EXCERPT
and GIVEAWAY
The Tempest Murders
by p. m.
terrell
The Tempest Murders is currently on tour with Reading Addiction Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a
giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
For another book by p.m. terrell, please see my blog post on The Pendulum Files, which also includes an interview with the
author.
Description
Detective Ryan O’Clery is working a series of homicides when he discovers
a journal kept by an uncle five generations earlier, detailing the same type of
murders as the Night of the Big Wind swept the Atlantic Ocean across Ireland in
1839.
As Hurricane Irene barrels toward the North Carolina coastline, Ryan
discovers even the killer’s description matches exactly. And as he falls in
love with television reporter Cathleen Reilly, he begins to wonder if she is
the reincarnation of Caitlyn O’Conor, the woman lost to the killer as the storm
raged in Ireland - and if he is the reincarnation of Constable Rian Kelly.
Now he’s in a race to rescue Cathleen before the killer finds her - or is
history destined to repeat itself?
A provocative story of a love that spans centuries, of soul mates found,
lost and reunited… and the lengths to which one man will go to change their
destinies.
One of four finalists in the 2013 USA Best Book Awards, cross-genre
category and a nominee for the 2014 International Book Awards.
Excerpt
“I know you too well,” Claire said. “You’re wanting the story of Caitlín
O’Conor, aren’t you?”
“Who?”
She smiled. “Her name was Caitlín O’Conor. She was supposedly the great
love of Ríán Kelly’s life. It was a star-crossed love story. Her father was a
prominent man in the village and Ríán was a ‘lowly county inspector’ and though
they were deeply in love, her father would not permit Ríán to ask for her hand
in marriage.”
He felt his chest tighten and he sipped his coffee to avoid Claire’s
piercing eyes.
“The tale is that they sneaked around for years; everybody knew it.
Everybody except Caitlín’s father, that is. They were madly in love.” She
sighed wistfully.
“What happened?” He kept his eyes on his coffee. “Did she marry someone
else?”
“Her father died. Quite unexpectedly. Heart simply stopped. And without
him in the way, they were clear to be married.” She brushed non-existent crumbs
from the countertop before continuing. “He asked for her hand in marriage on
New Year’s Eve. Let’s see, I believe it was 1838. Yes, that’s right. December 31, 1838 .”
“How can you be so certain of the date?”
“Because seven days later, Caitlín was dead.”
His head jerked up and he stared into Claire’s eyes. They were as green
as the fields of Ireland
“He’d gone to Dublin
“Ríán Kelly.”
“Aye. He’d been called away on business. And as Fate would have it, the
great flood came while he was gone and Caitlín was swept away. It was January
6, 1839 - Epiphany.” Her voice took on a whispered note as though she was
telling a ghost story. “There were those in the faith who had forecast the end
of the world would occur on January
6, 1839 - the day of Epiphany. So when the air grew completely still,
so still they could hear the voices of neighbors miles apart, there were some
who thought the end was near.”
He waited for her to continue. His cheeks were growing flush and he could
feel beads of sweat beginning to pop out across his brow. “What happened then?”
“By nightfall, there were gale force winds. They moved from the western
coast of Ireland Dublin
“Well, so the myth goes, Ríán Kelly left Dublin Ireland Atlantic
into a fury and pushed it all the way across the island. Streams and creeks
became raging rivers. Whole villages were wiped out. Even some of the castles
were beyond repair.”
He rested his elbows on the counter and put his head in his hands.
“You’re sure you don’t want to lie down, Re? You look as if you might
faint.”
“I’m fine,” he said. “What happened when Ríán Kelly reached his village?”
“It was gone. Oh, there were a few buildings still intact. The church,
for one. But Caitlín O’Conor’s home had been washed away. There was no sign of
Caitlín.”
“So that’s where the story ends, does it?”
“Oh, no. I suppose it’s where it just begins.”
Featured Review
The Tempest Murders is an excellent read on
many levels. It pulls you in immediately, has elements of synchronicity
involving time and relationships, plenty of romance, and just enough excitement
to make you hesitate to put the book down so you can read "just one more
chapter". The book starts out in Ireland in 1839 with a terrible storm and
a frightening situation being faced by a desperate man who returns to his
storm-ravaged village to find his beloved Cait missing. Nobody knows if the
storm somehow swept her away or if the killer who was in their midst had taken
her as his next victim. Flash forward to North Carolina in 2011 when the
circumstances are eerily familiar and equally intriguing. The Tempest Murders will make you consider the possibility of
history repeating itself through time reuniting not only situations but
relationships - ones that never really die. Another excellent offering of
thriller/romance from author p.m.terrell.
About the Author
Prior to becoming a
full-time writer, she founded and operated two computer companies in the
Washington, DC area. Her specialties were computer crime and computer
intelligence and her clients included the CIA, Secret Service and Department of
Defense. Computer technology often weaves its way through her contemporary
suspense/thrillers.
She is also the
co-founder of The Book 'Em Foundation and the founder of The Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair, an annual event to raise money for
literacy campaigns. She also serves on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library and the Robeson County Arts Council, and served as the
first female president for the Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a beautiful Celtic knot
necklace. The author will award this prize to one random commenter during the
tour, so follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the
better your chances of winning (ends 29 August).
Links
