Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Switch - E&A Investigations Book 3 - Mystery Crime Thriller - Suspense - and a Giveaway #MysteryCrimeThriller #Suspense #Giveaway

Lisa Towles is here to tell us about Switch, E&A Investigations book 3, mystery crime thriller-suspense.

There's also a great giveaway.

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A fast-paced techno thriller that brings a gripping conclusion to the E&A Investigations series as Mari Ellwyn faces her past, her nemesis, and a web of high-stakes crimes.


Switch

E&A Investigations Book 3

by Lisa Towles

Genre: Mystery Crime Thriller, Suspense


A body vanished from the morgue. A coastal town gripped by bank heists.

The only link is a past that someone will kill to keep buried.

 

In Book 3 of the E&A Investigations series, Mari Ellwyn and Derek Abernathy return to track a string of unsettling bank robberies. Their case takes a dark turn with the bizarre disappearance of a body from the local morgue, a mystery connected to the vanishing of the previous Medical Examiner, Dr. Camille Bota. Their investigation plunges them into the dangerous world of a multi-national organization involved in suspected fraud and fringe technology research. For Mari, the case ignites a personal quest, forcing her to confront the long-unresolved disappearance of her father, CIA operative Richard Ellwyn.

 

The deeper she digs, the more Mari realizes that both she and her father are inextricably linked to their lifelong nemesis, the notorious international crime boss Jacques Martel. The missing body and the secrets surrounding Dr. Bota become entangled with her father's shadowy past and Martel's deadly machinations. In a high-stakes collision of family secrets and criminal enterprise, Mari must confront her father and their shared enemy before they both become casualties in Martel's lethal game.

 

REVIEWS:

“A taut, high-intelligence thriller with real emotional teeth…” - The Prairies Book Review

Fast-paced, smart, and full of twists, this is a thriller that delivers both heart and heat." —Scott Olsen, San Francisco Book Review
 

“A breakneck techno-thriller that crackles with smart dialogue, raw emotion, and relentless tension.” – Literary Titan
 

This exhilarating, action-infused crime thriller deftly incorporates suspense with harrowing drama to keep readers turning the pages. – The Book Commentary

 

**Releases on Sep 30th!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads




Salt Island

E&A Investigations Thriller Series Book 2


"This book is an intricate, immersive, and riveting thriller, with plenty of surprising twists and turns." — Readers' Choice

In the heart-pounding international thriller Salt Island, Mari Ellwyn, a former-CIA private investigator, finds herself thrust into a perilous world of high-stakes corporate espionage and ecoterrorism. As her newly formed partnership with Derek Abernathy is put to the ultimate test, Mari faces a daunting challenge that forces her to confront powerful ghosts from her past.

When billionaire CEO Jack Darcy's reputation and IPO deal are under threat, Mari finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, lies and corporate fraud. The disappearance of Jack's glamorous wife, coupled with the unraveling of a dark secret within his esteemed environmental startup, leaves Mari with unanswered question and a thirst for Justice.

While Mari's partner Derek goes undercover to investigate a series of suspicious deaths on a local farm in California's Central Valley, Mari grapples with the haunting truth about her missing father—a man with a double identity and secret agenda. Determined to uncover the depths of her father's involvement with her case, Mari embarks on a solo journey to the British Virgin Islands, a hidden Caribbean refuge that holds the key to her own identity and future.

With Derek gone and time running out, Mari must decide whether to risk everything to uncover the truth or succumb to the powerful forces that seek to bury it forever. Get your copy of Salt Island now and brace yourself of a relentless rollercoaster. Secrets can't stay buried forever, but now Mari is alone, exposed and fighting for her survival.


What readers are saying about the award-winning Salt Island:

"An often engaging tale of money, danger, and family." - Kirkus

"An intricate, gorgeously written, character-driven page-turner with some shocking twists." - Prairies Book Reviews

"An intoxicating read, hugely entertaining." - The Book Commentary

"An exceptional thriller and a riveting work of espionage, wrongdoing, and discovery." - Midwest Book Review

  

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads





Hot House

E&A Investigations Book 1


Who killed Sophie Michaud? Stay up all night reading this award-winning psychological thriller that has readers obsessed.

 Shot in the line of duty, ex CIA operative Mari Ellwyn is again chasing adrenaline, when she reinvents herself as a private investigator on a quest to find the killer of college student Sophie Michaud. Every door Mari opens proves to be more perilous than the last, but she’s hell bent on bringing the killer to justice—for Sophie, students, and all women.

Teaming up with seasoned investigator and former detective, Derek Abernathy, the crime-savvy pair discover Sophie’s journal, which is filled with names and controversial secrets—listed among them is Mari’s own father.

What secrets was Sophie hiding?

As they connect the dots leading to Sophie’s death, the blackmailing of a federal judge, and Mari’s own family, Sophie’s murderer is closing in for the next kill. Facing an adversary like none she’s ever experienced before, Mari must find her missing father and reconcile her broken past before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

A multiple award-winning novel, Hot House is a page-turning psychological thriller packed with tension, secrets, suspense, and surprises. If you like Blake Crouch, Harlan Coben, and Lisa Gardner, discover Lisa Towles’ E&A Series today.

·         First Place Winner of The Book Fest 2022 Literary Award, Mystery & Crime category

·         Literary Titan Gold Award for Fiction

Escape into this devious mind mystery by getting your copy of Hot House now, so you can solve the puzzle of who killed Sophie Michaud.


What readers are saying:

A dark, edge-of-the-seat thriller. Highly recommended!”Chanticleer Reviews

Memorable characters make for a winsome, absorbing detective tale.” - Kirkus Reviews

Towles does a fantastic job of pacing the storyline so that the reader hangs on to every clue... I recommend this for fans of crime fiction writers Baldacci, Slaughter, and Gardner.” San Francisco Book Review

Award-winning author Lisa Towles delivers again and again with her gripping thrillers…” Sarah Lovett, Bestselling author

“The plot is propelled forward by the clever use of suspense, measured action, and ingeniously written conflict. It is a moving and delightful read with cinematic scenes and characters that will stick with readers for a long after they turn the last page.” - The Book Commentary

“Hot House is an intricate maze of blackmailsurprise and suspense delivered by quirky characters, pithy dialog and LOL humor. Another hit by my favorite thriller writer, Lisa Towles.” - Ana Manwaring

“Fans of investigative thrillers and mysteries will be the audience for Hot House, but its ability to craft a sassy, fun series of dialogues and inspections... creates an exceptional read with a powerfully unexpected conclusion... This will attract audiences both within and beyond the thriller and mystery genres." - Midwest Book Review

“Towles has produced a knockout novel with Hot House. Towles’s plot is as twisted and unpredictable... Nowhere will thriller fans find a more engaging keep-you-on-your-toes read.” - Literary Titan

“This meticulously constructed, remarkable mystery deftly explores people’s darkest flaws while revealing hard truths about the hidden workings of the world. A fast-paced and psychologically astute thriller. Prairies Book Review


Hot House is one of those books that pries your eyelids open and doesn't relent until you've reached the end. Good luck getting Mari out of your head!” - Benjamin Bradley

  

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads





Lisa Towles is an award-winning, Amazon bestselling crime novelist and a passionate speaker on the topics of fiction writing, creativity, and Strategic Self Care. Lisa has 11 crime novels in print with her newest title Specimen freshly released in November 2024. The first two books of her E&A Investigations Series (Hot House and Salt Island) were both #1 Amazon Kindle Bestsellers. Lisa also writes standalone thrillers, such as her 2022 political thriller, The Ridders, which won an American Fiction Award. Lisa is an active member and frequent panelist/speaker of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She has an MBA in IT Management and works full-time in the tech industry.

Read more about Lisa’s book on her publisher’s website.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway! 

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Friday, September 26, 2025

Date Night With Death - Welcome to Moonridge Book 2 - Paranormal Mystery - Romance #Romance #Mystery #ParanormalRomance #PNR #ParanormalMysteryRomance

Avery Arujo is here to tell us about Date Night With Death, Welcome to Moonridge book 2, paranormal mystery romance.

Read on for details...

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Welcome to Moonridge, Book 2


Paranormal Mystery/Romance

Date Published: September 23, 2025



Welcome to Moonridge, where the ghosts have come out to play and Death just checked into the local B&B.

Running a B&B in a town cursed by magical drama wasn’t Mina Cartwright’s dream job, but it’s home. After all of the werewolf debacle over the summer, business has flatlined, and she’s barely holding on financially. Her last hope? A surprise booking from the cast of The Real Vampire Wives of Obsidian Hills, who are bringing their reality-show chaos (and impeccable fashion) to Moonridge just in time for the Halloween festival.

But the real trouble begins when Dex Grimm, a mysterious, breathtakingly aloof man with a cane and a suspiciously deathly aura, checks into Room Ten. He says he’s a writer. Mina suspects he’s hiding something … like the fact that he might actually be the Grim Reaper.

As ghostly activity spikes, magical boundaries fray, and her guests (living and otherwise) cause mounting mayhem, Mina finds herself caught between a brewing supernatural crisis and a man known primarily as Death who somehow makes her feel more alive than she has in years.

Add in a reality TV crew, rampaging ghosts, and the underlying danger of an ancient evil reawakening in Moonridge, and Mina’s fall season is about to be to die for.

 

About the Author


Avery Arujo is the pen name of a socially anxious, awkward, and proudly introverted author of the paranormal mystery/romance series Welcome to Moonridge. Avery lives in the northern U.S., where the scenery is beautiful, the weather perfect, and the food divine. When not writing, you’ll find Avery watching a horror movie or trashy reality TV or reading under a blanket with a cup of coffee, and the world’s sweetest dog trying to prove that they are more interesting than any old book.

For more information about the Welcome to Moonridge series, or to sign up for the newsletter, visit welcometomoonridge.com.


Contact Links

Website

Instagram

BookBuzz

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Author Site


RABT Book Tours & PR



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Thursday, September 25, 2025

The Vanishing Castle - Cozy Mystery - Fantasy - and a Giveaway #Mystery #CozyMystery #Fantasy #Giveaway

Marlena Cannon is here to tell us about her fantasy cozy mystery The Vanishing Castle.

There's also a great giveaway.

__________________

Marlena Cannon
Matthew Lett
Publication date: September 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy

A fantasy mystery with hooves and heart.

Simarron isn’t a detective, he’s just a centaur with a clipboard and a nose for trouble. He left his homeland to get a professional job in the city as a magical safety inspector. However, his new life isn’t quite as he imagined it to be and his fellow housemates at Slant Row Boarding House (which is definitely not haunted) are shadier than an enchanted forest.

When a castle disappears and an alchemist ends up dead, Simarron must choose between the cozy, safe rule-bound life he’s always dreamed of and the principles that won’t let him walk away. He is a safety inspector, after all, and the city isn’t safe with a killer on the loose.

A cozy mystery set in a richly imagined gaslamp fantasy world, The Vanishing Castle delights with magical intrigue, a quirky found family, and a centaur sleuth you won’t soon forget.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

So, you want to be a magical safety inspector?

Checking my pocket watch, I scuffed the moisture off my hooves as I entered the brick building. Inside, a framed newspaper article announced the founding of the Magic and Alchemy Safety and Health Administration just ten years ago. But the smell of dust, lamp oil, and crumbling paper told a different story, one far older. I caught a dim reflection of myself in the glass—enough to see that my auburn mane looked presentable—but I smoothed it down anyway while I waited.

My gaze restlessly traveled the shelves containing old books and magical oddities, including a globe of the world adorned with dynamic swirls of clouds that flowed over the model. The morning light streamed in from a pair of narrow, floor-to-ceiling windows, brightening the dark wood and heavy silence of the interior.

I glanced at my pocket watch again—one minute until my appointment. Inconveniently, the desk positioned outside the director’s office was unoccupied. Not a secretary in sight. Oh, no—they didn’t expect me to interview for a secretary position, did they?

An indistinct figure moved beyond the glass-paneled door. I shifted from hoof to hoof. What was I to do in this situation, knock or wait one more minute?

By the time I worked up the nerve to announce my presence, two more minutes ticked by. Dread slid its icy fingers into my chest, warning me that I was now late, and gave me the final push to act.

I reached forward to knock, pausing when I heard footsteps shuffle to a halt on the other side. I backed up awkwardly, my hooves clattering on the wood floor as the door swung outward.

“Hello, you must be Simarron! I’m Ken Moosekind, Executive Director of MASHA,” said a squinty man with a bushy mustache whose robes smelled faintly of tobacco. “Come in, lad, and mind your head.” He retreated behind his cluttered desk.

I ducked my head slightly, entering the office: a place of organized chaos. Books and files sat piled atop cabinets and shelves—even on the floor. Wood scraped on wood as I moved aside a chair and settled down on my haunches opposite the director.

Director Moosekind shifted a stack of papers aside. “So, Simarron, you want to join MASHA as a magical safety inspector, do you?”


Author Bio:

Marlena Cannon grew up reading "The Cat Who..." mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun and writing stories of her own. She kept writing intermittently over the years, eventually pursuing her dream by completing the DIY MFA program in 2023, where she drafted "The Vanishing Castle," inspired by one of her childhood projects. She also designed the cover using her background in graphic design. Marlena lives with her husband and their rescue rabbits.

 

Website / Goodreads / Instagram


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The Vanishing Castle Blitz




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Wednesday, September 24, 2025

The Itch of Greed - Izzie Di Sante Mysteries #6 - Cozy Mystery - and a Giveaway #Mystery #CozyMystery #Giveaway

Christa Nardi is here to tell us about The Itch of Greed, Izzie Di Sante Mysteries #6, cozy mystery.

There's also a great giveaway.

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The Itch of Greed
Christa Nardi
(Izzie Di Sante Mysteries, #6)
Publication date: September 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

A dark cloud hangs over baseball season in small town Rosedale when star pitcher Randy Kampton is taken out of the game for good.

The DA is determined to pin the crime on Cole Rigley, a friend’s brother and fellow pitcher, citing the fierce competition for a major league trade as his motive for murder. Rigley’s brother, asks Henry and reluctant restaurant owner Izzie Di Sante to help prove his innocence. Adding fuel to the fire, Kampton stole Rigley’s girlfriend months earlier.

While Kampton’s pitching skills are universally acknowledged, no one, not fans or teammates, has a kind word to say about him, making for a long list of suspects. Rigley, on the other hand, is respected for his talent and team spirit. The wild card is another pitcher recovering from a car accident, whose open roster spot has all three men vying for the same prize.

In Rosedale, loyalty to the minor league team runs deep, and Izzie’s digging into the players’ pasts draws resentment from fans, police, and management alike. When the team’s PR person is targeted after meeting with her, the threats become all too real. The closer Izzie gets to uncovering the truth, on and off the field, the higher the stakes, and the more dangerous the game becomes.

Goodreads / Amazon

CHAPTER 1:

An alert sounded on my phone as I entered Cenare, the Italian restaurant I owned with my sister Chloe. While Chloe was a foodie, I took care of the business side of things. Before our parents died, I freelanced as a journalist following homicides in New York City.

I was committed to the restaurant and Chloe, but my passion was murder, so I kept the homicide alerts coming. Occasionally, if one sparked my interest, I took some time to search out my next story. Homicides provided a rush the restaurant business didn’t give me. I put my things down on the small table in the kitchen area and pulled up the message.

“Breaking news! The Rosedale Thorny Bats will be hurting this season. Their best pitcher, Randy Kampton, died under suspicious circumstances. His body was discovered by the custodians in the Thorny Bats locker room early this morning. Stay tuned for details.”

The announcement prompted me to check my other sources for unsolved homicides, although I’d never heard of the Thorny Bats or Kampton. I assumed if the man was a pitcher, the sport was baseball. It was spring and our guests or employees occasionally mentioned baseball. Growing up, Chloe and I spent most of our time in the restaurant. We lived and breathed Cenare.

My escape was writing. I knew from experience that the death of those close to you changed your life. My stories focused on the impact of a sudden death – usually a homicide – on those left behind. I found less resistance from law enforcement when I focused on cold cases or those that were stalled. Most often, my casual interviews with those who knew the victim provided clues to the killer.

Unfortunately, sometimes the killer targeted me. Having lived in New York City for five years, I was prepared for that, even in small town Pinewood, Maryland, where murders rarely happened. With the first ever murder in our small town a few years back, I clashed with the local police detective when the immediate conclusion was a burglary, and I disagreed. For the record, I was right.

With the murder of an athlete, Kampton’s death would likely be quickly solved if the alert was any indication. Not finding anything else of note in the alerts, I went through my morning routine of checking income, paying bills, placing orders, and taking inventory. At least I used my degree in business management. I preferred taking care of those tedious tasks before anyone else arrived.

As usual, Chloe arrived with a breakfast treat as I finished the accounting and started the inventory.

“Good morning, Chloe. Those look and smell delicious.”

“Thanks, Izzie. Help yourself. I got this idea in my head and combined ingredients from an apple brownie recipe and a cinnamon streusel cupcake. Ryan assured me they were more than edible.” With money from the estate and the restaurant, Chloe had completed her training at the culinary institute nearby. In and out of the restaurant, she often created dishes. Breakfast for me and whomever else wanted a taste tended not to be traditional Italian. For the restaurant, she kept with the family tradition and stuck to Italian dishes.

I chuckled. “I don’t know how you can cook here all day and then try out new things when you get home.”

“Well, Ryan brought some work home that he needed to get done like yesterday. Only he didn’t get the assignment until that morning.” She shrugged. “I got creative in the kitchen while he worked.”

Since she and Ryan married a few months ago, she hadn’t been as creative with her morning treats, though I could always count on her to provide my breakfast. When she took a week off for her honeymoon, I had to fend for myself, usually stopping at the local bakery on my way to work.

“It’s delicious! Not quite brownie and not quite muffin. Still very moist and I’m a sucker for cinnamon and apples. I’ll have to freeze some of these for the next time I see Henry. Now that he’s taken the detective exam and he may be working part time in Franklin, I hope to see him more often.”

Henry and I had started off as friends and our relationship moved forward from there. He was always a willing assistant and backup when I pursued a story. Helping me out prompted him to pursue his private investigator credentials.

“Speak of the devil.” I showed Chloe the phone, took the container of treats, and sat down at the table.

“Hi, Henry. How are you?”

“Good. I may have a case for you and wanted to give you a heads up. Do you have a few minutes?”

I grabbed a piece of paper off the nearby printer. “Sure. What’s going on?”

“You know the guy who always gives me a hard time about driving an automatic or having a family car? Phil Rigley?”

“Dark hair, hazel eyes, not quite as tall as you, and maybe a year or two younger. A southern twang.”

“That’s him. He called this morning, wanting my opinion. His brother, Cole, plays ball with the Thorny Bats. Cole contacted Phil this morning. Something about a player dying and the police interviewing everyone. Phil didn’t have many details, but he wanted me to look into it.”

My phone pinged with an alert. “I caught one announcement earlier and then another just came in. A custodian found Randy Kampton, a pitcher for that team, dead this morning. It was a sports broadcaster the first time, the usual police blotter the second time. Nothing else. Where did the Thorny Bats come from? Is there a new major league team in Maryland?”

“No. The Baltimore Orioles is the only major league team. The Thorny Bats is a triple-A minor league team out in Rosedale. The players are good and some eventually get picked up by a major league team. I played in college and a few of my teammates went on to the minor leagues. We lost touch but I may see if I can locate them.”

“The news I caught indicated a suspicious death. Thorny Bats is a weird name for a team though.”

“Minor league teams often have interesting names, usually related somehow to their location and often suggested by fans. Rosedale, thorns, and baseball bats – Thorny Bats. Makes perfect sense to me.” He chuckled. “Keep me posted. If it’s a homicide, Phil thinks his brother will be a person of interest. Both Cole and Kampton are pitchers, and Kampton stole his girlfriend.”

“Both would give Cole two motives. I’ll call you after lunch with any updates. Katie just walked in. Right now I best finish the inventory and start the lunch prep.”

Katie was a chef-intern from the culinary institute. We’d hired two to help Chloe and relieve her of 12-hour days. A brunette in her mid-twenties, Katie stood a good six inches shorter than my five foot ten, with the figure of someone who competed in gymnastics through high school and still used her gym membership. She added to Chloe’s energy in the kitchen. Chloe hummed and listened to her favorite tunes when not directing Katie. They worked well together and became fast friends.

Jerry, another intern, comes in mid-afternoon, when Katie leaves. Jerry towers over Katie at six foot. Husky, he looks more like a bodyguard than a chef. Before switching careers after twenty years, Jerry worked for stuffed-shirt lawyers as a paralegal. He burned out about the time his mother became ill. He started as a server and moved into the second intern position. Jerry’s personality and age lent itself to being a calming influence in the kitchen.

“Katie, be sure to try Chloe’s latest breakfast treat, but save some for Henry, please.”

She laughed. “Will do.”

Inventory done, I moved to the restaurant side. As I dressed tables, Jennifer, the manager, joined me. She became the manager when the original manager left. A long-term employee since before Chloe and I took over, Jennifer was in her mid-thirties, older than both Chloe and me. She continued in the role of server most often, but also helped with training new servers, and took on hostess responsibilities when I took time off to chase down a story.

As the waitstaff filtered in, I raced upstairs and put on a dress, a throwback to when our parents were alive. Our mother thought it added an element of class and set Cenare apart from fast-food places. As I reentered the kitchen area, I took a deep breath. I might not be a foodie, but the smell of the spices made me smile.

Lunch went smoothly and I fidgeted at the hostess stand. I wanted to check my computer and phone for any updates on the Kampton death. It had been months since a case grabbed my attention. This time, it sounded like Henry and his buddy wanted me involved. I wasn’t too sure how the league, minor or otherwise, would appreciate me asking questions. Sometimes questions uncovered secrets best left untold, at least from their perspective.

Author Bio:

Christa Nardi is an accomplished author of cozy mysteries with an edge - still no graphic violence or sex or profanity, but touching on social issues. Christa's background is in higher education and psychology, much as her protagonists, Sheridan Hendley in the Cold Creek and Sheridan Hendley mystery, along with Stacie Maroni in the Stacie Maroni mystery series. She has always loved mysteries - reading them, writing them, and solving them. She reviews books on her blog, predominantly cozy mysteries.

Christa is a member of Sisters in Crime and can be found on occasion at Bouchercon, Killer Nashville, or Malice Domestic. She writes four series: Cold Creek Cozy Mysteries, Sheridan Hendley Mysteries, Stacie Maroni Mysteries, and the Izzie Di Sante mysteries. Christa also collaborates with Cassidy Salem in writing the Hannah and Tamar Mysteries, featuring teen sleuth sisters.

When not writing or reading, Christa and her husband enjoy travel, their three grandchildren, and their dogs. Christa supports dog rescue and local shelters.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

The Itch of Greed Blitz





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Saturday, September 13, 2025

The Retirees - Cozy Mystery - Preorder #Preorder #Mystery #CozyMystery

Leah Orr is here to tell us about her cozy mystery The Retirees.

The book is on preorder. Read on for details...

______________________
 

 


Retirement has never felt so deadly


Cozy Mystery

Date Published: January 5, 2026

Publisher: Orrplace Press



Welcome to the idyllic yet eccentric retirement community of The Ocean’s Edge—where retirement has never felt so deadly.

Disco is dead, there’s a serial killer on the loose, the coffin dodgers are solving cold cases, and only the neighborhood cat knows where all the proverbial bodies are buried.

When sharp-tongued sugar heiress Diana is ousted from the empire she helped build, she retreats to a posh 55+ paradise expecting peace, maybe even a pool boy. Instead, she finds a ragtag group of retirees with a knack for solving cold cases—and a disturbing knack for attracting new ones. She quickly finds herself entangled with this quirky yet capable team of senior sleuths: a psychic, tarot-reading twin duo, a retired detective, a conspiracy-minded tech guru, and a nurse who might just talk to animals.

Among tarot cards, a talking cat, and dark web dives, this misfit crew uncovers more than just bingo night secrets. Because in a place this sunny, the shadows run deep, and someone at The Ocean’s Edge has blood on their hands.

As the group begins investigating cold cases, darker truths emerge, uncovering clues that tie back to mysterious pasts, hidden traumas, and residents with more secrets than memories.

Hilarious, heartwarming, and deliciously twisted, The Retirees is a witty, tightly woven, charming, cozy mystery that reminds us it’s never too late for redemption, reinvention, or revenge—and that sometimes the most unexpected heroes come with walkers, wisdom, and wildly colorful personalities.

About the Author


Leah Orr resides with her husband and three daughters in Jensen Beach, Florida. Leah is an Amazon #1 best-selling mystery novelist of The She Shed. She has written 14 books and sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

Leah donates the profits from her books to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Upon learning that her daughter Ashley was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (while still in the womb), Orr knew she wanted to do something special. With some input from her mother and three daughters, it was decided that she'd write books to benefit the CF Foundation. The Orr Family has raised over $1,400,000 in the past 22 years to help find a cure.

Leah's mission to help cure Cystic Fibrosis has been featured on ABC’s Health Watch, NBC Today South Florida, ABC Today South Florida, CBS South Florida, CBS This Morning Virginia, NBC The 10! Show Philadelphia, Fox 4 News Morning Blend, The Daily Buzz, and Lifetime TV’s The Balancing Act. She has also been featured in publications such as Forbes Magazine, Medical News Today, The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, and The Sun-Sentinel. Her daughter Ashley was also a recipient of Oprah’s generosity in The Big Give.

Popular mysteries by Leah Orr include: The Executive Suite, The Bartender, The Champagne Toast, The She Shed, and The Fruitcake. Her popular children’s books include: Messy Tessy, It Wasn’t Me, and Goodnight, Molly.

Orr and her husband were recently nominated as one of Florida’s Finest Couples by the CF Foundation and included in “In The Spotlight” on CFF.org. Leah was also nominated as one of Broward County’s top 100 Outstanding Women. Orr grew up in Boston, MA, and graduated from the University of Miami.


Contact Links

Website

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Facebook

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Preorder Link

Amazon

B&N


RABT Book Tours & PR



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Friday, September 12, 2025

Birds, Puppies, and Murder - A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery - PREORDER #Mystery #CozyMystery #Preorder

Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside are here to tell us about their cozy mystery Birds, Puppies, and Murder, a Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery.

Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder, book one in the series, will be available on Amazon for $.99 September 21-28.

Read on for details...

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Birds, Puppies, and Murder (A Chocolate Martini Sisters Myster, book 4) will release worldwide on September 23. It’s currently on preorder, eBook, for $2.99. Print book is now available.



AMAZON - AMAZON UK - AMAZON CA

BOOKBUB - GOODREADS

 

Lost puppies, endangered birds…

The sisters are birddogs on a murder most fowl.

The sisters are thriving like mountain sage in an Arizona autumn. Nicole’s yoga business is gaining a foothold in Wyatt. Emma’s first mystery novel is scheduled for release. But a proposed, expansive building project in the pristine area of the bird sanctuary has the community in an uproar. It’s Environmentalists versus Big Business, and the sisters are caught in the cross-fire.

When one of Nic’s yoga students is found dead near the planned resort, the amateur sleuths are back on the trail of a killer. Who has the most to gain from her death—the morally challenged developer, the money-grubbing boyfriend, her jealous brother, a nasty neighbor, or a co-worker with dark secrets? And where has Skittles, the dog, gone?

While the Chocolate Martini Sisters sort through the litany of villains, they’re leaving no mystery unsolved. The stakes are escalating, throwing the sisters on divergent paths that all come together at a dangerous intersection. As they unsnarl the tangled mysteries, will they expose the murderer before the killer finds a way to silence them?

  

In celebration of the release of Birds, Puppies, and Murder, book one Candy, Cigarettes and Murder will be available on Amazon for $.99 September 21-28.

 


 

Series:



Twice a year, Emma and Nicole spend a relaxing weekend at the storied Dulce Inn in Wyatt, Arizona celebrating their birthdays. Toasting each other with a chocolate martini is their habit. But of late, knocking heads with surly Chief Homicide Detective Guthrie while solving murder mysteries in his town has given the sisters a reputation. Follow The Chocolate Martini Sisters for murder, mayhem, and fun.

Find all of the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mysteries HERE


 

About Joyce:

After hearing countless stories as a mental health professional, Joyce Proell retired to create her own tales. An award-winning author, she writes historical romance and cozy mystery where all endings are guaranteed happy. She shares her home on the prairie with a husband and a little dog with a big personality. When she isn’t reading or writing, she likes to swim and finds baking almost as relaxing as a day at the spa. Visit her at her website: www.joyceproell.com

 


About Brenda:

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, cozy mystery, and romance. She’s a born and bred Arizona native who sets fictional stories in imaginary, but recognizable, Arizona locations. She and her husband live in Central Arizona. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes. Visit Brenda at https://www.brendawhiteside.com

 



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