Petra Cloch is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about A Stone Cold Murder, the first novel in the Reluctant Psychic mystery series.

Welcome, Petra. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

I don’t know anyone else with psychic powers, but I can touch an object and sense the emotions of other people who’ve used it. I studied rocks because they rarely ‘talk’ to me. I avoid making friends, because either I have to hide my power, they freak out, or they want me to use my psychometry for their benefit. I just took a job as the rock and mineral curator at an unusual museum in a tiny New Mexico town. My colleagues are friendly and it’s weird!

Then I picked up a jagged crystal in my new office and felt flashes of rage, fear and death. Everyone says the guy who had my job died in a car crash, but my senses are screaming violence, maybe murder. I don’t want to get involved, but what if the previous curator died because of something he did on the job? I could be next. I need to know what happened, and my psychic sense alone won’t tell me.

I never expected to solve a murder, let alone more than one. After solving the mystery of my predecessor’s death, I wanted to focus on my job. But Liberty, my coworker and friend (how did that happen?), got suspicious of the supposedly accidental death of Frank Underwood, a rockhound who died while hiking. Frank acted odd in his last weeks, talking about something incredible he found in the desert and whispering about aliens. I started helping Liberty uncover the truth, and before long our book club became a crime-fighting club.

Death at Rock Bottom (A Reluctant Psychic Murder Mystery series book 2) comes out July 30!

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

I keep a lot of secrets, even from the writer. She might get to put me in danger and throw challenges in my path, but she doesn’t know everything about me. For example, if you’re expecting a typical cozy mystery novel romance subplot, you could have a long wait. I might be making friends despite myself, but that doesn’t mean I’ll fall for the first handsome guy who starts flirting.

How did you evolve as the main character?

My writer read some novels with psychometry and thought it was an interesting power, but most novelists make the “gift” sound too fun and easy. Kris thought it would be a difficult way to live, more of a curse than a gift. Interacting with people is challenging, so I just want to be left alone with my pets. All ten of them. Three cats, three ferrets, two guinea pigs, and two rats. Who needs people?

Well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a friend or two, if I could find someone I could really trust. Anyway. Kris wanted to make sure I would be an entertaining narrator, and not too dour, so she let me talk a while and found out I have a dark, snarky sense of humor. She thought people would like it. I hope she’s right. An early reviewer said, “What got me was how human this story is. Petra’s fear of connection, her reluctant friendships, her need to do the right thing even when it terrifies her… It’s so relatable.” So I guess I’m not such an oddball after all.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

I just moved to a new town, so I’m meeting everyone for the first time. My boss, Peyton Banditt founded the museum 50 years ago and is the genial patriarch type. His grandson works here and is a little too friendly for my taste, though people enjoy his tours of Old West artifacts. My coworker Liberty is sensible and kind, while Haven is young and bouncy. They met me and immediately invited me out to lunch. Liberty also invited me to join a book club, which sounded like a fun and safe way to get to know people and maybe ask a few of the questions I wanted answered. Turns out that group is ready to embrace a new friend faster than I could have imagined. I’m not sure whether to be grateful or to flee.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

Bonneville, population 2000, has all the good and bad things of a small town. People are friendly and happy to meet someone new to break the monotony—but they are definitely interested in your business. It’s a small town on Route 60 through New Mexico, with a desert landscape and people passing through on the way to other places. The Banditt Museum is full of fascinating treasures poorly organized in a warren of confusing rooms and hallways. One early reviewer said, “The Banditt Museum feels like a character itself, full of hidden corners and whispered history.”

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

I’m tempted to say, “Don’t pay any attention to me.” But maybe having friends is worth a little risk. So if you’d like to hear my story, I’ll be honest with you and we’ll see what happens.

Petra Cloch has the psychic ability of psychometry – she can glimpse the history of an object by touching it. Powerful emotions leave behind the strongest vibrations. If Petra touches a watch or ring someone has worn for years, she can sense the wearer’s personality and what they care about most. If she touches an object used as a murder weapon, she might sense the emotions of the killer and the killed – but that doesn’t mean she can identify the killer.

Readers say, “Kris Bock, you have created a novel that is both heartwarming and suspenseful. For those who appreciate mysteries that offer depth, a distinctive supernatural element, and a protagonist to cherish, A Stone Cold Murder is an essential read. Well done!”

“With a sympathetic main character, quirky secondary characters, and an intriguing mystery, this was a fun read. I am looking forward to Petra’s next adventure!”

Thank you for answering my questions, Petra, and good luck to you and your author, Kris Bock, with A Stone Cold Murder, the st book in the Reluctantly Psychic mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Petra and her author, Kris Bock by visiting the author’s website and her Goodreads, Bookbub, Mastodon, BlueSky and Amazon Author pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Publisher    Amazon    B&N     Apple     Kobo    Google Play

About Kris Bock: Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.