Sketcher in the Rye on Tour and a Giveaway

 
I’m delighted to be participating in author Sharon Pape’s Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for SKETCHER IN THE RYE, the latest installment in her Portrait of Crime Mystery series.

As part of the tour, I want to tell you about the author and share my thoughts on the book. Thanks to Sharon and the lovely Lori at Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour, I have an e-copy of SKETCHER IN THE RYE (or a gift card) to giveaway to a lucky visitor. Please see the end of the post for the details.

SKETCHER IN THE RYE: A Portrait of Crime Mystery (InterMix; $4.99; 978-1-101-63527-8; December 17, 2013) by Sharon Pape.

      "Pape has a sure-handed balance of humor and action."—Julie Hyzy, New York Times Bestselling Author

In her new job as a private eye, former police sketch artist Rory McCain has a spirited partner: Old West marshal Zeke Drummond. He may be a ghost, but when these two combine their skills, they reap justice…
 
      Trouble has sprouted at Harper Farms. Top secret info has been leaked to the competition, and now there’s serious sabotage cropping up. So the farm’s beleaguered owner, Gil Harper, has called on Rory to dig up some dirt. But what Rory discovers raises a new field of questions…
      Someone shucked Harper’s accountant and left his body in the farm’s corn maze. While Gil is quick to hire Rory to solve now not one but two crimes, the sketching sleuth isn’t so sure why the farmer wants her to focus her attention on his own family.
      Regardless, Rory and Zeke will need to put their hands to the plow and solve this case before someone else is planted six feet under…

Sharon tells about herself . . . . . . 

I started writing stories as soon as I learned how to put letters together to form words. From that day forward, writing has been a part of my life whether it was my first attempt at a novel in seventh grade or the little plays I wrote for my friends to perform for neighbors and family. After college, when I was busy teaching French and Spanish to high school students, I was also writing poetry — some of it in French.

After several years, I left teaching to be a full time mom, and when my two children started school, I went back to writing. To my delight I found that the muse was still there, still waiting patiently for me to come around. My first novel, Ghostfire, was published at that time. It went on to be condensed in Redbook magazine (the first paperback original the magazine had ever condensed.) Then came The God Children and The Portal. Redbook also published my first short story, which was subsequently sold to several foreign magazines. With two great kids, a golden retriever and a loving, supportive husband (whom I’d met at the beach when I was fourteen — but that’s a story for another day), I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be in my life. But fate had another plan for me, and it went by the name of “breast cancer.”

Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was that the cancer was discovered at such an early stage, but at the time it was all very overwhelming. Once I was back on my feet, I wanted to help other women who were newly diagnosed, worried and afraid. I became a Reach to Recovery volunteer for the American Cancer Society and went on to run the program for Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. A number of years later, with the help of my surgical oncologist and two other volunteers, I started Lean On Me, a nonprofit organization that provides peer support and information to breast cancer patients. When Lean On Me celebrated its tenth anniversary it no longer required as much of my time, and I once again found myself free to pursue my first love — writing.

For more information on Sharon and her writing, visit her website at http://www.sharonpape.com/index.html

SKETCHER IN THE RYE by Sharon Pape

Incorporating a ghost into a modern-day mystery can sometimes be a tricky plot. Author Sharon Pape pulls it off seamlessly in her Portrait of Crime Mystery series and her latest release, SKETCHER IN THE RYE, is a prime example.

A former police sketch artist, Rory McCain now operates her own private eye business with a silent partner. It’s not that her partner doesn’t have input into the business – he does – it’s just that no one else knows about him. Her partner is Marshal Zeke Drummond, a ghost from the old West.

When top secret information from Harper Farms is leaked, owner Gil Harper hires Rory to find answers. As she begins her investigation, Rory discovers Harper’s accountant and friend dead in a corn maze. Now it’s up to Rory, with Zeke’s help, to find out who the killer is before another victim is added to the maze.

Pape has a knack for blending mystery and suspense with humor for a well-balanced story. The plot moves between past and present with ease. Readers are drawn into the setting through Pape’s vivid details and descriptions.
The characters are zany and likable. The interaction between Rory and Zeke is fun with Zeke’s old-fashion outlook on Rory’s modern lifestyle.

SKETCHER IN THE RYE is the fourth installment in the series, but can be read on its own. However for a better understanding of how Rory and Zeke became partners, the series should be read in order.

This is a delightful cozy mystery that will have readers experiencing a range of emotions and looking forward to Rory and Zeke’s next adventure.

Sketcher in the Rye by Sharon Pape, A Portrait of Crime Mystery, InterMix, @2013, ISBN: 978-1101635278, e-Book, 260 Pages, 1421 KB 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me as part of the author’s blog tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Check out the other blogs participating in Sharon’s tour for additional information and chances to win.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 11 - Chloe Gets A Clue - Interview
December 12 - readalot blog - Review
December 13 - Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
December 14 - Melina's Book Blog - Review, Guest Post
December 15 - Christa Reads and Writes – Review
December 16 - Books-n-Kisses - Review
December 17 - Socrates Book Review Blog/Socrates Cozy Cafe – Review - Giveaway
December 17 - Mochas, Mysteries and More – Interview - Giveaway
December 18 - A Chick Who Reads – Review
December 19 - rantin' ravin' and reading - Review, Guest Post  - Giveaway
December 20 - Queen of All She Reads - Review, Guest Post – Giveaway
December 21 - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Review
December 22 - My Devotional Thoughts  - Review, Guest Post  - Giveaway
December 23 – Dru's Book Musings – Guest Post

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one e-copy of SKETCHER IN THE RYE or a gift card to cover the cost of the book (winner’s choice).

To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Sketcher in the Rye.” Your message should include your name, the email address you’d like the gift sent to and which format you want (e-copy or gift card). The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win a copy of SKETCHER IN THE RYE is 8 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Dec. 30.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live with a ghost?