Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder by Mary Cunningham Book Blast and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mary will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Andi’s step-mother is a real piece of work! But is Ruby a murderer?

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent/amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a 60th birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will lead to the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby will be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with the charming local sheriff, Manual Rodriquez. After an embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, a chance to check out an eyewitness to the murder leads her to Las Vegas.

In Vegas, a mysterious meeting in the Bodies Exhibition, a body preserving in the prep-room, and an evasive owner of a dance studio, give Andi clues to help Ruby. But when Andi is mercilessly drugged and locked in a storage room, she realizes dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.

Read an excerpt:

“Señorita Jones?”

I know that voice. I was stupidly listening to the still-ringing phone when a tall man in a uniform slid a pair of aviator sunglasses to the top of his head and stepped toward me. I locked onto smoky hazel eyes. “Ye-yesss. I’m Miss Jones. But, how did you know?”

“Oh, we have our ways.” The corners of his mouth turned up as he pointed to his badge. “I’m Sheriff Gonzales. We spoke on the phone.”

I got nothing. Total loss for words. Even my wildest dreams couldn’t have pictured this square-jawed, golden-skinned, Aztec god, straight out of GQ Magazine. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ruby.

“I was already in the area on official business, and finished in time to meet your flight. I’m parked at the curb. May I take your bag?”

I blinked a couple of times. “What? No, thank you, Sheriff, I can handle it myself. I appreciate the ride, but I could’ve taken a taxi, you know,” I lied and disconnected the phone call to Ellie.

“Considering the stressful nature of the situation, I thought it best someone pick you up. Finding transportation into the city can be confusing. I wanted to blurt out, you might be the most handsome man I’ve seen in my life, but I said, “That might be true for the average tourist, but I’m a travel agent, perfectly capable of finding my way through the city.” I adjusted the strap of my carryon bag, tossed my head, and walked into the side of a trashcan.

Review Blurbs for Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder!


“If Evanovich's Stephanie Plum were a travel agent, she'd fit right in working this case alongside Andi, a wanna-be detective readers are sure to love.” —Regan Black, USA Today bestselling author of the Escape Club Heroes and Knight Traveler novels.


Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder...WOW. Snappy dialog, quirky characters, opens with a curious bang and yanked me through the pages. A fun, fantastic read. —Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling author, Piper Blackwell Mysteries.


“Grab a margarita and hold on tight; you're in for a wild ride.” —Karen MacInerney, Agatha Award nominee and author of the Dewberry Farms Mysteries


“Charming, lively, and unpredictable, Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder excels in a vivid story mystery fans will relish.”—Diane Donovan, Senior Editor Midwest Book Review

“A strong start to a new cozy mystery series by author Mary Cunningham. Andi Anna is one crazy and clever sleuth.” —Cheryl C. Malandrinos, The Book Connection


Purchase Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076N6KBM3

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/margaritas-mayhem-murder-mary-cunningham/1127355519?type=eBook

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/756600

Google Play: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/margaritas-mayhem-murder

Author, Mary Cunningham, grew on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn”.

Childhood experiences, and a recurring dream about a mysterious attic, inspired characters, Cynthia and Augusta Lee, for her award-winning middle-grade series, Cynthia's Attic. The setting is in her childhood home in Southern Indiana. Family stories and ancestors comprise the storylines. There are currently five books in the series: The Missing Locket, The Magic Medallion, Curse of the Bayou, The Magician’s Castle, and Legend of Lupin Woods.

Through a horrifying stint as a travel agent, the character, Andi Anna Jones, travel agent/amateur sleuth, inspired her latest adult mystery series. Book # 1, Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder was released Nov. 30, 2017. The author is currently writing Book # 2 of the series, along with another middle-grade series, The Adventures of Max and Maddie, a historical time-travel, and the biography of a former Army brat/University of Connecticut women’s basketball player who started a non-profit foundation to create scholarships for children of deployed veterans.

Cunningham is a member of The Georgia Reading Association, and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband and adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.

Find Mary on Social Media:

Website: https://www.marycunninghambooks.com

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/marycunninghambooks

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MaryCunningham

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycunningham1/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/367223.Mary_Cunningham

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLNEK4

Mary will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Beyond Jerusalem by Yvonne Crowe (Giveaway)

Nicolina Fabiani and David Baron team up once again to save Jerusalem from itself.

Now David is faced with an impossible choice.
Duty on the one hand, love on the other.
What choice will he make?

In the Eternal struggle for Palestine, David wages war, and Lina the journalist, covers it.

EXCERPT

With his arms and legs secured to a metal chair, he was at the mercy of his captors and they were not in a benign mood.

A soldier on either side, dressed in army fatigues untied him, then dragged him down a flight of stairs and along a long narrow tunnel.

Into a corridor painted green with low iron doors on either side. Solid bolts securing them shut.

I am a successful writer who enjoys writing provocative mystery/thriller novels including the popular Nicolina Fabiani series.

When I am not living out little princesses' fantasies and puzzling over teenage boys' take on life I create fantasies for adults, armed with nothing more than an active imagination, a great deal of research and a burning interest in other people's cultures and their countries

Living in New Zealand, which is about as far away from the world's hubs as one can get, I love travelling to places to find ideas and characters for my novels.

Please open your minds and hearts to events we don't understand and are currently overwhelming us. Check out my latest topical novel: BEYOND JERUSALEM http://amzn.to/2u9Q0uu

HELP SOMEONE WITH CANCER. Check out my story of how I beat this dreadful disease which kills hundreds of thousands of women worldwide every year: http://amzn.to/2yJdAlg

I had a run in with Stage 4 breast cancer, but chose to treat this successfully with a natural therapy. No surgery and no chemotherapy. I have been cancer free now for five years.

Link to Amazon Book Sale Page: http://amzn.to/2u9Q0uu

Link to Twitter: https://twitter.com/YVONNECROWE

https://www.amazon.com/Yvonne-Crowe/e/B00AH2JACK

Yvonne will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast & Giveaway: Her Final Watch by Marguerite Ashton

Title: HER FINAL WATCH

Author: Marguerite Ashton

Publisher: Endeavour Press

Pages: 296

Genre: Crime

Speaking second-hand truths can be deadly …

Detective Lily Blanchette will stop at nothing to solve a murder. Her current case involves the killing of an undercover cop working to bring down the mob for prostitution and drugs.

But Lily’s usual laser-like focus on the case has been disrupted.

Two weeks earlier, she learned she was pregnant by her murderous husband whom she’d killed in self-defense. Unsure whether to keep her baby or place the child of this cruel man up for adoption, Lily keeps the pregnancy a secret from her colleagues.

Under mounting pressure to solve the case, Lily arranges a sit-down with a local mob boss only to find out her suspect is also wanted by them. But before Lily can warn her team, she and her new partner, Jeremiah, are shot at, and another body is found.

When she discovers Jeremiah has a connection with the underworld, she is pulled into a conflict that swirls around the boss’s son who’s hell-bent on revenge.

To add to the complexity of the situation, Lily learns that her victim might still be alive if it wasn’t for opportunistic Assistant District Attorney, Ibee Walters, who has a twisted vision of justice.
As Lily gets closer to finding the killer, she unravels ugly secrets that point to Ibee and Jeremiah – placing Lily’s life and her unborn child in danger.

ORDER FROM AMAZON!

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer. Five kids later, she founded the Crime Writer’s Panel and began working with former law enforcement investigators to create; Criminal Lines Blog, an online library for crime writers who need help with their book research.

She’s a workaholic who hides in her writer’s attic, plotting out her next book and stalking Pinterest for the next avocado recipe.

A member of Sisters in Crime, Marguerite grew up in Colorado, but is now happily living in Wisconsin and playing as much golf as possible.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Marguerite Ashton is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter
• This giveaway ends midnight October 31.
• Winner will be contacted via email on November 1.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

Audition for Murder by P.M. Carlson Book Blast

Actors Nick and Lisette O’Connor need a change. They leave New York City for a semester as artists-in-residence at a college upstate, where they take on the roles of Claudius and Ophelia, two of the professional leads in a campus production of Hamlet. Threats and accidents begin to follow Lisette, and Nick worries it might be more than just petty jealousy. Maggie Ryan, a student running lights for the show, helps investigate a mystery steeped in the turmoil of 1967 America.

Don’t Miss These Great Reviews:

“P.M. Carlson’s energetic and insightful novels are back in print — hallelujah!” — Sara Paretsky
“An extremely well-written tale, with a plotline that offers a jolt per page.” — CF, Booklist

“Very literate, sprinkled with surprises and offering that rarity of rarities — fully fleshed out characters.” — Bob Ellison, Los Angeles Daily News

Book Details:
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Published by: The Mystery Company / Crum Creek Press
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 233
ISBN: 1932325212 (ISBN13: 9781932325218)
Series: Maggie Ryan and Nick O’Connor #1

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords  | Goodreads 



EXCERPT

Lisette stumbled on the way to the car, and Nick caught her elbow to steady her. Rob had unlocked the back door, and Nick helped her in while Rob let Maggie into the front passenger seat and then went around to the driver’s side. There were a few snowflakes blowing in the wind, and his pale hair licked about his forehead like little flames. He sat down, closed the door, and stared at the wheel a minute.

“God,” he said. “I’m stoned. A little.”

“Do you want someone else to drive?” asked Maggie.

“No. I’ll be fine.” He raised a dramatic finger and declaimed, “Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.”

“Every inordinate cup is unblessed,” countered Nick, who had maybe had a drop too much himself.

“I’ll be extremely careful,” Rob promised. He turned the key and started out of the lot. Lisette lurched against Nick as they rounded the corner onto the highway.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Very tired,” she said.

Nick tipped her chin up and studied her a minute in the headlights of the car behind them. “You look bad,” he said, concerned. He could see her honey-brown eyes in the wavering light. The pupils were tiny. “Do you feel sick?”

“M’all right,” she said. The eyes closed. Nick leaned forward.

“Rob, she looks bad.. Could we get her to a hospital, do you think?” Maggie turned to look at Lisette.

“She says she’s all right,” objected Rob. “Are you sick, Lisette?”

She made an effort. “Just tired. Bed.”

“I’ll just take you home,” said Rob soothingly.

“Home,” murmured Lisette. Her cheek was cold and damp. Nick felt panic rising.

“Rob, please!” he said.

“Come on, Nick,” said Rob. He had stopped at a stoplight, and turned to look back at them, the red glow making his hair shine like embers. “The hospital is miles away, and she says she’s just tired. I believe her. I’m tired too.”

“Nick’s right,” said Maggie suddenly. “She’s not just tired.”

“Jus’ tired,” repeated Lisette.

“See?” said Rob. “You two alarmists are interfering with her rest.”

Maggie leaned across Rob, switched off the ignition with one hand, and opened his door with the other. “Out, Rob,” she said.

“What?”

“Out. Get out. Now.”

“You’re crazy!” He stared at her unbelievingly. The light blinked to green.

“Sorry, kid,” she said, leaning back against her door and placing an elegant French boot, still muddy, against his thigh.

“My God! My coat!” Shocked, he flinched away from the boot. She shoved, and he suddenly found himself outside, arms flailing for balance. Maggie slid smoothly into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. The car moved forward and left Rob on the pavement, staggering. When they were clear of him Maggie pulled the door closed and made a rapid U-turn, then pressed the accelerator. The car vaulted up the hill toward the hospital.

By the time they had run their third red light, a patrol car was chasing them. Lisette was slumped against Nick, and he braced himself to keep them both from ricocheting around the back seat as Maggie traced a complex, competent line through the other traffic. He was dimly aware of the flashing lights from behind intersecting the rapid flow of the light from street lamps. She did not slow, and the sirens and lights behind them got other traffic out of the way. When she turned into the hospital driveway the patrol car seemed to relax a little. She skidded to a halt in front of the emergency room and was out opening Nick’s door instantly.

“Need help?”

“She’s not heavy,” he said. Lisette was unconscious.

“I’ll follow when I’ve talked to the officers.” She made sure the emergency door was open and then walked toward the patrol car. Nick carried the limp body into the emergency room.

Excerpt from Audition for Murder by P.M. Carlson. Copyright © 2017 by P.M. Carlson. Reproduced with permission from P.M. Carlson. All rights reserved.

P.M. Carlson taught psychology and statistics at Cornell University before deciding that mystery writing was more fun. She has published twelve mystery novels and over a dozen short stories. Her novels have been nominated for an Edgar Award, a Macavity Award, and twice for Anthony Awards. Two short stories were finalists for Agatha Awards. She edited the Mystery Writers Annual for Mystery Writers of America for several years, and served as president of Sisters in Crime.


Catch Up With Our Author On:
Website , Goodreads , Smashwords, and Twitter 

Check out the Author's tour page at:
http://www.partnersincrimetours.net/audition-for-murder-by-p-m-carlson/

The Brass Compass by Ellen Butler Book Blast

__________________________________________________

We invite you to Ellen Butler's THE BRASS COMPASS Cover Reveal! Please leave a comment to let Ellen know you stopped by and don't forget to order your copy!

 ___________________________________________________

Title:
THE BRASS COMPASS

Author: Ellen Butler

Publisher: Power to the Pen

Pages: 362

Genre: Historical Thriller/Suspense

A beautiful American spy flees into the night. On her own, she must live by her wits to evade capture and make it to the safety of the Allied forces.
Lily Saint James grew up traveling the European continent, learning languages as she went. In 1938, her mother’s abrupt death brings her back home to Washington, D.C., and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Lily comes to the attention of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Her knowledge of German, French, and Italian makes her the perfect OSS Agent, and her quick thinking places her as a nanny in the household of an important German Army Colonel, where she is able to gather intelligence for the Allies. After her marketplace contact goes missing, she makes a late-night trip to her secondary contact only to find him under interrogation by the SS. After he commits suicide, she flees into the frigid winter night carrying false identification papers that are now dangerous and a mini film cartridge with vital strategic information. In order to survive, Lily must make it out of Germany, into the hands of Allied-controlled France, through a path fraught with peril.

Pre-order Links:

To Be Notified for Pre-Orders
Follow Ellen on Facebook, Twitter, or Join her Newsletter:

https://www.facebook.com/EllenButlerBooks/

http://www.ellenbutler.net/contact-ellen/

https://twitter.com/EButlerBooks

Book Excerpt:

Chapter One

Into the Night

February 1945

Germany

“Was ist sein Name?” What is his name? The SS officer’s backlit
shadow loomed over his victim as he yelled into the face of the shrinking man
on the third-story balcony. “We know you’ve been passing messages. Tell us, who
is your contact?” he continued in German.

Lenz’s gray-haired head shook like
a frightened mouse. With his back to me, I was too far away to hear the mumbled
response or the Nazi’s next question. I pulled my dark wool coat tighter and
sank deeper into the shadow of the apartment building’s doorway across the
street from where my contact underwent interrogation. The pounding of my heart
pulsated in my ears, and I held my breath as I strained to listen to the
conversation. In front of Lenz’s building stood a black Mercedes-Benz with its
running lights aglow, no doubt the vehicle that brought the SS troops. None of
the neighboring buildings showed any light, as residents cowered behind locked doors
praying the SS wouldn’t come knocking. This was a working-class neighborhood,
and everyone knew it was best to keep your mouth shut and not stick your nose
in the business of the Schutzstaffel.

Their presence at Lenz’s home
explained why my contact at the bakery was absent from our assignation earlier
today. I dreaded to imagine what they had done to Otto for him to give up
Lenz’s name … or worse, mine. Even though I’d never told Otto my name, a
description of me could easily lead the SS to their target.

“Lügner!” Liar!

I flinched as the officer’s ringing
accusation bounced off the brick buildings. A young SS Stormtrooper stepped out
onto the balcony and requested his superior look at something in his hand. I
should have taken their distraction to slip away into the darkness and run;
instead I stayed, anxiously listening, to hear if Lenz would break under the SS
grilling and reveal my identity. Clearly, they suspected he was involved in
spying and would take him away. They probably also knew he had information to
spill and would eventually torture it out of him, which was the only reason he
hadn’t been shot on sight. It was only a matter of time before he gave me away.
My friends in the French Resistance had been directed to hold out for two days
before releasing names to allow the spies to disband and disappear. I wasn’t
sure if the German network applied the same rules, so I remained to see if he
would break before they took him.

“Where did you find this?” the
officer asked.

The trooper indicated inside the
apartment.

“Zeig es mir.” Show me. He followed his subordinate through the
doorway into the building.

Lenz turned and braced himself
against the balcony. I watched in horror as he climbed atop the railing.

“Halt!” a bellow from inside rang out.

Lenz didn’t hesitate, and I averted
my eyes, biting down hard on my cold knuckles, as he took his final moments out
of the hands of the Nazis. Sounds of shattering glass and buckling metal ripped
through the darkness as his body slammed into the SS vehicle. In my periphery,
a neighboring blackout curtain shifted.

“Scheisse!” the SS officer swore as he and his subordinate leaned
over the railing to see Lenz’s body sprawled across their car. “Search the
apartment. Tear it apart!”

The moment they crossed the threshold,
I sprinted into the night.

My breath puffed out in small
plumes of smoke as I dodged through alleys, in and out of darkened doorways,
moving on the balls of my feet. Silently, I cursed the cloudless sky as the
moonlight bounced off the cobblestones, its brightness clear enough to land a
plane. Unless waiting at midnight at a
drop zone for needed supplies, a spy preferred the inky blackness of cloudy
skies. Especially when escaping the enemy.

A few kilometers from Lenz’s
apartment, I paused behind the brick rubble of a bombed-out building. My gaze
searched the area for any sign of movement. Standing alert, I held my breath,
attuning my senses to the nighttime sounds, and listened for the whisper of
cloth, the click of a boot heel, or heaven forbid, the cock of a gun. The
thundering of my heartbeat slowed, and I balled my fists to stop my shaking
hands. All seemed quiet … for the moment.

My fingers curled around the tiny
film cartridge, filled with information vital to the Allied cause, nestled in my
coat pocket. Dropping down to one knee, I slipped the heel of my right boot
aside and tucked it into the hidden cavity. The coded message I’d planned to
pass to Lenz would have to be burned, but I couldn’t take the chance of
lighting a fire right now. It would have to wait until morning.

<!--[if !mso]>

About the Author

Ellen Butler is a novelist writing critically acclaimed suspense thrillers, and award winning romance. The Brass Compass was inspired by the brave women who served in the OSS, British Special Operations Executive and French Resistance. Ellen is a member of The OSS Society and her fascination with WWII history originally piqued when her grandfather revealed his role as a cryptographer during the war. Ellen holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Policy, and her history includes a long list of writing for dry, but illuminating, professional newsletters and windy papers on public policy. She lives in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

WEBSITE and SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE
| TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Book Blast: Death at First Sight by Lena Gregory (Giveaway)

We're happy to present to you Lena Gregory's DEATH AT FIRST SIGHT Book Blast today! Lena is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Enter below!

Title: Death at First Sight

Author: Lena Gregory

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that something’s not right on Bay Island...



Since she left her psychiatric practice in New York City to open up a psychic shop in her hometown on Bay Island, Cass Donovan has given her fair share of readings to conflicted customers. But what she sees in Ellie Callahan’s future doesn’t bode well.

When Ellie’s mother, Marge, publicly confronts Cass about the reading, the embarrassment makes her want to curl up and die. And when she later stumbles across Marge’s body—and is a suspect in her murder—Cass is suddenly the star of Bay Island’s rumor mill.

Cass is determined to prove her innocence and save Ellie from meeting the fate in her unfortunate vision. But even with the help of her friends Bee and Stephanie, Cass will have to channel some serious sleuthing instincts to find the real killer...

Amazon
| Barnes
& Noble

Book Excerpt:

Cass sucked in a breath, the gasp audible in the silence of the small room. Oh no . . . The walls pressed in on her, loomed over her, threatened to suffocate her. This can’t be

happening again.

“Is everything all right?”

“Umm . . . sure.” Darkness encroached, tunneling her vision. She forced it back, counted to ten, took deep breaths—anything to fight back the blackness. She struggled against the urge to push the glass ball away from her. “Sorry. I must have zoned out for a minute.” She averted her gaze, hoping the other woman wouldn’t catch the lie.

The woman’s eyebrows drew together, a frown creasing her forehead.

“Are you sure you didn’t see anything bad?” Cass forced a laugh as she shoved her chair back, stood, and moved away from the table. “Of course not. I told you

I would only allow good spirits to enter.” Liar.

About the Author

Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and
three children.

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

WEBSITE
| TWITTER | FACEBOOK

* * *  GIVEAWAY
* * *

Lena Gregory
is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Card
• This giveaway ends midnight November 30.
• Winner will be contacted via email on December 1.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Body of the Crime by Jennifer Chase Book Blast

We're so excited to be hosting Jennifer Chase's BODY OF THE CRIME Book Blast today!  Please leave a comment to let her know you stopped by!

About the Book:

Title:
BODY OF THE CRIME

Author: Jennifer Chase

Publisher: JEC Press

Pages:

Genre: Crime Thriller

Three grisly murders linked to five old cold cases, dubbed the Flower Girl Murders, pushes detectives to their limit to find a clever and extremely brutal serial killer, leaving a California town demanding justice. The District Attorney’s Serial Special Task Force retains the help of the reclusive Dr. Chip Palmer, a forensic expert and criminal profiler, to steer them in the right direction.

Palmer is known for his astute academic interpretations of serial and predatory crimes, along with his unconventional tactics that goes against general police procedures. He is partnered with the tough and beautiful D.A. Inspector Kate Rawlins, a homicide detective transplanted from Phoenix, and the chemistry ignites between the team—turbulent and deadly.

The Flower Girl Murders leaves three homicides, five cold cases, two seasoned detectives, three suspects, and one serial killer calling all the shots. The investigation must rely on one eccentric forensic scientist to unravel the clues to solve the case. But at what cost?

Body of the Crime is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

THE DENSE PINE AND OAK trees made a semi-circle pattern in the
forest. Dried leaves blew in the breeze, swirled around like unique pieces of
confetti, cascading downward, and finally resting on the ground.

The isolated
location seemed serene and picturesque, which lent to the stark contrast of the
woman’s dead body.

Her long brown
hair hung straight and spilled down over her shoulders and slender body. Each
strand appeared to have been carefully washed and combed precisely in place.
The unknown woman wore a light blue button-down sweater that remained in an
orderly fashion with every button fastened, and it was pulled down to cover her
belly. Her arms gently placed over her chest, each finger laced next to the
other. Tucked carefully underneath her hands was a stem with a pale pink flower
that looked like a daisy, now wilted. The victim’s fingernails scrubbed clean,
and her hands lacked any jewelry or identifying marks.

Upon a quick
glance, it seemed that she was merely daydreaming. Looking closely, her fixed
dull eyes gave the undeniable lifeless gaze. The relaxed expression on her face
seemed almost contrived and had a peculiar quality to it—even a ghostly facade.

From the waist
up, the woman looked like she had taken a nap after a morning of running
errands or after coming home from a luncheon with friends. The woman was in a
carefully posed position that told the story of an organized killer who was in
complete control, but that was where the structured behavior of the murderer
abruptly stopped.

In a disturbing
contrast, the horrifying viciousness of what was left of the bottom half of the
body was the aftermath of a long, torturous assault from someone completely out
of control. It suggested a perpetrator who lacked any impulse control and
mental stability. 

About the Author

Jennifer Chase is an award-winning author and consulting criminologist.  She has authored six crime fiction novels, including the multiple award-winning Emily Stone thriller series along with a screenwriting workbook.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor degree in police forensics and a Master's degree in criminology.  These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

Visit Jennifer Chase’s website.

Connect with Jennifer on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Blast: The Philistine Gamble by Denis O'Rourke (Giveaway)

Title: The Philistine Gamble 

Author: Denis O'Rourke 

Publisher: AuthorHouse 

Genre: Hard Boiled 

Format: Ebook/Paperback

With The Philistine Gamble, O'Rourke adds mystery and a noir style to his mantra of Murder, Menace and Merriment. “Compost happens.” Discount private eye Nick Gamble says that a lot, usually when he opens the mail, but today it's worse. Our flawed and philandering PI finds his friend and mentor, Bishop Francis Xavier Augustini, dead in the church office. It doesn't help when one of LAPD's not-so-finest Lieutenant Hardcastle catches Nick at the murder scene and takes him in for questioning. When Hardcastle asks for the thousandth time why Gamble killed his friend, Nick finally confesses. “It was Amway. The Bishop said I had to hold meetings, invite my friends. I only wanted to sell the soap. We argued.” Nick wants to know who really killed his friend, but the Russian Mafia, the Vatican Police, too many bad cops, and a three thousand-year-old, muscle-bound geezer keep getting in the way. They're all after the same thing—an ancient manuscript worth millions. Nick's going to need a lot of help, and he gets it. There's Leo the massive mailman, a mini fridge with a bum leg and a trick door, a secret underwear gun, and Vera Foxxe, Nick's able assistant and long-time bride to be—the sexiest woman on earth. If you don't believe it, ask the Dalai Lama. This double feature will keep you guessing—and laughing—until the last page. Twice. Sorry, you'll have to bring your own popcorn. Includes a preview of Toxicity. Attorney Riley Scofield returns in Denis O'Rourke's exciting prequel to Proposition. Read inside: Acclaim for Denis O'Rourke's stories.

ORDER INFORMATION

The Philistine Gamble is available for order at

Meet the Author:

Denis O'Rourke lives in Arizona with his fabulous wife, Kitty O'Rourke. Before he became psychotic and began plotting bizarre ways to kill people and feel good about it, the author was an aeronautical engineer, a perpetual student, a certifiable public accountant, controller of a couple of Fortune 500 companies, and a congenital troublemaker. Most recently, he's been a financial consultant, telling unsuspecting clients what they already know and charging them double. If you read his stories and can't decide whether to cringe, cheer, cry, or chuckle, then he's done his job, and he'd love to hear from you at www.denisorourke.com.

Giveaway

Denis is giving away a $25 Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
• This giveaway begins March 28 and ends on April 8.
• Winners will be contacted via email on April 9.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

March 28

Harmonious Publicity

Write and Take Flight

March 29

Author C.A. Milson

Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews

March 30

Ali the Dragonslayer

Books, Books the Magical Fruit

March 31

Readsalot

Books Can Be Deadly

April 1

Mary's Cup of Tea

I'm Shelf-ish

April 4

A Title Wave

The Literary Nook

April 5

Bent Over Bookwords

The Review From Here

April 6

The Hype and the Hoopla

Voodoo Princess

April 7

Cover2Cover

Deal Sharing Aunt

April 8

Tea Time and Books

From Paperback to Leatherbound