First Daughter - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Review

FIRST DAUGHTER
By Marlie Parker Wasserman

It was supposed to be a joyous day. Away from the Washington D.C. crowds President Grover Cleveland and his family are spending time at Gray Gables. His wife, Frances, has just given birth to their third daughter, but cries of joy soon turn to horror. Ruth, the Cleveland's eldest child, has gone missing. Is the three-year-old simply hiding, or has she been taken? Fortunately, Ruth is found, but the woman who took her ran off before she could be caught. While the President wants the matter kept quiet, his wife wants to do everything possible to find the woman before she can try again. Despite a new baby, a husband who's ignoring her concerns, and secret service men who think she's hysterical, Frances Cleveland is determined to find the abductor and keep her family safe!

Can a mother's love overcome a quest for vengeance? FIRST DAUGHTER crafts a story of what if. There are historically documented threats to the Clevelands, but no reported kidnapping. This book borrows the question, what if there was. The book is delineated into sections, referencing two women, Frances Cleveland, the first lady, and Mary Brinksi. While the thrust of the story takes place during the summer and early autumn of 1895, it also goes back in time, giving backstory and thus motive.

While it is a work of fiction, it is imbued with plenty of historical fact. I really enjoyed learning more about Grover Cleveland and his wife Frances. Despite their differences I appreciated their devotion to each other and their daughters. I really loved the bits of history of which I was unaware, like the electricity switch and Cleveland's misdeeds. Being from Buffalo, I also liked the many references to that city-there is a lot of presidential history. Relations between the Clevelands, the secret servicemen, and townsfolk meld into an enjoyable and fascinating read.

A compelling read, FIRST DAUGHTER is ultimately a story of love.

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FIRST DAUGHTER

by Marlie Parker Wasserman

May 4-29, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

In the summer of 1895, President Grover Cleveland and his pregnant wife, Frances, retreat to their secluded Cape Cod home, eager to avoid Washington’s heat and hassles. The very day that Frances gives birth, their three-year-old daughter vanishes. A ransom note surfaces, demanding a mysterious and peculiar sum.

Is the kidnapper a political enemy or someone closer to home? Secret service agents chase multiple leads but reach dead ends. Desperate, Frances Cleveland searches for answers on her own. As the hunt continues, the kidnapper carefully plots each move and determines to settle a score.

The historical record documents threats against the Clevelands, but no actual kidnapping. Yet, what if the president and his wife, known for keeping secrets, concealed a terrifying chapter of their lives? In this gripping blend of fact and fiction, the line between public duty and private anguish blurs in a mother’s fight to save her child.

Praise for First Daughter:

"Arresting, brilliant, emotional! Marlie Wasserman's First Daughter had me hooked from the very first page. Like her other works, fact and fiction are delightfully blurred by the fantastic level of historical detail, creating an exhilarating ride through the kidnapping of President Grover Cleveland's first child and his obscure misdeeds."
~ Jane L. Rubin, author of the award-winning Gilded City series

"In this masterfully woven historical thriller, the past comes alive with rich detail and taut suspense. In the summer of 1895, President Grover Cleveland and his wife retreat to their Cape Cod estate, seeking respite from political turmoil-until their three-year-old daughter vanishes. A ransom note surfaces, but is the culprit a political enemy or someone in their household? Seamlessly blending fact and fiction, this novel delivers a riveting tale of betrayal, resilience, and a mother's relentless quest for truth."
~ Maryka Biaggio, award-winning author of Gun Girl and the Tall Guy and The Model Spy

"A parent's worst nightmare unfolds for President and Frances Cleveland - their daughter is kidnapped. And no one knows why she was taken. The real motive behind the kidnapping may lie closer to home than anyone dares to imagine. First Daughter is a thrilling tale that clutches your heart and won't let go. This haunting historical mystery steeped in vivid period detail explores the cost of secrets and the burden of public life, wrapped in a mother's relentless instinct to protect her family-no matter the consequences."
~ JF Tanner, author of The King's Collar

"Grabbed from the very first page, Wasserman's tale of the abduction of President Grover Cleveland's young daughter Ruth (Baby Ruth) delivers Gilded Age details, tense characters and no bigger problem than a child in danger. With the deftly structured combination of Frances Cleveland's determination to bring justice to her family and a parallel hard luck tale, readers will forget this is non-fiction."
~ Chris Keefer, author of Find Your Way to My Grave a Carrie Lisbon Mystery

"First Daughter is an intriguing and intricately-plotted historical mystery novel. I loved the depth of research and the evocative setting of President Grover Cleveland's summerhouse Gray Gables at Buzzards Bay. I look forward to reading more from Marlie Parker Wasserman."
~ Margo Laurie, author of The Anarchist's Wife 

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Crime Fiction
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Number of Pages: 324
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

At the western edge of Cape Cod, in the grandest bedroom in the sprawling residence known as Gray Gables, Frances Cleveland couldn’t stifle the rising sound of her own screams. Between pains, she rested. The late morning breeze drifted across the lawn from Buzzards Bay, fluttering the lace curtain and cooling the sweat on her forehead.

Even at this moment, Frances felt grateful that Grover chose to spend summers away from Washington’s heat, away from the prying public. Here, in this secluded haven, she needn’t fear strangers hovering near the windows of the Executive Mansion for a glimpse of their president—or, more likely, of his wife and daughters. She could concentrate her fears on her pains and pray for the safe birth of her third child, in the same way she had for her first and again for her second. Frances expected from experience that her suffering would soon recede, replaced by the joy of motherhood. She did not know that before the day was over, her bodily misery would end, yielding not to joy but to overwhelming terror.

The previous February, after sensing a flutter beneath her gown while greeting a crowd of visitors at a reception, Frances guessed the baby would be her third girl. Practiced at keeping confidences, she never mentioned her prediction to her preoccupied husband. When she gave birth to another girl, the blathering journalists would have their say. They would try out their jokes about the president’s little harem. Most days, Frances ignored the journalists. Most days, she trusted Grover to love each of his babies.

The image of a trio of girls was far from Frances’s mind now, as she suffered in bed. She cried out, too loudly. Dr. Bryant reminded her that she’d survived labor pains before. “Don’t you dare say that again,” she said, in a shrill tone that surprised her.

At last, Frances heard the newborn’s cry, faint but lovely. Dr. Bryant chuckled while he clamped and cut the cord. “Mrs. Cleveland, should I bring the president upstairs to see his new daughter? He’s pacing on the front porch. Once he sees this one—she’s beautiful—he won’t regret it’s not a son.”

“Yes,” Frances said, with the strongest voice she could muster. A girl, as she’d guessed. For an instant, with the last of her contractions, she’d ignored her prediction and hoped for a boy. Now, she didn’t linger on that momentary weakness of character. She let a surge of pride swell over her, above the exhaustion. She’d done it. Again.

Frances turned to the local midwife hired to assist. “Tell the steward, his name is Sinclair, to get Ruth and Esther. I want my daughters to see their new sister.”

Frances raised herself a few inches, enough to see the midwife slip into the hall. The woman returned and gave Frances a nod. The girls would come shortly. Frances sank back and watched the midwife wipe down the infant and swaddle her. She did look beautiful. “Here,” Frances said, crooking her arm to make room for Marion, the name Grover chose that would serve for a girl or a boy. The same name as a town across Buzzards Bay, where many of their friends lived. Frances appreciated Grover’s decision to buy an estate on the outskirts of a different but nearby town, Bourne. The family could escape Washington’s heat and busybodies.

And escape the threats.

Hours earlier, Frances gave thanks for the breeze blowing through the open window, reminding her that Gray Gables was perfectly located on a point overlooking the Bay’s east side. But now she blocked the sound of wind and waves. straining to make sense of other sounds, to hear what Grover would say about a third daughter. The doctor scurried downstairs. The midwife remained stationed over the bed, tending to Frances and crooning softly to the baby. Frances ignored the woman, mindful only of the voices wafting in through the window. First, low tones as the doctor talked to Grover. They were friends. Dr. Bryant saved Grover’s life two summers ago, removing the cancer eating away at his palate. Now, Frances imagined the doctor patting her thickset husband on his shoulder and shaking his hand. She hoped Grover would offer the doctor a contented smile. Seconds later, Grover clomped upstairs. The doctor followed behind, with lighter steps.

“So happy, Frankie.” Her husband used one of her nicknames. After their wedding, she asked Grover to call her by her more dignified name, Frances. He still used Frankie or Frank in private moments. She let him—the nicknames added tenderness to his gruff voice. “The doctor tells me you’re fine. You managed without chloroform this time, too. And the baby’s healthy. Marion, right? Three girls. They will enjoy each other’s company.”

He said the right thing. She didn’t need to feel anxious about another girl. He was a good man, kind to her, whatever others thought. He wouldn’t hold the baby, rarely did. But he wiped his chubby hand on a cloth, then touched Marion’s forehead. He stood there for a few minutes, cherishing their third child. For him, it was a fourth, but no matter. His eyes shifted to gaze at her. He wouldn’t see the tall, slender belle he married nine years ago, the one the reporters called lovely. He’d see a tired, sweat-drenched woman who looked every day of her thirty years.

“Ruth and Esther?” Frances asked again, eyeing the midwife. “Did you send Sinclair for them?”

“Yes, ma’am. The steward went a minute ago.” The midwife spoke quietly, carefully. She’d feel nervous in the presence of the president.

Still almost flat in bed, Frances clutched Marion, admiring the infant. Perfect features. Ten fingers and ten toes. Another blessing from God.

A familiar sound at the door. Sinclair knocked softly. His usual pattern—soft, loud, soft—keeping to the household code. Another sound, when the midwife opened the door. Next, Frances would hear four little feet rushing toward the newest baby.

No feet. Only hushed words.

“Sinclair found Annie,” the midwife said. “She’s your older daughter’s nursemaid, right? He tells me she needs another minute to bring Ruth and to tell your younger daughter’s nursemaid to bring Esther.” The midwife stood far from Frances’s bed, speaking almost in a whisper.

Grover didn’t look concerned. His rough mustache skimmed Frances’s cheek as he kissed her lightly on her damp forehead. She was too tired to return the kiss. She heard him drop into the nearby rocking chair.

“Joseph,” he said, addressing the doctor, “you’re certain Frankie is fine? No complications?”

“Just fine, Grover. Ready for the next one before long.”

Four years earlier, when Ruth was born, Dr. Joseph Bryant told Frances how to manage her family. “Breastfeed for six months.” He looked straight at her, with no awkwardness. “You’ll not get in the family way, and the baby will stay healthy. After six months, well, you and Grover can proceed to another.” And so they had. Esther after Ruth. Marion after Esther. A daughter every two years.

Frances closed her eyes, relying on her ears. Dr. Bryant thanked the midwife for her assistance. The woman tidied up, gathering soiled sheets and opening a chest, hunting for fresh linens. The room went silent, except for the soft, repetitious squeak of the rocking chair. Grover leaned up, then back, up then back. Frances sensed herself drifting off.

Another soft knock, barely a sound, followed by a pause, and two more soft knocks. Not Sinclair. One of the nursemaids. Annie? The midwife opened the door. “Ma’am.” Annie’s voice came out as a croak. “I can’t find Ruth.”

***

Excerpt from FIRST DAUGHTER by Marlie Parker Wasserman. Copyright 2026 by Marlie Parker Wasserman. Reproduced with permission from Marlie Parker Wasserman. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Marlie Parker Wasserman loves writing historical crime fiction. She has published three novels--First Daughter will be her fourth. After a career in publishing in New Jersey, she moved to Chapel Hill, NC with her husband. When she is not writing, she travels, reads, and sketches. One of her goals is to visit every national park in the U.S., and she is close to her goal.

Catch Up With Marlie Parker Wasserman:

www.marliewasserman.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @marliewasserman
Instagram - @marliepwasserman
Bluesky - @marliewasserman.bsky.social
Facebook

 

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The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Review

THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL 
By Jaime Jo Wright

Traeger Hall is a mansion haunted by the past, perhaps even cursed by its cruel and vindictive owner. In 1890 Leopold Traeger had a stranglehold on Newton Creek, Wisconsin. He owned the sawmill, the bank, as well as several other endeavors. Then he and his wife were brutally murdered inside the home. His will decreed his ward, Waverly Pembrooke leave the house with only the clothing with which she arrived and Traeger Hall be sealed for one hundred years. Over a hundred years have passed and Newton Creek is no longer a vibrant community and the Hall remains sealed. Jennie Phillips has arrived in town, inheriting Traeger Hall, one of her father's acquisitions. But a skeleton on the property and a unique codicil thwart Jennie's plans. Has the evil of two men passed down into the house? Will opening Traeger Hall mean the discovery of treasure or will it open the world to the evil trapped inside?

Subtle unease, unspoken danger that makes the hair on your arms raise, knowing that things just aren't right infuse this atmospheric novel. What is it that haunts Traeger Hall and Newton Creek itself? Ghosts are real, but are they just the impressions left by the evil of men?

Traeger Hall is itself an allegory. What will you find if you dare to enter? Hidden secrets, lost masterpieces, should it be sealed forever, opened up, or razed to the ground? What does that mean for the people involved, including the reader? 

I really enjoyed the period detail, manners, and stifled repression of the historical portion of the book. However, I did feel a bit cheated when I discovered one trope used as its resolution, although it did explain a lot and brought things full circle. The 1950 interviews added a unique perspective. As for the modern aspect, I appreciated how the repression continued and how it slowly released, just as it did in the 1890. I liked the modern day ending, which served also as a beginning.  

THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL is a winding journey of self discovery where emotions and secrets boarded up, just like Traeger Hall itself.

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THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL

by Jaime Jo Wright

October 20 - November 14, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

An abandoned estate encased in stagnant darkness . . .
A haunting legacy intent on silencing all within reach . . .

In 1890, the ominous tolling of the bell announces that death has come to Traeger Hall, leaving orphaned Waverly Pembrooke to piece together the puzzle behind her uncle's and aunt's murders. Bound by the terms of her uncle's eccentric will, Waverly finds herself alone in a manor shrouded by death and questioning the reasons for her uncle's paranoia. A madness hovers over Traeger Hall, and Waverly--as well as the people of nearby Newton Creek--are ill-prepared for the woe that has descended.

In present day Newton Creek, whispers of a family curse still cling to the century-old, abandoned property of Traeger Hall. When Jennie Phillips takes possession of the estate after her mother's passing, she is intent on solving the mystery of the Traeger murders. Yet a modern cold case suggests that untimely deaths and mysterious occurrences still plague the property. And as thorny truths surface, Jennie realizes the dark legacy threatens not only the town and the Traeger descendants . . . but also, chillingly, Jennie herself.

Book Details:

Genre: Dual Timeline Gothic Suspense
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780764243806, paperback
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Jaime Jo Wright is the author of thirteen novels, including Christy Award-winner and ECPA bestseller The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. Jaime has also written two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines.

Catch Up With Jaime Jo Wright:

JaimeWrightBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @JaimeJoWright
BookBub - @JaimeJoWright
Instagram - @JaimeJoWright
Threads - @JaimeJoWright
YouTube - MadLit Musings
Spotify - MadLit Musings

 

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

THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL by Jaime Jo Wright (book + gift card)

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Crime Quiz - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Hugo Hurried to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Hugo on the pages of Crime Quiz by TJ Stanley.

Tracy has recently published, Crime Quiz. It’s a cozy mystery set on a cruise that’s also hosting a crime writers conference. Please join with me in welcoming Hugo Hurried, one of the passengers on that cruise. 


HH. Thank you. Lovely to meet you.

Q: So, Hugo, many readers here may not know you. Can you introduce yourself to our avid readers?

HH. Of course. As you can probably tell from the accent, I’m British and I’m also an author who is 88 years young. Some people say I look like Michael Caine, but I think they’re led astray by the similarity of our accents. 

Q: I think you look like Michael Caine, a younger version.

HH. You flatter me. But perhaps the four-year age gap makes all the difference. 

Q: Now tell us about your role on the cruise.

HH. I was the opening speaker at the Crime Writers’ conference, sharing highlights from my most recent book How to Write a Crime Story with a Kick. The Oceanic Wanderer was full, not only of readers of crime capers, but also many wannabe writers. Always pleased to share with others what I’ve learnt from my writing journey. 

Q: I understand that you didn’t start writing until, until quite late in your career?

HH. Indeed. I wrote my first novel when I was 50. And haven’t stopped writing since then. 

Q: Achieving a high level of international recognition and success.

HH. Yes. Terribly fortunate to have had several of my bestsellers translated into other languages. 

Q: You’re too modest Hugo. Now I understand that you had other roles on the ship.

HH. Yes. To use a tired expression, there is no such thing as a free lunch or a free cruise, no matter how famous you are. When the Oceanic Wanderer docked in Hobart, I put on my tour guide hat and led a dozen readers of crime fiction, on a tour of real locations featured in several crime and mystery novels. And I may have played the role of cupid while on the bus tour. Isn’t there always a love story on a cruise?

We were also strongly encouraged by the Cruise Director to participate in all social activities associated with the conference. Must say I rather enjoyed the Crime Quiz and not just because, spoiler alert, my team won. 

Q: Can I ask you a few personal questions?

HH. Of course. 

Q: Do you have a secret?

HH. Hugo Hurried is not my real name. It’s the creation of a marketing consultant. You’ll need to read Crime Quiz to find out what it is. 

Q: What is your biggest weakness?

HH. Goodness. Sounds like I’m in a job interview. Well honesty is a virtue of an advanced age and I suspect that some may say that I drink too much. 

Q: Are you afraid of anything?

HH. At my age, absolutely nothing. Well, except perhaps the bar running out of whiskey. 

Q: Do you like the way they write you?

HH. It’s more revealing than I would like, but at 88 what do I need to be worried about! 

Q: What’s next?

HH. There’s another journey in my future, but you’ll need to read Crime Quiz to find out what it is. 

Q: Tell me about your author.

HH. TJ Stanley, well she’s a bit of a dark horse, always sitting quietly in the corner. Never know if she’s eavesdropping on other people’s conversations or plotting someone’s downfall. Like myself, she’s quite a good observer of people and their frailties. And like me, she has a nom de plume, or a pen name under which she has written many of her novels. This name is Jane Ellyson. I understand that she started by writing romantic suspense, morphing into action-adventure, then thriller, followed by an international espionage story touching on science fiction and now into cozy mystery. Quite the evolution. I wonder where she’ll go next. 

 You can learn more about TJ Stanley at tjstanley.com and her alter-ego Jane Ellyson at janeellyson.com

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

 Crime Quiz: Cosy Mystery on a Cruise by TJ Stanley

About Crime Quiz

Crime Quiz: Cosy Mystery on a Cruise Cosy Mystery
Setting - On a cruise from Sydney to Hobart in Australia
Publisher: ‎ Stanley Press
Publication Date: ‎ September 26, 2025
Paperback Print Length: ‎ 198 pages

Molly should be on her honeymoon, but her husband had disappeared.

Thomas should be preaching, but the bishop had other ideas.

Lynette should be in Aspen, but her doctor refused to let her fly.

Instead, they’re sailing on a five-day round trip between Sydney and Hobart.

At 5.00am on the fourth day of the cruise, Captain Jonas Strong announces that five passengers have died overnight.

Were this a cruise with the usual guest profile, such news may have caused a temporary flutter of nerves before being forgotten. But the Oceanic Wanderer was hosting a Crime Writers’ Conference with hundreds of amateur sleuths who were now wondering, if there was more to the announcement than they were being told.

Was there a murderer among them?

CRIME QUIZ delivers a cosy-mystery caper in a cruisy setting.

About TJ Stanley

 

Tracy Stanley has been in love with storytelling since she left university in 1984. In 2017, she started publishing, and as of August 2025, Tracy has independently published fifteen books across five genres, including business books, travel memoirs, cosy mysteries, romantic suspense, and action-adventure novels. These last two genres have been written under the pen name of Jane Ellyson. Her writing approach for novels recognises that creativity in storytelling comes from mixing the familiar with a twist, combining comfort and intrigue. Tracy is Australian and lives in Brisbane. 

Author Links -  https://tjstanley.com/articles/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58267368.TJ_Stanley
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracystanley1/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrTracyStanley/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tjstanley64/?hl=en
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com.au/tjstanley64/
Threads Tjstanley64
Bluesky @tjstanley-author.bsky.social
Podbean https://creativitysnippets.podbean.com/ 

Jane Ellyson
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JaneEllysonAuthor
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/janeellyson/
Threads https://www.threads.net/@janeellyson
Bluesky @jane-author.bsky.social
TikTok @janeellyson 

Purchase Link - Amazon

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.

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.

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

 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.” 

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

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

A Hush at Midnight - A Review

 Review

 

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT
By Marlene M. Bell 

It's been a long time since chef Laura Harris has visited her mentor Hattie Stenburg. When she finally arrives at the antebellum home she finds the 93 year old Hattie more fragile, though she's still up for a pleasant visit. Laura's more shocked at the brusque, almost hostile, manner of Hattie's caregiver. The bad feeling intensifies so much on her drive home that she turns around and returns to Hattie's where she finds the elderly woman dead. Where was the caregiver who promised to stay the night? Or the groundskeeper? Certain that Hattie's death was not natural Laura demands answers only to find out that she's become a suspect. As if dealing with her mentor's death and being a suspect isn't enough, someone is maligning her friend's bakery and she's receiving threats telling her to leave Texas. Will Laura find the answers she seeks? Or will she become the next victim? 

Laura Harris' return to Texas isn't quite what she expected. Though she's happy to be close to her father, his girlfriend is another matter. And while she got to see her mentor, the visit didn't go quite as planned. I did like attorney Brent Hill and, of course, I loved Moon Pie. I found there were more characters I disliked than liked however. Duska is an odd character and I never really understood Laura's relationship with her. They didn't really act like good friends and I don't know why Laura was a silent partner. Interesting relationships and an exciting confrontation between Laura and the killer held my interest though.

An oppressive atmosphere envelops A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT highlighting an interesting mystery.

The Perfect One - A Cover Reveal & Giveaway

THE PERFECT ONE

by Shelly M Patel

January 14, 2025 Cover Reveal

Synopsis:

Lyla and Jack seemed to have it all. A picture-perfect marriage, thriving careers, and a future brimming with promise. Lyla, an ambitious District Attorney, earned accolades in Virginia Beach, while Jack, the town’s steadfast sheriff, stood as her most powerful ally. Their close bond with the Davidsons—Riya, a celebrated author, and Brent, a cunning defense attorney—added a touch of warmth to their seemingly idyllic lives.

But perfection is often a mirage.

The illusion shatters when Brent Davidson is found savagely murdered at Lyla and Jack’s remote cabin. Suspicion immediately falls on Lyla, the last person to see him alive. The once-solid foundation of her life begins to crumble as whispers of guilt grow louder, threatening to destroy everything she holds dear.

Removed from the investigation due to his connection to the suspect, Jack is forced to watch helplessly as the case is handed to Detective Aiden. Aiden is a relentless investigator with a personal vendetta against both Jack and Lyla. He is determined to see Lyla behind bars, no matter what the cost.

When the body of Lyla’s stepfather—missing for fifteen years—is discovered, the investigation takes an even darker turn.

Lyla is entangled in a web of lies, betrayals, and deadly secrets as her past collides violently with her present. With mounting evidence tying her to not one but two murders, she faces the terrifying possibility that she may never clear her name. Paranoia takes root, and Lyla and Jack begin questioning everyone, even each other.

Is this the work of a bitter adversary from Lyla’s courtroom victories? Or is the actual threat lurking much closer—someone they once trusted implicitly, now bent on tearing their world apart? With her career, marriage, and freedom at stake, Lyla must race against time to untangle the twisted threads of deceit and unmask the real killer before it's too late.

How well do we truly know anyone?

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Thrillers, Suspense, Womens Fiction
Published by: Indie
Scheduled Publication Date: March 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 269

 

Author Bio:

Shelly M. Patel enjoys writing mystery books. Her first Children's book, Jake has Dyslexia, entered the Reader's Choice award in 2021. In 2023, she won second place in CloutBooks for the Reader's Choice Award for her novel When Secrets Kill. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, three beautiful children, and their dog, Teddy

Catch Up With Shelly:
BooksByShelly.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @shellymauthor
Instagram - @shellympatel
Threads - @shellympatel
Facebook

 

 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading The Great Gatsby Murder Case by David Finkle. 

Daniel Freund is overjoyed when he discovers a 1953 edition of The Great Gatsby in a pile of free books. A collector, he had been on the look out for that particular edition. Hurrying home to reread the book, he begins to notice something strange. Certain words appear to glow. The text is sending him a message. Someone has been murdered. Taking it as a sign Daniel begins to investigate, but did the book belong to the victim? Or the murderer?

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell. 

It's been a long time since chef Laura Harris has visited her mentor Hattie Stenburg. When she finally arrives at the antebellum home she finds the 93 year old Hattie more fragile, though she's still up for a pleasant visit. Laura's more shocked at the brusque, almost hostile, manner of Hattie's caregiver. The bad feeling intensifies so much on her drive home that she turns around and returns to Hattie's where she finds the elderly woman dead. Where was the caregiver who promised to stay the night? Or the groundskeeper? Certain that Hattie's death was not natural Laura demands answers only to find out that she's become a suspect. As if dealing with her mentor's death and being a suspect isn't enough, someone is maligning her friend's bakery and she's receiving threats telling her to leave Texas. Will Laura find the answers she seeks? Or will she become the next victim?

In the Pale Light - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review

IN THE PALE LIGHT
By Westley Smith

On Christmas Day 2015 Clay Graham, his wife, and teen-aged daughter were found brutally murdered. Although never proven, the consensus was that Terry Graham, Clay's brother, killed his family in a blind drunken rage. The whole town knew that Terry was a drunkard unable to control his temper and he was already vilified for the death of a well loved woman years before. Now, nine years after his family's murder, Terry remains alone on his farm, tormented by townsfolk who harass him and damage his property and tormented by his own thoughts, wondering if it was just possible that he did kill his family. New evidence has recently been discovered and the State Police have assigned two new detectives to investigate the cold case. As the police renew their investigation Terry starts his, but with his health declining, he doesn't have much time left.

Hickory Falls is a town full of small minded, low class bullies. It's a town filled with people without any hopes or dreams, a poor town filled with the dregs of humanity. After reading each chapter I wanted to take a shower as if by physically cleaning myself I'd be able to get the grime of the place off of me.

The writing was taut with increasing intensity. The characters were compelling, not only Terry and the detectives, but minor characters too. The villains here were twisted and as the novel progressed almost everyone was tainted by the cruelty of both fate and humankind. I really enjoyed how the two investigations paralleled each other culminating in the ultimate showdown. I also appreciated the dénuement as I read with grim satisfaction.

IN THE PALE LIGHT is a visceral novel of vengeance and the search for truth.

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

IN THE PALE LIGHT

by Westley Smith

August 12 - September 6, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

When Clay Graham and his family are found slain in the parking lot of his struggling business, the police suspect Clay's troublemaker brother, Terry. Terry claims he was drunk the night of the murders and passed out at home. With little evidence against Terry to make an arrest, the case soon goes cold.

Shunned from the community, harassed by the locals who believe he's a murderer, and suffering from an undiagnosed illness, Terry lives alone on his farm, punishing himself for his past indiscretions.

Then Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Henry Miller, who has ties to the town and the Graham murders, shows up with newly discovered evidence that kick-starts the case all over again.

Now, before his illness kills him, Terry sets out, battling against small-town secrets and old grudges, racing against time to stay one step ahead of both the State Police and his own impending death, to finally find out what really happened to his family and hopefully prove himself and innocent man --if he is one.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Watertower Hill Publishing
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Watertower Hill Publishing

Read an excerpt:

December 25th, 2015

The emergency lights from the Hickory Falls Sheriff’s Department Ford Interceptor flashed across the snow when it pulled into the Graham Video store parking lot. The sheet of white should have been untouched by tires at 6:45 a.m., and the snow-covered green Jetta, sitting in the far left-hand corner of the parking lot should not have been there. Two different sets of tire tracks cut through the pristine snow. One set belonged to the Jetta. The other set made a large circle in the snow before making its way back toward Main Street.

The officer brought the SUV to a stop about five feet from the Jetta; its headlights bathed the car in the frigid darkness. Unable to see past the Jetta’s frosted snow-covered windows, a building sense of unease began to crawl over him, tightening the flesh to his bones.

The officer’s shift had been easy that night. He had not responded to any emergency calls, nor had he had to pull anyone over. A Christmas miracle itself. But all that had changed fifteen minutes ago while he was patrolling Broke Run Road, when Sheriff Will Daniel’s voice came over the radio.

“Call just came in. We got a report of shots fired at the Graham Video store. Caller says they saw a man running across the parking lot, carrying what appeared to be a shotgun. The suspect reportedly got into the passenger side of a blue sedan before it took off with two others inside. Need you to check it out,” Daniel had said.

Why the hell is the sheriff in at this hour? the officer had wondered. Shouldn’t Susan be on the call desk? And what’s going on at the Graham Video store?

Now on scene, with the first cracks of gray sky beginning to materialize through the night horizon, he radioed back into the station.

“I’m at the Graham Video store. I’ve located a V-dub Jetta. It’s an early 2000s model. No sign of anyone else, including the reported blue sedan. Though there are two sets of tire tracks in the snow, indicating another vehicle was present.” He glanced at the video store’s entrance. There were no broken windows and no ajar door to indicate a robbery had occurred. The place appeared buttoned up tight. “No signs of a break-in, Sheriff. Getting out to inspect the vehicle.”

“Ten-four,” Sheriff Daniel’s voice came back over the line. “Proceed with caution.”

Again, the officer thought it was strange that the sheriff was in at that hour, and on Christmas morning. Where was Susan Green? She usually worked the overnight shift; she should still have been at the station, working the dispatch desk. Still, the officer knew, she could have gone home for any number of reasons—the holiday, the storm, or maybe a family member had fallen –ill—and the sheriff had filled in for her. Pushing the thought from his mind, the officer returned to the pressing matter at hand.

Stay focused. Stay sharp.

Stepping from the SUV, the blowing snow and driving wind bit at the officer’s exposed skin, penetrated his clothes. Zipping his jacket up to his chin, he started toward the car, trudging through the shin-deep snow.

As he neared the Jetta, pelted with snow and ice so hard it stung, he noticed a set of footprints leading away from the passenger-side door toward the second set of tire tracks before vanishing. The tracks were nearly filled in with fresh powder, but it was unmistakable what they were. He assumed this was where the person had gotten into the second car—an old blue sedan. Looking back to the Jetta, he saw something smeared along the top of the passenger-side door. Whatever it was had frozen to a hard, ruby-colored substance.

He eased in for a closer look.

lood!

Frozen blood.

A strange tightness gripped the base of the officer’s neck as if Death had wrapped a cold, boney hand around him and begun to squeeze. His heart rate quickened. He placed his right hand on his sidearm and identified himself.

“This is the Hickory Falls Sheriff’s Department. If there’s anyone inside the vehicle, would you please step out?”

There was no reply. The car was dead still. The only sound across the parking lot was the howling wind and the ice pebbles hitting the closest metal lamp post.

Not wanting to disturb what he believed to be blood on the passenger-side door, the officer lumbered through the deepening snow, around the front of the Jetta, to the driver’s side. Reaching down, he took hold of the handle and pulled.

The driver’s side door was locked.

He took a deep breath of cold air, sending what felt like ice daggers into his lungs as he tried to steel himself for what he might find inside. His teeth began to chatter, and an internal shudder tremored in his core and quickly expanded to the rest of his body.

“I’m asking anyone inside to identify themselves and step out.” He waited, but when no one replied, he said, “If you do not comply, I will be forced to inspect the vehicle. Last warning.”

Silence.

No movement came from within. The car's stillness bothered him—like it was dead. But that was impossible. Cars could not be deceased like humans or animals. So why was he getting the dreaded feeling that death emanated from it?

Placing his gloved hand on the window, he brushed the light dusting of snow away and bent down to look inside.

The officer recoiled at what he saw or who he saw staring back at him. His feet slipped out from under him, and he went down onto his backside, hard. Snow kicked up when he hit the ground, and for a moment he was cocooned in falling white powder, protected from what he had seen.

But when the snow settled, the officer was again gazing at the driver’s-side door of the Jetta. There, he saw a man’s pale face pressed against the glass, the muscles twisted and tightened in agony. His eyes were open and locked directly on the officer with a vacant, lifeless stare, pleading with him, even in death, to save him.

Too late. I’m too late to save you.

The officer shot to his feet; snow fell off his uniform in large patchy clumps. And though the temperature was in the teens, he felt sweat break out across his back and forehead.

Moving gingerly toward the Jetta again, the officer realized he knew the dead man looking back at him.

Clay Graham—the owner of the Graham Video store.

He removed his Maglite from his belt and turned it on. Bending, he shone the beam through the ice-crusted driver’s-side window and began to scan the car's interior.

That’s when he saw them.

He pressed a gloved hand over his lips, suppressing the scream that wanted to leap from his throat at the horrific sight of carnage and death inside the Jetta.

It wasn’t just Clay Graham dead inside the car but also his wife, Claire, and their teenage daughter, Sidney.

***

Excerpt from In the Pale Light by Westley Smith. Copyright 2024 by Westley Smith. Reproduced with permission from Westley Smith. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Westley Smith had his first short story, Off to War, published when he was just sixteen.

He is, more recently, the author of two horror novels, Along Came the Tricksters and All Hallows Eve, as well as the thriller Some Kind of Truth. His short fiction has been published in various magazines and websites. Wes lives with his wife and two dogs in the beautiful woodlands of southern Pennsylvania--the perfect place to hide a body.

Catch Up With Westley Smith:
WestleySmithBooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @wssmith100
Instagram - @wsmithbooks
Facebook - @westleysmith100

 

 

Tour Participants:

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

 

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!

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

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

In the Pale Light - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Westley Smith to Cozy Up With Kathy today. IN THE PALE LIGHT was released earlier this month.

IN THE PALE LIGHT we learn of a cold case murder investigation that starts to heat up. What makes cold cases so intriguing?

The unknown factor. The mystery of why a crime happened. Who did it. And why.


On Christmas morning a family is found shot to death in their car, the father's brother the main suspect. I always feel worse when deaths occur on a holiday. Was there a specific reason you chose Christmas for this crime?

Yes. The town where the murders occur is deserted because it’s Christmas Eve and in the middle of a blizzard.


It's fascinating that Terry, the main suspect and brother of the victim, isn't certain of his innocence. How did this uncertainty change your writing. Did it make writing the story easier or more difficult?

Difficult. I had to write Terry as an unreliable narrator and make every decision or action he takes in the book make the reader question if he really is a murderer.


What first drew you to crime fiction?

I’ve always loved mysteries since I was a kid. But the book, oddly enough that got me hooked on crime, was a Louis L' Amour story called BOWDRIE FOLLOWS A COLD TRAIL– where Texas Ranger Chick Bowdrie comes across a skeleton and has to solve what happened to this person.


Do you write in any other genres?

I do. I also write psychological thrillers.


Tell us about your series.

I don’t have any series just yet. Maybe in the future.


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

I like Steve James from my debut thriller, SOME KIND OF TRUTH. He’s a deep, complex, and flawed character who walks the moral line of investigative journalism ethics.


What made you decide to publish your work?

It’s been my dream to be a published author since I wrote my first short story when I was ten years old.


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

Michael Connelly, Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Raymond Chandler


What are you currently reading?
END OF STORY by AJ Finn and The ArchAngels Mission series by Joshua Loyd Fox


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

I’m a big movie buff and have amassed quite a physical media collection from Beta Max, VHS, DVD, Blu-rays, and 4K – my basement looks like a mom-and-pop video store from the 1980s. I love history and often watch documentaries or read books on various subjects. I enjoy weightlifting and walking.


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

Peanut Butter, Bananas, Chicken, Protein Powder


Do you have plans for future books?

Yes.


What's your favorite thing about being an author?

Crafting the story. I love creating stories; even though it’s hard work, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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

IN THE PALE LIGHT

by Westley Smith

August 12 - September 6, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

When Clay Graham and his family are found slain in the parking lot of his struggling business, the police suspect Clay's troublemaker brother, Terry. Terry claims he was drunk the night of the murders and passed out at home. With little evidence against Terry to make an arrest, the case soon goes cold.

Shunned from the community, harassed by the locals who believe he's a murderer, and suffering from an undiagnosed illness, Terry lives alone on his farm, punishing himself for his past indiscretions.

Then Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Henry Miller, who has ties to the town and the Graham murders, shows up with newly discovered evidence that kick-starts the case all over again.

Now, before his illness kills him, Terry sets out, battling against small-town secrets and old grudges, racing against time to stay one step ahead of both the State Police and his own impending death, to finally find out what really happened to his family and hopefully prove himself and innocent man --if he is one.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Watertower Hill Publishing
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Watertower Hill Publishing

Read an excerpt:

December 25th, 2015

The emergency lights from the Hickory Falls Sheriff’s Department Ford Interceptor flashed across the snow when it pulled into the Graham Video store parking lot. The sheet of white should have been untouched by tires at 6:45 a.m., and the snow-covered green Jetta, sitting in the far left-hand corner of the parking lot should not have been there. Two different sets of tire tracks cut through the pristine snow. One set belonged to the Jetta. The other set made a large circle in the snow before making its way back toward Main Street.

The officer brought the SUV to a stop about five feet from the Jetta; its headlights bathed the car in the frigid darkness. Unable to see past the Jetta’s frosted snow-covered windows, a building sense of unease began to crawl over him, tightening the flesh to his bones.

The officer’s shift had been easy that night. He had not responded to any emergency calls, nor had he had to pull anyone over. A Christmas miracle itself. But all that had changed fifteen minutes ago while he was patrolling Broke Run Road, when Sheriff Will Daniel’s voice came over the radio.

“Call just came in. We got a report of shots fired at the Graham Video store. Caller says they saw a man running across the parking lot, carrying what appeared to be a shotgun. The suspect reportedly got into the passenger side of a blue sedan before it took off with two others inside. Need you to check it out,” Daniel had said.

Why the hell is the sheriff in at this hour? the officer had wondered. Shouldn’t Susan be on the call desk? And what’s going on at the Graham Video store?

Now on scene, with the first cracks of gray sky beginning to materialize through the night horizon, he radioed back into the station.

“I’m at the Graham Video store. I’ve located a V-dub Jetta. It’s an early 2000s model. No sign of anyone else, including the reported blue sedan. Though there are two sets of tire tracks in the snow, indicating another vehicle was present.” He glanced at the video store’s entrance. There were no broken windows and no ajar door to indicate a robbery had occurred. The place appeared buttoned up tight. “No signs of a break-in, Sheriff. Getting out to inspect the vehicle.”

“Ten-four,” Sheriff Daniel’s voice came back over the line. “Proceed with caution.”

Again, the officer thought it was strange that the sheriff was in at that hour, and on Christmas morning. Where was Susan Green? She usually worked the overnight shift; she should still have been at the station, working the dispatch desk. Still, the officer knew, she could have gone home for any number of reasons—the holiday, the storm, or maybe a family member had fallen –ill—and the sheriff had filled in for her. Pushing the thought from his mind, the officer returned to the pressing matter at hand.

Stay focused. Stay sharp.

Stepping from the SUV, the blowing snow and driving wind bit at the officer’s exposed skin, penetrated his clothes. Zipping his jacket up to his chin, he started toward the car, trudging through the shin-deep snow.

As he neared the Jetta, pelted with snow and ice so hard it stung, he noticed a set of footprints leading away from the passenger-side door toward the second set of tire tracks before vanishing. The tracks were nearly filled in with fresh powder, but it was unmistakable what they were. He assumed this was where the person had gotten into the second car—an old blue sedan. Looking back to the Jetta, he saw something smeared along the top of the passenger-side door. Whatever it was had frozen to a hard, ruby-colored substance.

He eased in for a closer look.

lood!

Frozen blood.

A strange tightness gripped the base of the officer’s neck as if Death had wrapped a cold, boney hand around him and begun to squeeze. His heart rate quickened. He placed his right hand on his sidearm and identified himself.

“This is the Hickory Falls Sheriff’s Department. If there’s anyone inside the vehicle, would you please step out?”

There was no reply. The car was dead still. The only sound across the parking lot was the howling wind and the ice pebbles hitting the closest metal lamp post.

Not wanting to disturb what he believed to be blood on the passenger-side door, the officer lumbered through the deepening snow, around the front of the Jetta, to the driver’s side. Reaching down, he took hold of the handle and pulled.

The driver’s side door was locked.

He took a deep breath of cold air, sending what felt like ice daggers into his lungs as he tried to steel himself for what he might find inside. His teeth began to chatter, and an internal shudder tremored in his core and quickly expanded to the rest of his body.

“I’m asking anyone inside to identify themselves and step out.” He waited, but when no one replied, he said, “If you do not comply, I will be forced to inspect the vehicle. Last warning.”

Silence.

No movement came from within. The car's stillness bothered him—like it was dead. But that was impossible. Cars could not be deceased like humans or animals. So why was he getting the dreaded feeling that death emanated from it?

Placing his gloved hand on the window, he brushed the light dusting of snow away and bent down to look inside.

The officer recoiled at what he saw or who he saw staring back at him. His feet slipped out from under him, and he went down onto his backside, hard. Snow kicked up when he hit the ground, and for a moment he was cocooned in falling white powder, protected from what he had seen.

But when the snow settled, the officer was again gazing at the driver’s-side door of the Jetta. There, he saw a man’s pale face pressed against the glass, the muscles twisted and tightened in agony. His eyes were open and locked directly on the officer with a vacant, lifeless stare, pleading with him, even in death, to save him.

Too late. I’m too late to save you.

The officer shot to his feet; snow fell off his uniform in large patchy clumps. And though the temperature was in the teens, he felt sweat break out across his back and forehead.

Moving gingerly toward the Jetta again, the officer realized he knew the dead man looking back at him.

Clay Graham—the owner of the Graham Video store.

He removed his Maglite from his belt and turned it on. Bending, he shone the beam through the ice-crusted driver’s-side window and began to scan the car's interior.

That’s when he saw them.

He pressed a gloved hand over his lips, suppressing the scream that wanted to leap from his throat at the horrific sight of carnage and death inside the Jetta.

It wasn’t just Clay Graham dead inside the car but also his wife, Claire, and their teenage daughter, Sidney.

***

Excerpt from In the Pale Light by Westley Smith. Copyright 2024 by Westley Smith. Reproduced with permission from Westley Smith. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Westley Smith had his first short story, Off to War, published when he was just sixteen.

He is, more recently, the author of two horror novels, Along Came the Tricksters and All Hallows Eve, as well as the thriller Some Kind of Truth. His short fiction has been published in various magazines and websites. Wes lives with his wife and two dogs in the beautiful woodlands of southern Pennsylvania--the perfect place to hide a body.

Catch Up With Westley Smith:
WestleySmithBooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @wssmith100
Instagram - @wsmithbooks
Facebook - @westleysmith100

 

 

Tour Participants:

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

 

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!

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

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome AJ Skelly to Cozy Up With Kathy today. AJ's latest release, MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR was released June 26, 2024.

Kathy: MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR finds Lady Emma Grace Hastings at the most auspicious Christmas party of the season. Have you ever been invited to an exclusive event?

AJS: I've definitely been invited to some super cool author events, but definitely nothing as auspicious as The Event of the entire season as Emma Grace is.


Kathy: The party involves a game with a large cash prize, but in order to win secrets much be exposed. If you were involved in such a game, would that give you cause to worry?

AJS: You know, I don't know that I'd be particularly concerned. I'm a fairly boring person, and while I've made plenty of mistakes, my general philosophy is to own up to those mistakes, ask forgiveness for them from those I've wronged, and move on. Therefore, most of my shameful moments are already out in the open. Shame doesn't have nearly such a stranglehold once the shame is exposed.


Kathy: I love Christmastime and enjoy reading books set during this holiday. What makes writing during this season special and why choose this time of your for this mystery?

AJS: I've always wanted to write a Christmas book. Last year at Christmas, we all got sick, and all our plans got cancelled! I was so sad! I think to combat the sadness, I wrote. And then the story really took hold. I wrote the first draft of MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR in thirteen days. It was a whirlwind!


Kathy: What first drew you to historical mysteries?

AJS: I have ALWAYS loved history, and so it wasn't a great stretch for me to jump into it. I've also always loved mysteries. I read every Mandy Mystery and Nancy Drew my library had growing up! Although, can I just say that planning, plotting, and writing a mystery is a lot harder than reading one.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AJS: My first series is actually paranormal romance (The Wolves of Rock Falls). I have a soft spot for werewolves. There are elements of mystery in those, but not quite as full-fledged mystery as Mistlethwaite. I've also written a straight fantasy, OF FLAME & FROST, and have another murder mystery, A LETHAL ENGAGEMENT, coming out next spring.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AJS: My first series, The Wolves of Rock Falls, was written in part for my high school students. I could not find appropriate paranormal romance for them beyond the Twilight series, so I wrote a series for them. Writing is an escape for me as well, so it's one way I process stress. It's beautifully cathartic. In the Rock Falls books, each book follows one couple in a larger cast. Each book sees the whole cast. They're interconnected stand alones, but are best enjoyed read in order.

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

AJS: I think this is like asking to pick a favorite child...

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

AJS: My high school students inspired the first series, but now, I write the stories that come to me that are the most exciting to my brain.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AJS: I think I've wanted to be a published author since I was about three. I've been very blessed that my books have been picked up and that I've had the publishing experience.

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

AJS: Oh my heavens, what a question! I think I'd have to invite C. S. Lewis, Karen Hancock, Shakespeare, and maybe Tolkien.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?
AJS: I just started reading XOXO by Axie Oh.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
AJS: So obviously, I love writing. But I also enjoy reading just as much, and I also make jewelry. I have ferocious scar tissue, to the point that I can't get my ears pierced. Because I couldn't find clip on earrings I liked as a teenager, I just started making my own. And the hobby stuck.

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

AJS: Sweet cream coffee creamer, basil pesto, pasta, and potatoes. What a combo, right?

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

AJS: I do! I actually have another murder mystery, A LETHAL ENGAGEMENT, which is another Victorian murder mystery, releasing next spring with Crooked Lane Books! It's a delicious closed loop murder mystery aboard an airship as our American heiress protagonist flies across the Atlantic to meet with her newly affianced family. But things go rather horribly awry...

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
AJS: I love it all. Creating the stories, writing the stories, I don't even mind editing over much. The whole process is a beautiful thing.

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Review

MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR

By AJ Skelly

 

Lady Emma Grace Hastings is thrilled. She's received a coveted invitation to a Christmas party at Mistlethwaite Manor. The exclusive event also involves a game with the winner receiving a 10,000 pound prize! But delight turns to horror when she discovers the identity of her host, and the fact that the game requires that sordid secrets be revealed. Worried about her own past Emma Grace also has to deal with the secrets of her fellow guests, which include the man she hopes to marry as well as her former fiancé. Before the night ends a dead body is discovered. As a winter storm rages outside Emma Grace will have to keep her wits about her even as the body count increases. Will she be able to survive or will hers be the next body to be found?

 
A dream party turns into a nightmare for our protagonist Lady Emma Grace. She makes an innocent foil to pretty much everybody else at the party. While she is innocent, she also possesses a good mind which helps her work through the murderous events. It’s interesting to follow her mind, and her heart, as she considers the actions of her would be fiancé to that of her former fiancé. As for the other guests…and the host…what a group! For the most part people you’d prefer never to engage with, all making for great suspects. And more than one big surprise awaits as the evening continues.

Depravity and devious machinations make for a complex mystery fraught with tension. I really enjoyed this thrilling mystery. Skillfully blending historical ambiance and romance this suspenseful mystery with periodic horrific events kept me reading well past my bedtime. I commiserated with Emma Grace, hoping she’d come to the same conclusion as I as to her future happiness and appreciated that she didn’t take anything for granted.

 

While MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR is described as a historical cozy mystery, I would say that it is a traditional mystery and not a cozy. While the violence does occur offstage its descriptions are quite vivid. The resulting verisimilitude makes for exciting reading and certainly ups the stakes…and danger level. In addition to our amateur sleuths, it is cozy like in that in the end justice is meted out. We also get the happy ending found in romance novels; an ending that certainly made me smile!

Dastardly characters and evil acts committed in a snowbound secluded manor create a powder keg that is MURDER AT MISTLETHWAITE MANOR. 

 

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Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor by AJ Skelly

About Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor

Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor
Historical Cozy Mystery
Setting – Mistlethwaite Manor, Christmastime, in 1895 England
Publisher: ‎ Quill & Flame Publishing House (June 26, 2024)
Hardcover: ‎ 252 pages

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None meets The Gilded Age in this delicious, suspenseful murder mystery.

When Lady Emma Grace Hastings receives a much-coveted invitation to the most auspicious Christmas party of the season—one that comes with a 10,000 pound prize for the winner of a mysterious game—she cannot believe her good fortune.

But as the guests are assembled at Mistlethwaite Manor, the chilling intent of the game is revealed. Each guest has cause for alarm, because all of them have secrets, and to win the prize money, those secrets must be exposed.

Things take a sinister turn when Emma Grace finds herself caught between her old love and her soon-to-be betrothed. Suspicions abound, and old wounds are opened. The dead body in the study does not help. Nor does the raging winter storm that prevents escape from the manor. Emma Grace must battle her heart, use her wits, and put her sleuthing skills to the test to survive the weekend alive.

Because there is a murderer among them.

And no one with secrets is safe.

About AJ Skelly

 

AJ Skelly is an author, reader, and lover of all things fantasy, mystery, and fairy-tale-romance. And werewolves. She has a serious soft spot for them. As an avid life-long reader and a former high school English teacher, she’s always been fascinated with the written word. She lives with her husband, children, and many imaginary friends who often find their way into her stories. They all drink copious amounts of tea together and stay up reading far later than they should. You can read more of her short stories at www.ajskelly.com.  

Author Links: 

Website www.ajskelly.com  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/a.j.skelly/  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aj.skelly.71/  

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