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BLURB:
Set
in New York City and Narragansett, Rhode Island in 1990, meet Claire Kennedy,
successful mystery book editor at Cauldron Press. Her most famous client, the
reclusive Sarah Winesong, has written her first new novel in five years, and
Claire is ready to break out the champagne!
And then, in walks
Tony Nichols. He’s gorgeous, angry and full of accusations that start with
“Cauldron Press stole my book” and end with “Sarah Winesong is a fraud”.
This contemporary
cozy mystery has a stellar cast of would-be villains and one real one who will
stop at nothing to eliminate his nefarious scheme from coming to light,
including stalk and try to kill Claire and Tony!
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Buy Links:
The book will be FREE during
the Tour
My Impressions:
This was a great book filled with twists and turns I did not expect. I love the dynamic between the characters. They had so much life breathed into them that it was easy to get wrapped up in their individual stories and bond with them. Plus I love a great mystery! I don't want to say too much about the book and give anything away. Read the excerpt and you will fall in love.
This was a great book filled with twists and turns I did not expect. I love the dynamic between the characters. They had so much life breathed into them that it was easy to get wrapped up in their individual stories and bond with them. Plus I love a great mystery! I don't want to say too much about the book and give anything away. Read the excerpt and you will fall in love.
Enjoy an Excerpt:
Tony had not shown up to get her at the inn, nor had he
called with a message. She had checked the inn not more than a half hour ago.
Was his lack of punctuality further proof of his criminal makeup, she wondered?
Her determination not to be manipulated propelled her up the
stairway to the second floor. The lighted hallway was empty of any security
guards, secretaries or students to direct her. Turning away from the stairs,
Claire walked toward a closed office with English Department stenciled on the
frosted glass and knocked.
There was no answer. A lectern stood next to the door, and
.the black notebook on it listed the instructor’s office hours. Turning hastily
to the Ns, Claire found the entry.
Nichols, A.A. (Tony),
Assoc Prof, Creative Writing #319.
The space for appointments was crossed through with a large
black X.
She ought to just go see Sarah Winesong, Claire thought as
she hurried down the hall. If Mr. Harrison and Tillie had not babied the author
all these years, Cauldron Press might not have been in this predicament. And
she would not be chasing around after Tony Nichols.
Claire took the stairs up to the third floor, pausing out of
breath on the landing. A black arrow with the numbers 311-321 led her to the
left.
That hall was dark, the only illumination coming from the
gray sky visible through a single window at the far end of the corridor. All
the offices appeared locked and unoccupied.
There was no lettering on the frosted glass of room 319
other than its number, and the small metal nameplate holder above it was empty.
Claire’s stomach churned. She rapped loudly and waited.
Nothing. “Tony? Are you in there? It’s Claire.”
Her inquiry was met with silence. Rubbing one hand with the
other, Claire looked around. Though everything was silent, she had the feeling
that someone was nearby. Gingerly she put her hand on the brass doorknob and
turned it. It opened easily, into almost complete darkness.
“Tony?”
The instant she spoke his name, the shrill cry of the
telephone rang out like a startled sentry’s gun. Clutching her chest, Claire
gasped and stepped back.
With a sigh of exasperation, she decided to answer it and
groped for the light switch. As she did so, she noticed the room was dense with
the odor of Tony’s tobacco. Inhaling, she tried to ignore the vivid pictures
that rose to mind. She found the switch and flicked it and the room lit up.
The first thing Claire saw was the blood pooled on the dingy
carpet just inside the office door.
She froze. Dully she realized the phone had stopped ringing.
Then her ears picked up a new sound. In the hallway she had just vacated, she
heard the creaking of a door hinge followed by footsteps.
Footsteps that were coming closer.
Frantic, Claire snapped off the light and moved deeper into
the small office. Her hands groped in the dark for a weapon. Heavy, leather
bound books were everywhere. Gripping the smooth surface of a large, anonymous
text, Claire raised it above her head and waited.
A bulky silhouette filled the doorway as the hallway light
tumbled into the room. Though Claire had made no sound, it was clear she had
been spotted. Without a word, the figure lunged across the small office at her.
She brought the book down squarely on the intruder’s face and the corner of it
stabbed into his cheek.
She was tackled and thrown against the edge of the desk
while her attacker howled a curse at her blow. Claire struck him repeatedly
with the book.
As they both crashed to the floor, Claire beat him with
every bit of adrenaline pumping into her body. Then, quite suddenly, she knew
who it was cursing her in the dark. She recognized the strong hands that hugged
her waist, the wavy hair brushing against the tender skin on her arm.
Her body identified her captor even when her terrified mind
had not. “Let go of me, Tony. You’re hurting my arms.”
He was straddling her hips. She could now clearly see his eyes
in the dim light from the hall.
“Claire, what are you trying to do, kill me?”
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
Emelle will be awarding a $20 Amazon
or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a
$20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host. Additionally, Goddess Fish
Productions will be awarding a $5 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Emelle Gamble
became a writer at an early age. At six years old, she was bursting with the
requisite childhood stories of introspection, and this itch to tell tales
evolved into bad teen poetry and tortured short works that, thankfully, never
saw the light of day, or an editor’s red pen.
She took her
first stab at writing a novel in an adult education class in Mobile, Alabama
when her kids were in bed for the night. As ‘M.L. Gamble,’ she published
several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin Intrigue. She now publishes
novels of Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Situations with SoulMate Publishing
and Posh Publishing …works ranging from women’s fiction to thrillers and
romantic suspense.
Always
intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Gamble’s books feature an ordinary woman
confronted with an extraordinary situation. Emelle celebrates the adventurous
spirit of readers, and hopes each will enjoy the exciting and surprising
journeys her characters take.
Emelle lives
in suburban Washington D.C. with her hero of thirty years, Philip, and two
orange cats, Lucy and Bella. Like all good villains, the cats claim to have
their reasons for misbehaving. Her children are happily launched on their own
and are both contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.
Emelle
welcomes any reader interested in emailing her at emellegamble@aol.com and
hopes they will visit her website, www.EmelleGamble.com or her Author Emelle
Gamble FaceBook page.
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