I'm happy to welcome Cassandra Sato to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Cassandra on the pages of the Cassnbdra Soto Mystery series. DEAD OF WINTER BREAK is the third book in the series and was released last week.
Can I Borrow a Snowblower? by Cassandra Sato
What was I thinking?
I’m young and adventurous. Moving from Waipahu on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i, to Carson, Nebraska, sounded like a great opportunity to further my career. When I arrived in July, the flowers bloomed, the temperatures were only a little higher than I was used to at home, and I had big dreams for the first semester in my new college administrator job.
Aloha everyone, I’m Cassandra Sato, writing to you from the sunroom of my Craftsman style bungalow, where I’m currently snowed in by a blizzard. Less than a week before Christmas, and up and down my street it looks like a Hollywood studio constructed a fairytale holiday set overnight complete with a foot of realistic snow. Don’t get me wrong—the snowy tree branches are beautiful, but how am I ever going to get to work?
I’ve seen snow before in my travels.
I researched the climate differences between my tropical paradise and the Midwest before accepting the position at Morton College. My friend Meg O’Brien took me shopping a couple of months ago for heavy duty snow gear. But this . . . this, whatever you call this snowy nightmare is worse than I ever imagined.
Like my mother always says, whining never makes anything better.
But if I’m completely honest with you, this semester has not gone as planned. Everything started off great. I bought my first house, reunited with my bestie Meg, and made a few new friends while settling into small town life. The men my age here are surprisingly good looking and down to earth, but who knows when I’ll be ready for a relationship again.
I’m big on making a life plan and sticking to it.
Whoever this Kelly Brakenhoff person is, once she got involved in October things quickly went downhill. A student died, some creeper stalked me, students protested the campus administration building, and my boss retired. His replacement was difficult on a good day and now she’s gone too. I’ve never owned a pet before—not even a goldfish— but now there’s a foster dog named Murphy staying at my house. No one told me Murphy wasn’t housebroken when I agreed to watch him.
Growing up the third of four children with an annoying big brother and two sisters, determination is my middle child thing. It takes a lot to move me from my goals.
To top it off, I really want to get to the office today because something strange is going on. Last Saturday, the college celebrated Fall Commencement in the gorgeous Performing Arts Center. Just when I was enjoying the pomp and circumstance of the moment, soaking in the joy on the graduates’ faces, I saw my former boss in the audience. Considering he retired in November, that was a big shocker. Worse, when I tried talking to him after the ceremony, he dodged me for a few hours then showed up later at my house looking upset.
I thought during winter break I’d take it easy, organize my closets, bond with my new dog, and catch up on Netflix.
Mother Nature had other plans for me this week.
First, I’m breaking out my brand-new snow shovel. I won’t be able to relax until I meet with Dr. Nielson and get the full story about why he came back to town. Hmmm… I wonder why the sheriff’s car just pulled into my driveway.
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Dead of Winter Break (A Cassandra Sato Mystery) by Kelly Brakenhoff
About Dead of Winter Break
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Publisher: Emerald Prairie Press (November 17, 2020)
~340 Pages Digital
It's beginning to look a lot like murder . . . And Cassandra is knee deep in . . .
Suspects. Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it's going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep. . .
Snow. Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.
Buy now for a fast-paced, holiday themed whodunit.
Dead of Winter Break is the third book in Kelly Brakenhoff's popular Cassandra Sato Mystery Series. Death by Dissertation was a 2020 RONE Award Finalist. Publishers Weekly called Dead Week, "a diverting whodunit."
About Kelly Brakenhoff
Sounds like a good new series for me to start reading
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanie! I hope you enjoy them as much as I had fun writing them.
DeleteJust sayin', if I'm a lucky winner I prefer dead tree versions. I'm a troglodyte when it comes to "books".
ReplyDeleteDuly noted, Nora. I'll see what I can do if you're the lucky winner!
DeleteThank you Kathy for hosting me on your blog! Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThank so much for stopping by. Happy Turkey Day to you too!
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