Yvonne
This is a meme for all you page surfers out there!
TEASER EXTRACT
KINDLE 51%
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The morning was dragging. A meeting with Fr. Pete, more photos of the safe with the display case that had housed the relics, a call to the company to have its specifications sent, and sitting around waiting on three interviewees – all three of which didn’t show up – one forgot and the other was out ill and he couldn’t reach the third. He was going a little stir crazy. He had especially hoped to talk with the cook but she was fighting off a sinus infection. Working that closely to the back alley, he hoped she might have seen something before the theft. If it wasn’t the driver in the black limo, someone might have been casing the place a day or so ahead of time … or maybe he needed to return to the idea of it being an inside job. He was just about ready to take a lunch break when his phone vibrated.
“Dan? I’m assuming I can call you Dan? This is Liz Levine, OMI,”
“Of course, I’m hoping you’re going to tell me that Swiss Army Knife was just loaded with prints and you have a name for me.”
“Better than that. Did I catch you at a bad time? I’m hoping I can lure you out to the lab over lunch. I’m good for something from the food truck as long as you like Mexican.”
“Sure. If you can spring for some pork tacos, I’ll reimburse.”
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If you still need to know more, check out those all important opening lines here
Just to help you get everything into some context – check out the premise below.
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EPIPHANY
It’s Christmas in St. Augustine, where Dan and Elaine Mahoney are taking an extended honeymoon. But not all is sunny in Florida when Dan’s company sends him to investigate the theft of 1.2 million dollars’ worth of religious relics from the famed Basilica. Immediately, he knows it won’t be easy to track down the missing items—far too many people had access to the safe where they were stored when not on display for the parishioners. And although the church and rectory were filled with people, when Dan questions them, it seems no one saw a thing.
Adding another wrinkle to their newlywed life is the fact that Dan’s mother has moved to a small town up the road. Dragon’s Bend is known for the fact that everyone who lives there is involved in the spiritual realm—from seers to gurus. Most are sincere practitioners in their beliefs, but some … not so much. Is Maggie Mahoney’s new job giving tarot readings at the Center for Spiritual Learning a legit way for her to help those who want to find deeper meaning in their lives? Or is she becoming caught up in something far darker?
A visit from Elaine’s son Jason brings the family together for a fun Mahoney Christmas, but not before there’s a murder in Dragon’s Bend. The clues finally come together and the scope of the crimes goes far beyond anything Dan could have imagined.
Author SUSAN SLATER
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at ‘The Purple Booker‘. Each week she shares her own teaser lines and invites other bloggers to do the same. So if you have a few moments, why not stop by and see what’s on offer this time, after all, you never know where that next great read is going to come from!
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Hi Yvonne, Hope your well.
What sounds like a book I’d enjoy (vicars seem to have become very popular book characters of late), I loved the extract you shared. Definitely one I’ll be adding to my Wish List, it would make a refreshing addition to my December Christmas themed reads … Please don’t tell me its only available as a digital read (wish me luck, I’m away to find out).
Hi Felicity,
There are so many layers to this story, that I am almost certain you would enjoy it.
Despite the fact that this is book #4 in the series, for me ‘Epiphany’ works fine as a stand alone story, as the back story is woven into the fabric of this new story in an almost seamless way, so that catching up with the characters is easy and enjoyable.
I’m afraid that I only have a digital copy of the book, or I would have sent it on up to you. However it is available as a paperback from Amazon (unfortunately, at quite a hefty price). Perhaps the library can order you a copy?
I hope you manage to source a copy from somewhere and thanks for stopping by 🙂
Though it does sound like one I’d enjoy, I’m not letting myself get started in any more new series until I catch up in those I currently read. Plus… I have book #1 in several others waiting in my TBR!!
This one has a bright, eye-catching cover!
Hi Kelly,
I entirely understand your thinking about playing catch-up with another new series, although as I told Felicity, this one does work absolutely fine as a stand alone, but I respect that this just isn’t how you like your reading to be!
I am really enjoying Susan’s style of writing, however both that, and the eye-catching cover, do rather belie the rather difficult and distressing nature of the crimes which the story uncovers!
A strong tagline on the cover might also have been good, as I might struggle to give this review a title.
I don’t mean this to sound too nitpicky in any way, as I am thoroughly enjoying the read and would definitely recommend the series 🙂
This one sounds intriguing, enjoy it when you read it. That first bit you shared has me wanting good food from a food truck. We usually find a few good ones during the summer months at festivals.
I have to say that I seldom eat hotdogs or burgers, but when we go to shows or festivals, I am always tempted, as they smell so appealing when we walk past the food wagons.
Hubbie and his fellow office workers found a noodles van, which parked up close to where they work, so that became a regular lunchtime snack. I think they finally realised, that not only was it costing them real money eating like that every day, but they all started to put on weight, as the portions were huge!
I am at about 80% done with this book now and things are starting to come together nicely, although not in the way I had anticipated! A great storyline, dealt with seriously, but not written with too heavy a hand!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I haven’t heard of this one, but it sounds really great and I like what I’ve read so far.
Ash @ JennReneeRead
Hi Ash,
Thanks for visiting Fiction Books this week. I enjoy discovering new blogs to visit and whilst we may not always enjoy reading so much from all the genres which are featured, discovering some new and amazing cover art and great new authors, is always fun to do!
I am still deciding where this story fits in on the crime / thriller spectrum, as it is far too serious to be in any way classified as a ‘cozy’ mystery. However the style of writing and characters are so easy to connect with, that the story moves along relatively easily and the pages seem to be turning themselves.
I hope that you both enjoy your February reading 🙂