Guest Post by Teresa Trent (Setting a Mystery in a Funeral Home) author of I Can't Get No Satisfaction (#contests, #guest Post- Enter to win An Amazon Gift Card.)

I CAN'T GET NO SATISFACTION

by Teresa Trent

April 7 - May 2, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The Swinging Sixties Mystery Series

 

After finding herself in the middle of murder investigation in her last two secretarial jobs, Dot finds the only place that will hire her is her local funeral home.

Why not? At least there all the clients are safe from what the town calls her murderous "Curse of Camden". It is 1965 and Dot is planning her wedding with a Twiggy like mini-bridal gown, but secretly she’s not so sure it’s a good idea. If she really is cursed, what might happen to the one she loves? Is she willing to put him in danger? She and Ben put wedding planning on the back burner when one of the town’s teenage girls gets hit by a drunk boater who gets away. The closer they get to the answers, the more Dot feels the curse is coming for Ben.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: February 2025
Number of Pages: 215
ISBN: 978-1-68512-870-8
Series: The Swinging Sixties Mystery Series, Book 4 | Each is a Stand Alone Novel
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

GUEST POST: 

Setting a Mystery in a Funeral Home

By Teresa Trent, author of I Can’t Get No Satisfaction

My heroine in the Swinging Sixties Mystery Series can’t seem to keep a job. It isn’t because she is a poor employee. She was a star at her secretarial school when she graduated in 1963, but now it is 1965 and she’s in her third job. The problem? People keep getting murdered. Dot Morgan is a murder magnet.

Because of this, the only business that will hire her is the local funeral home. At least the clientele will be safe this time. Creating the setting of a funeral home was a learning experience for me. I had been in funeral homes, but only in the beautifully decorated rooms open to the public. To research this setting, I visited the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas. Yes, there is such a thing.

Upon entering the museum, we stepped into a hearse room with horse-drawn carriages up to the present day. The hearse from close to the time of my story was especially helpful in my research because it played an important role in the plot.

They had several rooms dedicated to historic funerals, including those of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. There was a wing dedicated to papal funerals. The museum had everything you needed to know about the history of taking care of the dead, from coffins to urns.

The cremation chamber, complete with a control panel, amazed me, but what floored me the most? There was a gift shop. I chose not to bring home a mug that said, “Any Day Above Ground is a Good One”.

Having been through the planning process of a few funerals, the museum gave me a completely different perspective on the funeral industry. It’s a business often run by families who are full of compassion for the people they work with, but all the same, it’s a business.

When I wrote the characters of Oliver and Henry Fielding, of Fielding Funeral Home, I focused on their father-son relationship. Where instead of Henry taking off with the family car for too long, he takes the hearse. Boys will be boys. Henry is a young man, and like the song says, he can’t get no satisfaction.

After finishing the book, I was happy to leave such a sad world. Dot couldn’t wait to get rid of her black wardrobe, and I felt the same about my setting. What setting did I use to replace it?

Crying in the Chapel is the title of the next book in the series. How about a little white satin?

 

Read an excerpt:

After leaving Oliver, I decided to speak to the marina owner one more time to try to figure out who took the boat used in Henry’s murder. Grabbing a sandwich at my apartment, I called Ben to see if he would like to go along with me. He was covering court this week for a reporter on vacation, so I was lucky to catch him at his desk.

“Yes, I’d love to go with you, and as luck would have it, the judge rescheduled the court case.”

Even though some people might think a reporter’s life is glamorous and full of intrigue, Ben was covering a case of stolen pigs for The Camden Courier. Shorty Wyckoff, a pig farmer, claimed Bill Wheeler, another pig farmer, snuck up in the cloak of darkness and loaded up an 1100-pound sow into the back of a pickup truck. What made her so valuable was her nickname, Fertile Myrtle. It was reported that she could get pregnant with only one try, and the results were dozens of little piggies. The newspaper had dubbed the case “Makin’ Bacon Caper.” It was a popular series of articles, considering it was one step up from the farm report and featured the sex lives of pigs.

“I’ll pick you up, but I have to warn you, ol’ Bernice isn’t doing too well. I think she’s on her last breath.”

“Ol’ Bernice, a 1955 Oldsmobile, had several dents, bald tires, and a constant wheezing coming out from under the rusty brown hood. “Should we take my car?”

“Nice of you to offer, but I want to take Bernice today. I have plans for her.”

Besides setting her on fire or pushing her off the nearest cliff, I wasn’t sure what he had in mind. I knew Ben had arrived when I heard the familiar wheezing and sputtering of Bernice in my driveway.

Ben and I returned to the marina, but this time the marina owner was nowhere to be found. The marina office and residence stood atop a small hill overlooking the glistening waters of the bay. Selma, the guard dog Shep had praised, did not bark or even growl, but playfully nudged her snout against my hand, her tail wagging vigorously in excitement. We knocked on the glass panes of the marina office, and after not getting an answer, I clasped my hands around my eyes and, leaning on the glass, looked inside. As I drew closer, I could hear the low rumble of jazz, heavy on the bass. It created a melodic backdrop with the gentle lapping of the waves. “I think he must be farther back in the house. I hear a stereo.”

Ben put his ear to the glass and then turned around to face the parking lot. “Hmmm. How many cars do you see parked here?”

I turned back and scanned the parking area. “Three.”

“Right. Ours, his, and whose is that?” He pointed at a wood-paneled station wagon. It was the kind of car a family with children would use.

“I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone else around here. Maybe someone has taken their boat out.”

“Maybe, but when we were here last, there were twelve boats in twelve boat slips. Today I only see eleven. Considering Bubba Jenkins’s boat - was just impounded for a murder investigation. I would say all the remaining boats are here.”

“Which means whoever is driving that station wagon is inside, listening to jazz with Shep. Let’s try knocking at the backdoor,” I said.

We made our way around, and as we did, the sound of the music grew louder, along with a few other sounds.

Ben smiled and blushed a little as we heard rhythmic moans coming from an open window. “They must be big music lovers.”

I giggled. “Regular jazz nuts.” There was no doubt about what they were doing, and from the sounds of it, things were going quite well.

Ben raised his hand to knock, but then stopped. “Not the best time.”

“Yeah. Maybe we can figure this out on our own. I don’t think I could erase a memory of hot and sweaty Shep, but I am curious about who he has in there with him.”

“Let’s go look at the boats.” We walked around the house to the parking lot. Selma followed along, her tail still wagging. As the jazz and the sound of other things faded in my ears, I asked Ben, “What exactly are we looking for?”

“I’m not sure, just something out of the ordinary. Maybe Henry’s killer left something important on the dock.”

“You mean like his I. D.? That would make things easier. Do you know a lot about boats? We didn’t do much boating at our house, although I have been waterskiing with friends.”

“A little.” He shrugged. “Not much. We need to concentrate, and hearing about you in a bathing suit is not making my thoughts flow.”

I giggled. “Billie Holiday will do that to a person.”

We walked on the wooden pier as the surrounding water was still. There was little call to take a boat out on a weekday. The boats were in a variety of sizes, but most were small speedboats, with a pontoon moored at the end. Inside a few boats, there were remnants of beer bottles and sandwich wrappers.

“Not very tidy, these boat people, and from the looks of the empty beer bottles, there are several drunk drivers out on the lake at the same time. No wonder Betty Weaver got hit,” I said, walking to the end of the pier. The pontoon was covered with a canvas drape. Looking underneath, the insides were as neat as a pin.

“Look at this,” Ben said, crouched down by the tip of a small speedboat. “It looks like they’ve sustained some damage here.”

On the side of the boat, a scrape had cut through the sleek paint, making a line through the boat name, Lucky Me. Not as lucky as the boat owner might have thought.

“So, somebody isn’t very good at putting the boat back into the dock. I hardly think that has anything to do with boat thefts.”

Ben nodded. “You’re probably right, but we know there has been a boat thief out here. What’s to say this person only used one boat?”

“You mean like a serial boat thief?” Could a person get away with stealing different boats periodically from the marina? Was starting one boat as easy as starting another?

“Think about it,” Ben said. “Just how many days a week are Romeo and Juliet in there playing Billie Holiday on the stereo?”

The boat dock was at least fifty yards from the combined house and office. Someone could be out here starting a boat, and if the marina owner was busy, he would hear nothing. “He wouldn’t hear it, and Selma, the guard dog, gets put outside on occasions, so happy for a visitor, she doesn’t even bark.”

Ben snapped his fingers. “Bubba Jenkins is Al’s friend, right? We need to talk to him. He might be sitting on information.”

“You know, Al has mentioned him, but I’m not sure what he does.”

“Then we’ll have to ask him.”

As we turned to head back to Ben’s car, the sound of a screen door opening peeled through the air. Shep, his cheeks rosy and his shirt half on, edged around from the back of the house and immediately spotted Ben’s car. His gaze shifted to the dock.

“Can I help you, folks? How long have you been standing out here?”

I walked forward. “We tried knocking, but there was no answer.”

“Yes, you must have been busy,” Ben said.

Shep lifted his chin slightly. “Working on the books. Guess I got involved. Numbers are not my thing.”

We knew just what his thing was.

Ben walked forward and extended his hand. “Ben Dalton, Camden Courier.”

Shep reached out with a measured amount of enthusiasm. “I remember you. What can I do for you this time?”

“We were wondering if you could provide a list of the boat owners here at the marina. I would also like to get in touch with Bubba Jenkins. Ben said this with such efficiency. Shep let go of his hand and stepped back.

“Why would I do that?”

Ben swept his hand back toward the boats. “In the interest of the investigation. Two deaths on the water don’t exactly put the security of your marina in a good light.”

Shep raised a single finger in the air and shook it at Ben’s face. “Lookie here, son. If I hand over a list like that, it will be to the police, and only the police will get it. Hear me? You and your lady friend need to quit nosin’ around here. If I see you again, I’ll call the cops on you for trespassing. Get me?”

“This is public property. There’s not much you can do.”

“Watch me.”

“You seemed more than willing to let people nose around and steal other people’s boats. I think you’re a little late with your righteous indignation,” I said.

“Yeah, well, a tiger can change its spots. I don’t need a lot of folks here getting into my business.” He glanced up at the house. “Talking to you has been a mistake, and now I’m fixing it. Out with you.”

As we made our way to the car, Ben turned and spoke. “We’re leaving, but remember, if you ever want to talk…”

“Out!”

***

Excerpt from I Can't Get No Satisfaction by Teresa Trent. Copyright 2025 by Teresa Trent. Reproduced with permission from Teresa Trent. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Teresa Trent started out teaching English in Colorado, but life and children intervened, and with all that new spare time, she began writing. Besides The Swinging Sixties Series, Teresa has penned the Pecan Bayou, Piney Woods and Henry Park Mystery Series and always has a little idea in the back of her mind for the next one. She is also the author of several short stories and is teaching writing at her local library encouraging new writers. Teresa lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and son. Her podcast, Books to the Ceiling, features authors with new mysteries on the market.

 

Catch Up With Teresa Trent:

TeresaTrent.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @TeresaTrent
Instagram - @teresatrent_cozymys
Threads - @teresatrent_cozymys
X - @ttrent_cozymys
Facebook - @teresatrentmysterywriter

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@partnersincrimevbt / TW

Guest Post by Jack Luellen Author of Someone Had To Lie- A James Butler Mystery (#contests- Enter to Win An Amazon Gift Card)

 

I want to welcome Jack Luellen to Books R Us. Jack is the author of the the novel "Someone Had To Lie." He has provided us with a guest post just for my readers. Do not forget to enter the giveaway below. You could win an Amazon gift card. Thanks for stopping by.

 

SOMEONE HAD TO LIE

by Jack Luellen

March 31 - April 25, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

THE JAMES BUTLER MYSTERIES

 

Some cases never let you go.

Reeling from the sudden death of a close friend, James Butler and Erica Walsh are pulled back into the shadow world of Mexican cartels and the CIA. Seeking to avenge the murder of their friend with only his haphazard notes to guide them, they puzzle through the possible connections searching for anything concrete. As they investigate his murder, and his notes, they find unsettling links between drug trafficking, American gangs, the CIA, and the opioid epidemic.

Determined to find the truth hidden among cases they thought were long closed, Butler and Walsh call on friends and colleagues to help them survive the crosshairs that got their friend killed. With the threat spreading across more of their contacts, they must uncover the truth before they are buried in lies.

The James Butler mysteries from Jack Luellen seamlessly weave fact with fiction, introducing nonfiction material in the midst of fast-paced murder mysteries.

Praise for Someone Had to Lie:

"Jack Luellen crafts an intriguing tale, interwoven with proven facts about the deadliest drug in our society, Fentanyl. Someone Had to Lie takes the reader on an educational journey into the biggest cartels and Narcos in the world and provides a behind the scenes glimpse of cartel operations through his lead character James Butler. Gripping storytelling! A must read!"
~ Leo Silva, Author of Reign of Terror, Former DEA Supervisory Special Agent

Book Details:

Genre: Crime; Mystery
Published by: Torchflame Books
Publication Date: March 11, 2025
Number of Pages: 294
ISBN: 9781611533705 (ISBN10: 1611533708)
Series: The James Butler Mysteries, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Torchflame Books

GUEST POST: 

I have spent most of my legal career writing nearly every day and I believe I’ve become a skilled and effective legal writer. I also am an excellent editor, and thoroughly enjoy editing the writing of other lawyers, with an eye to maintaining their style while improving the final product.

It was only about 5 years ago that I gave any serious thought to creative writing, and I was clueless when I started the process. I found, as a felt my way through the process, that my legal training and legal writing had both positive and negative impacts on my creative writing.

On the negative side of the ledger, legal writing preaches brevity and a dearth of description. Most often, legal writing follows the Joe Friday mantra of “Just the facts ma’am.”

In my legal career, I generally am writing to a narrow audience, and I usually know what the audience knows about my case or situation. I rarely need to “overexplain.” In creative writing, however, I have to be certain to explain enough so all of the audience understands, without being either boring or insulting.

In legal writing, I am much more of a slave to an outline and a process. There is a process to writing a motion or a brief, and there is a point to be made. In creative writing, I have learned to relish the moments when the characters or the scenes surprise me. Ideas or connections often come unexpectedly without apparent forethought or analysis. Often these are the portions of the novels I like the best.

The legal mind and legal process has provided positive influences in my creative writing as well. Organization is key to most, if not all, good legal writing, and, I’ve learned, organization is key to telling a good story, especially a mystery.

Legal writing often is persuasive. The writer is trying to bring the reader along to a conclusion. When I’m writing my novels, I’m not trying to be persuasive but I want the reader to follow the characters as they unravel the conundrum facing them. Attracting the reader’s attention and keeping it throughout is key in both writing styles.

Finally, ruthless editing is a hallmark of a good legal writing process. An argument or phrase that does not advance the theme should be deleted no matter how articulate. The same is true in writing novels. A great scene that does not advance

the plot or the characters should be deleted just like the misplaced but well-written argument.

Overall, what I’ve learned, or at least experienced, is that both types of writing can be exhilarating and rewarding, and each helps the other. But after 35 years of legal writing, I’m finding the freedom that comes with creative writing to be extremely gratifying, and I hope I have as much time with that art as I have had with the law.

Read an excerpt:

“Is that music playing in your office? You never listen to music at work?”

“I do on rare occasions.”

“That’s Alice Merton. How are you even aware of her music?” Erica asks, gobsmacked.

“I’m not, but I met Detective Torres at a Starbucks this morning and it was playing, and I liked it. I asked a Gen Z barista who the artist was and played it when I got in,” James says.

“I’m in shock.”

“I’m evolving,” James says, his words interrupted by the playing of the Johnny Rivers hit “Secret Agent Man” from his cell phone. “Alexa, off. Tim, hi, thanks for calling back. Erica is here with some information to share.”

“Hi, Erica. What’s going on?” Tim says.

“After we left the jail today, I went back to the office to work, and a few minutes ago, Belmonte called me to tell me that the DEA had been quote, ‘Requested,’ end quote to refrain from investigating or prosecuting Javier and that Javier was being moved to a different facility. Belmonte said the directive apparently came from the DNI. He called me from a burner phone and suggested we keep the circle of information as small as possible,” Erica explains.

“Holy crap,” Tim says.

“Any idea who could have that kind of juice?” James asks.

“None in particular,” Tim says.

“You didn’t tell anyone about meeting Javier?” Erica asks.

“Of course not,” Tim replies.

“Then how did anyone—” Erica begins.

“I have no idea,” Tim interrupts.

“One thing seems certain,” James says. “Aguilar was spot on. It is bigger than we knew.”

***

Excerpt from Chapter 24 of Someone Had to Lie by Jack Luellen. Copyright 2025 by Jack Luellen. Reproduced with permission from Jack Luellen. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Jack Luellen is a Denver, Colorado, attorney with more than 30 years of experience. In practice, Jack has tried cases to courts and juries, and has written hundreds of briefs, motions, and memoranda, to state and federal courts, including federal courts of appeal and the United States Supreme Court.

In 1990, Jack first started working on cases related to the 1985 kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena and has investigated the case in the years since that time. Jack's investigations have taken him to foreign countries and included interviews with witnesses both notorious and infamous. This work has been the background to Jack's upcoming novel Someone Had to Die.

Jack is the proud parent of an amazing daughter and is a weekend warrior on the tennis courts.

Catch Up With Jack Luellen:

LuellenWriting.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @luellen_writing
Threads - @luellen_writing
X - @jack_luellen
Facebook - @Luellen Writing

 

 

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JOIN IN ON THE GIVEAWAY!

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

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@partnersincrime

Review of the Mystery Novel Cops and Robbers by Justin M. Kiska (#contests- Enter To Win An Amazon Gift Card -2 Winners)

 

I would like to welcome Justin M. Kiska to Books R Us! Justin has written a dual-timeline mystery titled "Cops and Robbers." I’m excited to share a bit about the book and my thoughts on it. Additionally, enter below for a chance to win an Amazon gift card (two winners will be selected). Thank you for stopping by!

 

COPS & ROBBERS

by Justin M Kiska

March 10 - April 4, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

PARKER CITY MYSTERIES

 Spring, 1985 . . 

Just north of Parker City in the small town of Wakeville, a string of robberies have the residents of the quiet community on edge. Then, when two homes in one of Parker City’s wealthiest neighborhoods are broken into on the same night, PCPD Detectives Ben Winters and Tommy Mason wonder if the crime wave has spilled into their jurisdiction. There’s one chilling difference, though. This time, the intruders left a dead body behind in their wake.

As Ben and Tommy delve into the investigation, what initially appears to be a robbery gone wrong soon unravels into something far more sinister. Their pursuit of the truth leads them down a path, uncovering ties to a crime spree that shook Baltimore fifty years earlier. As past and present collide, the young detectives must race to find a killer driven by a motive buried deep in the past.

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery - Police Procedural with a dual timeline element
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: February 18, 2025
Series: PARKER CITY MYSTERIES; 5 [Amazon | Goodreads]
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

1985

Tommy Mason sat in his beat-up, but much-loved, Bronco on the side of the road. His hands rested on the steering wheel as his eyes focused on the rearview mirror. Behind him, an unmarked police car with a red bubble light on its roof pulled up and parked. This certainly wasn’t how Tommy was expecting to start the day, being pulled over on his way to work. What he’d been pulled over for, he had no idea. He drove this stretch of road every day. He knew the speed limit. There were no stop signs or red lights to run. The Bronco was just in the shop, so he knew there were no lights out or any sort of violations that a cop would think it necessary to pull him over for. And his license plate tags were up-to-date. He was going to have some questions for whoever this patrol officer was.

Keeping his eyes on the rearview mirror, he watched as the door to the police car swung open and a square, rather unkept looking officer stepped out. Tommy raised an eyebrow as he watched him approach the Bronco. The officer was wearing a pair of dark Aviator sunglasses and a blue windbreaker with a badge pinned to his chest. He looked as though he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and could use a comb to run through his hair. As he sauntered up to Tommy’s window, he placed a traditional eight-point police hat on his head to complete the official appearance.

“Huh…” Tommy grunted, watching the cop giving the Bronco a thorough, yet overly exaggerated examination. “This is going to be fun.”

When he reached the driver’s side of the truck, Tommy rolled down the window and gave the officer his trademark thousand-watt smile. The same smile that had gotten him out of so many jams in the past. Incidentally, it had also been the cause of a few problems as well. But he preferred to think of the good his smile had done. And might do for him again.

“Good morning, officer. What seems to be the problem?” He tried to sound as cheery as possible.

Tommy expected some sort of response, but instead found himself staring silently at his own reflection in the officer’s sunglasses while the man chewed on an enormous wad of gum.

When he finally spoke, he said, “I’m Officer Smith with the Parker City Police Department. Do you know why I pulled you over this morning?”

“Officer Smith? I can’t say that I do. I don’t think I was speeding. But I guess I could have been. You see, I’m just traveling through Parker, so I don’t know the area all that well,” Tommy lied.

“Well, you were speeding back there, sir. Sorry to say. It happens sometimes. But unfortunately, I had to pull you over. It’s all about safety. You understand.”

“Dang, Officer! I really didn’t mean to be speedin.’” Tommy had suddenly taken on an accentuated southern drawl. “I guess it’s just such a nice mornin’ I wasn’t paying much attention. Look how beautiful that sky is. So bright blue. I just love the spring. Don’t you?”

“Spring is very nice but–”

“And I was just thinkin’ about all the flowers. It’s been a bang-up season for the flowers this year. Have you noticed how vibrant the flowers have been? I think that’s the best word for them. Vibrant.”

“I really haven’t–”

“I mean, I’m not much of a flower guy, to be honest with you. But something about them this year just got to me. My girlfriend’s always bringing home fresh flowers. I guess I’ve started paying attention to them.”

Trying to take control of the conversation, the officer raised his voice slightly. Tommy could hear a hint of irritation, but Smith was trying to keep himself in check. Tommy admired that. “Sir. If I could please see your license and registration card.”

“Officer…Smith? Was it? I really am sorry about this. Was I really goin’ that fast that you need to give me a ticket? I didn’t feel like I was goin’ too fast. Not that this old bucket of bolts can even get its giddy-up on to start with. I mean, maybe you could just give me a warning. And I promise the next time I come through Parker City I’ll drive real slow.”

“I need to see your license and registration, sir.”

Tommy leaned over and opened the glove box, rifled around looking for the Bronco’s registration for a moment, then popped back up and said, “Really, I’m very sorry. I must have been daydreamin.’ You see, I’m plannin’ on askin’ my girlfriend to marry me. I’m on my way home. I was in Baltimore for a job last night. And tonight I’m taking Suzanne out…Suzanne’s my girlfriend…I’m taking Suzanne out to dinner to pop the question. She’s gonna be so surprised. She didn’t think I was ever gonna ask her. But I am. I asked her father’s blessing and everything. It’s gonna be perfect.”

“Uh huh. Well, it sounds like you’re a man in love.” The officer’s stone-cold demeanor began to melt. A smile slowly spread across his lips. “Maybe there is something we could do.”

“That would be so great. I would really appreciate it. Because I really have to be going. But not too fast!” Tommy forced a laugh. He knew he must sound completely ridiculous.

“Let me think here. If I write you up and turn in the speeding ticket as is, it could be a few hundred dollars in fines. Plus, you’ll have to show up in traffic court. Nobody likes that. The judge might even say you have to go back to driving school.”

“You’re kiddin’?” Tommy’s eyes went wide, dutifully playing his part.

“Let’s see. What can I do?” Smith made a show of scratching his head while he looked off at some point in the distance. “What say you just give me fifty dollars to take care of the warning notice fee right here and we’ll be square. I’ll be able to let you get on your way and I’ll fill out all the paperwork later.”

“A warning notice fee,” Tommy repeated. “Well, fifty sounds better then three hundred any day.”

“Hey, not all policemen are hardasses. And you’re right. It’s a nice day. You caught me in a good mood,” Smith said, a smirk curling the side of his lip. “So, fifty dollars and it’s all taken care of.”

“Okay. I just want to make sure I got this. I just have to pay you fifty dollars for the warning notice fee and we’ll be all good? No ticket? No traffic court?”

“That’s right.”

“But you still need my license and registration so you can get my name for the paperwork. Right?” Tommy asked, reaching into his back pocket.

“Um. Yeah. Right. I need your name and address for the warning.”

Tommy handed over a black leather wallet and smiled. He watched intently as Officer Smith opened it. He could only imagine what Smith’s eyes looked like behind the sunglasses.

“Wha…what’s this?” Smith asked.

“You see, that is a real Parker City Police Department badge,” Tommy said leveling his gaze. “And you can see by my ID card that my name is Detective Thomas Mason. I know everyone in the PCPD. Who the hell are you?”

Before Smith could answer, Tommy raised his service revolver from beneath the edge of the window. The color drained from the imposter’s face. Tommy knew exactly what was about to happen, so he was fully prepared. As the fake cop dropped the badge wallet, Tommy flung open the driver’s side door, hitting Smith square in the hip. Losing his balance, Smith stumbled and fell to his knees. Tommy swung the door again, this time hitting him full-on in his side, sending him sprawling across the pavement. Before he could even think about getting up, still dazed from the unexpected blows, Tommy was standing over him with his foot firmly in the middle of his back.

“You, dipshit, are under arrest for impersonating a police office and ruining my good mood.”

***

Excerpt from Cops & Robbers by Justin M Kiska. Copyright 2025 by Justin M Kiska. Reproduced with permission from Justin M Kiska. All rights reserved.

 

MY THOUGHTS:

"Cops and Robbers" features two timelines (1927 and 1985) that enhance and add intrigue to the plot.
The story revolves around a series of robberies targeting affluent residents in the area. When a philanthropist named Clara is murdered in her home, the main characters, Ben and Tommy, are called to investigate the crime. Although the investigation begins slowly, it gains momentum as the story unfolds. All the characters are well-developed, especially Tommy, who adds humor to the story.
Although this is the fifth book in the series, I had no problem following the story, and it can be read as a standalone. It was interesting to read about life in the 1920s and 1980s when technology was limited. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers who like historical fiction with a twist. 5/5 stars 

Author Bio:

When not sitting in his library devising new and clever ways to kill people (for his mysteries), Justin can usually be found at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, outside of Washington, DC, where he is one of the owners and producers. In addition to writing the Parker City Mysteries Series, which includes Now & Then (Finalist for the 2022 Silver Falchion Award for Best Investigator), Vice & Virtue, Fact & Fiction (Killer Nashville Top Pick and Finalist for the Chanticleer CLUE Award), and Black & White, he is also the mastermind behind Marquee Mysteries, a series of interactive mystery events he has been writing and producing for nearly twenty years. Justin and his wife, Jessica, live along Lake Linganore outside of Frederick, Maryland.

 

Catch Up With Our Author:

JustinKiska.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @JustinKiska
BookBub - @JMKiska
Instagram - @JMKiska
Facebook - @JMKiska

 

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Book Blitz of Mean Cuisine by Wendy W. Webb (#contests- Enter To Win An Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card.)

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendy will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Beluga Stein is taking a cooking class and it's a real killer. This time she's traded her signature loud muumuus for ill-fitting chef attire, including a toque the size of her ego.

A well-liked chef is found dead and it's up to Beluga and her feline familiar, Planchette, to investigate. There's no recipe to follow, only the hope that her erratic psychic ability will hit the spot. Is a supernatural entity stirring up trouble, or something far more dangerous?

Beluga and Planchette can't stand the heat, but there's no way out of this kitchen while murder is the main dish.

Read an Excerpt

Beluga Stein’s Diary

The evil smell lingers.

Even with all the windows in the house open, the doors cracked a notch, the attic fan going full blast, and Planchette’s tail fanning his face like he was Egyptian royalty preparing for personal delivery of a peeled grape, the odor of exploded eggs clings to everything like a sock stuck to the back of a shirt by static cling.

Alas, there is no magic laundry cloth to separate one thing from another. So for now I’ll have to live with sulfuric fumes and pretend I like them. Or at least pretend they weren’t there even after the water long since boiled out of the pot and left the eggs all alone. My choices are severely limited.

Not that I didn’t consider Tanya’s suggestion to move into a hotel room for the night. I did. Briefly. But my reputation in this small town precedes me, so the various housing entrepreneurs said. In rather unkind tones, I should add.

So what if my reservation for three included a surly goat, a cat with an attitude, and myself? Emerson, while a gifted goat in many ways, has not yet mastered opening a mini bar. Planchette has little interest in watching expensive in-room movies unless there’s a female cat in the leading role, and I’ve been housebroken for months now. So why not take us for the night?

Honestly, people can be so rigid.

To: Food-Co
From: Culinary Program
Re: Weekly Purchase Order

—Wheat flour, 100 lbs.
—All purpose flour, 100 lbs.
—Sugar, 50 lbs.
—Butter, 50 lbs.
—Eggs, 4 cases
—Body bag, 1

About the Author:

Wendy W Webb (aka one of the many Wendy Webbs) has published dark fantasy short stories and novels, co-edited anthologies, and has had productions of stage and radio plays. After a hiatus as a doctoral student of emergency management and as a disaster responder, she welcomed the return to fiction with The Wild Rose Press writing the gothic Widow’s Walk, and two updated books in the Beluga Stein supernatural-humor-murder mystery series, Bee Movie and Mean Cuisine. Sunbury Press under the Milford House imprint published the paranormal, travel, “memoir,” Eye of the Gargoyle. She adores her husband; two dogs, one of which turns on iTunes whenever Wendy leaves her office; dry red wine; theatre; and travel as long as she doesn’t see anymore ghosts!

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Interview of Marlene M Bell Author of A Hush At Midnight (#Mystery)

 

When former celebrity chef Laura Harris is accused of murdering her mentor, she must uncover the real killer amidst a web of small-town secrets and scandals.

 

 

 

Title: A Hush at Midnight

Author: Marlene M. Bell

Pages: 368

Genre: Mystery

Marlene M. Bell brings distant friends together in the rural South only to have one of them become the victim of a brutal crime of passion.

Once celebrated for her show-stopping pastries and irresistible desserts, former celebrity chef Laura Harris is now making headlines for a far darker reason.

Laura has been accused of murder.

How could this petite chef have brutally smothered the beloved small-town matriarch, World War II ferry pilot veteran, Hattie Stenburg? Hattie wasn’t just a pillar of the community; she was Laura’s confidant and mentor. The shocking twist? Hattie had made recent changes to her will, bypassing next-of kin and leaving her entire fortune and historic estate to Laura.

As Laura scrambles to clear her name, she uncovers sinister secrets lurking beneath the town’s idyllic surface. The real murderer is always one step ahead, leaving taunting clues and threatening Laura to leave Texas—or face deadly consequences. With time not a luxury, Laura must untangle the web of deceit before the killer makes her the next victim.

A Hush at Midnight is available at Amazon.

INTERVIEW:

Can you tell us when you started writing?

I’m a natural artist and find painting in oils and taking photographs much easier. Being an author is the most difficult avenue I’ve ever been down, but I like a challenge! In 2008, our 4H club members asked me to write a book on how to raise sheep. (My husband and I have raised sheep together for 40 years.) When I published the book the following year, I enjoyed the process so much that I considered writing fiction. The learning curve took an incredibly long time, something I hadn’t considered. 

Can you tell me who or what the inspiration for the book was?

Frankly, it was an exercise. I had just finished my fourth Annalisse series book COPPER WATERS in 2022 and felt my characterization skills slipping. Backstory had become more comfortable than showing new readers who my people were in the stories. Writing a new book with different characters made me think about each of them and work harder on characterization. Writing Laura Harris, and how she found herself involved in a murder allowed personalities and goals to shine through in A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT, refreshing the basics for writing fiction. 

Can you tell us how you came up with your title?

Simply, the title reflects the approximate time the murder victim’s crime occurred.

Can you tell us a little about your story and main characters?

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT is a mystery in two fictional towns, Coldspell and Stenburg, Texas. Laura Harris is a petite Californian in her 40’s having pulled herself from a solid position as a celebrity chef for an entertainer in Southern California. Her mother’s battle with cancer brings Laura to East Texas where her parents are both retired.

HUSH has a little for everyone. Categorized in the cozy mystery genre, main character Laura finds a dead body, seriously erupts at her boyfriend of six months, and has the hots for a new guy. All in the first few chapters. Her major fault; she has a tendency to jump to conclusions and make snap judgments because she often allows herself to run on gut instinct. If she feels uneasy about a situation, she removes herself from it and doesn’t look back.

93-year-old Hattie Stenburg is the victim. She’s Laura’s longtime mentor and as close to her as her own mother was to Laura. HUSH has older themes in the story. Their relationship stayed strong through the mail with letter-writing back and forth spanning three decades. WWII ferry pilot Hattie is a beloved character right away in the story, and the reason why Laura struggles to gain a grip on Hattie’s senseless death.  

Where is this book set, and why did you choose that setting?

My series books begin in New York, a state I’ve yet to visit and have had to research heavily. It was time to write a book from a place familiar to me. My husband and I live in the Piney Woods of East Texas where HUSH takes place. I use my own photographs to describe the landscape and each scene from my experiences with locals—to help round out the personalities of the characters. If the dialog has made it into the final book, I’ve met a person or persons who speak that way here in Texas. And yes, they do say, “y’all” down here. It covers a reference to a single person or a group. I’ve heard it both ways.

 What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing? 

My husband and I run a sheep ranch and sell sheep related gifts in a color catalog and online through www.ewephoric.com. 2025 marks my company’s 40^th year! When I need a break from chapters and plotting, I like to sit in a pen of lambs and relax. Their gentleness takes away all stresses. Livestock keeps us close to home, but living on a 50-acre ranch with nature’s critters in so much splendor, who needs a trip when nirvana is right outside our door? 

How long did it take you to write the book, and how long did it take to get published?

I publish under my own independent label, Ewephoric Publishing. A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT took about 18 months from the outline stage to ARC paperback in print. During that time, I worked with my talented cover designer from London to create the best cover for HUSH. The sunset cover began as one of my photographs taken while looking beyond our county road. 

I went to an outside printer in the Northeast to print hundreds of uncorrected proof copies and sent them to reviewers for early reviews on goodreads and social media. The paperback went live on Amazon in September 2024 and the eBook was offered Kindle Unlimited on October 1^st.

What are your current/future projects? 

There are two projects I’m working on at present. The first, is a new standalone thriller in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and the other is the next installment to my Annalisse series. Book #5 takes place in upstate NY where a person close to Annalisse and Alec meets his unfortunate demise. Their friend, Bill Drake, private investigator, makes another appearance in the next novel.

Do you have any tips for a young writer just starting out?

The best tip I can give any young writer is to read in the genre they like best. Read a lot. As much as you can! (Add books on how to write fiction in there as well, if you aren’t a natural story teller like I was in the beginning.)

There are popular authors with large followings. Learn their writing styles and what is consistent in their books. Most stories are similar in one way or another. Readers who like mysteries, as an example, expect a certain eye-catching look to the cover and a story that takes the usual track. Inciting incident—and make it happen in the first chapter when possible. Learn how to plot your book. There are many how-to books on the subject. Uncover what happens using clues, red herrings, and twists while showing many possible suspects along the way to keep the reader guessing ‘whodunnit.’ Sometimes police investigations are involved up front for the reader to get their opinions, or those scenes are kept more to the background with the main character’s point of view being the driving force in the book. 

My books tend to focus on the main character-amateur sleuth and less on the detectives/investigators.

Once you’ve researched the genre by reading published works, I’ll repeat, don’t forget the fiction-writing books! In my case, I took a year off from editing my second draft for STOLEN OBSESSION to study what makes a good work of fiction. I should’ve done this one first. There are rules, and there are bending the rules, depending on which genre you plan to dig into.   

Can you tell me where we can purchase your book?

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT is available in Kindle Unlimited free and in paperback. For a limited time, the eBook is $1.99 US and is 303 pages. Paperback is available for $15.95 US and 368 pages.

https://tinyurl.com/yc5te8wm

Thank you for allowing me to visit with your readers, Eileen!

 Book Excerpt

Stenburg, Texas – Friday evening

A killer sunset plunged toward the horizon, casting its tangerine glare on the Stenburg Estate’s green metal roof and aging bricks. Since her hasty arrival from the Los Angeles area last year, Laura Harris had sought out the renowned East Texas skyline for its towering thunderstorm clouds and the lemonade-pinks at twilight.

The colors gave her a sense of calm before the inaugural trip to see her elderly mentor and dearest pen pal, Hattie Stenburg. Laura last visited with her in California—over a decade ago.

As Laura skirted a large puddle in her Subaru and stopped along the shoulder of the roadway, she parked the car, turned off the engine, and exited the driver’s side. She breathed in air filled with pungent smells of wet pine needles and dampened leaves. Laura had passed through the April shower a few miles east of the Stenburg town limits sign. Leave it to the Stenburgs to live in a town named after themselves.

Snaggled grapevines across the road on Hattie’s property sat stoic and graying in long horizontal rows from the oil and gravel highway road to the classic red brick two-story at the top of the hill. The vines showed no signs of new growth even though T-posts held the outstretched limbs twisted within wire and sagging driplines. Gnarled stumps had been left behind from a time when the Stenburgs had added varietal grapes to their company’s wine processing vats prior to Warren Stenburg’s death nearly eight years ago—before Laura’s dad took over as the Texas corporation’s chief executive officer.

– Excerpted from A Hush at Midnight by Marlene Bell, Ewephoric Publishing, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

 Watch the Trailer

 

https://youtu.be/c8mdhjCCn0A 

About the Author

 

Mystery at a killing pace.

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch, her fans often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic suspense, thriller, and cozy mystery books as characters or subject matter. 

Marlene’s multi-award-winning Annalisse series boasts numerous Best Mystery honors for all installments including the newest IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, and Global Gold Award for the fourth cozy mystery from down under. 

Her children's picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written for the younger crowd, is based on true events from the Bell’s Texas sheep ranch. Suitable reading for ages 3 - 7 years and beyond, a Mom's Choice Gold Award winner, and Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List winner. 

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ https://www.marlenembell.com 

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/ewephoric 

Facebook ➜  https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17642396.Marlene_M_Bell

 

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