It Was A Dark And Stormy Book Club

What to read at the beach, vacation or just your backyard hammock.Much Ado about Nauticaling (Whit and Whiskers Mystery #1) Published July 27th 2021 by Kensington Publishing Corporationby Gabby Allan Whitney Dagner is your tour guide to a Pacific paradise that's to die for--only to find it's a place people are also willing to kill for--in Gabby Allan's Much Ado About Nauticaling, first in the "Whit and Whiskers Mystery" series.After far too many years in the Los Angeles corporate world, Whitney Dagner has come home to Santa Catalina Island off the California coast to help her brother Nick run Nautically Yours, the family tourism business. Between gift shop shifts selling all manner of T-shirts and tchotchkes and keeping her feline Whiskers in fine fettle, she pilots the Sea Bounder, a glass bottom boat showing tourists the underwater sights of aquatic plants, marine life--and a murder victim?The self-proclaimed Master of the Island, Jules Tisdale was a wealthy man with business interests throughout Catalina w

We selected three nominees from different categories to interview, to talk about their books they were nominated for. A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison Published July 7th 2020 by Crooked Lane BooksAlexandra Daniels hasn't set foot in the quiet seaside town of Bellamy Bay, North Carolina in over twenty years. Ever since her mother's tragic death, her father has mysteriously forbidden her from visiting her aunt and cousins. But on a whim, Alex accepts an invitation to visit her estranged relatives and to help them in their family business: an herbal apothecary known for its remarkably potent teas, salves, and folk remedies.Bellamy Bay doesn't look like trouble, but this is a town that harbors dark secrets. Alex discovers that her own family is at the center of salacious town gossip, and that they are rumored to be magical healers descended from mermaids. She brushes this off as nonsense until a local is poisoned and her aunt Lidia is arrested for the crime. Alex is certain Lidia is being framed, and she reso

We pay tribute to the amazing and talented LGBTQ authors. This is just the tip of the iceberg of authors that represent this community.Shadow Sands (Kate Marshall #2) Published November 3rd 2020 by Thomas & Mercerby Robert Bryndza The internationally bestselling author of Nine Elms and The Girl in the Ice is back with a nail-biting new Kate Marshall case, a woman with a dark secret and a powerful sense of justice.When Kate Marshall finds the bloated body of a young man floating in the Shadow Sands reservoir, the authorities label it a tragic accident.But the details don't add up: why was the victim there, in the middle of the night? If he was such a strong swimmer, how did he drown?Kate is certain there is more to this case than meets the eye. As she and her research assistant Tristan Harper dig deeper, they discover a bloody trail that points towards an active serial killer hiding in plain sight. People have been silently disappearing for years, and when another woman is taken, Kate and Tristan have a m

False Light - Published February 23rd 2021 by Greenleaf Book Group PressSeasoned reporter Sanford “Fuse” Petty is old-school in every way—anti-technology, anti-Millennial (don’t even mention Gen-Z), and anti-“gotcha” journalism. After Fuse is asked to leave his paper pending a disciplinary investigation, he has plenty of time on his hands. So when his oldest friend approaches him for advice after the man’s daughter says she was sexually assaulted by her boss, a prominent media star, Fuse agrees to help. He gives his buddy the only options he feels are available: report the incident to the police and risk a huge “he said/she said” smear campaign against the girl, or plan something even better—revenge. As a journalist, Fuse has a colorful background investigating criminals, politicians, gangsters, drug lords, and all-around shysters—and knows plenty of shady sources—so he’s the perfect person to enact a complex (and ultimately, entertaining) plan to bring the popular media mogul down in the court of public opin

Back by popular demand another What we are Reading for June.On this episode we talk about.Mirrorland Published April 20th 2021 by Scribnerby Carole Johnstone With the startling twists of Gone Girl and the haunting emotional power of Room, Mirrorland is a thrilling work of psychological suspense about twin sisters, the man they both love, and the dark childhood they can’t leave behind.Cat lives in Los Angeles, far away from 36 Westeryk Road, the imposing gothic house in Edinburgh where she and her estranged twin sister, El, grew up. As girls, they invented Mirrorland, a dark, imaginary place under the pantry stairs full of pirates, witches, and clowns. These days Cat rarely thinks about their childhood home, or the fact that El now lives there with her husband Ross.But when El mysteriously disappears after going out on her sailboat, Cat is forced to return to 36 Westeryk Road, which has scarcely changed in twenty years. The grand old house is still full of shadowy corners, and at every turn Cat finds herself

In the fourth Death by Chocolate Mystery by the bestselling author of the Home Repair is Homicide series, Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and Ellie White are fired up for Eastport, Maine's Annual Cookie Baking Contest. But when a cunning killer and a devastating fire threaten to ravage the quaint island town, Jake and Ellie must dip into another homemade homicide investigation before all they love goes up in smoke...As co-owners of Eastport's beloved waterfront bakery, The Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie know their customers expect them to cream the competition. But they're really just in it for fun, hoping to get Jake's daughter-in-law baking again. Those plans collapse when fearsome local curmudgeon Alvin Carter is murdered, and every crumb of evidence points to Tiptree family friend—and all-around sweet guy—Billy Breyer. Billy's sisters beg Jake and Ellie to prove his innocence. After all, lots of folks had gone sour on Alvin—the only thing the retired lawyer liked better than bilking widows was swindling orphans,

Fatal Intent by Tammy Euliano Elderly patients are dying at home days after minor surgery. Natural causes? Malpractice? Or a serial killer? And why doesn’t anyone care? Anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey wants to know why, but her unorthodox investigation threatens her job, her family, and her very life. The stakes escalate to the breaking point when Kate, under violent duress, is forced to choose which of her loved ones to save—and which must be sacrificed. By day, Tammy Euliano, MD is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Florida where she cares for obstetric patients, teaches medical students and residents, performs research, and invents cool stuff. She's been honored with numerous teaching awards, more than 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date planners).By night, she plays games with her family (now remotely), cuddles her dogs, reads, and writes medical

Sherlock Holmes has retired to the Sussex countryside . . . that is, until a most formidable puzzle is dropped upon his doorstep by a certain Colonel Pickering.One Miss Eliza Doolittle, once nothing more than a cockney guttersnipe, has been transformed into a proper lady of London—perhaps even a duchess?—as if overnight. When Col. Pickering recovered from a bout of malaria, he was astounded at the woman before him. Is it possible this transformation is due to nothing more than elocution lessons and some splendid new hats? Or has Professor Henry Higgins surreptitiously traded one girl for another? And for God’s sake, why?As the case unfolds, Holmes and Watson find themselves in ever stranger territory. Who are the four identical “Freddies” pursuing Miss Doolittle? What part do the respected Dr. Jekyll and his malevolent associate, Mr. Hyde, long thought dead, have to play in this caper? And who the devil is the devilish Baron von Stettin?The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle is an enthralling escapade starring s

Four books for your reading pleasure!The Last Exitby Michael Kaufman Published January 12th 2021 by Crooked Lane BooksValentino Will Die(The Adventures of Bianca Dangereuse #2)by Donis CaseyPublished February 2nd 2021 by Poisoned Pen PressTwo Truths and a Lie: A Murder, a Private Investigator, and Her Search for Justiceby Ellen McGarrahanPublished February 2nd 2021 by Random HouseA Stranger at the Door(Rachel Marin Thriller #2)by Jason Pinter Published January 12th 2021 by Thomas & Mercer

The Last Tea Bowl Thief by Jonelle PatrickFor three hundred years, a stolen relic passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, indelibly altering the lives of those who possess it.In modern-day Tokyo, Robin Swann’s life has sputtered to a stop. She’s stuck in a dead-end job testing antiquities for an auction house, but her true love is poetry, not pottery. Her stalled dissertation sits on her laptop, unopened in months, and she has no one to confide in but her goldfish.On the other side of town, Nori Okuda sells rice bowls and tea cups to Tokyo restaurants, as her family has done for generations. But with her grandmother in the hospital, the family business is foundering. Nori knows if her luck doesn’t change soon, she’ll lose what little she has left.With nothing in common, Nori and Robin suddenly find their futures inextricably linked to an ancient, elusive tea bowl. Glimpses of the past set the stage as they hunt for the lost masterpiece, uncovering long-buried secrets in their wake. As they get closer to t

In honor of Cinco de Mayo we highlight 3 Hispanic mystery authors.Mexican Gothicby Silvia Moreno-GarciaThe Secret in Their Eyesby Eduardo SacheriThe North Face of the Heart(Trilogía del Baztán #0)by Dolores Redondo, Michael Meigs (Translator)

Death on Ocean Boulevard - The call came on the morning of July 13, 2011, from the historic Spreckels Mansion, a lavish beachfront property in Coronado, California, owned by pharmaceutical tycoon and multimillionaire Jonah Shacknai. When authorities arrived, they found the naked body of Jonah's girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, gagged, her ankles tied and her wrists bound behind her. Jonah's brother, Adam, claimed to have found Rebecca hanging by a rope from the second-floor balcony. On a bedroom door in black paint were the cryptic words: SHE SAVED HIM CAN YOU SAVE HER.Was this scrawled message a suicide note or a killer's taunt? Rebecca's death came two days after Jonah's six-year-old son, Max, took a devastating fall while in Rebecca's care. Authorities deemed Rebecca's death a suicide resulting from her guilt. But who would stage either a suicide or a murder in such a bizarre, elaborate way?Award-winning investigative journalist Caitlin Rother weaves stunning new details into a personal yet objective examination

In honor of Tartan Day we bring you three Scottish mystery writers to check out.Murder in a Scottish Shire (A Scottish Shire Mystery #1)by Traci Hall Known as the Brighton of the North, Nairn is both a charming Scottish town and a popular seaside resort—but to Paislee Shaw, it's simply home—unfortunately to a murderer . . . For a twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee has knit together a sensible life for herself, her ten-year-old son Brody, and Wallace, their black Scottish terrier. Having inherited a knack for knitting from her dear departed grandmother, Paislee also owns a specialty sweater shop called Cashmere Crush, where devoted local crafters gather weekly for her Knit and Sip. Lately, though, Paislee feels as if her life is unraveling. She’s been served an eviction notice, and her estranged and homeless grandfather has just been brought to her door by a disconcertingly handsome detective named Mack Zeffer. As if all that wasn't enough, Paislee discovers a young woman who she recently rehired to he

They're Goneby E.A. Barres (Pseudonym), E.A. Aymar Two women's husbands are murdered on the same night in the same way--and their investigation uncovers a terrifying connection.Two men from vastly different backgrounds are murdered one after another on the same night, in the same fashion with two bullet wounds: one in the head, another in the heart. The two slayings sends their wives on a desperate search for answers--and a desperate attempt to save their families' lives.Grief takes a heavy toll on northern Virginia freelance editor Deb Linh Thomas when she learns of her husband's murder. And utter dismay sets in when, just a week after the funeral, she discovers that he had been the subject of an FBI investigation after withdrawing a large sum of money from their shared accounts.Elsewhere, Baltimore bartender Cessy Castillo is less bereft when her abusive husband, ex-cop Hector Ramirez, is killed. But it turns out that he was deep in hock--and now Cessy's expected to pay up.Deb and the FBI agent assigned to

Water Memory (Aubrey Sentro #1)A fast-paced, page-turning thriller that contemplates the consequences of motherhood, memory, and crime as a commodity.Black ops specialist Aubrey Sentro may be one concussion away from death. But when pirates seize the cargo ship she’s on, she must decide whether to risk her life to save her fellow passengers.Sentro’s training takes over, and she’s able to elude her captors, leaving bodies in her wake. But her problems are just getting started. Her memory lapses are getting more frequent, symptoms of serial-concussion syndrome.As she plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with the pirates, she pushes herself to survive by focusing on thoughts of her children. She’s never told them what she really does for a living, and now she might not get the chance.While her memories make her vulnerable, motherhood makes her dangerous. Daniel Pyne wanders restlessly between prose fiction and screenwriting. He is the author of Twentynine Palms A Hole in the Ground Owned by a Liar, Fifty Mice, C

To help celebrate the Woman's History Month. We feature four fiction books that include real woman of history.The Alice Networkby Kate Quinn Published June 6th 2017 by William Morrow PaperbacksThe Diabolical Bones (Brontë Sisters Mystery #2)by Bella Ellis Published February 16th 2021 by Berkley Books (first published October 8th 2020) A Knife in the Fog (Margaret Harkness and Arthur Conan Doyle #1)by Bradley Harper Published October 2nd 2018 by Seventh Street BooksDear Miss Kopp (Kopp Sisters #6)by Amy Stewart Published January 12th 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Justice TomorrowWho lynched Henry Johnson? Young investigators Madeline Sterling and Socractes Gray head a team sent to a Georgia town in 1965 to learn who lynched the son of a local civil rights leader. Sterling doesn’t have her head on straight from her last assignment. And Gray knows pretty little Crossville, Georgia is no place for her or the handsom rookie she’s training to be a detective for the civil rights group, Justice Tomorrow. The town’s seething with rage. Both Black and white commuinities are lashing out a the wrong enemy. Sterling and Gray suspect someone is using prejudice, murder, arson, and feuds dating back to the Civil War to hide larceny on a grand scale. But it's hard to think when they're fighting a forbidden attraction. Suddenly, their lives are in danger and time is running out for the investigators. Sterling and Gray must unravel a hundred-year-old murder to get justice for Henry Johnson--and somehow get out alive.Meet Socrates Gray...1961Socrates Gray knew they woul

May you have the luck of the Irish after you discover these Irish mystery authors.Murder in Connemara(Home to Ireland Mystery #2)by Carlene O'Connor The Killer in Me(Frankie Sheehan #2)by Olivia KiernanA Keeperby Graham Norton

Anne’s publishing career began with The Cater Street Hangman. Published in 1979, this was the first book in the series to feature the Victorian policeman Thomas Pitt and his well-born wife Charlotte. This is arguably the longest sustained crime series by a living writer. Murder on the Serpentine is the latest (32nd) in the series. She has now started a series featuring their son Daniel, beginning with 21 Days (2017).In 1990, Anne started a second series of detective novels with The Face of a Stranger. These are set about 35 years before and features the private detective William Monk and volatile nurse Hester Latterly. The most recent of these (24th in the series) is Dark Tide Rising.Anne won an Edgar award in 2000 with her short story “Heroes”. The main character in the story features in an ambitious five-book series set during the First World War, which were published between 2003 and 2007. Anne is now working on more titles in the Pitt and Monk series, both of which are under option.None of her books has

Jennifer Dornbush is a screenwriter, author, international speaker and forensic specialist. As she says, “I grew up around death.”The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer was raised in it. As the daughter of a small town medical examiner whose office was in their home. There were body parts in the fridge. She investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old. Picking up pieces of skull with her father who simply saw it as an anatomy lesson. The first of many coroner lessons she experienced over two decades.After exploring journalism and high school teaching, Jennifer turned seriously to screenwriting where she began to connect her coroner world to her writing. She sought out a degree at the Forensic Science Academy in Los Angeles to gain more forensic training and earned a unique kinship with LA’s top CSIs, fingerprint specialists, DNA scientists and detectives.To share her love of forensics with the writ