Join the authors at http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com to find some interesting and enjoyable excerpts. You can find my selection, Murder and Tainted tea if you're in the mood for a cozy mystery with a slowly developing love affair.
BLURB:
Katherine heads to Santa Fe, New Mexico along with a Maine Coon Cat kitten to spend New Year’s Eve with Lars. Her guilty feelings over the organist’s death has her needing an escape. When she reaches Santa Fe, she discovers Lars is missing. She seeks and finds him and steps into another mystery.
Lars’ daughter dislikes Katherine but when the young woman is kidnapped, they are puzzled. The murder of Lars’ daughter and one of his employees makes solving the mysteries necessary. Can she learn before Lars becomes a victim.
Editorial Review
With every book, I think the Katherine Miller Mysteries can't get any better. I'm always wrong, because they always do. ~ Writer Gail Roughton
EXCERPT:
When I reached the turnoff to the street where Lars
lived, the temptation to drive into the old town to explore clamored and was
pushed aside. The constant complaints of the kitten added a discordant theme to
Beethoven’s Fifth. Another day I would drive to town and browse in shops and
visit the historic sites I’d read about.
Lars had promised a tour of the town and surrounding
area. As I recalled his invitation, I smiled. “Can I tempt you to stay longer
than three weeks? You’ll need months to see everything.”
I couldn’t stay. A young couple who were friends of
mine had planned a February wedding. Since neither of them had a living mother,
I’d been tapped to play a dual role—mother of the bride and groom.
The directions Lars sent took me into an area of large
houses. Most of them were behind walls. I counted gates. Had he said four or five? Then at the foot of the dead end street, I saw the
sign. Casa de Oro. House of gold,
indeed. Bonnie had chosen the name, but in a way it suited Lars. Years ago my
husband had teased Lars about his Midas touch for nearly every business he
touched prospered.
The gate stood open. I frowned. Lars had said I would
have to announce myself and he would open the gate. I’ll surprise him, I
thought, and drove into the compound.
At the top of the rise I saw the reason for Bonnie’s
choice. Bathed in sunlight, the two-story house at the top of the rise appeared
to glisten. The golden adobe wasn’t my destination. On the lower end of the
horseshoe drive were two smaller houses.
The adobe with a long porch on the left side of the
drive was Don’s. The H-shaped ranch on the right belonged to Lars.
Though Bonnie’s choice was above the gate, Lars’ name
amused me. He called the estate Las Casas
de Los Tres Osos. The houses of the three bears.
Laughter bubbled forth. Was I Goldilocks? Not
according to my hair color. Mine is a rich auburn shade courtesy of my
beautician.
I pulled into the carport beside Lars’ silver
Mercedes, twin to the car he drives back east. The house seemed larger than my
“Painted Lady,” circa 1890. The difference was that mine has two stories and an
attic while this house is on one level.
With the kitten carrier in one hand and my purse in
the other, I walked to the front door and rang the bell. To my surprise, the
door was ajar.
When no one answered, I rang a second time. Where was
Lars?
What now? My foot beat an impatient rhythm against the
flagstone walk. The kitten cried and scrambled around the carrier making my
hold iffy.
I pushed the door open. “Lars, I’m here.”
He didn’t answer. I set the carrier on the slate floor
of the foyer. Since the door was open and his car sat in the carport, he was
probably in the rear of the house or at one of his children’s. I returned to
the car for my suitcases.
I left my luggage in the foyer and stepped into the
living room. A portrait of my friend hung above the massive fieldstone
fireplace. Several Navaho rugs hung on the cream colored walls.
Through the archway I glanced into the dining room.
The table was set for one. The sight of a partially eaten breakfast sent fear
surging through my veins.
“Lars, are you here?” My voice echoed in the deserted
room.
What if he’s had some kind of attack? A stroke or his
heart.
Those thoughts propelled me through the dining room
and into the kitchen. I glanced into the pantry and stepped into the sunroom.
Lars, where are you? Had something dreadful happened?
Was my visit responsible for his disappearance?
Don’t be a fool. The world does not revolve around
Katherine Miller. He’s at Don’s or Bonnie’s.
Those thoughts failed to staunch my rising panic.
Though I felt like an intruder, I made a quick tour of the house. I found three
empty bedrooms, a deserted office, two powder rooms and three bathrooms, one
for each bedroom. Nowhere was there a sign of my friend.
I returned to the dining room. The food was cold. A
fork lay on the oak floor. What had happened here? Lars and I are in our
sixties. He’s my senior by six months, but his health has always been
excellent.
In the living room, I reached for the phone. Whom
could I call? Other than Lars and his children, I knew no one in Santa Fe
My legs trembled. I sank on a chair and glanced
through the bay window. Don and his daughter walked across the drive. I went to
the door.
MY PLACES
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Well dang. That's a scare she didn't need!
ReplyDeleteYou sure built a lot of tension in this visit.
ReplyDeletedefinitely a page turner.
ReplyDelete