Death Stalks Door County On Tour {+ Giveaway}

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Patricia Skalka here today as she makes a stop on her BreakThrough Promotions Virtual Blog Tour for her new release, DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY, the first book in her new mystery series.

This is an intriguing murder mystery published by Terrace Books/Trade imprint of University of Wisconsin Press. 

Patricia will be joining us to talk about her writing life. Thanks to Patricia and the lovely PJ at BreakThrough Promotions, I have a copy of DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY to giveaway in celebration of the release. Please see the end of the post for details.

Here’s a brief look at DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY …

            Six deaths mar the holiday mood as summer vacationers enjoy Wisconsin’s beautiful Door County peninsula. Murders, or bizarre accidents? Newly hired park ranger Dave Cubiak, a former Chicago homicide detective, assumes the worst but refuses to get involved. Grief-stricken and guilt-ridden over the loss of his wife and daughter, he’s had enough of death.
            Forced to confront the past, the morose Cubiak moves beyond his own heartache and starts investigating, even as a popular festival draws more people into possible danger. In a desperate search for clues, Cubiak uncovers a tangled web of greed, betrayal, bitter rivalries, and lost love beneath the peninsula’s travel-brochure veneer. Befriended by several locals but unsure whom to trust or to suspect of murder, the one-time cop tracks a clever killer.
            In a setting of stunning natural beauty and picturesque waterfront villages, Death Stalks Door County introduces a new detective series, “The Dave Cubiak Door County Mysteries.”

“Who would have guessed that so many dark secrets and sinister deeds lurk beneath the surface of Door County’s idyllic communities? A very satisfying read, and the arrival of a fresh, talented voice.” — Patrick Somerville, author of This Bright River

Now please join me in welcoming Patricia to Thoughts in Progress as she talks about ‘My Writing Life.’

Books were a luxury my working class family could not afford. We had a dictionary, a Bible, a couple of old readers from my father's elementary school days and the occasional tattered, hand-me-down Golden Books. I learned to associate words with stories from the nursery rhymes my mother recited and the comic section my father read to me from the Sunday newspaper. When my older brother came home from school with Dick and Jane, I was hooked.

At seven or eight, I started writing my own stories. Equipped with nothing more than a limited vocabulary, a large imagination, a sharp pencil and a tablet of lined paper, I sat at the kitchen table and neatly put down my thoughts. To me, writing was like magic; the intangible-- thoughts, memories, ideas -- made concrete and real. 

Before writing DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY, my debut mystery, all of my work was nonfiction. I wrote and ghosted books and magazine articles. I was a Staff Writer for the Reader's Digest for a number of years and though there's a huge difference between writing for a magazine like the Digest and writing fiction, I learned many useful skills. Like listening to people, what they said and what they were trying to say. Like searching for the exact word I needed to convey a thought or emotion. Like organizing my thoughts and knowing what I wanted to say before I started to write. Like discipline, because a missed deadline meant a late paycheck.

When I'm working on a book, I write daily for a minimum of four hours, five to six days a week. Sometimes I'll write for six hours a day but that's pretty much the upper limit. Although the writing time varies, it's always in a chunk. Early morning to noon or mid-afternoon to evening. I set a daily goal. Number of words or specific scene to be completed. If I reach the goal, I give myself a pat on the back; if not, I analyze why -- was I distracted, had I been overly ambitious, did the scene require more thought and detail than I'd realized.  

If I run into a wall of genuine writer's block, I move to a different scene or chapter to keep the words flowing and to stay connected to the story. While I'm writing, I don't have much trouble avoiding Facebook and email but find that phone calls are most distracting. So I screen them and only answer if I recognize the caller and suspect the call is important.     

I don't really have a favorite author. I read different writers for different reasons. Jean le Carre for complexity, Donna Tartt for the sheer joy of her way with words, Kate Atkinson and Martin Cruz Smith because I adore their protagonists, Joyce Carol Oates for inspiration, Russell Banks for the raw power he brings to the page, Patricia Ann McNair for the rarified beauty of her short stories, Francine Prose for her wit and intelligence, Jane Hamilton for the unadulterated honesty of her work, Mary Oliver for the simplicity of her vision. 

There's no question that writing is hard work but now that  DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY  has been published, I look back and remember only the joy that went with the process. The pain, the doubts, the revising all fade into the shadow. The magic that I experienced as a child at the kitchen table endures.

At the moment, I'm between books. I've completed the final draft of book two in the Dave Cubiak Door County mystery series and am taking a bit of break before jumping into book three. I have one page synopses for four more but need to decide which makes the most sense in terms of Cubiak's growth as a character. In the meantime, I have a stacks of books to read and flowers to plant on the deck. 

Patricia, thanks for joining us today. It’s always a treat to learn more about an author’s writing life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 
A lifelong Chicagoan, Patricia Skalka is a former Reader’s Digest Staff Writer and award-winning freelancer, as well as one-time magazine editor, ghost writer and writing instructor. Her nonfiction book credits include ON OUR OWN, the true story of two pioneering, local nurse practitioners.

More on Patricia and her writing, visit her website and her blog, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end Wednesday, July 3.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Patricia Skalka’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by and joining Patricia for her visit. Do you enjoy mysteries where the officer in charge has his/her own personal issues they are dealing with?

*This post contains affiliate links. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Eleanor Sullivan: Turning Ideas Into Stories

It’s always a pleasure when I get to meet ‘new-to-me’ authors and share their works with you. Today I’m happy to welcome author Eleanor Sullivan to Thoughts in Progress to talk about writing and GRAVEN IMAGES, the second book in her Singular Village Mystery series.

I’d like to thank PJ Nunn from BreakThrough Promotions for introducing me to the lovely Eleanor and her intriguing stories.

Here’s a brief synopsis of GRAVEN IMAGES:

      When unruly vagabonds face rigid religiosity, anything can happen. Even murder.

      After an itinerant artist is found hanging in a barn, local villagers are quick to blame an Irish traveller conveniently passing through town. Only his broken leg keeps him from being delivered to the authorities immediately.
      Adelaide, a young midwife in the 1830s settlement, suspects the killer is one of their own. At the same time, she’s struggling with her own secrets and fears she’ll be caught violating the society’s strict religious rules.
      Unbeknownst to Adelaide, her husband, Benjamin, is facing threats of his own. Then suspicion falls on Adelaide’s sister for the murder, and Adelaide must risk her own life to find the killer before the traveller is delivered to the authorities where he’ll surely be hanged. 

Eleanor offered up two motivating topics to discuss today. Since I thought you’d find both of interest, she agreed to talk about both. First, she’ll talk about ‘Turning Ideas into Stories: The First Steps” and then ‘How to Write a Historical Mystery.’ Welcome Eleanor.

Turning Ideas into Stories: The First Steps

“Where do you get your ideas?” is a question fiction writers are often asked. 

Contrary to what most civilians (non-writers) believe, ideas are plentiful. They are all around us. The Law & Order TV series, for example, says that their stories are “ripped from the headlines.” News, past and present, offers an infinite source of story ideas. History, too, provides ideas too numerous to name. Finding ideas isn’t the problem. Turning those ideas into stories, that’s the challenge.

Doing my family genealogy gave me the idea (!) to turn my ancestors’ lives into fiction. How, you ask, could some boring family history provide story fodder? I wondered the same until I’d uncovered the truth behind my ancestors’ lives. 

I learned that in the early 19th century, my ancestors, for refusing to follow the state religion, were beaten, imprisoned, their property was confiscated, and their children sent to orphanages before they escaped to Ohio in 1817. Out of the Ohio wilderness they carved a village, named Zoar for the town where the Biblical Lot had found refuge much as they had in America. To survive, they became communal, sharing all alike. So that the women could work without the burden of child bearing, they practiced celibacy until they could pay off their mortgage in 1829. By 1833 their community, known as the Society of Separatists and led by my distant grandfather, was prospering. 

Imagine a thriving 19th century village in Ohio filled with hard-working, courageous German immigrants. All would be well, wouldn’t it? History says otherwise. Petty jealousies emerged. Families moved about to avoid contact with their sworn enemies. Arguments over who worked harder and who received more food or blankets or clothing plagued the town, no matter how pious they intended to be. Ideal setting for a murder! 

For me, characters are the centerpiece of any story. I started with my ancestor, the town’s leader. Traveling to Zoar, I learned that he was revered among the historians and interpreters populating the museums and shops there. Well, I thought, that’s not good. He has to have some undesirable characteristics! And he did. Among other artifacts, I found a letter from a Quaker woman in Philadelphia disparaging him. “He has them so fooled,” she said, “They think he’s another Moses.” Additionally, I learned that he’d kept the title to the entire town’s property (more than 10,000 acres) in his own name until he was on his deathbed. 

Here’s what we now know about him. A natural leader, he bravely faced persecution, steering a group of believers to freedom. On the other hand, he was domineering and ruled with an iron hand. A perfect foil for my protagonist. Time to create her.

Adelaide (an old-fashioned German name) is a midwife and herbalist. Unusual for the times, Adelaide is an independent woman, chafing at the town’s rigid rules and regulations. Her husband, Benjamin, on the other hand, hopes to quell her independent ways so that they’ll not be banished from the town, a town they’d worked so hard to create. 

See how the background and the characters begin to take shape? Now all I need is a murder or two, several suspects, and a reason for Adelaide to try to solve the murders!

The two books published so far in the Singular Village Mystery series show Adelaide as a courageous, but flawed human being. In the first, COVER HER BODY, Adelaide is the only person in her village who believes that the dairy maid found in the river didn’t drown, and her efforts to solve her murder bring an invasion of outside authorities to town before she faces down the killer. The second book, GRAVEN IMAGES, was released in September. After an itinerant artist is found murdered, the townspeople are quick to blame an Irish traveller conveniently passing through town. Adelaide, certain he hadn’t killed the artist, must find the real killer before the man is hanged. The third book, TREE OF HEAVEN, due out in 2015, challenges Adelaide to defend her leader against a charge of murder. With their leader in jail, the village plunges into disarray. Surprisingly, Adelaide’s mild-mannered husband, Benjamin, emerges to quell the confusion. But can he help Adelaide save their leader’s life? 

These are only the first steps of story building. In the New Year, I will be writing a series of blogs (www.EleanorSullivan.com/blog) about turning ideas into stories. Included will be how I create a story world, populate it with supporters and antagonists, construct the murder scene, reveal the culprit in the climax and much more. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into using history to turn ideas into stories.

How to Write an Historical Mystery

Writing an historical mystery is easy. Just start with a time and place, add a few interesting characters and culprits, inject a murder, toss in a few clues, and add a twist at the end. Voilà, you have an historical mystery!

How hard could it be?

Answer: Very. Not only must you create a compelling, tension-filled mystery, you must build an accurate story world.

Contemporary mysteries require research, too, of course. Murder details must be accurate. The weapon’s action must correspond with the victim’s wounds, for example. So you need to know about firearms–how far does a bullet from a nine-millimeter or a revolver go? Can a bullet hit someone under water? (The answer is no.) How long would it take to die from a drug overdose? And how would you know if it was accidental or murder? From TV we know that COD is cause of death and TOD is time of death. Neither expressions would be used in historicals in the 19th century.

How do you build an accurate story world?

Here are some suggestions:

Begin with primary sources such as letters, diaries, and photographs. Here’s an example of a letter I found in the Ohio Memory Project, a division of the Ohio Historical Society. Fortunately, the letters were transcribed. See some photos in the Ohio Historical Society collection. Next search for legitimate research sources. I found a dissertation by an Ohio State doctoral student chronicling the life of the Separatists, beginning with their experiences in Germany in the early 1800s. Then I found a book by Kathleen Fernandez titled “A Singular People: Images of Zoar”. Finally, I met a German historian whose area of expertise was the Separatists’ lives in Germany, and he shared his dissertation with me. Priceless, all of this!

Travel to the site, if possible. I made several trips to Zoar, Ohio, discovering a research library where I was allowed to copy materials including several masters’ thesis on the community. Take lots of photos. You can see a few of these in the photo album on my website. My files contain 500+ images from the Ohio Historical Society as well as my own. I use them constantly as I write-what did the stove look like? How did a woman dress? Where’s the door into Adelaide’s cabin?
 
Planning a future book with parallel stories that take place in 1800 Germany and 1830 America, I traveled to Germany last year. There I traced the Separatists’ lives, visiting the prison where they were incarcerated, the lake they dug when sentenced to hard labor, and their small hometowns, where their descendants still live today. I even met some distant cousins! Unfortunately, they didn’t speak English and I can’t speak German, but we smiled and gestured a lot.

Create a map of the location if you can. Then, as you write, you’ll be able to imagine your characters as they move about. 

Eleanor, thanks so much for joining us and sharing both of these wonderful topics. You’ve answered a lot of questions here.

Now, here’s a bit of background on Eleanor.

She is the award-winning author of books for nurses, the Monika Everhart medical mystery series, and now a historical mystery series set in Zoar, Ohio, the 19th century religious settlement of her ancestors.

For more on Eleanor and her writing, connect with her at EleanorSullivan.com and read her blog about 19th century lore at EleanorSullivan.com/blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook.

Thanks everyone for stopping by today. If you’re a writer, do you use any of these tips already? If you’re a reader, have you ever considered becoming a writer to tell about a story from your family’s history?

Damage Control by John Gilstrap

For an adrenaline-driven read that keeps your attention from beginning to end, DAMAGE CONTROL by John Gilstrap is the perfect ticket.

The story is action-paced with twists and turns, ups and downs to keep you breathless with anticipation. Just as things seem to slow the other shoe drops and the rush is on again causing you to wonder ‘will it ever end?’

A bus load of teenagers on a church missionary trip are taken hostage in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The ransom is three million dollars and positively no involvement from law enforcement or all the hostages will be killed.

Rescue specialist Jonathan Grave and Brian “Boxer” Van de Meulebroeke from Security Solutions are contacted by the church to help in the matter. Their mission is to make the exchange and get the hostages.

As they go to make the exchange, things fall apart. From there readers are taken on a roller coaster ride adventure as Grave tries to bring the hostages home alive. He encounters problem after problem.

Author John Gilstrap has created a plausible scenario that could easily be heard on the nightly news. He incorporates realistic elements in this chilly, heart-pounding adventure. His characters are well developed and leave a lasting impression.

Author John Gilstrap’s website is http://www.johngilstrap.com/
 
Damage Control by John Gilstrap, A Jonathan Grave Thriller, Pinnacle, @2012, ISBN: 978-0786024933, Paperback, 452 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by BreakThrough Promotions in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

Do you enjoy books with an adrenaline rush? Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Author Marianne Cassell On How Her Book Came To Be

I’m always delighted to meet new authors and then to be able to introduce them to ya’ll as well. Today, thanks to PJ at BreakThrough Promotions, I’d like to welcome author Marianne Cassell.

A Fort Worth native, Marianne now resides in Lubbock, Texas. Her first book, THE PRODIGAL WIFE, was published in 1976.

Marianne stops by today to share with us how her current release, AVAILABLE GRACE: TRUE SHORT STORIES OF THE REWARDS OF INTENTIONAL LIVING, came to be. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book: This is a wonderful collection showcasing moments when the author, her family, and friends experienced the grace of God in their lives. AVAILABLE GRACE begins in 1964, when author Marianne Cassell first encountered Jesus and was converted. 

Now here’s Marianne with her story.

Thanks, Mason, for having me as a guest blogger on your site. I’m excited about the opportunity to talk about how AVAILABLE GRACE came into being. 

I guess I’m continually amazed because this book is the manifestation of a promise God spoke to me one night in the midst of a debilitating and painful illness that lasted two years. That night, nine years ago, the clamoring of the unrelenting pain in my legs and feet suddenly stopped. I gasped in surprise at the calm. Then I heard God’s voice clearly in my mind, “I have a fantastic future for you. I’m holding you in the palm of My hand.” Then, the pain started again, but I was forever changed. I didn’t know what God had in mind for me but I was certain it involved walking again which my doctor and physical therapist said wasn’t possible.

A couple of years before I fell ill I had attended a weekly Bible study with a friend. One night our leader announced that he was going to begin a new study on the grace of God the next week. He asked each of us to come ready to share an experience of grace in our lives to kick off the series.

I knew grace was God’s unmerited favor, but I never really thought of it in terms of my life. However, I had a long drive home and by the time I arrived five different memories had come to mind. Oh, I thought, what I’ve called God’s healings, provisions, comforts or lessons has been His Grace!

 

I decided on the memory I would share, but I was disappointed the next week when only one other woman in our group spoke up. Each of the others said, “I really don’t know of a time of grace in my life.” As I drove home that night I thought, I bet that’s what my grandchildren would say. They were all teenagers who had always lived with the blessings of God in their lives. I knew they took them for granted and I wanted the kids to be alert to the fact Jesus had miraculous answers for every need they would ever have.

I called the stories the children’s spiritual heritage and started e-mailing each of them an experience a week. I kept the stories short so they would read them. I expected to send the five memories that had come to mind. As friends heard what I was doing they asked to receive the e-mails, too. Then, I got sick. Two years later when the pain began to subside I could not walk without aids. However, I could type.

I gathered e-mail addresses again and began anew. To my surprise one memory ran into another. I had forgotten many of the instances until they appeared in detail in my mind again. I relived those moments of grace again as I wrote them down and I remembered how God had made the impossible possible in my life over and over. That strengthened my faith so much that my walking continued to slowly improve. Today I not only walk but I live independently and a collection of short stories has turned into a book!  

AVAILABLE GRACE: TRUE SHORT STORIES OF THE REWARDS OF INTENTIONAL LIVING is the physical proof of the impossible becoming possible. Almost every day I remember to tell the Lord, “You said You had a fantastic future for me and that is surely true!”

Marianne, thanks so much for sharing how your book came about with us. It’s a wonderful and inspiring story.

For more on Marianne and her writing, be sure to visit her website at http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell

Here’s a few comments from others about Marianne’s book:

"Oh brother! Did this ever hit home with me." - Carolyn D., Brownwood, Texas
"I just read this aloud to my husband and he is wiping his eyes, it touched me deeply as well." - Marcia K., Garland, Texas
"Your honesty is always so refreshing!" - Anita S., Lubbock, Texas
"Amen! I've laughed all the way through this one." - Jo S., Dallas 

Here’s a book trailer of AVAILABLE GRACE for your enjoyment.

Have you ever thought about sharing important memories with your family and friends in emails? Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember, Mother’s Day is just around the corner and AVAILABLE GRACE would make a nice gift for the reader in your life.

Happy Easter and Asking For Your Help

HAPPY EASTER to those celebrating today.

Easter Sunday holds different meanings to different people. Some think of the religious aspects, some think of the fun and games of Easter egg hunts, and some think of the gatherings of family and friends for food and fellowship.

While Easter holds many meanings for me, the fellowship of family and friends is especially important. I think all of us in blogdom have had our share of ups and downs lately, but I’m always in awe of how everyone gives support to each other.

Y’all have shown wonderful support to me by continuing to visit here even though I’ve been absent from visiting with you for the past few weeks. I hope you’ll show the same support to a friend of mine - a fellow member of the publishing community whose son has had a difficult time recently. A few minutes of your time today and for a few days to come could help make life much easier for her disabled son. Let me tell you a little about my friend, her son’s situation, and how easy it is for you to help make a difference.

I became acquainted with P.J. Nunn several years ago through her public relations company, BreakThrough Promotions, when I was working for a local newspaper and began doing book reviews. P.J. introduced me to a number of great authors long before I knew anything about blogs and blogdom.

P.J.’s son, Dave Jr., has had a long fight with a staph infection. Last January his kidneys failed and his right leg had to be amputated above the knee. Now that he is finally getting better and wants to get out and about, the family has no transportation that can carry him and his motorized wheelchair.  

However, the family has learned of a contest that can help and Dave has been nominated as a possible winner of a wheelchair equipped van. To help him reach this goal, all you have to do is go to http://www.nmeda.com/mobility-awareness-month/local-hero-contest and enter the last name Nunn in the search box. The site will direct you to Dave’s information where you can learn more about his condition and then cast your vote. Each person can vote once every 24 hours between now and when voting ends May 13. If you use Promo Code 994 one time, it changes your single vote to 5 votes. The voting process is simple and quick.

In my correspondence with P.J., she made an interesting point. This is what she had to say:

Probably the thing most people don't fully realize is how much we take for granted the ability to hop in the car and run to Wal-Mart or get a hair cut. I think that's been as hard for Dave as anything once he got past all the physical pain and medication in recovery. Now he thinks clearly and feels like himself even though he can't yet stand up and isn't quite ready to start the process of getting a prosthetic leg, he's hoping to have one by the end of the year. 
  
The thing that's hard is being so limited in where he can go. Medicaid transport takes him to and from dialysis 3 days a week and to his doctor appointments. There's a Community Transit he can ride during weekdays to get around town but you have to schedule appointments sometimes as much as a week ahead, then they drop you off. You call when you're ready for pickup but often have to wait as much as 2 hours for them to come get you and take you home. They don't run evenings or weekends so he's missed many birthday parties and outings because he has no transportation. 

To get to the place nearby where he gets his haircut, or to get to church on Sunday he has to navigate the highway in his motorized wheelchair because a long stretch of the road between here and there has no sidewalk. Of course that depends on the weather, too. Usually my husband walks along with him to be sure he makes it without incident. Nothing is simple. Fortunately, we live near a Sonic and a convenience store so he can just ride his chair there when he wants a soda or a snack. He never complains. 
  
We rented a wheelchair van from United Access (which is where we learned about this contest) to go to Arkansas for my dad's funeral last month and Dave said the van was like a whole new world opened up again. It really was wonderful not to have to time things exactly for a bus pickup, and to be able to just load up and go to my brother's house or out to dinner and not have to leave Dave behind or decline the invitation. I want that for him always. I want to see him able to do things with his brothers and his friends again. To go back to college and have a life. 

P.J. is right. We do sometimes forget how easy it is for us just to get in a car and go when we want to or need to. So on this Easter Sunday I’m asking that you take a few minutes today and each day until May 13 to vote for Dave and help him in his effort to win this wheelchair van so he can do the same. And if you feel inclined, please share this with your friends and encourage them to vote as well.

I thank you for stopping by today. I hope this day brings good health, great food and wonderful fellowship for you and your family. Have a fun day and if you’re Easter egg hunting, may you find the golden egg.  

Saturday Shuffle Of Reviews

The weathermen in my area of the world are calling for a sunny, but cool and windy day - perfect for relaxing with a good book. But then, to me any day is a good day to read.

I’d like to share a variety of reviews with y’all. As usual, I’m featuring various genres. Hope you find something that sparks your interest.

A FEELING IN MY BONES by Gervase Shorter

Jake and Sally met at college and fell in love. The Forresters had a happy life of sorts living in England. Sally worked as a book editor and Jake served as a ‘consultant’ working out problems between companies.

Jake takes a job from a recluse billionaire named Kroger. While abroad on an assignment, Jake disappears. Sally’s not sure where he is, possible Africa. A month later Jake surfaces in a mental clinic in Miami, FL. He’s suffered a nervous breakdown.

Events from there drastically change the couple’s lives forever. Kroger has died and just before he did, changed his will leaving everything to Jake and Sally. While they should be enjoying the good life, Jake has changed. He is no longer the warm and loving man Sally married. The more she checks, the more she discovers she should have left things alone.

This is an intriguing thriller that starts with Sally knowing too much. The reader is then drawn in to find out what it is she knows and why it’s so terrifying and life-threatening.

Author Gervase Shorter has a way of painting beautiful settings with his words. While there are several side stories, they serve to give more depth to the characters and their actions.

There are twists and turns throughout to keep you guessing until the end. This is a fast-pace read that will be hard to put down once you begin.

Author Gervase Shorter’s website is www.gervaseshorter.com

A Feeling In My Bones by Gervase Shorter, Amazon, @2011, ASIN: B005UNJDFA, Kindle, 414 KB, 252 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This eBook was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

D.C. DEAD by Stuart Woods

For his latest mystery, author Stuart Woods brings the main characters from three of his series* together for a search for a killer.

CIA Agent Holly Barker contacts Stone Barrington and NYPD Detective Dino Bacchetti on behalf of President Will Lee. A sensitive case needs their discretion and expertise.

Lee will soon be leaving the White House and he and his wife, the CIA Director, want to know for sure if a former member of their cabinet killed his wife and then himself. The investigation leads Stone and Dino through the exclusive world of Washington politics, power and privilege. They soon learn they are treading on the scandalous side where secrets are great motivation for murder.

Meanwhile, a secondary un-related story is going on in the background involving the CIA and Holly.

It was interesting having all these main characters together in one story. The plot, while not action-packed, was intriguing as the layers were peeled away. There was some foul language, but not over used.

As always, Tony Roberts did a wonderful job narrating the story. I can’t image Stone or Dino without hearing Roberts’ interruption. His style and mannerisms add depth to the characters and brings the story to life.

No matter what Stone and Dino are up to, you know murder, mystery, intrigue, and a good stiff drink will be involved. If you’re a Barrington fan, this is another one to add to your collection.

This is a stand alone book even though it involves characters from other stories. *Stone and Dino are from the Stone Barrington series, Holly from the Holly Barker series, and Will from the Will Lee series.

Looking forward to these characters’ next adventure either as a group or individual series.

Author Stuart Woods’ website is www.stuartwoods.com

D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods, A Stone Barrington Novel, Read by Tony Roberts, Penguin Audio, @2011, ISBN: 978-1611760439, Unabridged, 6 Disc, Listening Time 7 Hours, 30 Minutes 

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

THE COUGAR’S PREY by Larry D. Sweazy

It’s early 1875 and Texas Ranger Josiah Wolfe has gone undercover to investigate cattle thefts and raids that have ranchers upset in Corpus Christie.

Even though he was cleared of any wrong doing concerning the death of a fellow Ranger, the town isn’t willing to be as forgiving of Wolfe. So Captain Leaunder McNelly sends Wolfe to Corpus Christie possessing as hide trader Zeb Teter.

The more Wolfe investigates, the more he finds all may not be as it seems. The reasons for his assignment may run deeper than he suspects.

Author Larry D. Sweazy does a wonderful job placing the reader in the territory as he vividly describes the area. He masterfully blends historical events and people with his own characters for a plausible chain of events.

THE COUGAR’S PREY is an intriguing tale of western lore, murder, mystery and deception. It’s a fast-pace read that will lasso readers in and hold them till the end.

Author Larry D. Sweazy’s website is www.larrydsweazy.com

The Cougar’s Prey by Larry D. Sweazy, A Josiah Wolfe Texas Ranger Novel, Berkley, @ 2011, ISBN: 978-0425243947, Paperback, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by BreakThrough Promotions (http://www.breakthroughpromotions.net/) in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

Have you read any of these books? Do you enjoy mixing your reading up a bit? Thanks so much for stopping by.