HAPPY BOOK SALE SUNDAY, DEAR READERS.
This week featuring 30 FREE and sale-priced mysteries from London to New Orleans.
From SILHOUETTE, FREE TODAY AT AMAZON!Â
A WHITE VAN WITH a faded name and logo turned onto Poydras Street toward Tchoupitoulas, crawled through the city—Camp, Canal, Rampart, St. Claude becoming Forty Six Highway—bouncing and swaying on bad shocks.
Swaddled in King’s sheets and a painters tarp and lying on her back in the rear of the van separated from its two drivers, Amanda Claiborne was alive but unconscious. Her assailant didn’t check her pulse. She looked dead and when they carried her out in the tarp, she stayed looking dead. Â
Billy Bardeen turned the van onto St. Bernard Highway, following it to LA-39. Mary Peach saw the flashing blue lights out the rear view mirror.
“Shit!”
“Not what we need.” Â
The state trooper sped up. They slowed and pulled off the road. They heard the trooper step out of her car, saw the flashlight in her belt alongside the van.
“Afternoon, ma’am,” Billy said when she came to the window.
“You were—” But before she could finish, he floored the van backward, crashing into the patrol car and driving it off the road and into a watery ditch. The dazed trooper jumped back, drew her firearm and hollered “halt!” But the van sped away. She didn’t fire for fear of hitting anyone she couldn’t see.
“That was way close,” Mary said.
They pulled onto Ransome Road, to the same cluster of rusty warehouses Ben and Steingraff examined. They parked, slipped on latex gloves, unloaded Amanda, and dragged her toward the warehouse. Mary Peach opened the door with a key. They closed the door and dragged her to the stainless steel table. Billy took her head, Mary took her feet.
“Up we go,” Billy said.
They started to lift when a loud “freeze,” stopped them. Billy saw Teresa Steingraff poised to fire her sidearm.
“Lower that sack carefully and put your hands on your heads,” she said. Billy stared at Steingraff. Mary started turning.
“Don’t look at her,” Billy said.
“Lower the sack, hands on your heads. Do it!” Steingraff said.
They lowered Amanda and as her head touched the floor, Billy twisted, his hands flew behind his waist, and Steingraff fired when she saw the gun emerge.
Mary dove and fired her own gun, at Steingraff, at the wall, the ceiling, something dark in a corner. Steingraff returned fire. More shots, the sound of ricochets, then silence.
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FREE ON AMAZON: The Girl for the Gold: An addictive laugh-out-loud cosy noir mystery set in the golden age of crime
As part of this month's BookFunnel British mysteries sale, meet the man Amazon reader Ade G. calls "the wonderful private eye, Rusty Macduff.
"Rusty arrives at the great house, 3 weeks after the kidnapping of the Duke of Pirbright's only daughter, Hattie. He is hired not to investigate her disappearance, but purely to transport the ransom to the kidnappers after many demanding letters.
"The police had already investigated the kidnapping and were taking no further action (but why?).
"Needless to say things start going wrong almost from the minute he arrives at the house. Rusty decides as he has 48 hours till the handover of the ransom and he has nothing to lose, he may as well investigate the kidnapping, despite the Duke calling in all the Great Detectives of the era and dismissing Rusty.
"This book is well written and moves along at a tremendous pace. The character of Rusty is a joy to follow through the twists and turns of this investigation.
"I loved the period feel, the setting (rural southern England) and the humour in the novel."
GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE GIRL FOR THE GOLD
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‍FREE ON AMAZON: SPRUCED UP FOR MURDER
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Here's how one reader sums up the story:
Lady Beatrice, Countess of Rossex, is the reclusive, widowed niece of the king.
Fourteen years ago, her husband was killed in an automobile accident, with another woman in the car. Lady Beatrice was very young at the time and the ensuing feeding frenzy by the press caused her to become almost a hermit.
To help bring her out of her shell, her sister, Lady Sarah, cajoles her into taking on an interior decorating project at Francis Court.
Perry Juke has worked at Francis Court for several years and is now assistant to Lady Sarah. Lady Sarah thinks Perry and this project are just what Lady Beatrice needs to bring her out of hiding.
Even though he thinks Lady Beatrice is cold, snooty, and aloof, Perry agrees to the task. Perry’s partner, Simon Lattimore (a famous crime writer), reminds Perry that there could be other reasons for Lady Beatrice to appear cold and aloof.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam was part of the team who originally investigated the death of Lady Beatrice’s husband. Now, he is back investigating a new murder and as soon as he and Lady Beatrice are on the same turf, the hostilities begin.
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And what other readers have to say:Â
"Certainly a unique concept for a cozy murder mystery."
"An excellent mix of humor and drama. The chemistry between all of the characters was realistic and I was sure I’d like them if I ever met them in real life.
"If you're looking for a cosy, easy read, look no further than this first book by Helen Gold, a new girl on the block. Thought I might find it a bit too "chicklit" but it got better and better. Must admit to wanting to slap Perry on numerous occasions!"
"A gentle murder mystery involving a fictitious royal family. Not my normal genre but wanted a relaxing book to escape into and this was perfect."
"Perfect for those long winter nights. The plot had me guessing all the way through."
GET YOUR FREE COPY OF SPRUCED UP FOR MURDER
https://books.bookfunnel.com/ukmysteriesjan2023/47dqpf77y5
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Also by Michael Martin
THE FIRES OF LILLIPUT
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PZDFMWY
A very different story of the Shoah.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The fictional story of a a Catholic saint, a stigmatic, who was a simple person, and through his very simplicity he protected, cared for, and saved the lives of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, and then in the camps.
The conditions in the Ghetto and the camps are plainly and powerfully described, as are the actions of the characters for good and evil.
It is a reminder of what people can endure and survive.
I also learned something about stigmatics and the procedures for making a saint, as well as the desire of the Catholic hierarchy to find saints within the Holocaust because of their refusal to speak with one voice against the Nazi nightmare in 1938, when it might have mattered.
I did not enjoy this book. It is not that kind of book. But it remains with me.
-- Elisheva H. Levin, Amazon reader
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Thank you so much for reading! Until next time,
Michael Martin
2,513 subscribers
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