Mystery
A story about a crime (usually murder). May or may not have romantic elements as a subplot.
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Read the series: The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre @lsfabre #RLFblog #Mystery #SherlockHolmes
Shadows from the past threaten Sherlock Holmes’ future in Liese Sherwood-Fabre’s new mystery, The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait. Can he bring a killer to justice before he becomes the next victim?
Liese, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your series.
The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait
…in the The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes
Genre Mystery
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13
A long-buried secret. A stolen portrait. The artist’s murder. Can Sherlock discover the connection between the three before he’s stopped permanently?
Sherlock can’t shake his apprehension about a family trip to Paris. His mother’s unflappable confidence vanished months ago, and her anxiety has set the whole family on edge. His greatest fears are realized when they witness the death of one of Mrs. Holmes’ former suitors.
As Sherlock seeks to unravel the reason behind the artist’s murder, he unearths a long-buried secret about his mother and survives several attempts to keep him from getting to the truth.
Can he bring a killer to justice before he’s buried with these hidden secrets forever?
Which book is this in the series?
The fourth
How many books do you plan for the series?
It’s open-ended, but I plan to end the series just before Holmes meets Watson.
How many books are completed?
Four, to date
What characters are the main stars in your series?
Sherlock Holmes and his family:
Violette, his mother
Siger, his father
Mycroft, his brother
Ernest, his uncle
And Constance, a friendWhat is the overall theme in this series?
This is an origin series exploring how Sherlock Holmes became the famous detective and his search for belonging.
Please list the series titles below, in any order you prefer.
The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife
The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy
The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar
The Adventure of the Purloined PortraitWhat did you like best about writing this series?
Now that I know the characters, I find writing about them like chatting with old friends. I also enjoy creating a history for Holmes because little is known about the original character.
What other books (not in this series, have you written?)
I have a series of non-fiction books, The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes, that explores different aspects of Victorian England mentioned in the original tales. I also have a thriller, Saving Hope, about early post-Soviet Russia.
Where can we find links for all your books?
All my books are listed on my Webpage: https://www.liesesherwoodfabre.com/books.html
Where to buy The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RN27KPT
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-adventure-of-the-purloined-portrait-liese-sherwood-fabre/1140803032
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-adventure-of-the-purloined-portrait/id1604426329
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-adventure-of-the-purloined-portraitLiese Sherwood-Fabre Social Media
Liese Sherwood-Fabre knew she was destined to write when she got an A+ in the second grade for her story about Dick, Jane, and Sally’s ruined picnic. After obtaining her PhD from Indiana University, she joined the federal government and had the opportunity to work and live internationally for more than fifteen years. After returning to the states, she seriously pursued her writing career and has recently turned to a childhood passion in the tales of Sherlock Holmes.
Her writing has been recognized with a series of awards, including a Pushcart Prize nomination, a Golden Heart finalist, and a blue ribbon from Chanticleer Book Reviews. Steve Berry has called her work “Good old-fashioned, gimmick-free storytelling” and Gemma Halliday enthused her new series is “a classic in the making.” A recognized Sherlockian scholar, her essays on Sherlock and Victorian England are published across the globe and have appeared in the Baker Street Journal, the premiere publication of the Baker Street Irregulars.
Website https://liesesherwoodfabre.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/lsfabre
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/liese.sherwoodfabre
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5758587.Liese_Sherwood_Fabre
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/liese-sherwood-fabre
LibraryThing https://www.librarything.com/author/sherwoodfabreliese
Amazon Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5758587.Liese_Sherwood_Fabre
Get to know Liese Sherwood-Fabre better by signing up for an email newsletter and a FREE short story: https://liesesherwoodfabre.com/contact.html -
Read Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, the new humorous #mystery by Kris Bock @Kris_Bock #RLFblog
Something Shady at Sunshine Haven opens Kris Bock’s Accidental Detective series and introduces former war correspondent Kate Tessler, a witty journalist who solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. When patients are dying at the Alzheimer’s unit where her mother resides, Kate must use her journalism skills to uncover the killer and save her mother.
Kris, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Something Shady at Sunshine Haven.
Something Shady at Sunshine Haven by Kris Bock
Genre: humorous mystery
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): G
Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona with new scars, a limp, and pain meds that give her brain fog. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age (49), even though she’s living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into old friends who still think of her as Kitty.
Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer’s unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed “Angel of Mercy” killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and killing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit. If Kate can’t uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer’s list.
Kate has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?
Why did you write this book?
As I faced fifty, I wanted to create a mystery lead dealing with some of the same issues: aging parents, concerns about financing retirement someday, and a body that doesn’t recover like it once did. I also wanted to give Kate a reason to be adventurous and fearless, thus the background as a war correspondent.
I in New Mexico, which I love, but I wanted to set the mystery series in a big city. In Arizona, I could create a fictional city within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. That allows me to use this fictional city government for political issues, and make the mayor an old friend of Kate’s, without stepping on any real toes.
Arizona also provides tons of mystery opportunities. The large senior population attracts scams and abuse. You have the potential for arguments over inheritance (or even murders to get that inheritance sooner). The border with Mexico creates anxiety over immigration and various kinds of trafficking. Plus you have all the usual potential crimes in any large population. I’ll be able to keep Kate busy for years.
Where do you find ideas?
Many of my novels include real places in the Southwestern United States, although I might fictionalize the names. For example, in my treasure hunting adventure, Desert Gold, the heroine and her best friend live in a fictionalized version of Socorro, New Mexico. They hunt for the lost Victorio Peak treasure, a real Southwest legend about a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. I drew on personal experiences hiking in the desert for Erin and Camie’s adventures – though fortunately I’ve never stumbled on a rattlesnake nest or gotten caught in a flash flood!
Another book, What We Found, was inspired by finding the body of a murder victim while hiking in the woods. (Read about the whole experience of finding a dead body here.) Some of the Accidental Detective stories were inspired by news stories, such as a series of Taser attacks or city government employees arrested for illegal activities.
What’s a fun fact about writing your books?
I like to write while walking or jogging. I’ll get moving and then start thinking about a story problem. The motion seems to distract my body so my mind works better. If I’m walking, I can dictate entire scenes. I can’t dictate while jogging, but I’ll think out action scenes to dictate during breaks or the cool down walk. Maybe the adrenaline is inspiring – or maybe the feeling of running is reminiscent of being chased, which encourages exciting plot ideas! As a bonus, it makes the jogging time go more quickly.
What are you working on at the moment?
The first four Accidental Detective books are complete. I hope to return to the series, but at the moment I’m writing about cowboy billionaires – specifically, a ranch family that finds out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. The first book in that series will be out in the fall.
I’m also writing a series with my brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. These are prequel novels set when the movie characters are teenagers. We follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter to get a free short story or find book 1 at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.
What books will we see from you in coming months?
In the Accidental Detective series, Something Shady at Sunshine Haven is out today! It’s followed by Something Deadly on Desert Drive on June 21, Someone Cruel in Coyote Creek on September 29, and Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain in February of 2023.
Where to buy Something Shady at Sunshine Haven
Tule Publishing https://tulepublishing.com/books/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097WJYYBZ
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097WJYYBZ
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven-kris-bock/1139733398
Apple iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/id1573825348
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/something-shady-in-sunshine-haven
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kris_Bock_Something_Shady_in_Sunshine_Haven?id=br00EAAAQBAJ&hl=en_US&gl=USKris Bock Social Media
Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels
Website https://www.krisbock.com/
Blog https://swarmchairtraveler.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/kris_bock
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kris-Bock-Author-Page/174350342612332
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/krisbockbooks/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kris_bock_mystery_and_romance/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4735592.Kris_Bock
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kris-bock
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/krisbock
Get to know Kris Bock better by signing up for an email newsletter https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/29bde1ea-700c-11ec-9233-7fc6b73feec3 -
Read The Case of the Missing Monkey, the new #mystery short story by Kris Bock @Kris_Bock #RLFblog #BookGiveaway
In Kris Bock’s Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. “The Case of the Missing Monkey” is a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series, free with newsletter signup.
Kris, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Case of the Missing Monkey.
The Case of the Missing Monkey and other short mystery stories by Kris Bock
Genre Mystery
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): G
Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona with new scars, a limp, and pain meds that give her brain fog. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age (49), even though she’s living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into old friends who still think of her as Kitty.
Kate has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?
This free collection starts with “The Case of the Missing Monkey,” a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of The Accidental Detective series. This is followed by information about the first books in the series, Something Shady at Sunshine Haven and Something Deadly on Desert Drive, plus the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children.
Why did you write this book?
In this series, Kate spent thirty years traveling the world as a war correspondent. Now back in Arizona, she finds turning fifty as difficult than the mysteries she solves. This character was inspired by my own experiences. Okay, the part about turning fifty, not traveling the world as a war correspondent. I traveled a lot when younger, but not to war zones. But as I faced fifty, I wanted to create a mystery lead dealing with some of the same issues: aging parents, concerns about financing retirement someday, and a body that doesn’t recover like it once did. I also wanted to give Kate a reason to be adventurous and fearless, thus the background as a war correspondent.
I didn’t necessarily intend to write humor, but both my agent and my editor said they laughed a lot. That comes from how Kate sees the world, which is how I see the world. Laughter helps with the pain.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I like romantic suspense and mystery, but nothing too gruesome. I don’t need dead bodies strewn on every page. I read a lot of romance. Lately historical romance seems to be my comfort reads. It generally makes a nice break from whatever I’m working on. Maybe because I don’t write it, I can turn off the editorial brain and just be a reader. I do write sweet contemporary romance, such as the six books in my series set in and around a cat café, as well as romantic comedy (the books with my brother mentioned below) but not historical – at least so far.
Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
That’s such a hard question. I’m currently rereading The Thief and its sequels by Megan Whalen Turner, and I do love Gen.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m writing a series with my brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. These are prequel novels set when the movie characters are teenagers. We follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. We are wrapping up the third book now.
Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or find book 1 at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.
What books will we see from you in coming months?
The first four books in the Accidental Detective series will be released in the next year. Something Shady at Sunshine Haven comes out April 7. It’s followed by Something Deadly on Desert Drive on June 21, Someone Cruel in Coyote Creek on September 29, and Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain in February of 2023.
Where to buy The Case of the Missing Monkey
Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for Kris Bock’s newsletter (unsubscribe any time).
Preorder the first book in the series:
Tule Publishing https://tulepublishing.com/books/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097WJYYBZ
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097WJYYBZ
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven-kris-bock/1139733398
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/id1573825348
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/something-shady-in-sunshine-haven
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kris_Bock_Something_Shady_in_Sunshine_Haven?id=br00EAAAQBAJ&hlKris Bock Social Media
Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels
Website https://www.krisbock.com/
Blog https://swarmchairtraveler.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/kris_bock
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kris-Bock-Author-Page/174350342612332
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/krisbockbooks/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kris_bock_mystery_and_romance/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4735592.Kris_Bock
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kris-bock
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/krisbock
Get to know Kris Bock better by signing up for an email newsletter https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/29bde1ea-700c-11ec-9233-7fc6b73feec3 -
Read Death in the Perfect House the new #CozyMystery by Caroline Clemmons @CarolinClemmons #RLFblog #CozyMystery
Zoe Wilder knows her friend was murdered but it’s ruled accidental. Can Zoe find the killer before she becomes a victim?
Caroline, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Death in the Perfect House.
Death in the Perfect House by Caroline Clemmons
Genre Cozy Mystery
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
Zoe Wilder is a reporter for the local newspaper, The Spencer’s Ridge Gazette, in Winston County, Texas. She also writes cozy mysteries. Perhaps that’s why she sees a crime where there may not be one. Members of the local Winston County Sheriff’s Department view her as a pretty kook and don’t take her seriously. When she finds her friend Margo Kingsley dead, she is certain Margo was murdered and Margo’s housekeeper agrees. The investigating officer doesn’t believe her, and the death is ruled an accident due to a fall while inebriated.
Zoe is determined to find the killer. A new Chief Deputy, Caleb McBride, arrives a few days later, hired from Fort Worth PD’s homicide division under unusual circumstances. Deputy McBride is determined Zoe will leave detecting to him and his officers. He warns her she is making herself a target. He also warns her he’ll arrest her if she interferes again. Undeterred, Zoe fears he is only going through the motions to appease the late woman’s daughter. Surprisingly, the new Deputy is the nephew of the dead woman’s housekeeper, of whom Zoe is very protective.
Just as Zoe decides Deputy McBride is good at his job, the killer targets her. She is forced to cooperate with Deputy McBride. Will the killer be stopped before Zoe is the next victim?
Death in the Perfect House is a light-hearted cozy mystery with humor but no graphic sex and no cliffhanger.
Why did you write this book?
The idea popped into my head a long time ago, but I’ve concentrated on romances. These characters wouldn’t leave me alone, though. Zoe is such a fun character, I just couldn’t resist telling this story.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I’m an eclectic reader, so it’s easier to tell you what I don’t read—horror or true crime or sci-fi. The books I choose are dictated by my mood, what others recommend, friends’ new releases, and new releases by other favorite authors.
Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
Of course, right now Zoe Wilder is my favorite character. She is so spunky and a much nicer person than she realizes. Of other authors’ books, my favorite is Taylor Stapleton from Julie Garwood’s Prince Charming.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently, I’m working on Death in the Graveyard, book 2 of the Zoe Wilder series. I’m enjoying this book—even though you know that writing involves a lot of work. I’m so lucky to be able to work at what I love.
What books will we see from you in coming months?
Death in the Graveyard will release in April. On June 1, a romance, Samantha, Love Train series, will release. I intend the Zoe Wilder series to continue, with other books sprinkled in as well. I have so many books planned, I’ll have to live to be two hundred to write them.
Where to buy Death in the Perfect House
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Death-Perfect-House-Wilder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09RY7G2NW
Caroline Clemmons Social Media
Caroline Clemmons writes in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. The over sixty titles she has created there have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Loving A Rancher, and Pearson Grove as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author series and anthologies.
She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their dog and two rescued indoor cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap.
Website https://www.carolineclemmons.com
Blog https://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/CarolinClemmons (no E in Caroline)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CarolineClemmonsRomances
Facebook Readers Group – Caroline’s Cuties https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/
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Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/
Get to know Caroline Clemmons better by signing up for an email newsletter and receive a free historical romance, Happy is the Bride. https://carolineclemmons.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0a24664c906875718d975ad7b&id=7c2e488a51 -
A fun read by Karen Cino #Mystery Bridal Shop Chaos @KarenCino #RLFblog #CozyMystery #Romance
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Read the series: Down at the Shore by Karen Cino @karencino #RLFblog #WomensFiction #Romance #Friendship