Mystery Podcast

Kings River Life Magazine has a brand new mystery podcast called Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast. Episodes will consist of mystery short stories, and first chapters of mystery novels, read by actors in the San Joaquin Valley of California. 

The first one went up in June and is a short story by Nancy Cole Silverman. The 2nd one went up on July 3 and is a short story by Joan Leotta. Coming up we have Jeri Westerson, Dennis Palumbo, Lesley Diehl, Elaine Viets and more. There will be a new one up the first Tuesday of every month, and possibly some bonus ones as well. 

To listen to these episodes and subscribe to the podcast you can go to mysteryratsmaze.podbean.com. We are also on iTunes and Google Play. You can also subscribe to our podcast newsletter to keep up with all of the news tinyletter.com/kingsriverlife.

ICED: Resort to Murder Mystery I on SALE

On Sale for a Limited Time

ICED: Resort to Murder Mystery I
Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious

resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime. 

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what's best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn't understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice. 

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to her widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

SALE LINK Amazon  

Praise for ICED: 

"Avery Daniels’ Iced: A Resort to Murder is a great beginning to what I hope is several books.  The story was very entertaining with twists and turns that I couldn’t hazard a guess because another motive or clue would be revealed leading to a crescendo ending of 'Oh, my!'  The story was engaging, the characters entertaining, and I love the idea that there will be more at another resort…Her world travels begin!”  King's River Life Magazine

Avery Daniels Links:
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Website
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Goodreads

Review - Beyond the Pale

Clare O'Donohue is the best selling author of Someday Quilts Mystery series, Kate Conway Mysteries, and now the new World of Spies Mysteries.  The concept of average citizen's becoming spies isn't new, but professors more accustomed to University students and grading papers gives it a good spin.  Read on to see how well the concept worked.

Author: Clare O'Donohue

Copyright: May 2018 (Midnight Ink) 360 pgs

Series: 1st in World of Spies Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy Intrigue

Main Characters: Married college professors Hollis and Finn Larsson.

Setting: Modern, Ireland

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest opinion (NetGalley)

Cover Blurb:  "Married college professors agree to help Interpol in Ireland, but a simple errand leads them into a deadly criminal enterprise

It's a simple, twenty-minute job. At least, that's the pitch from Interpol to married college professors Hollis and Finn Larsson. Going undercover to procure a priceless rare book manuscript means an all-expenses paid trip abroad. A little danger thrown into the mix may even spice things up.

Soon after landing in the Emerald Isle, they realize the job is anything but simple. Their contact is a no show and they're left with fifty thousand euros, some serious questions, and a possible death threat. Ducking and dodging their way across Ireland, Hollis and Finn must hunt down the priceless manuscript and a missing agent while trying to stay one step ahead of a dangerous and unknown enemy."

Wife Hollis is a global politics professor, but she had been through CIA training years ago - but left the agency to marry Finn.  She is bored with her life now.  Finn is an expert in European literature and has settled into his life.  The two come across as on the brink of divorce.  Hollis wants to travel and live a little while Finn wants to sit and watch sports or have his adoring students around him and have his wife travel without him.  Finn doesn't want to travel, it's too inconvenient, and he resents Hollis was trained by CIA.  David, who went through CIA training with Hollis and now works at Interpol, asks the drifting-apart couple to help retrieve a manuscript, supposedly of great value, in Ireland. Several other people appear wanting the same manuscript and who can be trusted is up in the air.

The story takes you across Ireland as Hollis and Finn run from one location to another either trying to get the manuscript or evade being killed.  This became tiresome after a while.  The plot was just okay to me, I never felt the urgency over the manuscript which seemed contrived to me.  The pacing was fast paced once in Ireland, but again the continual running was wearying and a little disjointed. 

The reveal of who was actually the enemy and the final showdown was well done and exciting.  The wrap up left it open for further adventures, if both of them can be persuaded.

I had mixed feelings about this book.  It's a good premise, but I had a hard time with the husband Finn.  My impression of Finn is self-centered and jealous of Hollis and her training so he takes some risks and tries to step up when he shouldn't. The locations used in the story could have been cut down and I think it would have worked better while still keeping the pace.

Rating:  Good - A fun read with solid storyline and a few areas for improvement.

Author Guest Post - Sue Hinkin

Please welcome Sue Hinkin to the blog today. Raised in Chicago, Sue is a former college administrator (most recently at University of Denver), TV news photographer (one of the very first women in this job) and NBC-TV art department manager. With a B.A. from St. Olaf College, she completed graduate work at the University of Michigan and was a Cinematography Fellow at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles where she lived for many years. She is a puppy foster volunteer—latest failed foster is a white bichon/poodle mix named Harley.  She is a dedicated member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime-Colorado, Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers, she lives in Littleton, Colorado. Deadly Focus is her debut novel.

What makes your book different from other books in your genre?
My work is very multi-cultural with diverse characters. Beatrice Middleton is from an African-American family in Savannah, Georgia. Lucy Vega was born and raised in Southern California by a Mexican mother from Guadalajara and a Norwegian father from Oslo. After the family was killed in a car accident, Lucy’s Mexican uncle and his Norwegian housekeeper took over her upbringing. I’ve found many people afraid of writing characters of different races and ethnicities from their own—afraid of a making a mistake that reveals a hidden bias or unrealized prejudice. But that’s our world today—a huge, wonderful melting pot–so I want to embrace it even if I screw up or stumble across my own areas of ignorance and insensitivity. It will be an opportunity to learn.

My women characters are very independent, smart, passionate, a little reckless but very effective at what they do. Lucy and Bea both have great integrity, hearts of gold, and would risk anything for family and friends. Despite differences in age, race, and experience, their values are such that they are true sisters under the skin. I have been blessed with wonderful women friends and colleagues from whom to draw inspiration.

Because of my film/TV background, my scenes are often cinematic and visual. The books ride the line between mysteries and thrillers.

The Vega & Middleton Novels

A new mystery/thriller series featuring TV news reporter Beatrice Middleton and photojournalist Lucy Vega. Along with their family and friends in Los Angeles and Savannah, the two women take on some of the toughest criminals and risk all seeking justice, and sometimes, retribution.
Deadly Focus (Book 1)
L.A. photojournalist Lucy Vega’s beloved uncle plunges to his death in a Malibu canyon car wreck. The coroner calls it an accident, but when a Los Angeles County homicide detective and the chief of the counter-terrorism unit appear at the scene, Lucy and reporter Bea Middleton, suspect other terrifying possibilities.
Low Country Blood (Book 2) 
Having just lost her job, news reporter Bea Middleton returns to face family and murder in the low country of Savannah, Georgia. coming January 2019. Publisher is Literary Wanderlust at www.literarywanderlust.com

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Thank you Miss Hinkin for joining us an sharing about your series.  It sounds thrilling.