The Tarnished Son

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Elizabeth McKenna, author of The Tarnished Son, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Elizabeth.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

The Tarnished Son is about the demise of a prominent family. It is a standalone drama with both adult and young adult main characters. Chapters alternate between four points of view: Rose, Liam, Hank, and William Sr. Up to this point, the family has been able to mostly hide their secrets from their neighbors. But then a boating accident involving Liam sets off a chain of events that brings down the family dynasty. It’s a story involving flawed characters, and it was a lot of fun to write.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

The Tarnished Son isn’t a mystery; it’s more of a domestic suspense. When I first read about Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina attorney found guilty of murdering his wife and son, amongst other crimes, I thought, someone will turn that into a book and Netflix series (which they did). You can’t make stuff like that up. One of the articles I read had quotes from residents expressing their shock, such as, “Things like that don’t happen around here.” I thought about the rumor mill of my village, and The Tarnished Son wrote itself. People are going to do bad things whether they live in a big city or a small town.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

The story’s themes revolve around trust vs. betrayal within families, coping mechanisms for dealing with grief or guilt (substance abuse), and seeking redemption amidst chaos. What people choose to do under unfavorable circumstances interests me, and hopefully, readers will also be intrigued.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Often, I use the characteristics of people I know. My main characters always have a bit of me in them. Out of the seven novels that I’ve written, the main characters in my first one, Cera’s Place, are still my favorite. It’s a historical romance with a Western edge, and I love Westerns with rugged, good-looking men.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

All of my books are set in places I have lived or visited, which makes describing the setting fairly easy. However, I do change any physical attributes as needed for the story. The Tarnished Son is set in my current hometown. For places that I’ve only visited, the Internet is extremely helpful in refreshing my memory. My stories aren’t heavy on description though. I prefer to use dialog and character actions to move the plot forward.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I do a lot of Internet searching. For The Tarnished Son, I had to learn about different hard drugs and their street cost. I also had to research Wisconsin laws and possible prison time. Some of the other background info, like ADHD, I have personal knowledge of.

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

The eBook version of The Tarnished Son is on sale for 99 cents until August 31. As an independent author, I need reviews to get noticed. So, if you read any of my novels, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I appreciate your time and feedback!

Thank you for answering my questions, Elizabeth, and good luck with the Tarnished Son.

Readers can learn more about Elizabeth McKenna by visiting the author’s Amazon page and her Facebook, Goodreads and Instagram pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at  Amazon  The ebook is on sale at .99 until the end of August.

About Elizabeth McKenna: Elizabeth’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include romances, mysteries, and suspense. Some are “clean,” and some are “naughty,” so she has a book for your every mood. Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband and Sidney, the rescue dog from Tennessee. When she isn’t writing, reading, or walking the dog that never tires, she’s sleeping.

Posted in Archives, July 2024 | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Moved to Murder

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Gianetta Murray, author of Moved to Murder, a Vivien Brandt mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit about how she and her main character cope with with the differences between British and American speech.

Welcome, Gianetta. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

It was George Bernard Shaw who said England and America are two countries separated by a common language, a sentiment Oscar Wilde echoed in The Canterville Ghost: “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.”

Both quotes are frequently recited for laughs, but in my novel Moved to Murder, California-transplant Vivien Brandt discovers there is some truth to them, as I did when I moved to South Yorkshire almost twenty years ago.

Like Vivien, I didn’t foresee any serious roadblocks to fitting into the smallish village where my English husband and I bought a home. Certainly I didn’t think language would be a problem, as I’d been absorbing British television on the American PBS channel from a young age. I knew my eggplants from my aubergines and my zucchinis from my courgettes. (It has always amused me that the English are generally quite dismissive of their French neighbors but seem to have retained much of the language the French Normans brought them.)

What I learned is that language is very much a reflection of culture, especially in Britain.

Take the act of making dinner reservations. My husband phones the restaurant and poses the following question: “May I possibly make a reservation for two people at eight o’clock, if you have a table available?”

Note the ultra-polite “may I” and the fact that he provides ample excuses for the person on the other end of the line to refuse the request without guilt. Everything here is “maybe-could-possibly-if it’s not too much trouble”, a delicate dance of politeness that seems to graciously cede power to the other party.

My tact? “Hi, I need a table for two at eight. Ya got one?”

Translation: I’m the one deigning to eat in your restaurant, buddy, and I expect you to have what I want. No, what I NEED. (Hubby constantly teases me about needing things.)

It’s that kind of in-your-face talk that makes people either love or despise Americans. It reflects the American “can-do” attitude that does, it must be admitted, get things done. I’ve gotten jobs because of that reputation for action and plain speaking. But it also grates on British ears and sometimes makes them wince in visible pain. I know, I’ve seen it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the British can be as rude as anyone, but they are more likely to couch their insults in sarcastic niceness. One of my favorite historical quotes is from Benjamin Disraeli, who purportedly told someone giving him a manuscript to peruse that he would “waste no time reading it”.

Or if you’ve seen Hamilton, you probably laughed at the charming tone King George III uses as he threatens to kill your friends and family to prove his love for you. Very British (and mad, in his case). After all, there is no need get all worked up about things if you can slay your opponent with your rapier wit and biting irony.

Vivien often runs afoul of these differences in Moved to Murder, failing to capture the rhythm of British conversation or heed its undertones. Instead, she barrels ahead in what my husband calls the “Here are the contents of my head. Listen to them.” method of American speech.

So in addition to a murder or two, Moved to Murder explores (in a hopefully amusing way) the difficulty of learning to live in a land with different customs—and sometimes different values—communicated through a language that sounds deceptively the same.

Add to this that Vivien must remember never to say “pants” (unless you’re talking about underwear) or “fanny pack” (it’s called a bum bag) and you can see she has her work cut out for her.

Fortunately, our hero does possess a large dollop of American can-do and is soon helping the police solve murders while decorating her new home and discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her sympatico neighbor Hayley.

Tragically, she has to do it without access to good Mexican food. But that’s a whole other story.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Gianetta, and good luck with Moved to Murder, the latest book in the Vivien Brandt mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Gianetta Murray by visiting the author’s website and her Linktree page.

The book is available online at the following Amazon stores: 

US: Moved to Murder    UK: Moved to Murder

About Gianetta Murray: Like her protagonist, Gianetta is California-raised and moved to England twenty years ago after marrying her British husband. She has worked as a technical writer, knowledge manager, and librarian in both countries and is currently owned by two cats who are unimpressed by her accomplishments but willing to tolerate her in return for food.

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A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Maddy Montgomery is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about A Cup of Four, A Pinch of Death, the latest novel in the Baker Street mystery series.

Welcome, Maddy. 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. My name is Maddy Montgomery and I’m the main character in the Baker Street Mystery series. A year ago, I was a fashionista and social media influencer living my best life in L.A. When my fiancé was a no-show to our live-streamed wedding, I was humiliated and wanted to find someplace to hide. When I learned I had inherited a house in New Bison, Michigan from my Great Aunt Octavia, I jumped at the chance to escape. When I arrived in the small town, I learned that my inheritance came with some strings attached. I inherited a house, a bakery, and a 250 lb English mastiff named Baby, but only if I stayed for a year. So, I brought my Louboutin’s and I’m learning to maintain a home, run a business, and live with a dog who’s as big as a horse.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? The writer, Valerie Burns, thinks she controls the story, but she really doesn’t. The characters tell her what to write. Sometimes she listens and things go smoothly. When she doesn’t listen, things get sticky. Eventually, she realizes that it’s best to trust the characters.

How did you evolve as the main character? I’m not a natural baker and I struggle to make decisions. However, as I’ve lived in New Bison, I’ve learned to trust my instincts and my dog. Baby is a great judge of character. I have also learned to bake. I’m still not as good as Great Aunt Octavia, but I’ve made progress.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? I have some amazing friends in the Baker Street Mystery series. First, there’s my boyfriend, Michael Portman. Michael is a veterinarian and an Army vet. He’s handsome, kind, dependable, brave, and loyal. He’s the grandson of Hannah Portman. Hannah was best friends with my great-aunt. She’s a great baker, honest, and loving. She’s in the early stages of dementia, but she is still a great baker. I never knew Great Aunt Octavia, but I am learning about her through Miss Hannah. Leroy Danielson is my head baker. He is an amazing baker and a good friend. Sheriff April Johnson is a stunning beauty who rents the lower level of my house. She’s become a close friend. Tyler Lawrence owns the knitwear shop down the street. He’s also the acting mayor. Each of these people are more than friends. They’re family. Before moving to New Bison, I didn’t have strong relationships like this. My father was a Navy admiral and we moved around a lot. However, I now have friends who will risk their lives for a friend and some of them have. Lastly, there’s Baby, my 250 lb English mastiff. Baby is loyal, loving, brave, and dependable. He’s not a pet. He’s also a member of my family.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? New Bison, Michigan is a lovely resort town in Southwestern Michigan. It’s on the shores of Lake Michigan and only 90 miles from Chicago. As the daughter of a Navy admiral, I’ve lived on military bases with more people than New Bison, but it’s a great community and for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m home.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? The Baker Street Mystery series is a culinary cozy mystery. Just because I’m not a great baker, doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t include good recipes. My great aunt was an amazing baker and she left her recipes. You’ll find the recipes along with an interesting cast of characters that will give you a chuckle and an interesting puzzle to solve.

Thank you for answering my questions, Maddy, and good luck to you and your author, Valerie Burns, with A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death, the latest book in the Baker Street mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Maddy and her author, Valerie Burns by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    Apple     Books-A-Million    Barnes and Noble    Bookshop.org    Google Play    Hudson Booksellers   KOBO    Target     Walmart

About Valerie (V. M.) Burns: Valerie is an Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. As Kallie E. Benjamin, Valerie writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. She is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and a mentor in the Pocket MFA program. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. 

Posted in Archives, July 2024 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Bearer of Secrets

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Nupur Tustin, author of Bearer of Secrets, the latest novel in the Celine Skye Psychic mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Nupur.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Bearer of Secrets is an art heist mystery. It—and indeed the series it’s part of, the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries—is based on the true story of the Gardner Museum theft. The theft took place in 1990 and the first novel is set in 2019. Bearer of Secrets is set in 2020. So it’s nearly three decades since the heist happened. Celine is blessed—or cursed, as she might put it—with psychic abilities.

That and the fact that she’s a former artist with a college degree in art and art history make her the perfect person to investigate the crime.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I first heard about the Gardner Theft when I took a FutureLearn course on stolen art and artifacts. The FBI has had some tantalizing leads, but nothing has ever panned out. Were the Irish or Italian mobsters involved? Could the works have been taken to Ireland to fund terrorism? Are they now in some European location? Are they moving around in the criminal underworld? No one knows.

As a mystery writer I was intrigued and I set out to develop a theory of what happened. Each mystery in the series uncovers a little more of the theory and, of course, each book has Celine recover one or more of the thirteen artworks stolen in the heist.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

I don’t consciously center stories around themes as such, although certain ideas and viewpoints naturally seep through. In every mystery I write, there are two central ideas. First, that of perseverance and endurance. Real-life crimes are often hard to solve and may take years before justice is done. For the family of a victim—even for the investigator—it can be tough to keep going with no clues in sight.

Then, there’s the fact that appearance and reality don’t always match. One must always be willing to question one’s assumptions.

But there’s a third theme that’s central to the Celine Skye stories. We don’t, we can’t, control every aspect of our lives. Celine is cursed with knowing when people in her life will be murdered. That they might be in danger. But there’s nothing she can do about it. Sometimes, she knows death is imminent but not who will die. Her knowledge is limited and she must do the best she can within her limitations.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

I don’t think of myself as creating characters. Rather I get to know them. Just as one gets to know a person one meets at the store or in a park or at church, I get to know a character by meeting them in a scene. Every encounter brings me a little closer to knowing them. When I first start a series, I might ask specific questions of my characters. But I make sure to ask relevant questions; I’m not nosy. I allow my characters to reveal themselves to me as they get comfortable with me.

It goes much better in this way than it would if I arbitrarily imposed names, features, and other characteristics to them.

I enjoy all my characters, but in the Celine Skye Mysteries, I especially enjoy writing Penny Hoskins and Ella Rawlins. Penny is the Director of the Gardner Museum, very eager to have the case solved, and very persistent when it comes to needing updates and fresh insights on the case. Ella is Special Agent Blake Markham’s personal assistant, but she tends to treat him like a child. He’s slightly in awe of her, I think.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

By researching it, looking at photographs and videos, and acting like an armchair tourist planning a vacation. I have visited Paso Robles on a few occasions and been to more than a few wine tastings, so I have my memories to rely upon when it comes to that. And I’ve visited Boston, but I’ve never had an opportunity to visit the Gardner Museum, except via virtual tours.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

For this series, I’ve immersed myself in the world of art, art theft, and art recovery. It’s a fascinating world. I’ve also naturally read everything I could on the Gardner Museum theft and the subsequent investigations. It goes without saying that I’ve had to read up on Isabella Stewart Gardner and the museum that was her brainchild.

Because Celine is psychic, I’ve had to research psychic detectives and how they work. As a Catholic, I’ve looked into the Catholic understanding of seers, clairvoyants, and spirits.

Celine owns a winery, vineyard, and wine bar. So researching wine, wine tastings, and the like have been part of the process as well.

Every book requires a thorough investigation into the art itself that’s the focus of the book and the artist; their techniques; their way of working; as well as an examination of how their work might be authenticated.

Finally, since this is a contemporary mystery series, I need to make sure the legal and other aspects of the investigation process are accurate, or at any rate, plausible.

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

If you like fast-paced, suspenseful art heist mysteries, Bearer of Secrets will be a riveting read for you. Early reviews are in, and readers love the book. I do believe it can be read as a standalone. Although for those who prefer reading in order, I recommend reading Master of Illusion first, then Visions of Murder, the series prequel, to be followed by Forger of Light, and then finally the latest novel, Bearer of Secrets.

Thank you for answering my questions, Nupur, and good luck with Bearer of Secrets, the latest book in the Celine Skye Psychic mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Nupur Tustin by visiting the author’s website and bookstore, as well as her Facebook, Bookbub and Goodreads pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

From the Author    Amazon    B& N Nook     Kobo     Apple iBooks

About Nupur Tustin: Nupur is a former journalist who misuses a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to paint intrigue and orchestrate murder. She is the author of the Joseph Haydn Mystery series set in eighteenth-century Austria and the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries about a psychic  art sleuth who takes on the still unsolved Gardner Museum theft of 1990. She also writes the Sophie’s Adventure series about an  art sleuth who recovers stolen art as an undercover tourist. 

Posted in Archives, July 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Venetian Bind

Posted on July 11, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Detective Marko Korb is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Venetian Bind, the first novel in the Tri-Star Investigations mysteries.

Welcome, Detective Korb. 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.

As you have probably heard, Professor Rothstein has chronicled my most recent exploits in his first novel Venetian Bind which has recently appeared and has followed them further in Ripped Genes, to appear later this year, and The Tell-Tale Art which he is currently working on. He calls this series Tri-Star Investigations which is the name of my firm. I believe he intends to continue the series beyond these first three books.

In Venetian Bind, I and my intrepid associate, Kelan Su, are called to Venice in order to assist the police in investigating the murder of Stefan Pakulić, a former Serbian paramilitary commander in the Bosnian War. My aid was requested for several reasons the first being that I am familiar with the victim who was responsible for the death of my sister and her husband, my best friend. Pakulić is also the reason I still walk with a limp and have only one functional lung. The second reason is that the Bosnian expat community in Venice is insular and, as members of that community are persons of interest, the Venice police needed someone with access to that community to further the investigation. In fact, the daughter of a Bosnian expat hotelier is a chief suspect.  During the war, the hotelier was one of the men who rescued me from a Serbian prison camp. Finally, my outstanding reputation as an investigator and international connections brought my name to the fore.

This has put me in a serious bind. How do I maintain my reputation when I hated the victim and empathize with the killer? It’s important to note also that in the course of the investigation, Kelan discovered evidence of a possible terrorist action against the Bosnian community in Venice. That made it incumbent upon us to prevent that attack and expose the perpetrators.

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

Well, I am the expert at criminal investigation, not Professor Rothstein. Fortunately, he listens to me when I inform him how the investigation should take place, particularly when what he is planning is clearly not something professional detectives would do. Often, he asks me and Kelan first for our opinion of what the next steps in an investigation should be. We try to keep him on the correct path. As a result, I think he has been reasonably successful in portraying my exploits accurately.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I believe it stems from Rothstein’s love of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe novels. He says my character has been modeled after Wolfe. I must say, however, that I am neither as obese as Wolfe or as sedentary, and I am considerably smarter.  I think Kelan, too, is a superior investigator to Archie Goodwin. Rothstein says he wanted a cerebral master investigator like Wolfe and an active, dauntless female detective like V.I Warshawski, Carlotta Carlyle, or Kinsey Milhone.

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

I have great confidence in Kelan’s ability to handle herself from the time we first met. It was in a hospital where I was recovering from an operation. She had trailed a bogus doc to my room and took down the Russian mob assassin as he was about to inject poison into IV.  Of course, I am not so easy to kill. I had already pulled out the IV and had my pistol trained on the would-be killer from under my convers. But I was impressed with Kelan’s quick thinking and effective response. I offered her a job on the spot. It was well-timed as she had been questioning her career choice with the Chicago Police Department.

I must admit that I take an avuncular interest in both her professional and personal life. Of course, we live under the same roof and cannot help being involved in each other’s daily activities and experiences.

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

Venice is a fairyland. The canals, buildings, bridges, islands, and little neighborhoods are a feast of serendipitous wonder. As there are no automobiles, people on foot and in water transports are constantly in neighborly contact. There are drawbacks to the ubiquitous proximity of other people. Privacy disappears. Gossip is the common currency. Foreigners and tourists are readily identified. These could be advantages rather than drawbacks to a detective.

On the other hand, the Bosnian community in Venice is generally poor and tight-knit. And I hate boat travel ever since my escape from the Serbian prison camp was met by gunfire on the Venice Lagoon hitting me and the crew of the fishing boat supposed to take me to freedom.

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

I think I’ve covered everything. In my work, I am usually the interviewer not the interviewee. There is ample evidence of my skills as a questioner in Venetian Bind, particularly in the final confrontation with the suspects.

Thank you for answering my questions, Detective Korb, and good luck to you and your author, Lawrence E Rothstein, with Venetian Bind, the first book in the Tri-Star Investigations mysteries.

Readers can learn more about Detective Korb and his author, Lawrence E Rothstein by visiting the author’s website and his Facebook and Goodreads pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon   B&N

About Lawrence E Rothstein: He is a retired lawyer and university professor who has published in constitutional law, privacy law, political theory and labor law. Born and raised in Chicago, he now resides, with his wife and family, in beautiful southern Rhode Island.  He has lived and traveled widely in Europe.  As an avid reader of crime fiction, he has always wanted to write detective novels. As a lover of food and cooking, he includes many scrumptious meals and some recipes in his novel and on his website.

Posted in July 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Framed for Murder

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Mel O’Rourke is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Framed for Murder, the first novel in the Pine Cove mystery series.

Welcome, Mel. 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.

“Framed for Murder” is the first full length novel in the series. If you are a cookie fan, you might have met me in the novella that kicked off the series, “The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder”.

Technically, it could be called a “cozy” mystery, but that makes it sound so warm and fluffy. Personally, I prefer to think of it as an un-cozy mystery. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all G-rated stuff, but there’s no shortage of complications in the story. And as an ex-cop, I’d hardly call myself an “amateur” detective. 

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

I like to let her think she controls what happens, but between you and me it’s just an illusion. She never even thought enough about Poppy, my frenemy who was introduced in the first book, to give her a name. I let her call the shots as far as who dies and how, but everything else is open for discussion.

How did you evolve as the main character?

When my story began in Pine Cove, I was getting over losing the only job I ever wanted and trying to figure out what’s next. It was crazy for my family to help me buy a bed-and-breakfast as my next endeavor, but that’s the O’Rourkes for you. In “Framed” I have a good idea of where I’m going, but I’m not sure exactly how to get there. Then Poppy Phillips arrives unexpectedly at my door with the cops hot on her heels for a crime she didn’t commit, so there went the “figure out how to be an innkeeper” plan. Poppy is an excellent thief, but she’s no killer. However, learning to trust her is going to take some doing. Also, I still have to deal with a left over fear of heights issue. And an inability to cook, which is an issue when you run a bed-and-breakfast.

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

I like sharing a story with Jackson Thibodeaux. A lot. He was the first friend I made in Pine Cove after I moved here from Los Angeles. While we didn’t quite get along at first, I really enjoy his company. And his sparkling aquamarine eyes.

But Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks is a lot of fun to, just in a different way. He was so condescending when we first met with his, “You stick to running your inn, little lady, leave catching the bad guys to me” attitude. But I like to think we’ve come to have a mutual respect for each other. And those abs…

Honestly, I like all the characters I share this story with.  My grandmother was sent up to help me, but really it was a ploy to get her out of my mother’s hair. She scary, but also hilarious. My brother Liam can be a pain like any little brother can, but he’s got a heart of gold. 

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

Pine Cove is inspired by the real live small town of Idyllwild, California. It’s stunning, set up high in the mountains so the views are amazing. The people of Pine Cove tend to be a quirky mix of artists, small business owners, and of course Doc Hart. There are no chain coffeeshops or burger joints. Everything here is uniquely its own brand and I love it. Most of the time.

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

Anything else about me….nope, I don’t think so. My cousin has been bugging me to define my “brand” whatever the heck that means, so clearly I don’t like thinking or talking about myself too much.

This is the first in a series of books and while I can’t say too much about it, there’s even more intrigue and mystery to unravel in the next one!

Thank you for answering my questions, Mel, and good luck to you and your author, Marla A. White, with Framed for Murder, the first book in the Pine Cove mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Mel and her author, Marla A. White by visiting the author’s Amazon website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram and TikTok pages. You can also follow her on Twitter/X and Substack.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Books

About Marla A. White: Martha is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s out in the garden, hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails.

Posted in Archives, June 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Honeymoon Homicides

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Sydney Riley from The Honeymoon Homicides, A Provincetown mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us how sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you is also the best thing.

Her author, Jeannette de Beauvoir says: “The Sydney Riley series currently comprises 10 novels that start with Sydney working as wedding coordinator for the Race Point Inn in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Here I’m imagining how she might have come to Ptown in the first place. Enjoy!”

Welcome, Sydney. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

Sometimes, in life, the worst thing that can happen to you is also the best thing.

I didn’t know it at the time, of course. And I certainly didn’t know that I would start solving murders and become Provincetown’s answer to Miss Marple—updated, of course, for the 21st century. But something was guiding me here when my husband Noah, a surgeon, decided he’d rather be with his emergency-room nurse than with me.

With the divorce grinding on, I felt I couldn’t breathe in the city anymore. Everything reminded me of Noah and our marriage: the hospital where he practiced, the shop where we went for ice cream in the summer, the park where he’d proposed. It was time to change my life. I bought a new (used) car; I accepted the cat that my co-worker had been urging me to adopt; and I found my way to Provincetown.

It had happened quite by accident. One day I got in the car and drove south, not even thinking about where I was going, until I was on a road that led only to Cape Cod.

I’d crossed the Sagamore Bridge and was running along Route 6 without much noticing what I was passing. The late-morning was fine and the signs flashed by with names that were intriguing, but not enough to stop the thoughts whirling around my brain. Marstons Mills. Yarmouth Port, Dennis Port, Harwich Port—you could tell the ocean was there, even if you couldn’t see it. Skaket Beach. Coast Guard Beach. Marconi Beach. English-sounding towns: Brewster, Eastham, Wellfleet. And then finally, without really realizing how I’d done it, I was at the end of the line.

Provincetown. Next stop, Portugal.

I found a place to park the car in a large parking area by the wharf—it was winter, there weren’t a lot of other cars around, or people either, for that matter—and pulled on my wooly hat and mittens and started walking. Down to the end of the pier, where brightly colored fishing boats were tied up, the water sloshing against their sides, and seabirds floated placidly on the surface, bobbing up and down with its movements. The air was frigid but the sun was warm. I walked back slowly, filling my lungs, trying to feel in the moment. This was a beautiful place. I reached the main street and had to make a decision: left or right?

I turned right on a whim and changed my life.

***

A month later I was talking to my mother on the telephone, an activity I tried to avoid most of the time but sometimes found inevitable. “I don’t understand why Noah won’t give you a second chance,” she was saying.

“To do what? Appeal to him? No, thanks,” I said.

“You know what I mean,” she said. “Don’t take a tone with me, Sydney. You know I don’t like it when you take a tone.”

“I’m not taking a tone, Ma,” I said. “I’m telling you about my life. I thought you’d be interested.”

She didn’t rise to the bait. “And what is this place, anyway?” she demanded. “Providencetown?”

“Provincetown,” I corrected. “It’s on Cape Cod. There are beaches. You can come visit.” Please don’t come visit.

“I don’t understand why you can’t stay where you were,” she said. “At least until the lease runs out. It’s as much your house as his.”

“It isn’t, Ma. He’s giving me my half of the deposit back.”

“And I don’t understand why you have to give up your job,” she went on. “I like telling people my daughter’s a professor.”

“I wasn’t a professor, Ma. I just taught a few courses. No one gets tenure anymore.”

“It’s still what I told people,” she said stubbornly. “I don’t understand—”

I cut her off. Sometimes it’s the only way. “It’s all decided, Ma. My furniture’s in storage. My car is packed.” Not our car; Noah had paid me half the cost of the Beemer, too. I liked the small green Honda I’d bought second-hand. I liked saying, “my car.” My furniture; my car, my apartment. “Oh, and one more thing,” I said.

“What?” She sounded like she was anticipating Armageddon.

“I have a cat,” I said, poking my finger in through the mesh of the pet-carrier. “I have to change his name, though. His name is Doctor. I really can’t live with that, not after Noah.”

She had a suggestion. “Pookie,” she said. “I used to have a cat named Pookie, back before you were born.”

I’d been an afterthought in my parents’ life, born eight years after my sister. I wondered how Pookie fit into the family dynamics. It was also the most revolting name I could imagine.

I studied the cat, sitting placidly on the front seat of the little green Honda, a pile of last-minute books and papers behind and under it. Sticking out was a paperback copy of A Doll’s House. “Ibsen,” I said, suddenly inspired. “I’m going to name him Ibsen.”

And then I disconnected the call, started the engine, and set out on my new life.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Sydney, and good luck to you and your author, Jeannette de Beauvoir, with The Honeymoon Homicides, the latest book in the Provincetown mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Sydney and her author, Jeannette de Beauvoir by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Goodreads pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers:

 Amazon – Bookshop.org – B&N

About Jeannette de Beauvoir: Jeannette is an award-winning author of historical and mystery fiction and poetry, whose work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her Provincetown mystery series is now on its 10th book, and she’s a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Historical Novels Society. She’s also a local theatre critic and hosts an arts-related program on WOMR, a Pacifica Radio affiliate. She lives and works in a seaside cottage on Cape Cod. 

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Sorry, Knot Sorry

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Ralph, the Shakespeare-quoting parrot, from Sorry, Know Sorry, An Anastasia Pollack Crafting mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit his role in the series.

Welcome, Ralph. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

If you were expecting a guest post from author Lois Winston or one of the two-legged characters who populate her Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, you’ll need to check out some of the other current posts on the Great Escapes Book Tour for Sorry, Knot Sorry, the thirteenth book in the series. Today, you get yours truly, the taloned member of the Pollack household. Anastasia inherited me from her great-aunt Penelope Periwinkle when the Shakespearean scholar “shuffled off this mortal coil” (Hamlet, Act Three, Scene One) to join the Bard of Avon inside the Pearly Gates.

At first Anastasia wasn’t thrilled with her inheritance. She would have preferred Great-aunt Penelope’s cameo collection, but that was bequeathed to Anastasia’s mother. However, I believe I’ve since proven my worth. And FYI, unlike a certain canine member of the household, I’m potty-trained. No one has to walk me several times a day during New Jersey nor’easters or blizzards.

Having spent most of my long life with Professor Penelope, both in and out of her lecture halls, I’m quite the Shakespearean scholar myself. And although African Greys are known to have exceptional intelligence and huge vocabularies, I’m not exaggerating when I state that I completely out-parrot the other members of my species. My talents are varied and many, but I’m especially proud of my ability to quote situation-appropriate Shakespearean passages from Will’s many plays.

Given that Lois Winston has seen fit to dump all sorts of murder and mayhem on poor Anastasia, one of my tasks within the series is to insert a bit of much-needed comic relief, especially when unsuspecting characters first hear me recite a few lines. Not only is my timing impeccable, but I can also quote the play’s title, act, and scene. It’s a shame there are no stage parts written for Shakespeare-quoting parrots. If there are any playwrights reading this, have your people call my people. You won’t be sorry.

I’m also far better at dealing with intruders than the four-legged resident of Casa Pollack, although he has had his moments. However, he pales in comparison to my magnificent wingspan, not to mention my swooping prowess. I’ve employed both on multiple occasions to the detriment of anyone messing with Anastasia and her family, including recently in Sorry, Knot Sorry.

Finally, I like to think that my matchmaking skills are unparalleled. The moment Zachary Barnes entered our lives, I knew the man was the best thing to happen to Anastasia since Lois started messing with her, even if Anastasia isn’t quite sure Zack is who he claims he is. Yes, he’s a photojournalist, but is he more? Does he, as Anastasia suspects, work for one of the alphabet agencies?

This parrot really doesn’t care. I’m taking full credit for Zack sticking around. He and I have developed quite the bromance. At times, I think Anastasia is even a bit jealous, but that’s entirely her fault. After all, she never treats me to as many sunflower seeds as Zack does. The guy even carries them around in his shirt pocket, and I don’t see him sharing any with her. Only me. Now that’s true love!

Thank you for sharing this with us, Ralph, and good luck to you and your author, Lois Winston, with Sorry, Knot Sorry, the latest book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Ralph and his author, Heather Lois Winston by visiting the author’s website and blogs: Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers, Booklover’s Bench, and The Stiletto Gang. You can also visit her at her Goodreads and Bookbub pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers:

Amazon   Kobo     Nook    Apple Books 

About Lois Winston: USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.

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A Lethal Lake Effect

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Katie Bonner is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about A Lethal Lake Effect, the latest novel in the Victoria Square mystery series.

Welcome, Katie. 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’ve only just discovered that someone has been chronicling my life for the past four years. I don’t know how she’s doing it, but I wish it would stop. Apparently, this person is stalking not only me, but the other merchants on Victoria Square. So far there have been nine books and 10 short stories—and a cookbook. She called the books The Victoria Square Mysteries, and the short stories Life On Victoria Square.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say, too?
I call my own shots. That said, all the mistakes are mine, too. (Except the typos. She gets credit for all of them.)

How did you evolve as the main character?

One day, I just showed up on the page. Apparently, the author had a booth in an antiques arcade. She sometimes thinks I’m a thinly disguised (and yes, I’m much thinner than her) version of herself. I’ve got a real life where she just makes up stuff.

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

Many. I have such good friends here on Victoria Square, starting with the guys who bought what’s now known as Sassy Sally’s B&B: Nick Ferrell and Don Parsons. If I’d had my way, it would have been my property, but the stars just didn’t align for me. I ended up selling them all the things I’d collected for my inn. They let me help them decorate, and we became good friends. One of Nick’s best friends, Seth Landers, is my lawyer, which is how we met.

Moonbeam Carruthers is a new friend. Some people think she’s just an old hippy, but she’s sweet, generous, and has a loving nature. Who wouldn’t want her as their friend?

And then there’s Ray Davenport, a former sheriff’s office detective. We clashed the first year of our accquaintance but have become good friends since. Friends only. There’s nothing between us. There never could be. His daughters have taken a dislike to me because … I guess it doesn’t matter why. Anyway, he’s 20 years older than me.

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

Conflicted. So much is going on. I have so much on my plate juggling two businesses, along with interests in real estate on and around Victoria Square. I recently broke up with my significant other. I’ve got a mother-in-law problem (for ten years, I was married to her now-deceased son), and one of the merchants on the Square is trying to take my job as Merchants Association president.

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

Some readers seem to think Dead Man’s Hand was the last book in the series. Obviously, A Lethal Lake Effect disproves that theory. And apparently, the “author” has plans to keep chronicling my existence. Legally, I have no recourse, but a part of me is kind of flattered. I’m just me; why people have taken such an interest in what I do and how I live was a surprise but a happy one. More shocking is that the series is a New York Times bestselling one!

Don’t tell the author, but I’m moving on with my life, and I’ll be just as excited to see how the stories unfold.

Thank you for answering my questions, Katie, and good luck to you and your author, Lorraine Bartlett, with A Lethal Lake Effect, the latest book in the Victoria Square mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Katie and her author, Lorraine Bartlett by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Kindle    Kobo    Nook    Google Play    Smashwords

About Lorraine Bartlett: The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what first put  Lorraine Bartlett’s pen name Lorna Barrett on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent — whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or  Lorraine Bartlett—that keeps her in her readers’ hearts. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author also pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square and Lotus Bay Mystery series, and the Tales of Blythe Cove Manor, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).

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Murder on the Med

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Kat Lawson is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Murder on the Med, the latest novel in the Kat Lawson mystery series.

Welcome, Kat. 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.

My name is Kat Lawson, and I never intended to end up writing travel features, much less working undercover for the FBI. Up until 1996, I was a successful investigative reporter, working for the Phoenix Gazette, a daily newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona until I was fired for an inappropriate relationship with my boss. Him, they promoted. Me, they fired. Which was bad enough, but when the two major papers in the market merged, I was out of luck as far as finding another job.

At the time, my father was sick and wanted me to do him a favor. He had been a WW2 Navigator/bombardier aboard a B24 and was shot down toward the end of the war. He wanted me to go back to Hungary to find the people who had rescued him and his crew and thank them.

To make a long story short, I accepted my dad’s offer and found out a whole lot more about him and things that had gone on during the war than I bargained for. The Navigator’s Daughter, book one in the series, changed my life and started me on a trek I never would have imagined. And for reasons I won’t get into now—spoiler alert—got the attention of the FBI who approached me about working for them as a travel writer for a publication they use from time to time as a cover for agents on assignment. They made it sound all so simple. I wasn’t to be an agent. I was merely to be eyes and ears on locations where a travel writer wouldn’t stand out or cause any undo concern. My job was to simply deliver a message. Pick up a message. And along the way write a nice little travel feature for the magazine.

It all sounded easy enough…until it wasn’t.

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

That’s a good question because the events I’m asked to cover are related to actual historical events, and I’m frequently uncovering little-known facts and people that could change how we remember things. For that reason, I would have to say my creator Nancy Cole Silverman, has allowed me to think on my feet, and because once I get my teeth into an assignment, there’s no stopping me.

How did you evolve as the main character?

Because I work on my own, I had to develop a sense of autonomy. I’m frequently in a foreign country and on my own, and experience has taught me that as exciting and sometimes romantic as some of the places I’ve visited can be, I need to be careful with whom I trust. Consequently, I have trust issues, particularly when it comes to men.

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

As a travel writer, I’m on my own a lot, and very seldom do I end up working with the same people. My FBI handler, Sophie Brill, is an older woman whom I have great respect for, but find a bit brittle, and chilly. I wouldn’t say we are friends, but after some close calls, like those I encountered in Passport to Spy, she’s learning to trust me.

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

Currently, I’m on what is supposed to be a pleasure cruise. Not every assignment I get is to snoop around. Sometimes, I’m just asked to write a travel feature about some exotic place the magazine covers. This time, Journey International has asked me to cover a story about the Athena, a luxury cruise ship owned by one of the world’s richest men and designed to be a retirement community at sea. We’re sailing the Amalfi Coast. The weather, the water…it’s picture perfect. But the people? I’m beginning to suspect these senior citizens have decided to trade their pension plans for pirating across the Mediterranean, and things are getting dicey!

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

Ever since I lost my job at the newspaper, I’ve been looking for a way to get back to working for a major daily paper. I’ve always looked at this job with Journey International as a temporary gig, but I’m beginning to think I’m hooked on the excitement of the assignment and that I’ll never be able to go back to the newsroom again.

Thank you for answering my questions, Kat, and good luck to you and your author, Nancy Cole Silverman, with Murder on the Med, the latest book in the Kat Lawson mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kat and her author, Nancy Cole Silverman by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Goodreads pages. You can also follow her on Threads.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Nancy Cole Silverman: Nancy spent nearly twenty-five years in news and talk radio before retiring to write fiction. Silverman’s award-winning short stories and crime-focused novels, the Carol Childs and Misty Dawn Mysteries (Henry Press), are based in Los Angeles, while her newest series, the Kat Lawson Mysteries (Level Best Books), takes a more international approach. Kat Lawson, a former investigative reporter has gone undercover for the FBI as a feature writer for a travel publication. Expect lots of international intrigue, vivid descriptions of small European villages, great food, lost archives, and non-stop action. Silverman lives in Los Angeles with her husband and thoroughly pampered standard poodle, Paris.

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