EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
The Secluded Village Murders
by Shelly Frome
The Secluded Village Murders by Shelly Frome is currently on tour with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
For tour guide Emily Ryder, the turning point came on that fatal early morning when her beloved mentor met an untimely death. It’s labeled as an accident and Trooper Dave Roberts is more interested in Emily than in any suspicions over Chris Cooper’s death. For Emily, if Chris hadn’t been the Village Planner and the only man standing in the way of the development of an apartment and entertainment complex in their quaint village of Lydfield, Connecticut, she might have believed it was an accident, but too many pieces didn’t fit.
As Emily heads across the pond for a prescheduled tour of Lydfield’s sister village, Lydfield-in-the-Moor, she discovers that the murderer may be closer than she thought.
Excerpt
Picking up speed, she passed the rows of Victorian houses with their pilastered front porches and attached shutters in homage to last century’s Colonial Revival. She’d grown up here, always lived here except for college and her transatlantic jaunts. But at this moment, her village might as well be a scattering of old photos.
Before she knew it, the rain was beating down harder, her wiper blades barely able to keep up. Among the nagging questions flitting through her mind was how could Miranda Shaw have suddenly gotten wind of her leaking roof? Or did somebody just put her up to it, to get Chris rushing pell- mell in the rain so he would . . .
Emily eased her foot off the pedal, barely able to see through the downpour. She switched the wipers on high and kept her eyes on the road, intent on avoiding an accident.
Minutes later, she pulled into Miranda Shaw’s place at a slow but steady crawl. As she reached the circular drive, straining her eyes through the thwacking blades, she peered up two stories above the stone archway.
There she caught sight of the familiar gangly figure climbing higher toward the peak of an eight-sided turret. At a point where the grayish-blue slate, copper flashing, and a mullioned window merged, the figure suddenly became a shuddering blur.
Emily honked her horn, blasting as loud as she could. But it was too late. The figure flopped over and slid down the turret, glanced off the aluminum ladder and toppled like a broken doll.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“The author had a great way of creating developed characters that felt like people you know and see around - which made the twist at the end all the more sweet. Especially with the dialogue! Those familiar with small-town Connecticut will appreciate the setting and find it familiar. All the right details are there to figure out the mystery - will you figure it out before the end? Highly recommend.” ~ Olivia Earnshaw
“I would call this an oddball mystery. The wit is dry and obscure. Clues are hidden in plain sight, if you are clever enough to notice them. I would not recommend trying to read this and another book at the same time. This mystery requires focus. I enjoyed it.” ~ Laura S Reading
“I really enjoyed this British cozy with the twist of having a young American as the amateur sleuth. The characters were well written, the setting sounded divine and the story had plenty of twists and turns.” ~ Mary Nickell
“If you prefer your murder mysteries to have more twists and turns than a steep mountain trail, The Secluded Village Murders is just what you’re looking for.” ~ R. V. Helms
“This is a classic British mystery in the great tradition of British mysteries. […] This had a very lovely setting, nice characters and a good plot. I enjoyed this new mystery and look forward to further work by this author. […] A enjoyable read!” ~ M. Davis
About the Author
Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He is also a features writer for Gannett Media. His fiction includes Sun Dance forAndy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, Murder Run, and The Secluded Village Murders. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on The Art and Craft of Screenwriting and writing for the stage. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card.
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