Dear friends,
The
first review of my new mystery novella, DYE, DYEING, DEAD, was published this
morning in the Kings River Life magazine. I love reviews like this, because it
confirms that readers "get" my characters and what I'm trying to do
with the story.
And
the fact that the reviewer, Cynthia Chow, is a librarian is icing on the cake.
:-)
Stop
by before August 23rd and leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed
copy of the paperback!
"After
the end of her marriage and equipped with a college degree that usually
requires additional doctorates to insure employment, the chance to live with
her aunt was a godsend for folklorist Kendra Harper. The contrast between
Austin and tiny Nameless, Texas was a bit of a shock, but it gives Kendra the
chance to research and write about ghost stories and local legends. When Kendra
isn’t at a cemetery photographing tombstones, she helps Aunt Jewel with
gardening classes. The most recent is the prophetically titled Dyeing with
Plants workshop.
The class for
the Nameless Garden Club has a rocky start as the ladies arrive fully dressed
for a formal Southern Tea and bring along their own heckler. Eula-Mae Bunch
spends the entire workshop denouncing the need for natural dyes while praising
cheaper manufactured versions. Aunt Jewel finally kicks Eula-Mae out. The next
time the abrasive woman is seen, she’s a corpse.
Jewel’s
neighbor declares he witnessed Jewel kill Eula-Mae which means the sheriff
isn’t going to look too hard in any other direction. Knowing how gossip can
damage a reputation, Kendra and her best friend Jeremy Clifford conduct their
own investigation to discover who among Eula-Mae’s many enemies was finally
pushed over the edge. The fact that Eula-Mae was on a righteous march to censor
the library certainly doesn’t make her any more sympathetic.
As a novella,
the pace moves quickly while still fleshing out the characters of Kendra and
her closest friends. Readers may spot the clues and the identity of the
murderer far ahead of Kendra, but she has the task of weeding through numerous
suspects, none of whom are shedding a tear for Eula-Mae. The tone remains light
with Jeremy encapsulating most of the humor with his eccentricities and Spock
ears. Kendra has a low-key romantic relationship with a deputy and even Aunt
Jewel may have a potential beau on the horizon which makes this a very funny
and romantic blend of Southern charm and mystery."
Thank you,
Cynthia, and thank you Lorie!
bobbi c.
