Tag: Partners In Crime

Action Adventure, Book Tour, Detective, Mystery, Partners In Crime

After Pearl by Stephen G. Eoannou

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

April 14 – May 9 Virtual Book Tour
A Nicholas Bishop Mystery

Description

1942. War rages in Europe. Pearl Harbor still smolders. And alcoholic private eye Nicholas Bishop wakes up on a hotel room floor with two slugs missing from his .38 revolver. The cops think he’s murdered lounge singer Pearl DuGaye, mobsters think he saw something he shouldn’t have, and Bishop remembers nothing…

Together with his indomitable assistant Gia Alessi, who he may or may not have fired, a WWI vet who often flashes back to 1918, and a one-eyed female dog named Jake, Bishop tries to piece together the events that took place during his disastrous five-day bender. Along the way, he stumbles across a dirty politician, a socialite and her unfaithful husband, and a cabal of American Nazis who are undoubtedly up to no good.

Written in the spirit of classic noir, Eoannou adds his own unique voice and flair to the genre in this, the first action-packed outing of the Nicholas Bishop Mysteries.

My Thoughts

Fans of traditional noir crime fiction will thoroughly enjoy this first in a series featuring PI Nick Bishop. Eoannou delivers a clever mystery filled with witty and gritty dialog, colorful characters, and an on-the-money plot that will have you guessing right up to the end.

I especially enjoyed the Buffalo setting, although I am not a Buffalo native. I live about 60 miles to the east of B’lo but spend enough time there to recognize many of the descriptive details Eoannou includes in the narrative.

There seems to be a resurgence of crime fiction set in between the wars or just after WWII. Much of what I’ve read has had a bit of a madcap theme with very quirky characters, both human and animal. Eoannou, however, fully embraces the Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ross McDonald school of detective fiction and I LIKE IT!

Grab this one from your library or buy a copy and settle in for some entertaining reading.

Book Details

Genre: Historical Noir
Published by: Santa Fe Writers Project
Publication Date: May 1, 2025
Number of Pages: 260
ISBN: 9781951631475 (ISBN10: 1951631471)
Series: A Nicholas Bishop Mystery, Book 1

Shortlinks

Author’s Links:
Website – https://pictbooks.tours/FSfgN
Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/vuHGE
BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/DOYFg    @seoannou
Twitter – https://pictbooks.tours/0ZUxp    @StephenGEoannou
Facebook – https://pictbooks.tours/VRrsD    @steve.eoannou
Amazon Author – https://pictbooks.tours/dH0fI
YouTube – https://pictbooks.tours/5jXv1    @stepheneoannou341

Retail Links:
Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/GnUqG
BN – https://pictbooks.tours/SKzFi
Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/g8j2t
BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/4HrBP
Talking Leaves – https://pictbooks.tours/PsJ9n

PICT Tour Page – https://pictbooks.tours/M6bi1

Author Bio:

Stephen G. Eoannou is the author of the award-winning short story collection Muscle Cars and the novels Rook, Yesteryear, and After Pearl. He holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte and an MA from Miami University. He has been awarded an Honor Certificate from The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Best Short Screenplay Award at the 36th Denver Film Festival. His latest novel, Yesteryear, was awarded the 2021 International Eyelands Award for Best Historical Novel, The Firebird Book Award for Biographical Fiction, and Shelf Unbound’s Notable Indy Books of 2023. He lives and writes in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, the setting and inspiration for much of his work.

Cozy, Detective, Ghosties, Mystery

Dead Detective Casefiles Series by TJ O’Connor

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

This inventive, well-written series features Oliver Tucker, a deceased detective who solves his own murder in the first of the series, Dying to Know, and goes on to continue his career solving crime in the next two books.

Dying to Know Description

Detective Oliver Tucker’s dead—murdered—and back as an earth-bound spirit to help his wife, Professor Angela Tucker, crack the most important case of his life—his own. But, this is not a ghost story; it’s a murder case. 

Tuck knows why he is back among the living but not one of them—Detective Solve Thyself. Perhaps he was murdered because of his last case—a murder involving a retired mob boss, a local millionaire land developer, a New York hit man, and the local university elite. Or could it be that Bear Braddock, his best friend and partner for more than fifteen years, wants Angela? Tuck knows that everything surrounds Kelly’s Dig where the discovery of Civil War graves may put an end to a multi-million dollar highway project. If it does, who stands to gain the most? Enough to kill? 

Using his unique skills, Tuck weaves through half-truths and generations-old lies chasing a madman. And he’s not alone—others, dead and alive—are hunting the same killer. Still nothing can change the truth—it is the living, not the dead, who are most terrifying.

Dying for the Past Description

Still an earth-bound spirit-detective, Tuck is on the case of the murder of a mysterious philanthropist with ties to the Russian mob and 1930’s gangsters. With the help of his wife, Professor Angela Tucker, and his former partner, Detective Bear Braddock, they must find the killer and be the first to read “the book”—an old gangster’s journal of the roots of espionage, racketeering, and corruption leading to the identity of modern-day powerbrokers and spies. Tuck finds a colorful cast of allies in a tough Assistant U.S. Attorney General, a secretive FBI agent, and the spirits of a long-dead 1930’s gangster and his sassy girlfriend. 

As Tuck searches to learn the secrets of “the book,” he begins to unravel his own ancestry of mobsters, adventurers, and wayward spirits. Is being a ghost hereditary?

Dying to Tell Description

Detective Oliver Tucker never knew how perilous dying was until he stumbled onto William Mendelson—murdered in a hidden vault where Egyptian relics and World War II secrets were once stashed. Now those relics are missing. The secrets are coming out. The dead are talking. 

Tuck, the detective for the dead—the Dead Detective—is pulled into the case by the spirit of a World War II Office of Strategic Services operative with his own agenda. OSS Captain Ollie Tucker I—Tuck’s namesake—knows the past is catching up to the survivors of an Egyptian spy ring from more than seventy years ago. With the help of his beautiful and brilliant wife, Angel, and his gruff former partner, Detective Bear Braddock, Tuck must unravel a tale of spies, murderers, and thieves. 

As Tuck’s case unfolds, he confronts the growing distance between his death and Angel’s life—and the solution is a killer of its own.

My Thoughts

As I raced through all three of these books, I found myself thinking that I’ve found the next David Handler, whose Stewart Hoag series I have thoroughly enjoyed over the years. O’Connor writes with the same sense of style, sophistication, and wit as Hoag and some of the best of detective fiction authors, but adds the currently-popular paranormal component by making the main character a ghost. I’ve read some paranormal mysteries that handle this well and many more that don’t; O’Connor handles the trope very well indeed.

Tuck’s character is mouthy, smart, and industrious, ferreting out clues and information using his newfound abilities while also moving through space and time in unusual ways. The rest of the characters are also memorable and very likable, particularly Tuck’s widow Angel who is by turns smart, sassy, and very much able to take care of herself.

As the series progresses, O’Connor does a good job of fleshing out the characters and building their backstories. I especially enjoyed the revelation in book 2 about Tuck’s family. In addition to great characterizations, O’Connor is also a really, really good storyteller. The mysteries here are complex and well-plotted and plumped up by dialog that is by turns snarky and sparkling.

I’ll be recommending this series and author for sure.

Book Details

Genre: PI Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 2024
Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Shortlinks

Author’s Website    https://pictbooks.tours/POgxP    
Goodreads    https://pictbooks.tours/51toN    
BookBub    https://pictbooks.tours/F7ro0    @tj37
Instagram    https://pictbooks.tours/r1frE    @tjoconnorauthor
Twitter    https://pictbooks.tours/PfTAy    @Tjoconnorauthor
Facebook    https://pictbooks.tours/H85ge    @TjOConnor.Author
YouTube    https://pictbooks.tours/CUDyd    @tjoconnorauthor3905
Amazon Author    https://pictbooks.tours/y2JAz    
Amazon Series    https://pictbooks.tours/tX9X2  

THE DEAD DETECTIVE CASEFILES
Amazon Series    https://pictbooks.tours/tX9X2
Tj’s Website    https://pictbooks.tours/0eM21

DYING TO KNOW
Amazon –    https://pictbooks.review/nXbMGw6G
BN –    https://pictbooks.tours/tDi0z
Goodreads –    https://pictbooks.tours/sBZpL

DYING FOR THE PAST
Amazon –    https://pictbooks.review/kr1NBMHW
BN –    https://pictbooks.tours/zEBKE
Goodreads –    https://pictbooks.tours/EZRwe

DYING TO TELL
Amazon –    https://pictbooks.review/yblBme22
BN –    https://pictbooks.tours/FVFbr
Goodreads –    https://pictbooks.tours/T9qUg

Author Bio

Tj O’Connor is an award-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. He’s an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. In his spare time, he’s a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs (and now cats), and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife, Labs, and Maine Coon companions in Virginia where they raised five children who supply a growing tribe of grands.

Catch Up With Tj O’Connor:
tjoconnor.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @tj37
Amazon Author
Instagram – @tjoconnorauthor
Twitter/X – @Tjoconnorauthor
Facebook – @TjOConnor.Author
YouTube – @tjoconnorauthor3905
Partners In Crime Book Tours
Book Tour, Cozy, Mystery, Partners In Crime

Death in St. Georges by M.A. Monnin

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour – July 29 – August 23, 2024

The Intrepid Traveler Series

Description

When Stefanie and Thomas meet in Bermuda for time alone away from the demands of the Artifact Retrieval Team that Thomas heads, their romantic rendezvous is waylaid after an archaeologist requests their help to recover an emerald bracelet that’s been stolen from his site.

Thomas is reluctant, but Stefanie can’t resist the lure of buried Spanish treasure. Then one of the archaeologists is murdered, and they find themselves on the suspect list. Spanish gold isn’t the only thing uncovered. Secrets can be deadly, and Stefanie and Thomas must find the killer before it’s too late.

My Thoughts

The third entry in Monnin’s Intrepid Traveler Mystery series, Death in St. Georges, is an appealing story featuring a pair of characters who have it all together. Stefanie and Thomas are a charming pair of amateur detectives who magnanimously step into a mystery on the tropical island they’ve retreated to for a much needed vacation. It’s clear the pull of the mystery is part of what keeps them together.

The plot is an enticing mix of the thrill of archaeological discovery, local lore, and plain old human greed. Stefanie and Thomas are a great team, playing off each others’ strengths and always there for each other. The end is especially fraught with danger as the pair battle a hurricane as they place the final pieces of the puzzle on the table.

Monnin is an imaginative and skilled writer, and this story has made me a fan. Recommended!

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Number of Pages: 264 
ISBN: 9781685126483 (ISBN10: 1685126480)
Series: An Intrepid Traveler Mystery Series, Book 3
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Book Shortlinks:

The short links are not affiliate links, they only track clicks so the authors can see how much value you’re providing to their marketing campaigns. We’d love for you to use them, but completely understand if you prefer to use your own.

Website https://pictbooks.tours/QbMNa     
Goodreads  https://pictbooks.tours/Q57Dm    
BookBub   https://pictbooks.tours/v8MdE    @monninma
Instagram    https://pictbooks.tours/ka8YD    @m.a.monnin
Twitter    https://pictbooks.tours/sZJzm    @mamonnin1
Facebook    https://pictbooks.tours/eTiIi    @MAMonnin 

Amazon     https://pictbooks.tours/E5hvM    
BN     https://pictbooks.tours/VCxfV    
Goodreads   https://pictbooks.tours/IkkDg    
BookShop    https://pictbooks.tours/nHzlO    

Author Bio:

M. A. Monnin

M. A. Monnin is the author of the Intrepid Traveler Mystery series, including Agatha Best First Novel finalist DEATH IN THE AEGEAN. Her 3rd in the series, DEATH IN ST. GEORGE’S, came out May 2024. She also writes the St. Killian, PI and the Hawk Hathaway, Time Traveling Troubleshooter short stories. Mary’s short stories have appeared in Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, and numerous anthologies. A member of ITW, MWA, SinC, and SMFS, an avocational archaeologist and USAF veteran, Mary is a trustee of the Kansas City Archaeological Society and treasurer of Mid-America Romance Authors. She lives in Kansas City, MO. 

Find M. A. Monnin at:
www.mamonnin.com
www.CuratorsofCrime.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @monninma
Instagram – @m.a.monnin
Twitter/X – @mamonnin1
Facebook – @MAMonnin

Partners In Crime Book Tours
Book Tour, Historical, Mystery, Partners In Crime, Suspense

The Twisted Road by A.B. Michaels

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

May 23 – 29, 2024 Book Blast

Barrister Perris Mysteries

Jonathan Perris Can’t Save His Clients…
Until He Saves Himself 

1907 

Rising from the devastation of a massive earthquake and fire, San Francisco is once again on the move. But a strike by streetcar drivers threatens to halt the Golden City in its tracks. Protests turn to violence and violence leads to death. Soon a young guard is convicted of willfully killing a protester and the public is out for blood. 

Jonathan Perris, an immigrant attorney from England, has opened a law firm with an eye toward righting wrongs, and the guard’s conviction may fall into that category. But the talented barrister soon finds his newfound career shaken by a tragic event: the gruesome homicide of the beautiful and mysterious Lena Mendelssohn—a woman he’s been squiring around town. It’s difficult to run a law firm when you’ve been arrested for murder.

Don’t miss your chance for a limited time sale! Grab The Twisted Road for $1.99!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Red Trumpet Press
Publication Date: May 21, 2024 
Number of Pages: 422
ISBN: 978-1-7337863-4-8 (Paperback) 978-1-7337863-0-0 (ebook)
Series: Barrister Perris Mysteries, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

Shortlinks:

Website   https://pictbooks.tours/oEBK1
Goodreads     https://pictbooks.tours/PnSRo
BookBub      https://pictbooks.tours/wzsUv
Twitter   @ABMichaelsBooks    https://pictbooks.tours/v2MJv
Facebook    @A.B.MichaelsWriter    https://pictbooks.tours/PkJ4W
Pinterest @abmichaelsbooks    https://pictbooks.tours/1i06G

Author Bio:

A.B. Michaels

A native of California, A.B. Michaels holds masters’ degrees in history (UCLA) and broadcasting (San Francisco State University). After working for many years as a promotional writer and editor, she turned to writing the kind of page-turning fiction she loves to read. She writes historical fiction (“The Golden City” series, which takes place in Gilded Age San Francisco) as well as contemporary romantic suspense (“Sinner’s Grove Suspense.”). “Barrister Perris Mysteries” is her latest endeavor, based on characters introduced in “The Golden City.” All of her books are stand-alone reads.

Michaels lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and two elderly, four-legged “sons” (16 and 17!) who don’t seem to know they’re just dogs. She is an avid reader, traveler, quilter and bocce player, as well as a mediocre but enthusiastic golfer.

Catch Up With A.B. Michaels:
ABMichaels.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @ABMichaels
Pinterest – @ABMichaelsBooks
Twitter/X – @ABMichaelsBooks
Facebook – @A.B.MichaelsWriter

Partners In Crime Book Tours
Mystery, Partners In Crime, Suspense

Citizen Orlov by Jonathan Payne

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

September 4-29, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Not every fishmonger can be a secret agent.

Journey to an unnamed mountainous country in central Europe at the end of the Great War. Enter Citizen Orlov, a simple fishmonger and an honest, upright citizen, who answers a phone call meant for a secret agent and stumbles into a hidden world of espionage and secrecy. Recruited by the Ministry of Security, he is sent on assignment to safeguard the king.

But Orlov soon discovers that his ministry handler, the alluring femme fatale Agent Zelle, is planning not to protect the king but to assassinate him. Caught in a web of plot and counterplot, confusing loyalties, and explosive betrayals, Orlov finds himself on trial for murder. Given the opportunity to clear his name, he finds that the lives of his friends, mother, and fellow citizens hang in the balance.

My Thoughts

I used to read a lot of espionage fiction but have gotten away from it over the years. Citizen Orlov reminded me of why I enjoyed the genre so much, while at the same time turning that genre on its ear. Instead of the suave, experienced, clever spy, here we have Citizen Orlov…an Everyman caught up in a convoluted assassination plot simply because he answered a phone call.

Orlov’s practicality and “let’s get on with it” attitude appealed to me as I followed his adventures through to the end. Although I will admit that I had a moment of “is he stupid” when he walked out of jail and immediately returned to selling fish. But he’s not stupid. He’s practical.

Payne’s writing is crisp, featuring short sentences and matter-of-fact dialog and description. He tells Citizen Orlov’s story in a straightforward and unadorned manner, further conveying the general atmosphere of fear and betrayal that permeates the narrative. I found his style a refreshing change from the cozy mysteries I’ve been reading lately.

I’ll be recommending this to fans of espionage fiction and world literature. Well done!

Book Details:

Genre: Espionage Thriller
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: May 2023
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780744309010 (ISBN10: 0744309018)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Book Shortlinks:

Amazon – https://amzn.to/43khWci
Barnes & Noble – https://bit.ly/3PMigNT
BookShop.org – https://bit.ly/46F66fJ
Goodreads – https://bit.ly/3NzV0Qw
CamCat Books – https://bit.ly/3JPxAFD

Author Bio:

Jonathan Payne

Jonathan Payne is a British-American writer based outside Washington, D.C. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Novel Writing from Middlesex University, London. His short fiction has been featured at the North London Story Festival and in magazines including Turnpike, Twist in Time and Fiction Kitchen Berlin. Before moving to the United States, he worked for the British government on matters of national security. When not writing or reading, he can be found in the boxing gym.

Catch Up With Jonathan Payne:
www.JonathanPayne.org
Goodreads
BookBub – @jon7payne
Instagram – @jon7payne
Twitter – @jon7payne

Author Shortlinks:

www.JonathanPayne.org – https://bit.ly/3NL5g8q
Goodreads – https://bit.ly/44ghqxp
BookBub – @jon7payne – https://bit.ly/3PME9wp
Instagram – @jon7payne – https://bit.ly/3O4cdmv
Twitter – @jon7payne – https://bit.ly/3pDnjpf

Action Adventure, Book Tour, Mystery, Partners In Crime, Suspense

Deadly Depths by John F. Dobbyn

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Deadly Depths
by John F Dobbyn
July 24 – August 18, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

The death by bizarre means of his mentor, Professor Barrington Holmes, draws Mathew Shane into the quest of five archeologists, known to each other as “The Monkey’s Paws,” for an obscure object of unprecedented historic and financial value. The suspected murders of others of the Monkey’s Paws follow their pursuit of five clues found in a packet of five ancient parchments. Shane’s commitment to disprove the police theory of suicide by Professor Holmes carries him to the steamy bayous of New Orleans, the backstreets of Montreal, the sunken wreck of a pirate vessel off Barbados, and the city of Maroon descendants of escaped enslaved people in Jamaica. By weaving a thread including the Aztec kingdom before the Spanish conquest of Mexico through the African Ashanti beliefs of Jamaican Maroons and finally to the adventures of Captain Henry Morgan during the Golden Era of Piracy, Shane reaches a conclusion he could never have anticipated.

My Thoughts

As a longtime fan and reader of action-adventure fiction, I don’t know how I’ve missed out on John F. Dobbyn’s work! Deadly Depths is one wild ride, beginning in Boston and ending in a forbidding Jamaican jungle.

All the elements of a pulse-pounding adventure are here – the charismatic protagonist, the mysterious powerful benefactor, the stoic but powerful wingman, the treacherous partners, and above all the fabulous treasure at the end of the quest.

A well-constructed plot, a vivid and engaging narrative (there’s an absolute nightmare of an underwater scene that had me at the edge of my seat!), and a non-stop pace make this one a winner for any reader looking to escape into an adventure for a few hours.

Praise for Deadly Depths:

“Deadly Depths gives readers characters they care about and gets hearts pumping as the mystery and adventure unfold!” 
~ Janet Hutchings, Editor, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

“Deadly Depths is an exciting mystery novel that asks who has the right to seek and exploit lost treasures.” 
~  Foreword Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Crime Thriller
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: August 2023
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781608095483 (ISBN10: 1608095487)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Oceanview Publishing

Book ShortLinks:

Amazon https://amzn.to/3q4oPk4
Barnes & Noble https://bit.ly/43luYGZ
BookShop.org https://bit.ly/3WtWzn0
Goodreads https://bit.ly/43iKO58
Oceanview Publishing https://bit.ly/3q5m5D8

Author Bio:

John F Dobbyn

Following graduation from Boston Latin School and Harvard College with a major in Latin and Linguistics, three years on active duty as fighter intercept director in the United States Air Force, graduation from Boston College Law School, three years of practice in civil and criminal trial work, and graduation from Harvard Law School with a Master of Laws degree, I began a career as a Professor of Law at Villanova Law School. Twenty-five years ago I began writing mystery/thriller fiction. I have so far had twenty-five short stories published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery magazine, and six mystery thriller novels, the Michael Knight/Lex Devlin series, published by Oceanview Publishing. The second novel, Frame Up, was selected as Foreword Review’s Book of the Year.

Catch Up With John F Dobbyn:
JohnDobbyn.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @JohnFDobbyn
Instagram – #JohnFDobbyn
Twitter – @JohnDobbyn
Facebook – @JohnFDobbynAuthor

Author Shortlinks:

JohnDobbyn.com https://bit.ly/3q85C0X
Goodreads https://bit.ly/3MxXT3X
BookBub – @JohnFDobbyn https://bit.ly/3WtVNGI
Instagram – #JohnFDobbyn https://bit.ly/3ok0vKF
Twitter – @JohnDobbyn https://bit.ly/3Mw1rDD
Facebook – @JohnFDobbynAuthor https://bit.ly/45s1jO1

Uncategorized

Winter Witness by Tina deBellegarde

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Winter Witness by Tina deBellegarde Banner

Winter Witness

by Tina deBellegarde

on Tour November 1-30, 2020

Synopsis:

Winter Witness by Tina deBellegarde

When a beloved nun is murdered in a sleepy Catskill Mountain town, a grieving young widow finds herself at the center of the turmoil. Bianca St. Denis is searching for a job and seeking acceptance in her new home of Batavia-on-Hudson. Agatha Miller, the nun’s closest friend and the ailing local historian everyone loves to hate, shares her painful personal history and long-buried village secrets with Bianca. Armed with this knowledge, Bianca unravels the mysteries surrounding the death while dealing with the suspicions of her eccentric neighbors.

However, Bianca’s meddling complicates the sheriff’s investigation as well as his marriage. Can Sheriff Mike Riley escape his painful past in a town where murder and infighting over a new casino vie for his attention?

Danger stalks Bianca as she gets closer to the truth. Can the sheriff solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? Can the town heal its wounds once the truth has been uncovered?

Fans of cozy mysteries with an edge will enjoy this engaging debut set in upstate New York. There is a bit of everything here: a good, cleverly plotted mystery, some romance, history, and a colorfully drawn small town and its inhabitants.

Often in small-town mysteries, the quirkiness of its inhabitants is exaggerated almost to the point of caricature; that doesn’t happen here. The author has followed the most common of writing advice – write what you know. She lives in this world and she has created what could be any number of small, upstate towns and villages and filled it with real people. This provides a solid foundation for the protagonist to sit upon while she struggles with significant changes to her own life.

The mystery here is intriguing and well-paced as old sins come back to bite. I’ll be recommending this to mystery fans and waiting for the next installment!

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 29, 2020
Number of Pages: 282
ISBN: 978-1-947915-76-3
Series: Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery, #1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads | Oblong Books and Music

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Thursday, December 15

She could have been sleeping, were it not for the gaping gash in the back of her head and the bloody stone next to her limp body.

Sheriff Mike Riley stood alone on the shore of the near-frozen lake. At his feet, Sister Elaine Fisher lay face down, ice crystals forming around her body where it met the shoreline. The murmuring water of the nearby stream imparted a peacefulness at odds with the scene. In the waning winter light, he paused ankle deep in the snow illuminated by the beat of red strobe lights.

Murder seemed so extreme. The villagers would be baffled. Murder didn’t happen in sleepy Batavia-on-Hudson. An occasional stolen bicycle, some were paid off the books, but that was hardly worth mentioning. Lately, there had been a handful of amateur burglaries. Murder was another story altogether.

But there was no denying it. Elaine’s body was there before him, lifeless on a cushion of snow at the edge of the lake.

Sheriff Riley ran his chapped hands through his salt and pepper hair. A knowing person might have noticed that he used this motion to disguise a quick brush at his cheek, to eliminate the one tear that slipped through.

He feared this day, the day his lazy job would bring him face to face once again with the ugly underbelly he knew existed even in a quiet place like Batavia-on-Hudson. Mike Riley wasn’t afraid of death. He was afraid of the transformation a village like this was bound to go through after an act of murder.

He cried for Elaine; though he barely knew her. But also, he cried for the village that died with her that morning. A place where children still wandered freely. A village that didn’t lock doors, and trusted everyone, even the ones they gossiped about. Now, inevitably, the villagers would be guarded around each other, never quite sure anymore if someone could be trusted.

He thought he could already hear the locks snapping shut in cars and homes as word of the murder got out. Mothers yanking children indoors, hand-in-hand lovers escaping the once-romantic shadows of the wooded pathways, and old ladies turning into shut-ins instead of walking their dogs across the windy bluff.

Sheriff Riley steeled himself not just to confront the damaged body of the first murder victim of Batavia in over seventy years, but to confront the worried faces of mothers, the defeated faces of fathers and the vulnerable faces of the elderly.

He squatted in the slush, wincing as his bad knee rebelled, and laid his hands on Elaine’s rough canvas jacket, two-sizes too big—one of her thrift shop purchases, no doubt. As reverently as was possible in the muddy snow, Mike Riley turned over her body to examine the face of a changing village.

Sister Elaine had no one left, she had no known siblings and of course, no spouse or children. Only Agatha Miller, her childhood companion, could have been considered next of kin. How Elaine had tolerated her grumpy old friend was a mystery to everyone.

The sheriff knew that Elaine’s death would rock the community. Even a relative outsider like Mike understood that Elaine had been an anchor in Batavia. Her kindness had given the village heart, and her compassion had given it soul. No one would be prepared for this.

Mike knew from experience that preparation for death eases the grief. You start getting ready emotionally and psychologically. You make arrangements. You imagine your life without someone. But Mike also knew that when the time comes it still slaps you in the face, cold and bracing. And you realize you were only fooling yourself. Then somehow, in short order, work becomes demanding, bills need to be paid and something on the radio steals a chuckle right out of your throat. For a brief second you realize that there are moments of respite from your grief and perhaps someday those moments will expand and you may be able to experience joy once again.

But for now, Elaine’s death will be a shock. No one had prepared for her death, let alone her murder.

***

Excerpt from Winter Witness by Tina deBellegarde. Copyright 2020 by Tina deBellegarde. Reproduced with permission from Tina deBellegarde. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Tina deBellegarde

Tina deBellegarde lives in Catskill, New York with her husband Denis and their cat Shelby. Winter Witness is the first book in the Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Series. Tina also writes short stories and flash fiction. When she isn’t writing, she is helping Denis tend their beehives, harvest shiitake mushrooms, and cultivate their vegetable garden. She travels to Japan regularly to visit her son, Alessandro. Tina did her graduate studies in history. She is a former exporter, paralegal, teacher, and library clerk.

Catch Up With Tina deBellegarde:
tinadebellegarde.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

 

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