Tag: murder mystery

Book Brief: Born to Die – The Montauk Murders

The Montauk MurdersBorn to Die: The Montauk Murders
by L.A. Lewandowski
Genre of this Book: Murder Mystery
Word count: 80,000

Born to Die – The Montauk Murders is set amongst the glitz and glamour of the Beau Monde. The 80th birthday of Miranda Richards, an art-world icon, boasts the party of the summer at her exclusive mansion on Long Island. Old resentments and convoluted relationships bubble to the surface as an eclectic, A-list cast of characters celebrate at a Masked Ball. The luxurious trappings of success, however, don’t hinder the agenda of an invited guest with a score to settle. Friends and family are left to wonder— Will I be next? Follow Detective Steele as he sifts through the evidence before the killer strikes again.

Born to Die – The Montauk Murders is available for Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Continue reading “Book Brief: Born to Die – The Montauk Murders”

Sneak Peek: Death on a Dig

Today we have a sneak peek from the murder mystery by Lois Browne: Death on a Dig.

When a neighbour begs Gwen Madden to head to Mexico to search for her daughter, missing from an archaeological dig, Gwen doesn’t hesitate.

Within 24 hours she is in the Oaxaca Valley tracking Alicia Lester and trying to sort the truth from lies about a trove of stolen artifacts. Before long people have begun to die.

The motive for murder isn’t clear, which is why Gwen is counted among the suspects. Unable to leave while the official investigation is underway, Gwen continues to ask her own questions, even when it becomes apparent she may be the killer’s next target.

Death on a Dig is available from Amazon, Smashwords, and Amazon UK.

Here is an excerpt from Death on a Dig…

Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Death on a Dig”

Finding Beta Readers

The process of converting a first draft of a manuscript to a polished novel is a daunting one. The manuscript is like a cake; the batter is mixed, but the wet and dry ingredients may not yet be smoothly combined. Once this mixing is finished we still need to bake the batter, cool the cake and ice it. Beta listeners and readers are a critical resource to consult during this creative process.

Having a beta listener is a great way to start. If you are like me, when you are writing the first draft several options or plot directions will be available. It is immensely helpful to have a person who will listen while you talk through a plot twist. Speaking out loud to an attentive listener will often clarify the best direction.

Beta readers are also known as manuscript doctors. Laurie Boris has given tips on how best to direct a beta reader. A beta reader must know what their specific job is with regard to your manuscript. Handing your manuscript to three friends who love you and asking for general feedback will rarely net you any constructive criticism. This is the point in the process where you need a thick skin and an open mind. It is better to find, for example, a timeline problem now than have it pointed out in a review on Amazon.

The question is; where can you find several people who will be happy to read your rough diamond and feel comfortable giving you constructive criticism? It is easier than you may think. Continue reading “Finding Beta Readers”

Sneak Peek: Scrambled

Scrambled
by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

What happens to an unhappy woman who leaves her husband only to discover that she may have just made a terrible mistake? So horrible, her choice threatens to end her very life?

Susan believes that the grass is greener on the other side. Not that her current life is bad, necessarily; it’s just boring and lifeless, kind of like the old matted rug on her dining room floor. Susan thinks her marriage has just grown – well, old. Her husband, Bob, has gained tremendous weight and continues to gain, and his health suffers. She must work at a job she hates full-time to provide the little sustenance they have. He, on the other hand, works very little (because of his health) and prefers spending his days watching television or surfing the Internet. Besides, there’s her problem of not getting pregnant that can’t help but contribute to his unhappiness.

Can Susan continue to live her life at the hotel knowing that she might be killed herself or imprisoned for life? Will she be able to find the real murderer with the help of the eccentric Ms. Martha Boaz?

Scrambled is available through Amazon.com, Amazon UK and Barnes & Noble.

And now, an excerpt from Scrambled: Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Scrambled”