlike his angelic sister, Jill, he's been a thorn in his parents' side since the day he was born. Unable to deal with his parents' constant criticism, Patch takes to the streets, unaware he's about to become a pawn in a dangerous chessboard that leads to a future he can't conceive.

Members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. work hard to keep the streets of the growing beach community clean, investigating odd break-ins, arresting drunk drivers, and searching for a knife-wielding rapist who only attacks on Wednesday; not knowing that one of their own is operating on the edge of the law.

In the third book of the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, my favorite character is introduced, Gordon Butler. A rookie cop, who if he didn't have bad luck would have no luck at all, is partnered up with Cal Sylvester, a veteran who isn't above taking advantage of the fringe benefits of being a cop.

Gordon is a cop eager to do his best, but the poor guy is the butt of most jokes. His efforts to be a good cop despite his many mishaps, is what endeared him to me in later books in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. What happened with Darcy had been mentioned in future installments, but it was good to finally know the entire story behind how Gordon found himself single again.

Fringe Benefits definitely has an edge to it. You've got a cop who plans to off his wife to collect the insurance money, a teenager whose home life is so bad that he would rather live on the streets than deal with his parents, and the rising crime rate that growth seems to bring.

Abel Navarro, who was more of a supplementary character in earlier books, also gets some time in the limelight. He's frustrated because he keeps arresting drunk drivers, but the D.A. doesn't even bring the cases to court. Navarro gets his own lesson in fringe benefits when he arrests a fire chief from a nearby community for drinking and driving, but discovers he shouldn't have wasted his time. Abel's wife, Maria, is only mildly supportive, and hopes that her husband won't make too many waves that could interfere with his chances for a future promotion.

As with previous and future installments in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, there is a perfect mix of police work and how being involved in law enforcement impacts the family.

I've always been more of a mystery type of person, where the identity of the actual perpetrator is unknown until the very end, so it surprises me how much I've enjoyed reading the books in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, where the reader typically, though not always, knows who committed the crime and journeys along with the detectives as they uncover the clues that lead to an arrest.

It took me a little over a day to finish Fringe Benefits, and if I didn't have a TBR pile that rivaled the Empire State Building, I would reread the next three books in the series.

Fringe Benefits is available through the author's website and also comes in a Kindle edition.

Here is a list of the Rocky Bluff P.D. books in order:

Final Respects
Bad Tidings
Fringe Benefits
Smell of Death
No Sanctuary
An Axe to Grind

Once you read one book in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series you're going to want to own them all. Meredith creates characters you can't help but want to know more about.

This post first appeared at The Book Connection.

Book Review: No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith

Riveting, fast-paced, and filled with twists and turns, No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith is a crime fiction reader's dream.

Officer Stacey Wilbur is the first on the scene of a one-car accident. A green Toyota has smashed into an oak tree and the female driver is dead. But it soon becomes obvious that the accident is a cover up for murder.

The victim is the wife of a popular local minister, and her preacher husband soon becomes the most likely suspect. Gossip in town tells of trouble in their marriage, but as Stacey and Doug start putting pieces together, they find several other likely suspects who could have wanted Mallory Cookmeyer dead.

Called away from the case to work on a special assignment, Stacey is faced with decisions that will impact her career and her budding romance with Doug Milligan, and most likely, put her in harms way.

When we last heard from Stacey Wilbur in Smell of Death, she had broken her long-standing rule of never dating anyone she works with and entered into a relationship with Doug. This gives an already strong character even more depth. A widow, she has been caring for her son Davey with the help of her parents, while trying to juggle a challenging and dangerous career. Having lost her husband in the line of duty, a relationship with Doug offers similar dangers, but it's really their difficult work schedules that make nurturing their relationship tough on Doug and Stacey.

One of the things that Meredith does best with the Rocky Bluff P.D. series is show not only the official side to her characters, but also how working in law enforcement impacts these people's lives--not just the members of the police force, but also their families. I could easily see these books being turned into a television crime series.

Meredith is also wise in making each one truly a stand alone book. These stories focus on different members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. These aren't just Stacey's stories; they are Doug's, Gordon Butler's, Abel Navarro's, Ryan Strickland's, and others who are or were part of the Rocky Bluff P.D.

There are many twists and turns in No Sanctuary, as the reader is led to believe it might be the husband, but then it might be someone on his staff or someone from the church. And this mystery propels the story forward to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

As with Smell of Death, Meredith breaks up all the seriousness with a bit of humor. This time it is mostly brought on by Officer Gordon Butler who rents a room from Doug and who happens to walk in on Doug and Stacey at the worst times. In addition, the banter between Doug and Stacey about the outfit she chooses for her special assignment lightens things up and makes the reader want to see more of these two together in the future.

A fast and suspense-filled read for crime lovers. Pick up a copy of No Sanctuary today!


Title: No Sanctuary
Author: F.M. Meredith
Publisher: Oak Tree Press
ISBN: 978-1-892343-55-0
SRP: $12.95 (US)


This review first appeared at The Book Connection.

Guest Blogger: F.M.Meredith, Author of No Sanctuary

Two churches, two ministers, two wives, one murder.

While on patrol in the central California foothills near Rocky Bluff, Officer Stacey Wilbur spots a car crashed into a giant oak tree. A woman is slumped against the steering wheel, blood pooling on the floor mats. Stacey calls the incident in to her colleague and special friend, Detective Doug Milligan, then secures the scene and waits for emergency crews. The rescue squad confirms Wilbur s judgment. The woman is dead, but it's soon apparent the crash had little to do with her death. The car belongs to the minister of a local church with an upscale congregation, and the dead woman on the front seat is his wife. When Wilbur gives the minister the bad news, it is met with aloofness bordering on unconcern. The typical suspect the spouse first theory ratchets up a few ticks in Stacey Wilbur s analytical mind. Before that jells, however, Wilbur learns there is a potential other woman in the mix. As she sorts through the elements of the case, Stacey tries to find enough time to explore her feelings for Doug Milligan.

Romance in Mystery Novels by F.M. Meredith

Though I write mysteries and crime novels, I’m a firm believer that romance needs to be in every book, no matter the genre.

In my latest Rocky Bluff P.D., No Sanctuary, which I wrote as F. M. Meredith, there is an ongoing attraction between Detective Doug Milligan and Officer Stacey Wilbur.

In earlier books, Stacey had a strict rule not to date anyone who worked on the Rocky Bluff P.D. Because she was the only female police officer, her fellow police officers at first weren’t thrilled when she turned up as back-up for them because of her small stature. However, it didn’t take long for her to prove herself. Of course the single guys flirted with her, and the bumbling Officer Butler actively pursued her to no avail. A widow with a young son, she didn’t want a relationship to complicate her life.

When she first worked with Doug Milligan she found herself attracted to him, but didn’t break her rule. Though they enjoyed each other’s company, Doug was still hurting from his divorce and the fact that his ex-wife quickly remarried and took their children to live in San Diego.

In Smell of Death Stacey and Doug succumb to the attraction and begin dating, though many obstacles pop up—including the fact that Doug rents a room of his house to Officer Gordon Butler. Gordon still has feelings for Stacey though it’s apparent her affections are directed toward Doug.

The romance heats up in No Sanctuary as Stacey helps Doug investigate a murder case. They continue to find it difficult to have any time alone as their jobs interfere, and she needs and wants to spend time with her young son and her parents.

Having Doug and Stacey fall in love has added a dimension to the Rocky Bluff series and is definitely influencing the way things are going to develop in future books. Doug is the perfect man for Stacey—-he misses his own children and will love helping raise Davey—that is if Davey embraces the idea of having a step-father.

Stacey is a fun heroine to write about. She’s gutsy and works on being the kind of police officer who helps people. She also is willing to take chances—-chances that in No Sanctuary give her the opportunity for a new and better paying job—-and another that will nearly cost her life.

To order No Sanctuary you can get it through the publisher at http://www.oaktreebooks.com or Amazon.com or for an autographed copy, from my website: http://fictionforyou.com

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F.M. Meredith


This guest post first appeared at The Book Connection.

Interview with Author F.M. Meredith

We welcome mystery and crime fiction author F.M. Meredith (Marilyn Meredith). We’ll be talking about the latest book in her Rocky Bluff P.D. series, Smell of Death.

Welcome back Marilyn. It’s always a pleasure to have you with us.

Thank you for having me. This is always fun.

Before we begin talking about Smell of Death, why don’t you give readers a refresher of who you are and let them know what you’ve been up to since you last popped in.

I’m the author of over 20 books. Besides the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, I also write the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. Since my last tour, I’ve been to Tampa FL where I was a speaker at a writer’s conference and to Anchorage AK to a mystery convention and then I stayed a few days with a friend in Wasilla and spoke to every class about mystery writing at Wasilla middle school.

This is a bit off-topic, but I am dying to ask you about this. Your website http://fictionforyou.com/ says that you write mysteries, historical novels, and Christian horror. That last one throws me. I didn’t even know there was such a genre. Can you tell us a little bit about it and the Christian horror books you’ve written?

I probably am the one who came up with the name for the genre. It’s horror (really scary) with a Christian theme. The Left Behind Books fit in that category, though in my Christian horror, the heroines may not have the strongest faith, but that’s what carries them through and helps them overcome what ever threat they’ve come up against whether it’s the devil or his demons.



Why don’t you tell us about your Rocky Bluff P.D. series.

This series focuses on the men and women in the Rocky Bluff P.D. and their families. My intention is to show how what goes on in the job affects the family and what happens in the family affects the job. Though many of the same characters appear in each book, the main characters change. For instance, in the first book, Doug Milligan is the main character and at that time is just a regular officer. He appears as a minor character in the next two books, and in this book he’s become a detective and has a major part.

Officer Stacey Wilbur’s physical size appears to be a disadvantage for her. How does she handle it?

What Stacey doesn’t have in brawn she makes up with by her brain and psychological approach to situations.

In the first chapter of Smell of Death you have a lot going on—a murder, a police officer suffering from horrible nightmares, and a missing toddler. How did you manage to jam that much conflict into one chapter? What do you think the key is to making it work well?

Hopefully, I’ve hooked the reader into continuing on. One thing my son-in-law, a police officer for 15 years, always said was that the police department never has just one case to work on at a time like they do in books and movies. That’s one of the things I wanted to show in all four books and have it be more realistic.

We also meet several members of Rocky Bluff’s police department in this first chapter. Is there anyone you would like to talk more about?

Other officers have come and gone, the ones who are in this book have appeared in others. Gordon Butler is an officer who is interested in Stacey, and sort of becomes the comic relief. He was an important character in the book right before this one, Fringe Benefits.

In addition to being the only female in the department, Stacey is a single-mom. How does she juggle her career and her home life?

Stacey and her son live with her parents. She is fortunate to have her folks to baby-sit Davey.

There’s a hint of romance in Smell of Death. We find out that Stacey is attracted to Detective Doug Milligan, but she has a long standing rule about not dating anyone from the department. Do you think Doug could make her break that rule?

There is definitely a strong attraction between Stacey and Doug. He not only admires her as a woman but soon realizes she’s intelligent and a real asset to the department. To find out if she breaks her rule, you’ll have to read the book.

Where can readers purchase a copy of Smell of Death?

Smell of Death is available as a trade paperback from my website, http://fictionforyou.com or Amazon.

What is up next for you? Are there any upcoming projects you would like to share with our readers?

My next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Kindred Spirits, is expected in August. I’ll be busy promoting Smell of Death and the latest Tempe mystery, Judgment Fire, all this coming year. I’m attending Love is Murder in Chicago, EpiCon in Portland OR, Public Safety Writers Association’s conference in Las Vegas, and Mayhem in the Midlands, in Omaha NE plus library talks and other appearances. And oh yes, while working on another book.

Thanks for joining us today, Marilyn. It was great to speak with you again. I wish you continued success and hope you’ll be stopping by again soon.

This interview first appeared at The Book Connection.