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Wednesday, January 3, 2018

ANASTASIA’S EASY-TO-KEEP NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION SUGGESTION


We’re four days into the New Year. Did you make any resolutions? If not, may I suggest you resolve to discover some new mystery authors this year? What? You’re reluctant to give a new author a try because too often by the end of the first chapter (or even sooner) you realize you don’t like the book and have no desire to continue reading?

I’ve been there. Sometimes I keep reading, hoping the book will get better, but it rarely does. It’s so frustrating to have wasted both time and money on a book I didn’t like. If you know anything about me, you know I have neither time nor money to waste.

After too many negative reading experiences some readers wind up swearing they’ll only read their tried-and-true favorite authors, never again giving an unknown-to-them author a try. However, when you only stick with authors you know, you never experience the joy of discovering a new favorite author. Think about what you could be missing!

I have the perfect solution, and it will only cost you a mere .99 cents. And that’s for not one but ten full-length mysteries. That’s right—ten books by ten different authors for less than a dollar. Invest another .99 cents, and you can try ten companion novellas, eight by the same authors of the mystery novels, plus two additional authors.

Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries features works by authors Lois Winston (she’s the author who writes about me!), Jonnie Jacobs, Judy Alter, Camille Minichino, Mary Kennedy, Maggie Toussaint, Heather Haven, Susan Santangelo, RP Dahlke, and Vinnie Hansen. Each full-length mystery is the first book in an ongoing series.

Sleuthing Women II: 10 Mystery Novellas features companion stories to existing series by the writing team of Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin, Lois Winston, Maggie Toussaint, Jonnie Jacobs, Camille Minichino, Heather Haven, Vinnie Hansen, Mary Kennedy, Judy Alter, and Rita Lakin.

So resolve this year to discover some new favorite authors. If you find you don't care for some of the stories in the collections, move on to the next. Taste is subjective. However, you never know. Even if you only like one book in each set, that author just might become one of your all-time favorite authors.


Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries

Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery by Lois Winston—Working mom Anastasia is clueless about her husband’s gambling addiction until he permanently cashes in his chips and her comfortable middle-class life craps out. He leaves her with staggering debt, his communist mother, and a loan shark demanding $50,000. Then she’s accused of murder…

Murder Among Neighbors, a Kate Austen Suburban Mystery by Jonnie Jacobs — When Kate Austen’s socialite neighbor, Pepper Livingston, is murdered, Kate becomes involved in a sea of steamy secrets that bring her face to face with shocking truths—and handsome detective Michael Stone.

Skeleton in a Dead Space, a Kelly O’Connell Mystery by Judy Alter—Real estate isn’t a dangerous profession until Kelly O’Connell stumbles over a skeleton and runs into serial killers and cold-blooded murderers in a home being renovated in Fort Worth. Kelly barges through life trying to keep from angering her policeman boyfriend Mike and protect her two young daughters.

In for a Penny, a Cleopatra Jones Mystery by Maggie Toussaint—Accountant Cleo faces an unwanted hazard when her golf ball lands on a dead banker. The cops think her BFF shot him, so Cleo sets out to prove them wrong. She ventures into the dating world, wrangles her teens, adopts the victim’s dog, and tries to rein in her mom…until the killer puts a target on Cleo’s back.

The Hydrogen Murder, a Periodic Table Mystery by Camille Minichino—A retired physicist returns to her hometown of Revere, Massachusetts and moves into an apartment above her friends' funeral home. When she signs on to help the Police Department with a science-related homicide, she doesn't realize she may have hundreds of cases ahead of her.

Retirement Can Be Murder, A Baby Boomer Mystery by Susan Santangelo—Carol Andrews dreads her husband Jim’s upcoming retirement more than a root canal without Novocain. She can’t imagine anything worse than having an at-home husband with time on his hands and nothing to fill it—until Jim is suspected of murdering his retirement coach.

Dead Air, A Talk Radio Mystery by Mary Kennedy—Psychologist Maggie Walsh moves from NY to Florida to become the host of WYME's On the Couch with Maggie Walsh. When her guest, New Age prophet Guru Sanjay Gingii, turns up dead, her new roommate Lark becomes the prime suspect. Maggie must prove Lark innocent while dealing with a killer who needs more than just therapy.

A Dead Red Cadillac, A Dead Red Mystery by RP Dahlke—When her vintage Cadillac is found tail-fins up in a nearby lake, the police ask aero-ag pilot Lalla Bains why an elderly widowed piano teacher is found strapped in the driver’s seat. Lalla confronts suspects, informants, cross-dressers, drug-running crop dusters, and a crazy Chihuahua on her quest to find the killer.

Murder is a Family Business, an Alvarez Family Murder Mystery by Heather Haven—Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark and handsome, is that any reason to kill him? The reluctant and quirky PI, Lee Alvarez, has her work cut out for her when the man is murdered on her watch. Of all the nerve.

Murder, Honey, a Carol Sabala Mystery by Vinnie Hansen—When the head chef collapses into baker Carol Sabala’s cookie dough, she is thrust into her first murder investigation. Suspects abound at Archibald’s, the swanky Santa Cruz restaurant where Carol works. The head chef cut a swath of people who wanted him dead from ex-lovers to bitter rivals to greedy relatives.

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Sleuthing Women II: 10 Mystery Novellas

Frosted, A Moreno & Hart Novella by Allison Brennan & Laura Griffin—Three years ago LAPD Detective Scarlet Moreno and rookie cop Krista Hart were nearly killed during a botched sting operation. Now, they’re best friends and partners in the Orange County private investigation firm of Moreno & Hart. But their routine assignments are anything but safe.

Crewel Intentions, An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Novella by Lois Winston—Craft editor Anastasia Pollack receives a desperate call for help from former fashion editor Erica Milano, now in Witness Protection. Erica is being stalked and is afraid to notify the authorities. She once saved Anastasia’s life. Will Anastasia be able to return the favor before the stalker strikes?

No Quarter, A Cleopatra Jones Novella by Maggie Toussaint—Amnesia, the doctor says when accountant Cleopatra Jones wakes in a distant hospital. Hours later most of her memory returns. Detective Jack Martinez visits Cleo’s nearby wealthy client, only she’s dead and broke. To Cleo’s horror, she’s a murder suspect. Will she totally recover her memory before the killer returns? 

What the Widow Knew, A Kali-O’Brien Novella by Jonnie Jacobs —Attorney Kali O’Brien takes on the case of a young woman accused of murdering her much older, very rich husband. As evidence mounts and other possible suspects are eliminated, Kali’s doubts about her client’s innocence grow. Meanwhile, Kali is also grappling with her feelings for longtime boyfriend Detective Bryce Keating.

The Magnesium Murder, A Periodic Table Mystery by Camille Minichino—While freelance embalmer Anastasia Brent prepares the body of a young bride-to-be, she learns the girl’s mother suspects foul play. Once again Anastasia is pressed into service as a sleuth, following a trail of clues in search of a murderer and justice.

Honeymoons Can Be Murder, A Lee Alvarez Novella by Heather Haven— When PI Lee Alvarez goes on her honeymoon with bridegroom, Gurn Hanson, they find a dead woman practically on their doorstep. Kauai breezes may be soft, but there are gale force winds of accusation against Gurn. Will Lee find the real killer before her new hubby gets sent to a Hawaiian hoosegow?

Smoked Meat, A Carol Sabala Novella by Vinnie Hansen—Baker and wannabe sleuth Carol Sabala visits her mother for a family Christmas get-together. It’s murder, in more ways than one.

A Deadly Fundraiser, A Talk Radio Novella by Mary Kennedy—When radio talk show host Dr. Maggie Walsh and her pals start digging up clues in a scavenger hunt at a glitzy fundraiser, the game suddenly turns deadly. Will Maggie and her team be able to crack the case and solve the crime?

The Color of Fear, A Kelly O’Connell Novella by Judy Alter—Kelly receives a written kidnap threat targeting her infant daughter, Gracie. Kelly’s assistant Keisha narrates as Kelly and her family plot their precautions, but as time passes and the threat still looms, fear takes a toll on the family…and on Keisha.

Papa’s Ghost, A Gladdy Gold Mystery Novella by Rita Lakin—Gladdy and her girls accept an assignment iat a famous resort in Key West, thinking it will combine business with pleasure. Once they arrive, Gladdy suspects something is strange. Not only is their client an unexpected shock, but so is the case of murder they are expected to solve. Can they succeed when a whole city is against them?

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12 comments:

judyalter said...

Great blog, Anastasia. Many thanks.

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Thanks, Judy!

Angela Adams said...

I love bundles! Not only is it an opportunity to try new authors, but there are so many reads right at your fingertips!!!

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Thanks for stopping by, Angela! Stay warm today!

Camille Minichino said...

A great way to start the new year. Thanks, Lois!

Anonymous said...

I love a bargain, and the idea of a sampler pack of novels. Thanks.

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Thanks, Camille and Anonymous!

Vinnie Hansen said...

Thanks for posting this, Lois. Off to share.

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Thanks, Vinnie!

Heather Haven said...

Hey, Anastasia! Shared this on FB!

Maggie Toussaint said...

Thanks for this feature of the Sleuthing Women anthologies.

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Thanks for the share, Heather!

You're welcome, Maggie.