Cozy Up With Kathy: Non Cozy

Showing posts with label Non Cozy. Show all posts

Sunday, August 17, 2025

Lost Heart in King Manor - An Interview & Review

I'm pleased to welcome Celeste Fenton to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Celeste writes the Mysteries of a Heart Series. LOST HEART IN KING MANOR is the first book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: In LOST HEART IN KING MANOR we meet Gabby Heart. When her mother has a health crisis Gabby discovers family secrets and a deadly agenda. Have you ever had to take care of a family member with health issues? Have you ever unearthed family secrets?

CF: Yes to both. Caretaking teaches you patience, resilience, and that sometimes the best medicine is a well-timed laugh. As a mother of twin boys, one or the other often had scrapes and bruises, but fortunately neither had serious injuries or illnesses. My late husband had a few surgeries that we got through together. As for family secrets—let’s just say I had a challenging childhood and learned early on that real life can be every bit as twisty as fiction. The difference is, in fiction, I get to decide how the story ends… and no one minds if I add a few dramatic gasps or saves.

Kathy: Gabby teaches art and runs a gift shop. Aside from writing, do you create art?

CF: When I was younger, I sewed and quilted. When I retired, I took drawing lessons. And now here is my guilty little secret. I do paint by numbers!! People think I have done them freehand. Do I disabuse of their assumption? Maybe.

Kathy: You published your debut novel later in life. How has age impacted your road to publication?

CF: You know...I believe in that old saying...make lemonade out of lemons. On the plus side, I have a lot of life experience to draw from. Both the joyful and the painful. All material for “well, that’s going in a book someday.” But, on the challenging side, I time is racing by, so I don't want to waste a second of it. I don’t waste time chasing what’s trendy. I write the stories I want to tell… and I do it before I forget them.

Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

CF: Ah...I've always loved a puzzle. As a kid, I devoured Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I like the challenge of digging up the clues buried in plain sight.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

CF: I consider my writing to be a mystery and romance combo. My sweet spot is romantic suspense with a cozy mystery heart. But I also think the women’s fiction genre slips in.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

CF: The Mysteries of a Heart Series follows the journey of Gabby Heart, a sharp-witted (and sometimes sharp-tongued) illustrator with an uncanny knack for stumbling into adventures of a lifetime and secrets worth killing for. Each book unravels a new mystery while deepening the emotional ties between characters.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

CF: Gabby, of course. She's smart, her life is messy, she's scared of love, but still secretly yearning for it. A close second is Jay Laird. He’s infuriatingly charming, maddeningly cocky, and yet surprisingly vulnerable. He’s also the kind of character I love to write banter for—because he always thinks he’s winning… until Gabby gets the last word.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

CF: My love of small, close-knit communities—where everyone knows each other’s business, but still shows up when it matters. It’s a place where gossip travels faster than Wi-Fi. And, I'll confess that the idea of ACHE came from a conversation I overheard while standing in line at the grocery store, and another conversation at a coffee shop. Not that I make a habit of eavesdropping!

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

CF: When my husband passed away in 2021 I realized that time was flying by. I also realized that I had been letting fear (of rejection and failure) hold me back. I didn’t want to look back one day and regret not trying. Stories were stacking up in my head, and I had too many post-it notes with ideas all over the house.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

CF: That was a hard question!! If I have to pick only 4, I'll go with: Agatha Christie (her cozy style and twisty endings, plus I want to know the real reason she disappeared for a few days), Nora Roberts (genre-bending genius and great sex scenes), Jane Austen (for sharp wit and social commentary and more about Mr. Darcy), and M.C. Beaton (because her humor could cut glass and she’d probably start the best gossip). We’d have mystery, romance, and wickedly funny conversation over dessert.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

CF: Just finished ATOMIC CITY GIRLS by Jane Beard and just started PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

CF: Sure! Reading of course! In addition to the paint-by-numbers, I like escape rooms, playing Canasta and Hand and Foot, and my current project is creating a digital scrapbook for each year of my grandchildrens' life.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

CF: Coffee (of course!), half-n-half for the coffee, blueberry preserves (I'm addicted), and bread and butter pickles.

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

CF: Oh yes! CAPTIVE HEART AT BRANTMAR CASTLE - Book Two in the Mysteries of a Heart Series – will be released on September 22. And BROKEN HEART AT AVALON CHATEAU will be released in late winter/early spring of 2026.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

CF: Hearing from readers who tell me my book gave them an escape, made them laugh or comforted them when they needed it most.

**********************************************************************

Review

LOST HEART IN KING MANOR by Celeste Fenton
The First in the Mysteries of a Heart Series

Dost Island is a quiet scenic location off the coast of Massachusetts. It's the home to King Manor and the enclosed ACHE, the Adult Care and Health Enclave complex, a rehabilitation center that also does research on elder care. After Gabby Heart's mother suffers some disturbing issues then falls and breaks her hip, her doctor recommends she goes to ACHE to recover. After a tour of the mansion turned retirement center the women agree. After all, it's not permanent. But not everything is as it seems at King Manor. As a hurricane is set to hit the island Gabby finds herself at ACHE along with a good looking neighbor and annoying new office mate. Despite the attraction to both men, Gabby's more concerned for her mother's altered mental state and the odd things happening to other residents. Will the hurricane obliterate the mansion or reveal its dark secrets?

LOST HEART IN KING MANOR is an intriguing story that's part mystery and part romantic suspense. With wit, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and self confidence Gabby is a likable protagonist, even though she tends to ramble on and on when telling a story. I appreciate her long term friendship with Lola and Abe. The guys, both Rick and Jay, can be annoying. Very annoying. Jay's method for getting what he wants was a dead turn off for me and even Rick was problematic. Neither was any match for Lavanda, however. Ultimately, it's a novel of growth for Gabby. Letting go, letting in, and expanding to see who she really is.

There was a lot of excitement and I wasn't sure who to trust! I really liked how the history of the manor played a vital role. A few things did bother me, however. A main problem was the visitor in the hospital. A major thing, yet Gabby drops it and doesn't address it. It eventually is reintroduced near the end of the book, but it was driving me bonkers that she didn't look further into the situation at the start. Other things also happened and I couldn't understand the point, like teenaged Luke coming to ACHE during the hurricane.

Danger, excitement, and a bit of lust reside in LOST HEART IN KING MANOR. Check out the mysterious goings on and relationship issues in the first book in this riveting new series. I look forward to seeing what's in store for Gabby next!

********************************************************************

Author Links:

Website

https://celestefenton.com

Amazon Author page

https://www.amazon.com/stores/CELESTE-FENTON/author/B0F5HTW7RK

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@CelesteFentonWrites

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575815274859

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/celestefentonwrites

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@celestefenton?lang=en

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-fenton-33811a357

Friday, July 25, 2025

The Ignoble Lie - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Review

THE IGNOBLE LIE by Matthew Peters
Of Gods & Men Book I

A bombing at the pyramids of Giza is just the start of troubles for former Jesuit Scott Larson. Working with Aleister Mabrey and his two nieces, Zady and Brynn, the delivery of a religious artifact doesn't go as planned. When Brynn is kidnapped Scott and Zady begin a global treasure hunt for the ransom with vague clues. Who's pulling the strings? ISIS who claimed the bombing and promised more? The Roman Catholic Church? The United States government? Just who can they trust? With time running out will they be able to decipher the clues and find the treasure even if it will disrupt the entire Judeo-Christian world? Or will Brynn pay the ultimate price?

I am fascinated by Ancient Egypt and biblical archaeology so THE IGNOBLE LIE had me intrigued from the start. I love the manner in which historical fact, theory, and fiction meld together. Multiple connected story lines kept my interest high and also impacted the tempo. The book is fast paced, made even more so by the short chapters that urge you to continue reading. There are twists, turns, and surprises throughout and not everyone lives...and not everyone dies.

The first Of Gods & Men book is incredibly timely. Politicians blatantly violating the constitution, the rich and powerful sowing the seeds of discontent and doing whatever they can no matter the cost to maintain their supremacy, at times the book reads more like the news than a work of fiction.

The characters are intriguing, some likable, some despicable, most painted in shades of gray. I really like Scott Larson, Senator Madge Roberts, and Masika. In a surprising comedic bit, the Mother Superior gave me a giggle with her brief appearance.

Combining politics, religion, and conspiracy THE IGNOBLE LIE is a fast paced thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, eyes wide open, and jaw dropped.

**********************************************************************

THE IGNOBLE LIE

by Matthew Peters

July 7 - August 1, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Of Gods & Men Series

What if the Ark of the Covenant isn’t a reference to the chest containing the Ten Commandments God revealed to Moses atop Mount Sinai?

What if it refers to the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh whose contents would revolutionize religious history?

As ex-Jesuit Scott Larson and adventuress Zady Jones learn, such a discovery can be deadly.

A terrorist attack on the Great Pyramid of Giza ratchets up the tension in Washington, D.C., where President John Jenkins has been impeached for an order declaring the U.S. a Judeo-Christian nation. The terrorists threaten more attacks in Egypt and the U.S. unless their demand is met—and it’s something only Larson and Jones can give them. When the efforts to meet the terrorists’ demand goes awry and Zady’s sister is kidnapped, Larson and Jones race to save her. Along the way, they receive a series of mysterious clues that point to the existence of a shocking historical secret, one that could not only topple Jenkins’ presidency but upend Judeo-Christianity.

Praise for The Ignoble Lie:

"This fast-paced religious thriller will especially appeal to fans of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Unlike that book, though, The Ignoble Lie digs deep into Biblical lore and ancient history, back to the origins of the historical Moses in ancient Egypt. If you like your thrillers seasoned with Church conspiracies, Egyptian archaeology, and murderous mercenaries, look no further. You won't be able to put it down."
~ Chris

"The Ignoble Lie by Matthew Peters is a sophisticated geopolitical thriller that intertwines religious history, political intrigue, and clandestine warfare... I loved the characters in The Ignoble Lie — believable and thoroughly explored. The prose, the sparkling dialogue, and the deft plotting are the elements that captivated me, together with the suspenseful storytelling. 5 Stars"
~ Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite

Book Details:

Genre: Political/Religious thriller
Published by: Mélange Books
Publication Date: May 12, 2025
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 979-8886533712 (print)
Series: Of Gods & Men, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Mélange Books

Read an excerpt:

SUNDAY

Chapter 1

Under a spring sunset, the pyramids of Giza stood like pointed stone islands in a timeless sea of desert sand. At the northeast corner of the plateau, several armed guards perched atop camels at the base of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The leader of the security force nodded as three lean bearded men garbed in long, white robes and carrying cameras and other electronic equipment approached. The trio formed a loose line and then trudged up the massive beige limestone blocks to the main entrance on the north face of the pyramid.

When they stepped inside, the cool air moved slightly like a palm frond breeze fanned by ancient servants. The men could still hear the hum of the generator outside as they made their way down a long, sloping, cramped corridor in the pale glow of the electric lighting. Following the metal conduit from the generator, they began climbing a longer passage. Their stated job was simple: set up the cameras needed to film the contents of the recently discovered room behind the west wall of the King’s Chamber, one of only two known chambers in the vast structure. Official filming by an international team would commence in the morning and the world would soon learn of the contents.

An hour later, one of the men burst out of the pyramid’s entrance covered in blood. Sweat drenched his brow as he bent over, his hands on his knees, trying desperately to suck oxygen into his lungs. Fortunately, the guards were not in sight. After a few moments, he raised himself to a fully standing position and wiped blood from his hands onto his dove-colored djellaba. He looked up at the sky beseechingly. The setting sun was glorious: red, orange, bronze. The scene was somehow new and final: the first sunset and the last. The celestial canvas suddenly looked like an unfolding scroll and for one fleeting moment on that scroll he saw painted what he’d glimpsed in the hidden room.

A golden rectangular chest with two winged lions with human heads on a peaked, shiny lid. Four gold rings were set into the bottom four feet, through which golden poles were placed for carrying. It was—

No, it couldn’t be...

Could it?

It was almost impossible to believe, but what if it was? After all, it looked exactly as it was described in the Torah, though that source couldn’t entirely be trusted.

But if there was even a chance that it was, no matter how small...

At least, that’s what they’d told him. And in the end, that was all that really mattered: what they had told him. Because the money that would go to his family was more than he could ever make in a whole lifetime.

With shaky hands, he fumbled for his cell phone and punched the #1 button.

“Yes?” a voice said after one ring.

“It’s as you feared.”

“Now is the time,” the voice responded.

“Allahu Akbar,” the man whispered and ended the call.

He took a deep breath, the kind a long jumper takes just before the approach, then punched the code on his phone.

He held his breath until the explosive detonated.

Then there was nothing but blackness that stretched into forever.

***

Author Bio:

Matthew Peters has a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A., and Ph.D. from Duke University. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and currently resides in North Carolina. He is passionate about exploring religious, political, and socioeconomic issues from a variety of different perspectives and especially values the views put forth by marginalized groups or people. His writing involves a good deal of research, and he is committed to writing plausible novels, in the hope of giving readers food for thought.

Catch Up With Matthew Peters:

www.MatthewPetersBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @matthewpeters
Instagram - @matthewpetersbooks
BlueSky - @matthewpetersitw.bsky.social

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Matthew Peters. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading The Ignoble Lie by Mathew Peters. This is the first book in the Of Gods & Men series.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

The Ignoble Lie - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Matthew Peters to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Matthew writes the Of Gods & Men series. THE IGNOBLE LIE is the first book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: In THE IGNOBLE LIE ex-Jesuit Scott Larson and adventuress Zady Jones receive a series of mysterious clues that point to the existence of a shocking historical secret. What makes historical secrets and treasure hunting so intriguing?

MP: I think we, as humans, are curious about secrets. There is something very appealing about historical secrets, especially those involving conspiracies, that never seem to lose their allure. Life seems so incomprehensible, unbelievable, and/or irrational at times that people look for explanations outside the mainstream, especially when conventional answers seem unconvincing or trite. I think treasure hunting strikes a deep chord in most people because it fills us with a childlike hope that we will discover something that has eluded everyone else, something that is inherently valuable and perhaps life-altering.

Kathy: I've always been interested in both Ancient Egypt and biblical archaeology. Did you have an interest in these subjects before writing this book?

MP: I’ve been fascinated with ancient Egypt since I was a child. Both the architecture and the longevity of the pyramids have always amazed me. As I got older, I was struck by the sophistication of Egyptian culture—a culture so old, and so advanced just fascinated me. I became interested in biblical archaeology later in life, especially when I tried to understand the Bible as a series of historical documents.

Kathy: I've read interesting stories about Moses, mainly that it can't be proven if he was a historical person or not. One theory holds that he was an Egyptian pharaoh. Do you have an opinion?

MP: I do have an opinion. It’s one that’s explored in the book, so I’ll leave it at that for now 😊

Kathy: Some of the political ideation of your fictional president seems to be true of some current politicians. Did today's political climate influence your thriller?

MP: Absolutely. I’m a political scientist by training and so I’ve been inundated with the political climate for most of my adult life. One of the issues I’m particularly interested in is the intersection of politics and religion in American society. I know the old adage is not to discuss either of these topics in mixed company, but we live in an age in which I don’t think they have ever been more important.

Kathy: What first drew you to thrillers?

MP: I was drawn to thrillers because it’s the genre that best suits my research interests. I love researching my novels extensively, and I firmly believe that you should write what you love, topics that interest you enough to spend a long time with them, the time it takes to write a book.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MP: I’ve written another book in a different genre. It is literary fiction, with an element of magical realism. When it comes to reading fiction, it’s the type of book I enjoy most—with or without magical realism. I took the book, CONVERSATIONS AMONG RUINS, out of print with the intention of making it longer, but I haven’t done so yet. The book explores two topics that are very important to me: mental health and substance abuse. I’d very much like to work on it again, and hope I have the opportunity to do so in the not-too-distant future.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

MP: Currently the series is about an ex-Jesuit and an adventuress who are trying to solve the mystery behind a series of violent events that seem connected, and involve a combustible mix of politics and religion.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

MP: That’s so hard to answer 😊 I really like the male and female protagonists who are interesting in different ways, but I also like a female senator who plays a large role in THE IGNOBLE LIE.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

MP: I loved THE DA VINCI CODE, so I have to say that.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MP: I thought the story was interesting and important enough to hopefully resonate with a number of different readers.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

MP: I love this question! Dostoevsky, Hesse, Thomas Mann, and Truman Capote. Can you imagine?!

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MP: A wonderful book on writing by the inimitable Brenda Ueland called IF YOU WANT TO WRITE. I’m rereading it for the umpteenth time because it never fails to inspire me when I’m writing a new novel.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

MP: Besides reading, movies, movies, and more movies. My wife and I own over 5,000 titles (both movies and TV shows)—we’ve essentially resurrected Blockbusters. My favorite genre is horror, but my interests are wide-ranging and include foreign films, musicals, and true crime. I also have to mention music. I listen to many genres, from classical to heavy metal. Right now, I’m really into Joy Division and Sigur Rós.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

MP: Food: yummy. Crunchmaster crackers, smoked gouda, Hershey kisses, and Lays Kettle potato chips (plain). But my wife makes me eat healthy for lunch and dinner ☹

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

MP: I do. I’m currently writing the second book in the “Of Gods & Men” series. It should be available later next year. I’d love to continue the series for a while.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

MP: I love doing research before I start writing, and I love exposing people to different perspectives, especially those outside the mainstream.

************************************************************************

THE IGNOBLE LIE

by Matthew Peters

July 7 - August 1, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Of Gods & Men Series

What if the Ark of the Covenant isn’t a reference to the chest containing the Ten Commandments God revealed to Moses atop Mount Sinai?

What if it refers to the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh whose contents would revolutionize religious history?

As ex-Jesuit Scott Larson and adventuress Zady Jones learn, such a discovery can be deadly.

Praise for The Ignoble Lie:

Book Details:

Genre: Political/Religious thriller
Published by: Mélange Books
Publication Date: May 12, 2025
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 979-8886533712 (print)
Series: Of Gods & Men, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Mélange Books

Read an excerpt:

SUNDAY

Chapter 1

No, it couldn’t be...

Could it?

It was almost impossible to believe, but what if it was? After all, it looked exactly as it was described in the Torah, though that source couldn’t entirely be trusted.

But if there was even a chance that it was, no matter how small...

With shaky hands, he fumbled for his cell phone and punched the #1 button.

“Yes?” a voice said after one ring.

“It’s as you feared.”

“Now is the time,” the voice responded.

“Allahu Akbar,” the man whispered and ended the call.

He took a deep breath, the kind a long jumper takes just before the approach, then punched the code on his phone.

He held his breath until the explosive detonated.

Then there was nothing but blackness that stretched into forever.

***

Author Bio:

Catch Up With Matthew Peters:

www.MatthewPetersBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @matthewpeters
Instagram - @matthewpetersbooks
BlueSky - @matthewpetersitw.bsky.social

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Matthew Peters. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Accidental Murder - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release. Accidental Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber is a standalone suspense novel that is being released today!

Blurb:

When Kayla Macintyre discovers her twin sister Ashley brutally murdered, grief quickly gives way to terror—because Kayla was the real target. A case of mistaken identity fools the police into thinking she’s the one who died, and Kayla seizes the chance to disappear into her sister’s glamorous life as a supermodel. It’s a dangerous gamble for a tech-savvy, adrenaline-chasing computer repair specialist with zero fashion sense.

But the lie buys her time—and a shot at the truth.

As her clients and friends begin turning up dead, Kayla suspects the killer’s motive lies buried in the digital trails she’s been hired to clean. To stay alive, she must dive into the shadows of her clients’ secrets, unravel a conspiracy, and stay one step ahead of a killer who’s finally realized he missed his mark.

Time is running out. The next mistake could be fatal.

Friday, June 6, 2025

All You Need is Love - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release. All You Need is Love by Meg Macy.

Blurb:

Longtime friends Jack Riley and Juliette (aka Jules) Baxter are now partners in a new breakfast café, but they are surprised to be confronted by a wave of homophobia in a town known for its inclusive and diverse LGBTQA+ community. Their romantic lives are just as uncertain. Jack, a gay former actor and fashion model, has failed at committed relationships due to his unsavory past – until he meets Reese Baxter, his partner’s handsome, closeted cousin. Jules juggles several polyamorous relationships due to major trust issues, until she’s drawn to an intriguing artist. However his jealousy of her bestie Jack is getting out of hand. Is the vandalism against their café from conservative hate groups, or is it a focused personal attack?

**************************************************************************

About the Author:

National bestselling author Meg Macy is a reader first and foremost. She loves great books in a wide variety of genres — being an introvert, she prefers pages to people. With her cat Mr. Whiskers nearby.

Meg previously wrote the “Shamelessly Adorable” Teddy Bear cozy mystery series for Kensington, several Christmas-themed romance novellas with rescue dogs and cats, and is also one-half of the writing team D.E. Ireland for the Agatha Award-nominated (2015, 2017) historical mysteries featuring Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins.

She’s now turned her hand to writing M/M and M/F “quozy” romance — more spice, perhaps a dead body or intrigue, plus plenty of romance or a hint of it. Unique? Yep. Meg loves breaking the rules.

Visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, or her website at www.megmacy.com

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Fleet Landing - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Wendy Gee to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Wendy writes the Carolina Crossfire Mystery series. FLEET LANDING is the first book in the series and will be released next week.

Kathy: In FLEET LANDING ATF Special Agent Cooper “Coop” Bellamy is forced to work with tenacious TV reporter Sydney Quinn as fires ravage the city. What makes firefighters such interesting protagonists?

WG: IMHO, all first responders deal with the best and worst of us. Yet their missions are decidedly different. I think Coop says it best when Dino asks him why firefighters are more popular than cops: “[We] meet people on their worst day, armed with only a water cannon [or a defibrillator], and help them. Cops show up armed to the teeth and usually arrest someone. Or worse.”

Firefighters are humble, brave, and professional. They also have a wicked sense of humor (which I gravitate toward) to deal with what they see and do. It was my intention to honor that selflessness.

Kathy: Coop has a strained relationship with his 11-year-old daughter. Why add a tween to the mix?

WG: Most of the firefighters I have met are family men and women. I wanted to capture that tension between work-life with all of its rewards and perils. And I chose that age so Haley would be semi-independent, yet need her dad more than Coop recognized.

Kathy: What first drew you to thrillers?

WG: The excitement of a “ticking clock.” The way a writer can upend an ordinary person’s life with one bad decision or an inopportune presence. Solving a problem that continues to worsen, no matter how savvy or well-intentioned the protagonist is. And I love the dilemma of the underdog who perseveres under immense odds. I have always been drawn to problem-solving. Now, I have fun creating the chaos.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

WG: Traditional mystery, with thriller elements, best describe my work.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

WG: The Carolina Crossfire mystery series has three primary protagonists. Each story is intended to showcase one (the ATF agent, the TV reporter, and the police lieutenant), while the others support that lead. I am just getting started with publication, so that is my only working series.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

WG: I love all three of my protagonists equally, but Sydney is the aspirational “me.” My crit groups have really enjoyed the secondary characters who bring the snark and the colorful bits to the stories. I work hard on continuing to hone my craft so the antagonists are also well developed and realistic. My voice actor calls them “a hot mess.”

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

WG: I’d say the city of Charleston offered me a dynamite launching pad. The first writers I found in my local area were professional romance writers who welcomed me with open arms and encouragement. I would categorize that genre’s authors as very dedicated. They work within tight expectations, know their craft, and are willing to share what they’ve learned. Now that I hang around mystery and thriller novelists, the same can be said of that genre’s professional authors.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

WG: I wanted the privilege of sharing my hard work with others. I was awestruck when my first copies arrived and I could give them away (and tuck one on my own bookshelf alongside the giants in my genre).

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

WG: Only four? Then, let me sup with Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, and Robert Crais.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

WG: David Baldacci’s STRANGERS IN TIME, my newest purchase. He recently came to town on his tour.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

WG: I love to golf and volunteer when the opportunity permits. I’m presently working for the Friends of Lewes Public Library and Sussex County (DE) Habitat for Humanity.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

WG: Potato chips, mole sauce, spaghetti, and (of course) Diet Mountain Dew. Those might comprise my four favorite food groups (chocolate, carbs and Dew). Whoa boy, I better add more protein on my next trip to the grocery store.

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

WG: I hope to publish many more books in the Carolina Crossfire series. My second story (SIDE HUSTLE) features Sydney on the hunt for an audacious cybercriminal. Book three features Dino (THE PINEAPPLE), with a look at his first felony arrest and how that impacted his career. With more to come (SMELL TEST and YARD DOG—yet to be edited for publication).

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

WG: I love, love, love when people I interview during research in a topical area are so willing to assist me (even as a pre-published writer). I think that’s because we all secretly aspire to craft the Great American Novel. It’s in our spirit—like baseball and apple pie. Those generous people who let me into their world want to help me succeed. That inherent goodness and consideration makes me try harder to be better, and honor them to the best of my ability.

Of course, those who deny my request for access (which is their undeniable choice)—well, that’s where antagonists are born (lol).

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Blurb:

ATF Special Agent Cooper “Coop” Bellamy's rigid adherence to rules has left his relationship with his 11-year-old daughter in ashes. When Charleston's fire chief calls him to investigate a series of mysterious nuisance fires ravaging the city, Coop sees a chance to redeem himself as a father and catch a dangerous arsonist. But as the fires turn deadly, he finds himself torn between family and duty.

Enter tenacious TV reporter Sydney Quinn, whose pursuit of justice for a man wrongly convicted of arson puts her on a collision course with a sinister figure known only as the Falcon. As Sydney uncovers a decades-old conspiracy, she receives chilling warnings to back off.

Forced to work together, Coop and Sydney must navigate a labyrinth of lies and corruption. Their investigation ignites a powder keg of danger, testing Coop's ironclad principles and Sydney's journalistic integrity. But when danger strikes too close to home, the stakes become personal. With time running out and lives on the line, Coop and Sydney must fight to extinguish the threat before everything they love goes up in smoke.

**********************************************************************

About the Author:

After a successful career in the U.S. Navy, Wendy Gee now channels her boundless energy into community volunteering, leaving no stone unturned—or unpainted—at the Charleston Fire Department, Friends of the Lewes Public Library Board of Directors, and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. A proud graduate of the University of Michigan, University of Arizona, Naval War College, and Old Dominion University, Wendy combines her academic prowess and life experiences into her writing.

Residing in Lewes, DE, she is an avid golfer, a diehard Detroit Tigers and Lions fan (even when they’re not winning, but so excited when they are), and a pickleball enthusiast who’s always ready to serve up some fun. Her work has been shortlisted with Killer Nashville and the Writer’s League of Texas. And as a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime, Wendy’s passion for the mystery genre is no secret—though she might leave a few clues lying around just for fun. Learn more at: www.wendygeeauthor.com

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Vacations Can Be Murder - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Review

VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER:
A TRUE CRIME LOVER'S TRAVEL GUIDE TO NEW ENGLAND
VOLUME 1
By Dawn M. Barclay

True crime enthusiasts who like to travel, even if it's only via armchair, will appreciate VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER: A TRUE CRIME LOVER'S TRAVEL GUIDE TO NEW ENGLAND VOLUME 1. This handy book gives each state its own chapter which is then divided into sections: basic crime statistics and brief segments about the crimes followed by a sampling of true crime books set in that state. The next section includes various places to see including accommodations, restaurants, and other attractions. Addresses, websites, and current hours and prices are also given as well as more snippets about the crimes that took place there. The last section for each state features the itineraries, multiple ones for each state giving driving directions to a set of true crime sights. As with any travel book the problem is that they can easily become outdated. Information such as prices and hours of operations can change quickly and the author urges people to call before making any definitive plans. In addition, the stories remain the same even if restaurants and tour companies fade away.

The book includes notorious true crime cases, such as Lizzie Borden and Kitty Genovese, and historical cases such as the Salem Witch trials and the Boston Strangler, however a large number of the cases are tawdry murders which only die hard true crime fans, or those with some association, would be interested. I personally wouldn't care to visit the site where a man repeatedly stabbed his neighbor, though I may want to pay respects nearby where a woman was hanged for witchcraft.

This book is exceedingly well researched with a wonderful bibliography and index at the end. I really enjoyed reading about the haunted restaurants and hotels and found those bit even more interesting than some of the true crime sections.

Well organized and easily readable VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER: A TRUE CRIME LOVER'S TRAVEL GUIDE TO NEW ENGLAND VOLUME 1 is an enjoyable travel guide for fans of true crime and those interested in more unique travel destinations.

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VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER

A TRUE CRIME TRAVEL GUIDE TO NEW ENGLAND

by Dawn M Barclay

April 28 - May 23, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Vacations Can Be Murder

As Close as You Can Get to True Crime While Still Breathing!

For the true crime lover—finally, a travel guide from an award-winning travel journalist and suspense author that gives you the down and dirty on exactly where the major crimes occurred, and where the bodies are buried. For aficionados of paranormal, prison, and tombstone travel, there’s a goldmine of tourism suggestions for you here as well.

Along with summaries of the major crimes committed in New England, you’ll discover where to find the best crime and ghost tours; which hotels and restaurants are former jails, courthouses, or harbor paranormal activity; where infamous criminals are/were jailed, and which venues and attractions might feed your fancy for murder and justice. Reading lists in each chapter will guide you to books expounding on the crimes discussed.. Best of all, suggested itineraries bring all the pieces together to help you traverse New England’s criminal landscape in an organized and entertaining way. Up for a true crime road trip? Let Vacations Can Be Murder be your ultimate travel guide.

Praise for Vacations Can Be Murder:

"The perfect reference book for the U. S. crime traveler. Barclay rounds up a collection of known and obscure crimes, arranged by geographic area, that features museums, cemeteries, hotels, prisons, and private properties. She even offers itineraries, murder tours, a location-specific list of true-crime books, victim resources, and some ghost stories. This travel guide is a gem. Be packed and ready before you start reading because you’ll want to go explore."
~ Katherine Ramsland, author of Darkest Waters, The Nutcracker Investigations, and How to Catch a Killer

Vacations Can Be Murder Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: True Crime, Travel
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Number of Pages: 340
Series: Vacations Can Be Murder, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt from Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to New England:

This is from the Crime Summaries section of the Connecticut chapter. The actual addresses of these crimes are all included in the Itineraries section of the chapter.

Hartford may be considered one of Connecticut’s most dangerous cities, but its suburbs have seen their fair share of crime over the years.

The Hartford Witch Trials occurred between 1647-1663. In all of Connecticut, there were 43 trials and 16 executions, many in Hartford and three in Wethersfield. On May 26, 1647, Alice (Alse) Young of Windsor was the first to be executed. Servant girl Mary Johnson was the first to confess to witchcraft in Connecticut but was likely coerced by extensive torture. She was executed somewhere between 1648-1650 (reports vary).

In 1839, The Amistad criminal and civil cases were tried at Old Statehouse in Hartford. The case revolved around a mutiny by, and subsequent charging of, 53 Mende African men, women, and children who had been captured and were being transported between Sierra Leone and Havana, Cuba aboard the ship to serve as slaves. The story was the subject of the Steven Spielberg film, Amistad. Several other Connecticut locations connected to the trial can be found at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelamistad/visit.htm.

Joseph “Mad Dog” Taborsky was a murderer sentenced to death after a string of brutal robberies and murders in Hartford and West Hartford in the 1950s. He was sentenced twice to be executed for two different crimes, but the first conviction was overturned due to the mental competency of a witness, his brother Albert, testifying against him. (Albert was later declared insane.) In December 1956, a little over a year after his release from prison, Taborsky launched a 14-month murder spree that killed gas station attendant Edward Kurpewski and customer Daniel Janowski, package store owner Samuel Cohn, shoe store customers Bernard and Ruth Speyer, and pharmacy owner John M. “Jack” Rosenthal. The second conviction stuck, and he died in the electric chair in 1960, the last execution in Connecticut until that of Michael Bruce Ross in 2005.

In 2004, Matthew Steven Johnson was convicted of the 2000 and 2001 slayings of three female sex workers he murdered—Rosali Jimenez (33), Aida Quinones (33), and Alesia Ford (37)—who were all found dead in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford. Each of the women had drugs in their system and were found with their bodies stomped upon, strewn with Johnson’s semen, and with their pants pulled down around one leg. Johnson was found guilty and sentenced to three consecutive 60-year sentences at the Cheshire Correctional Institution.

Lazale Ashby became one of the youngest prisoners on Connecticut’s death row for kidnapping, raping, burglarizing, and murdering his neighbor Elizabeth Garcia in 2002, when he was just 18. He was suspected of another Hartford rape, as well.

Ashby has actually been tried and sentenced three times for Garcia’s murder, the final time in 2023, when he confessed to the crime. Now that Connecticut has abolished the death penalty, he’s been sentenced to 46.5 years in prison. In addition, he was convicted and received a 25-year sentence for the 2003 fatal shooting of 22-year-old Nahshon Cohen of Manchester, whose body was found on a street in the city’s North End.

Speaking of Manchester, in August of 2010, the city became the location of a mass shooting at a beer distribution company, Hartford Distributors. Disgruntled former employee Omar Thorton, forced to resign after video evidence revealed he’d been stealing and reselling the company’s beer, fatally shot eight coworkers and injured two others. He then committed suicide on site. Those who knew him cited racism as the reason for his upset, but these allegations were disputed by the firm and not substantiated by the investigation that followed.

William Devin Howell’s rape and murder spree, which started on New Year’s Day in 2003, took place in Seymour, West Hartford, and Wethersfield, as well as New Britain. Triggered by a fight with his girlfriend, Howell succumbed to years-long rape fantasies, Referring to himself as the “Sick Ripper,” he would lure female drug addicts, unlikely to be missed, into his “murder mobile.” There, he would rape them, often videotaping bizarre sex acts, before murdering them and disposing of the bodies in a seldom frequented area behind a strip mall in New Britain which he called his “garden.” He was arrested in North Carolina and plea-bargained his way into a fifteen-year sentence for the manslaughter of Mary Jane Menard. However, new evidence that surfaced while he was already in jail earned him six consecutive life sentences (360 years in prison) to be spent at the Cheshire Correctional Institution.

In 1986 at the Jamaican Progressive League, a club in Hartford’s North End, Bonnie Foreshaw stopped to get a beer and ended up committing a murder that bought her the longest jail sentence ever handed down to a woman in the state. Having endured a lifetime of sexual and spousal abuse, when Hector Freeman offered to buy her a drink and wouldn’t let up when she turned him down, the encounter triggered her. She drew her handgun to fire a warning shot, but Freeman protected himself by using a pregnant woman, Joyce Amos, as a human shield. Foreshaw’s bullet killed her accidently.

Foreshaw spent the majority of her jail time at the York Correctional Institution in Niantic where author Wally Lamb taught a writing class for prisoners. Lamb took up her cause, believing she’d been over-sentenced, and thanks to his help, Foreshaw was granted clemency after serving just 27 years of a 49-year sentence. Once released, she changed her name to Bonnie Jean Cook and helped other ex-convicts adjust to life on the outside until her death in 2022.

All of these murders pale in comparison to the crimes of Amy Archer-Gilligan. While she was charged with five deaths (though only tried for one), she may have killed as many as one hundred. Archer-Gilligan ran the Archer Home for Elderly People and Chronic Invalids in the Hartford suburb of Windsor, where countless older residents were bilked out of money and then poisoned by arsenic, including the murderer’s own husbands. Other locations tied to Archer-Gilligan include Newington, where she and her first husband James Archer lived with John Seymour until he died, and then they transformed the home into Sister Amy’s Nursing Home for the Elderly. In 1917, she was convicted of the murder of Franklin Andrew and sentenced to death by hanging, but she appealed. During a second trial in 1919, she pleaded insanity and was convicted of second-degree murder, earning her a life sentence. In 1924, she was transferred to the Connecticut General Hospital for the Insane in Middletown, where she remained until her death in 1962. The play Arsenic and Old Lace is loosely based on her story.

Also in Hartford, the Circus Fire that killed 168 persons and injured 412-700 others through trampling and asphyxiation occurred on July 6, 1944 (“The Day the Clowns Cried”) and is considered one of the country’s worst fire disasters. The Big Top Tent was coated in paraffin plus gasoline or kerosene for waterproofing; therefore, it was highly flammable. On top of that, some of the exits were blocked by animal chutes. Arson was suspected; others blamed a carelessly tossed lit cigarette. A mentally ill man named Robert Dale Segee, 21, of Circleville, OH, confessed to setting the fire, as well as up to 30 other blazes in Maine, New Hampshire, and Ohio. He later recanted his confession and was never tried in Connecticut. However, Segee was indicted and convicted in Ohio on two charges of arson and served eight out of a four-to-forty-year jail sentence. He died in 1997.

Finally, on May 18, 1988, Billy “Hot Dog” Grant, a bookie who was in charge of Connecticut safe houses for New York’s five families, was reportedly murdered in the parking lot of the Westfarms Mall in Farmington. Grant, who had owned Augie and Ray’s Hot Dog and Hamburger shop in East Hartford, and later the South End Seaport restaurant on Franklin Avenue, was suspected of having given up details of the hiding spot of the brother of a mafia boss. He is supposedly buried underneath a Farmington residence.

***

Author Bio:

Dawn M. Barclay is a veteran travel trade reporter and an award-winning author who writes nonfiction under her own name and fiction as D.M. Barr. Her first nonfiction book, Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022) received a starred review from Library Journal, and won the 2023 Lowell Thomas Gold Award from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation, Honorable Mention from the American Society of Journalists and Authors (Books that Make a Difference), and first prize in the Maxy Awards. When not writing, she edits for various authors and publishers, creates book trailers, ghostwrites (nonfiction only!), plays competitive trivia, rescues senior shelter dogs, travel, reads, and apparently, drives her family nuts...but they won't admit it, of course, since she knows a lot about murder.

Catch Up With Dawn M Barclay:

www.VacationsCanBeMurder.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Instagram - @authordmbarr
Facebook - @TrueCrimeTravelGuides

Tour Participants:

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Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Brandi Bradley to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is Brandi's most recent book and it was released last week.

Kathy: Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is a noir novel set in an outwardly charming Southern town. What makes discovering dark secrets so intriguing?

BB: I don’t know the psychology of it, but I do know it’s why Dateline is still so popular. Around the time that the Murdough case was on everyone’s feed – like everyone I knew sent me an article about it – I remember going to my whiteboard and slapping a post-it on it that read, “The myth of the good Southern family.” Everything looks so pretty on the outside, but the inside is gross and sometimes rotten. And there is a sense of glee when powerful people fall or witnessing the process of taking down people who get too big. I think it affirms those suspicions that all those images of perfection were just a performance.

Kathy: In the book a young entrepreneur is killed and everyone points the finger at his ex-girlfriend Gabbi, a "New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting, smokeshow". That's quite a description! As someone who could also be branded as New Age and woo woo, I wonder why do these terms raise ire and cause people to assume the worst?

BB: I am also a little woo woo and I think it works on both levels. I think some people are going to be annoyed and roll their eyes, while others are going to be intrigued. Living in the south is interesting because the same people who might refer to someone as being a New Age neo-hippie with ire, are also collecting crystals or visiting a psychic once a week.

Kathy: The book is told through the shifting perspectives of three women, Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna. Why choose to do this instead of focusing on one point of view?

BB: I always knew I wanted to write from multiple viewpoints because I wanted to show how alike and different all these women were. And I liked being able to write from a biased perspective – their idea of what they witnessed and how it’s different from what another person witnessed. Years ago when I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, I loved how she had each chapter a different perspective and knew I wanted to try that.

Kathy: What first drew you to noir?

BB: I like noir because there is an inability to trust anyone, and yet, the detective is almost always foiled because they trusted the wrong person or because of assumptions they made. I like noir because women are both sexy and smart– even if they are inclined to stab you in the back when they pull you in for a kiss. I like that mysteries are solved even if there is no justice. I don’t love the cynicism, but you can’t have it all.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

BB: I’ve written a few memoir pieces that I am proud of. And I have written a ghost story once, although I would never call myself a paranormal writer. When I first started to get a handle on the kind of writer I wanted to be, I was always drawn to stories that people would gossip about from the viewpoint of the people dealing with the fall out. And often, that’s what mysteries and noirs are. People dealing with the fall out of someone else’s choices. And now I realize how much I love working in the mystery genre. There are so many different approaches to mystery that I am excited to explore.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

BB: At some point, all the characters were my favorite, especially the more shady ones. I had a lot of fun writing Ned Rockford, this charming guy who’s been propped up by the Good Old Boy System for a long time. These guys always have a plan – either coordinating their legacy or digging themselves out of a hole they got themselves into, but they’re almost always forgiven because they are charming and entertaining. And everyone knows they can’t trust them. Writing that character was a lot of fun.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your book?

BB: Often I will have these little inspirational triggers where I will read or watch a story and I’ll think, I want to write that, but not that. So I’ll make a note on my whiteboard that will say something cryptic like “Woman on Woman stalking with a witchy vibe”. When I started Pretty Girls, I was reading a lot of stories about women who were being labelled “crazy” by ex-boyfriends and families of ex-boyfriends. And it grew from there.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

BB: I got tired of waiting to be “discovered”. I’m not a 20-year-old literary ingénue with a patience problem. I am a 40+ woman who has written novels before, gone to school for an MFA, a Ph.D., and yet could not get the literary world to pay attention.

I traditionally published some short pieces, but when it came to getting an agent for my novels, I kept coming up against road blocks.

For decades I had been walking around waiting to be seen as a novelist, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be chosen and eventually I was like, “This is exhausting. I’m choosing myself!”

I sat down and made a list of what I would need to make it happen for myself. I started an LLC, I bought ISBNs, and I contacted editors and designers. I set a launch date and spread the word.

And now, this is the second book I have published myself, and the best part was I didn’t have to ask permission or run my ideas through a committee.

It’s the hardest job I have ever had, but it’s also all mine, every good decision and bad decision. And that’s so liberating.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

BB: Megan Abbott, Joyce Carol Oates, Donna Tartt, Charlotte Bronte.

But I am too much of a fan girl to be expected to act like a reasonable human being around writers I admire. More than once, I have made an ass out of myself at a conference for rambling or spontaneously crying, so I have resigned myself from appreciating them from afar.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

BB: I just downloaded The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano because I want to read it before I watch Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix. Right now I’m consuming a lot of stories about medical fraud and factitious disorder.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

BB: Lately I’ve been baking a lot of bread. I love to be in my kitchen, and I’ve been watching short videos on no knead bread.

I like to crochet blankets and knit scarves as gifts. Many people who saw me at book festivals this year probably saw me knitting or crocheting.

I’m a planner person, so I adorn my Filofax with stickers and washi tape. It keeps me organized and decorating it gets me excited to review a to do list.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

BB: Chalula hot sauce, Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, Junior Mints, Seltzer, Topo Chico when I splurge, but more likely Kroger brand for everyday

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books?

BB: I want to write something in the same universe as Pretty Girls, but not the same characters. It’s another Southern small town noir, but with an amateur detective/writer who chooses to help a local high schooler search for a missing man. It’s my loving tribute to Murder She Wrote, but darker.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

BB: I’m never bored. When I run out of content to consume, I can always make my own. And all that content I’d been consuming is research for future projects. So it feels very cyclical. I read things and then turn them into new things.

I have always taken the advice from Toni Morrison that if no one is writing the book you want to read, you should write it yourself. And lately I have been burned out by all my content – books, podcasts, TV shows – and it’s not because there isn’t anything good out there. I mean Yellowjackets just dropped a new season. I just know it’s time for me to write a new book.

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Blurb:

When a young entrepreneur is killed, everyone in town points fingers at his New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting, smokeshow of an ex-girlfriend, Gabbi – including the victim’s best friend, Jenna. As detective Lindy D’Arnaud and her partner Boggs search for a motive, they begin to wonder if this is a case of jealous violence or shady business dealings gone sour.

In Lindy’s personal life, things aren’t much clearer. When Lindy’s wife’s ex-boyfriend–and sperm donor to their baby–decides to move back to town, she finds herself competing for her wife’s affection. Can they be postmodern in Western Kentucky where living as a queer person is tenuous enough already?

Told through the shifting perspectives of Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna, “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” is a twisty page-turner for fans of Southern noir and NBC’s “Dateline.”

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Brandi Bradley is an indie author and educator who lives in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia. She writes short stories and novels about crime, family drama, flea markets, cowboys, rowdy girls, and gossip. She has had short stories and essays published in Juked, Louisiana Literature, Carve, and Nashville Review. She teaches writing at Kennesaw State University. Mothers of the Missing Mermaid (2023) is her debut novel of secrets by the sea in Destin, Florida. Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is her second book. Learn more at: www.brandibradley.com

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Hiding the Witness - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Diana Cameron to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can read about Diana in Hiding the Witness by Deena Alexander.

A Day in my Life
By
Diana Cameron

Until recently, my life was fairly routine. I can’t say boring, because I enjoy being a firefighter in Upstate New York, but since fleeing my home in Florida after a catastrophic break-up that led to the deaths of people close to me, I prefer quiet time. I like living in a remote area of the mountains, working with the few people I’ve come to trust to have my back, and trying to save as many people as possible. I can never make up for the lives that were lost, but at least I can try to save others.

But now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to do so. On my way home from work in the middle of the night, an explosion rocked the mountain. I ran toward the burning cabin to see if anyone was there and could be saved. When I went inside, I found a couple who’d been shot and a young child who appeared unharmed. Unfortunately, when I emerged from the cabin with the little girl in my arms, a sniper opened fire.

When the sheriff showed up, who also happens to be my only truly close friend, she insisted on providing protection—in the form of her overbearing brother—for both me and the child. I honestly didn’t think I needed a bodyguard, until the gunmen showed up at the hospital and opened fire with no regard for collateral damage.

Now, Chase and I are on the run with a little girl we haven’t been able to identify and no clue why someone is trying to kill her. To top it all off, both of us have trust issues. And we both want to do things our own way, which is fine when our ideas align, not so much when they don’t. But as we flee into the wilderness, I know we’re going to have to find a way to work together if we’re going to survive.

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Hiding the Witness by Deena Alexander

About Hiding the Witness

Hiding the Witness (Love Inspired Suspense)
Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Number in Series – Jameson Investigations #2
Setting - Upstate New York
Publisher: ‎ Love Inspired Suspense; Original edition (February 25, 2025)
Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 208 pages

Rescuing a child makes her a killer’s target.
Racing into a burning cabin to search for survivors, firefighter Diana Cameron stumbles upon an unconscious child—and two bodies with bullet wounds. When a sniper targets their narrow escape, Diana has no choice but to team up with bodyguard Chase Mitchell to keep the little girl safe. Uncovering the identity of the murder victims is the only way to find the killer. But as they’re chased by gunmen into the mountain wilderness, can they protect a tiny witness from the unknown…when the truth is more sinister than they imagined?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

About Deena Alexander

Deena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she met and married her high school sweetheart. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Now she enjoys long walks in nature all year long, despite the occasional alligator or snake she sometimes encounters. Deena's love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn't sleep through the night, and she now works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor.

Author Links:

Webpage: http://deenaalexander.com/index.html
Blog: http://deenaalexander.com/blog.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeenaAlexanderAuthor
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/DeenaAlexanderA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20382104.Deena_Alexander
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/deena-alexander
Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/492177/92188784823633445/share
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Deena-Alexander/author/B08C1VKZFZ

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