Blog Archives
The Rightful Future (A Cadence Mystery #1)
Dianne L. Hagan’s The Rightful Future is a compelling blend of murder mystery, historical fiction, and social commentary that explores how the past continues to shape the present. Set in the fictional town of Cadence, New York, the story follows Marian Greene, a retired librarian who has traded her demanding career in Syracuse for what she hopes will be a quieter life alongside her husband, Lester. That peace disappears when Marian discovers the brutally murdered body of Joseph Endicott in the town library. The disturbing circumstances surrounding his death raise questions that extend well beyond the crime scene. As Marian begins digging into the mystery, she discovers that Cadence has a complicated history filled with secrets, long-standing grievances, and connections that some residents would prefer to leave undisturbed. Hagan builds a story in which a single murder opens the door to a much larger examination of a community’s identity.
Marian is an engaging protagonist whose curiosity and determination make her a natural fit for a female sleuth mystery. She’s intelligent, outspoken, occasionally impulsive, and wonderfully human in the way she reacts to unexpected situations. Her background as a librarian gives her an appreciation for research, historical documents, and the details that others might overlook. Her relationship with Lester is another appealing part of the novel. After decades of marriage, the two share a comfortable familiarity filled with affection, teasing, disagreements, and genuine concern for each other’s well-being. Lester’s experiences as a Black firefighter and Marian’s perspective as his white wife add important dimensions to their interactions with the people of Cadence. Their marriage gives the story emotional substance, while their exchanges provide welcome moments of humor amid the more troubling developments. Supporting characters, including law enforcement officers, eccentric townspeople, and members of the couple’s family, contribute to the community’s distinctive personality.
Through Marian’s investigations, readers encounter questions about racial violence, white supremacy, Indigenous history, family ancestry, and the ways communities preserve or conceal their past. The novel draws connections between historical injustice and contemporary events, including the political and social tensions surrounding 2020 and 2021. These subjects give the historical mystery fiction a sense of purpose that extends beyond discovering who committed a crime. Hagan’s attention to archival research is especially effective because it demonstrates how documents, family records, and seemingly insignificant details can change our understanding of familiar places. The narrative moves between tense investigative developments and thoughtful conversations about equality, belonging, and the meaning of justice. Its historical passages invite readers to consider whose stories get recorded, whose experiences are overlooked, and why uncovering the truth matters.
What made The Rightful Future memorable to me was its combination of suspense, personal relationships, and an ambitious vision of community. Hagan gives Cadence a rich sense of place, from its library and local businesses to its lakeside setting and the old properties that hold generations of history. The mystery provides momentum, while Marian’s discoveries encourage reflection on how people respond when their understanding of the past is challenged. The novel also explores hope as something connected to choices, responsibility, and the willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Readers who enjoy historical fiction, thought-provoking murder mysteries, and women sleuth mysteries with strong social themes will find plenty to engage with here. Hagan has created a story that encourages discussion about history, identity, and the kind of future people can build together. The Rightful Future is an absorbing mystery with a thoughtful message about the importance of remembering the past while working toward a more equitable world.
Pages: 276 | ASIN : B0B54L496C
Sitting In A Coffee Shop
Charred follows a Chicago café owner who tries to solve a deadly mystery while juggling family, friendship, and a romance with the detective on the case. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
During my cancer battle, I read one or two mysteries every week and I began to think about writing one. Then, when I was recovering from cancer, the few times I got out of the apartment involved visiting coffee shops in my Chicago neighborhood. I spent a lot of time sipping tea, listening to the buzz of conversation, and people-watching. I set the Whipped & Sipped culinary mystery series in the kind of café I wish existed nearby!
How has Alene Baron changed throughout the series, particularly in the way she handles responsibility, relationships, and difficult decisions?
At the opening of Battered, the first book in the series, Alene has been divorced for eight years, lives with her three children at her dad’s condo, and counts on her community of friends and neighbors for support. When a beloved neighbor is murdered, she panics about her world crumbling around her and suspects everyone she knows. She learns a lot from the experience, and she starts dating a homicide detective, so the next time she’s forced to grapple with a crime, she’s able to spend less time pointing fingers and more time listening, accepting advice, and focusing on the most important people in her life.
How did you develop the relationship between Alene and homicide detective Frank Shaw, particularly the tension between their personal and professional lives?
I recalled my years as a single mom, remembered falling in love and finding second-time happiness, and shared my personal recollections of re-building a family. The tension between Frank and Alene might have been triggered by my own story, but it’s also a result of countless conversations with friends and relatives who also dealt with finding a new partner at a later stage of life.
How has your vision for the Whipped and Sipped mystery series evolved over the first three books, and where do you see it going in the future?
I envisioned Alene finding Frank, getting engaged, and needing to postpone the wedding because of one thing after another, but building a life together. He’s a solid, wonderful presence for her children, and she’s a solid, wonderful presence for his daughter. Book #4 in the series, Pounded, will launch March 16, 2027, and I’m over halfway through a first draft of book #5, Grilled, which will hopefully launch in the spring of 2028. After that, I plan to pause the Whipped & Sipped saga to focus on other projects, including to polish and publish the children’s books and songs I’ve been writing for my grandchildren.
Author Links: GoodReads | Substack | BlueSky | Instagram | Facebook | Website
At the Whipped and Sipped Café, Alene Baron knows how to handle a kitchen fire—but this blaze may burn far beyond her control.
When a suspicious fire draws Alene, her loyal friend Kacey, and Kacey’s boyfriend Kofi to a charred property in search of salvaged wood, they expect nothing more than a little trespassing and a lot of soot. Instead, whispers of arson swirl through their tight-knit community—and before long, a body turns up amid the ashes.
Kofi fears the police will come knocking. Kacey fears someone saw them. And Alene is caught in the middle, torn between protecting the people she loves and telling the truth to her partner, homicide detective Frank. Shaw Because in this town, secrets don’t stay buried. They smolder.
As suspicion spreads and tensions rise, Alene must sift through half-truths, family loyalties, and long-simmering grudges to uncover what really happened the night of the fire. With her café bustling, her children and father offering heartfelt (if sometimes chaotic) support, and a community on edge, she’ll need every ounce of patience—and every recipe in her arsenal—to keep things from going up in flames.
Rich with mouthwatering dishes, sharp dialogue, and emotional depth, Charred serves up a mystery that’s both frightful and fun—complete with a twist that will leave readers deliciously stunned.
Book 3 in the Whipped and Sipped
Cozy Culinary Mystery Series
Barracuda Bay: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novel
Carmen Amato’s Barracuda Bay plunges readers into a world where murder, political ambition, and organized crime collide, and where doing the right thing can carry a devastating personal price. Detective Emilia Cruz is back on the streets of Acapulco, investigating the murder of Monica Montoya, sister of the city’s powerful mayor, Carlota Montoya Perez. Monica’s body has been discovered inside a vacant luxury apartment building, surrounded by questions that grow more troubling with every new lead. Why was she there? Who had access to the building? And what was the real purpose of the gathering that preceded her death? With the mayor’s reelection campaign in full swing, Emilia faces tremendous pressure to deliver answers. What begins as a high-profile homicide investigation soon opens the door to something far more dangerous, drawing Emilia into a tangled network of secrets whose reach extends well beyond Mexico.
Emilia is the beating heart of this novel, and she’s exactly the kind of character who makes a long-running mystery series worth following. She’s stubborn, perceptive, sometimes impulsive, and fiercely committed to people who might otherwise be forgotten. Her determination to find justice for murdered and missing women gives her work an emotional weight that goes far beyond solving a single case. Amato also gives Emilia a deeply complicated personal life. Her engagement to hotel manager Kurt Rucker should be a source of uncomplicated happiness, but a police department ruling threatens to force her to choose between marriage and her career. Her relationship with fellow detective Franco Silvio faces its own strains, while unresolved wounds involving her estranged half-brother, Rafa Gamboa, add another layer of emotional tension. These relationships feel lived-in, full of affection, resentment, loyalty, and the kind of arguments that only happen when people genuinely matter to one another.
One of the book’s greatest pleasures is Amato’s ability to make Acapulco feel like a living, breathing character. The glittering hotels, exclusive hillside neighborhoods, noisy taquerias, and sun-drenched coastline share space with police corruption, cartel influence, and a political establishment adept at protecting itself. Amato captures the city’s contradictions through telling details, from the food and street life to the uneasy coexistence of wealth and hardship. When the investigation carries Emilia into the United States, the shift in climate and culture brings fresh energy to the story. Emilia’s resourcefulness becomes especially compelling as familiar rules and protections fall away. The procedural elements are equally satisfying. Phone records, witness interviews, financial connections, and small inconsistencies gradually build a complicated picture. Amato understands that good detective work requires patience, instinct, and the willingness to ask one more question when everyone else is ready to move on.
Barracuda Bay delivers an absorbing combination of police procedural, political thriller, and character-driven suspense. Its action sequences have real urgency, its quieter conversations reveal just as much as its confrontations, and its moral dilemmas linger because the consequences feel personal. Amato has a particularly sharp eye for the ways power can influence justice, and she explores those tensions through characters who must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice for their principles. Emilia’s courage is compelling because it exists alongside fear, anger, uncertainty, and an intensely human desire for love and belonging. Readers who enjoy smart, internationally flavored crime fiction with a strong emotional center will find plenty to appreciate here. In Barracuda Bay, Carmen Amato gives us a detective with the courage to confront powerful enemies and the heart to remind us why justice is worth fighting for.
Pages: 395 | ASIN: B0DVQ75QBT
Lady Ghost
In Lady Ghost, Kara Jacobson blends historical romance, supernatural mystery, and family drama into an emotionally engaging story about love, loss, and the connections that endure beyond death. Set primarily in Red Wing, Minnesota, the novel begins in 2019, when Mike Johnston, a maintenance worker at the abandoned St. John’s Hospital, encounters a mysterious red-haired apparition. Mike has inherited an unusual ability to perceive spirits, a family trait his grandmother once described with the words, “You’ve got the gift, child.” His unexpected encounter leads him to Alan Cross, an elderly former teacher whose beloved wife, Mae, died decades earlier. When Mike approaches Alan with a message from the ghost, an extraordinary story begins to unfold. Through Alan’s recollections, Jacobson transports readers to the late 1960s, where a young man’s encounter with a captivating woman sets the course for a romance shaped by devotion, ambition, and circumstances beyond their control. The novel’s movement between past and present gives its supernatural premise a deeply personal foundation.
I think the novel’s appeal comes from Jacobson’s affectionate portrayal of Alan and Mae’s relationship. Alan is introduced as a hardworking, intellectually curious teenager who dreams of attending college and building a future beyond his family’s dairy farm. Mae, also known as Mabel Swan, is a spirited young woman from a wealthy family whose artistic ambitions and independent personality make her an intriguing counterpart to Alan. Their different backgrounds introduce questions of social expectations, family obligations, and personal fulfillment. Jacobson develops their relationship through memorable everyday experiences, from youthful outings and family gatherings to shared conversations about their hopes for the future. Mae’s enthusiasm for theater and painting adds dimension to her character, while Alan’s loyalty, determination, and occasional awkwardness make him an endearing romantic lead. Their story captures the exhilaration of young love while gradually exploring the responsibilities and difficult choices that accompany a lasting commitment.
Jacobson brings considerable attention to the novel’s Midwestern setting, grounding its romance and supernatural elements in a recognizable social and historical environment. The descriptions of dairy farming, factory work, small-town celebrations, and changing cultural expectations create a vivid portrait of American life during the late 1960s. Period details, including clothing, automobiles, music, and entertainment, contribute to the atmosphere without overwhelming the characters’ experiences. The narrative also incorporates humor, particularly through Mike’s uneasy relationship with his newfound spiritual abilities and the lively exchanges among Alan’s family and friends. These lighter moments complement the story’s more emotional developments. As the narrative progresses, the paranormal elements introduce an increasingly intriguing mystery involving memory, spiritual communication, and unresolved questions from the past. Jacobson’s storytelling is descriptive and accessible, with a cinematic quality that makes intimate romantic scenes and ghostly encounters equally easy to envision.
Lady Ghost is a novel about the enduring influence of love and the ways relationships continue to shape people across generations. Jacobson explores grief, forgiveness, faith, and the search for meaning through characters whose lives are connected by both ordinary human experiences and extraordinary spiritual events. The recurring importance of personal keepsakes, family bonds, and artistic expression gives the story emotional continuity across its shifting timelines. Mike’s involvement adds another perspective, allowing readers to witness the significance of Alan and Mae’s history through someone encountering it many years later. The ghost’s simple request, “Bring me my beloved, my Alan,” captures the longing that drives the narrative and gives its supernatural mystery an unmistakably romantic purpose. With its combination of heartfelt relationships, evocative historical detail, humor, and spiritual intrigue, Lady Ghost offers a moving reading experience for audiences drawn to love stories that explore memory, mortality, and the possibility of connections extending beyond a single lifetime.
Pages: 275 | ASIN : B0HJJLGQDL
A Child’s Guillotine
A Child’s Guillotine is a dark and unsettling historical crime thriller that combines a small-town murder mystery with the lingering horrors of World War II. Set in the Tennessee foothills in 1982, the story begins with the shocking discovery of a young girl’s body in the quiet community of Davis Mill. It’s a crime that rattles a town where serious violence has been almost unheard of for decades. Detective Wayne Morris, a former Detroit investigator hoping for a quieter life, finds himself confronting a case more disturbing than anything he expected to encounter in rural Tennessee. Working alongside FBI Agent Henderson, Morris follows a trail of unusual evidence, suspicious behavior, and troubling connections to European history. What begins as a murder investigation develops into a psychological thriller about buried secrets, moral responsibility, and the ways past atrocities can reach across generations.
One of the book’s most significant characters is Jasek Pelko, an elderly Croatian immigrant whose peculiar behavior and mysterious woodworking projects attract the investigators’ attention. His experiences during World War II provide the foundation for the novel’s historical fiction elements, particularly its exploration of the atrocities committed at the Jasenovac concentration camp. Through Pelko’s memories, the narrative examines survival, guilt, coercion, and the devastating psychological consequences of participating in events beyond one’s control. These historical passages give the crime thriller considerable emotional weight and introduce questions about personal accountability that extend well beyond the immediate investigation. The contrast between Pelko’s traumatic memories and the seemingly peaceful Tennessee countryside creates an especially disturbing atmosphere. His complicated relationship with his past makes him a fascinating character whose presence brings historical tragedy directly into the contemporary mystery.
The investigative side of A Child’s Guillotine benefits from an entertaining cast of characters and a strong sense of place. Morris is a particularly interesting protagonist, a flawed detective struggling with alcohol, personal regrets, and the challenge of adjusting to a community where everybody seems to know everybody else’s business. His partnership with the methodical Henderson brings personality to the police procedural elements, especially as their investigative approaches occasionally clash. The supporting characters, including local shopkeepers, teenagers, politicians, and townspeople, contribute to the story’s mixture of suspicion, gossip, and unexpected humor. There’s a distinctly conversational quality to much of the dialogue, and the occasional comic exchange offers some relief from the novel’s grim subject matter. The storytelling moves between different perspectives and historical periods, sometimes with abrupt transitions that heighten the story’s restless energy. As the investigation becomes increasingly urgent, seemingly ordinary encounters begin to carry greater significance.
A Child’s Guillotine is a historical mystery and psychological crime thriller concerned with the consequences of cruelty and the difficult choices people make when confronted with evil. The novel deals with exceptionally disturbing material, including violence against children, wartime atrocities, and the abuse of power, giving it a consistently dark emotional atmosphere. Yet it also finds room to examine compassion, courage, loyalty, and the possibility of personal redemption. The connection between historical violence and contemporary criminal behavior gives the narrative a distinctive identity, while its emphasis on damaged individuals adds a human dimension to the suspense. Readers who enjoy historical thrillers, murder mysteries, and crime fiction with morally complicated characters will find plenty to consider here. A Child’s Guillotine offers a chilling exploration of how the past can shape the present, leaving readers with questions about conscience, justice, and what it means to remain human in the face of unimaginable cruelty.
Such Terrible Crimes
Everywhere That Tommy Goes follows a young man accused of being a serial killer who has to uncover the truth about his mysterious friend and troubled past before he discovers whether he’s innocent. The novel is inspired by actual events. How did those events influence the story, and how did you determine where to introduce fictional elements?
The inspiration for Everywhere That Tommy Goes came, in part, from the horrifying discoveries surrounding the Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island, New York. Having lived on Long Island for many years, I found the idea that such terrible crimes could occur in seemingly ordinary surroundings both fascinating and deeply disturbing.
But I never intended to write a fictionalized account of those actual murders. Instead, I wanted to explore something that I found even more unsettling: What happens when someone is accused of horrific crimes and can’t be entirely certain of his own innocence?
That’s where Tommy Sullivan’s story began. I took the atmosphere of fear, suspicion, and mystery surrounding real events and built an entirely fictional psychological thriller around it. Tommy’s troubled childhood, his mysterious friendship with Troyer Savage, and his increasingly disturbing memory lapses all became pieces of a much larger puzzle.
As a novelist, I believe reality provides the inspiration, but fiction gives us the freedom to explore the darkest corners of human nature. My goal was to create a story in which readers would constantly question what was real, what was imagined, and who could ultimately be trusted.
How does the contrast between Tommy’s insecurity and Troyer’s confidence shape the power dynamics of their relationship?
I think the relationship between Tommy and Troyer is one of the most intriguing psychological elements of the novel. Tommy is a deeply troubled young man, emotionally vulnerable and haunted by experiences from his childhood that he doesn’t fully understand. Troyer, on the other hand, appears self-assured, charismatic, and completely comfortable in his own skin.
That contrast creates an immediate imbalance in their relationship. Tommy sees in Troyer many of the qualities he wishes he possessed himself. He’s drawn to Troyer’s confidence, and that admiration makes him particularly susceptible to Troyer’s influence.
But there’s an important question running beneath their friendship: Is Troyer genuinely trying to help Tommy, or is there something more sinister behind his interest in him?
I wanted readers to recognize how easily admiration can turn into dependence and how someone searching for friendship, acceptance, or answers can become vulnerable to manipulation. As the story progresses, the balance of power between these two characters becomes increasingly complicated, and readers begin to realize that appearances can be dangerously misleading.
Of course, saying much more would risk giving away some of the novel’s biggest surprises, and I certainly don’t want to do that!
What do you hope readers consider about the reliability of memory, the nature of innocence, and the assumptions people make about others?
One of the central questions I wanted to explore in Everywhere That Tommy Goes is whether we can always trust our own minds. Most of us take our memories for granted. We assume that what we remember is what actually happened. But memory is far more complicated than that. It can be fragmented, distorted, suppressed, or influenced by experiences we don’t fully understand.
Tommy’s dilemma takes that uncertainty to a frightening extreme. Imagine being accused of murder and not being able to remember enough of your own past to confidently defend yourself. How do you prove your innocence when you can’t even trust your own recollections?
I also wanted to challenge the assumptions we make about people. We’re often quick to judge someone based on appearances, behavior, or circumstantial evidence. An awkward, troubled young man like Tommy can easily become an object of suspicion, while someone charming and confident may receive the benefit of the doubt.
After more than three decades practicing law, I’ve come to appreciate just how different perception and reality can be. What appears obvious on the surface isn’t necessarily the truth, and the most convincing explanation isn’t always the correct one.
Ultimately, I hope readers finish the novel questioning not only what they believed about Tommy and the other characters, but also how quickly they formed those beliefs in the first place.
And, naturally, I hope the ending catches them completely by surprise. After all, what good is a psychological murder mystery if the reader figures everything out halfway through?
An attractive young bartender goes missing from a popular New York City hot spot and the only evidence found at the scene points to Tommy Sullivan. Fearing arrest, he runs, and is secretly followed by his new friend Troyer Savage. When an even more horrific murder occurs, and Troyer vanishes in its wake, Tommy is left in a stupor, bathed in the victim’s blood.
As his blackouts and memory lapses multiply, Tommy becomes lost between nightmare and reality. Things only get worse for him when the police build a case that links him to bodies buried in shallow graves among the sand dunes at Gilgo Beach on Long Island.
With the police in hot pursuit and the psychological tension building by the minute, the action never lets up as Tommy pieces together parts of the puzzle from clues buried deep within his tragic childhood. However, the dark secrets from his past may belie the actual truth.
A Good Place To End
The Romanov Legacy III: Return of the Tsar reimagines the survival of Alexei and Anastasia Romanov as they navigate exile, forbidden identities, Soviet assassins, and the dangerous possibility of restoring Russia’s fallen monarchy. How did your vision for The Romanov Legacy evolve as you developed the story across three books?
I had the general concept in mind from the beginning when I wrote the first draft as a single novel that served as the basis for this work. I had to imagine how such a scenario would unfold. One of the mysteries of the historical accounts of the assassination of the family left them in Yekaterinburg, all dead, but in reality, not all the bodies were found after the assassination. One of the obstacles for the Romanov followers was that if they rescued the family, how would they get them out of the country given the location of their final days? My research showed that the final order by Lenin to execute them happened because the White Army was approaching Yekaterinburg from the west and would soon overrun the city. The Bolsheviks couldn’t risk them falling into the hands of the white Army. So there was an opportunity for a rescue. I had to come up with a reasonable alternative to the historical end. But then where would they go? It turned out historically that a few of them could be extracted and then find safety with the White Army nearby.
How has Alexei’s character evolved throughout the trilogy, particularly as he prepares for the possibility of becoming Tsar?
Alexei was quite young at the beginning of the story, but he had to grow up quickly due to his circumstances. I attempt to show how he would mature rapidly under such conditions. Across the three volumes, I attempt to show how he would grow into the role of a young leader, gaining skills and insight as he traveled east. He had to overcome great odds which gave him impetus to become the leader he is by the end of the story.
How does the novel explore the relationship between inherited authority and the responsibility to earn the trust of others?
As he grew up he had the chance to observe how his father failed during the end of WWI and the capture of the family. He learned from his father’s mistakes to rely on others for advice and to learn from people in all walks of life. He was not brought up in the same aloof and isolated life his father experienced, in which he did not mix with his people. He learned to listen to others and learn from their counsel.
Now that The Romanov Legacy trilogy is complete, are there other historical events or alternate-history possibilities you would like to explore in future writing?
Of course. I considered whether to continue the series with further exploits of the tsar and his family but decided this was a good place to end the tale. But I had several other projects to work on. On another historical fiction story I’ve been working on since then, also set in Russia in the 1970s, is Lena’s Secret War, a thriller of another kind.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
The dark shadow of the Bolsheviks stretches across Europe. The Cheka—reborn as the ruthless NKVD—dispatches assassins to hunt down every last remnant of the old Russia. Maxim Petrov, guardian of the Tsar’s legacy, uncovers a chilling threat: the “Kremlin List,” a secret roster of enemies the Soviet state is determined to erase.
Amid the darkness, a spark of hope emerges. Alexei learns that Katya, his long-lost love, believed lost to war, is alive in Paris. With her survival comes renewed belief that one day he may reclaim his birthright—and rise as the new Tsar of All Russia.
Book 3 of 3. All are available now.
Mystery and Magic
In Christmas Bizarre, five extraordinary tales of mystery, romance, supernatural encounters, and cherished memories unfold, revealing how love, history, and the magic of Christmas connect people across generations. What motivated you to write this collection?
I love reading Christmas themed tales during the holiday season. A touch of the spooky, mysterious, with a dash of romance is my perfect holiday reading cocktail, LOL. The holidays are a time of remembrance for me–focusing on the people and connections I hold close to my heart. This collection offers a little something for everyone who enjoys the mystery and magic of the holiday season.
Providing readers with short stories to savor was my goal. I’m very cognizant that folks are busy, hustling and bustling during this sometimes hectic period. Having short stories to read hopefully reduces any ‘reading pressure’ one might have. Readers can sit back each night and enjoy a tale start to finish to get into the spirit of the season. It’s a reading ‘win-win’!
Each story unfolds in a richly detailed historical or international setting. How did you select these locations and weave their histories into the mysteries?
Thank you! My travels inspired the international settings selected for the stories plus I live in southern California. I wanted to bring in the magic and enchantment I feel while traveling to new lands as well as living near the magnificent California coast.
I enjoy bringing readers to a few of the places that caught my eye during my travels. I love learning about the history of the places I visit, wondering about who has walked the same hallways and paths over the decades and centuries. My writer brain goes into high gear when I gaze at a painting, admire an ornate fireplace, or visit a location that reminds me of sweet times in the past. Details matter, I hope the readers enjoy their time in each unique setting and situation!
Supernatural encounters often reveal deeply human emotions in Christmas Bizarre. How did you approach balancing eerie experiences with themes of love, loss, and redemption?
I happen to believe ghosts are quite real, LOL. Do they scare? Yes. But I think they are reaching out to impart their sorrow, terror, or love to people who need to learn or feel a particular message or experience. Their presence during the holidays is more special in my mind.
Spirits reaching out is their gift to you. Their appearance can certainly cause one’s heart to flutter at times. Instead of running away in fear, I want my characters to embrace their encounters and take away a heartfelt memory or life lesson.
I like to think my family ghosts are sitting by me during the holidays, enjoying the festive decorations as much as I am. I don’t flinch as much these days if I see a shadow whiz by me or hear a chuckle from out of nowhere. Their presence is quite comforting. Most times.
Rikkhe’s gathering celebrates the tradition of sharing family stories. What do you hope readers take away about preserving memories and strengthening relationships across generations?
Your memories and life stories are your legacy to those you love and the world, really. Stories and traditions are the experiences that endure and travel through time and generations.
Our experiences and lessons have meaning–especially relevant to our kin and friends. ‘I have a story to tell you…’ lets us reach out to those we know and those we haven’t yet had the pleasure of knowing. There’s no better way to make a connection and leave a little piece of you in memoriam.
Author Links: Goodreads | X | Website
Join Rikkhe and her guests under the stars — where the mistletoe might just twirl with a ghostly twist.
From the desk of multi-award winning, cozy mystery author, Veronica Cline Barton. Enjoy five chilling tales with the mystery and magic of the holidays.
*** 2022 Firebird Book Award Winner ~ Christmas Short Stories
It’s the weekend before Christmas and the storyteller tradition at interior designer extraordinaire, Rikkhe St. Claire’s home on the cliffs of Malibu is in full swing. Kick back and gather with Rikkhe and her family and friends for an elegant night under the stars as they share five, holiday tales of mystery and ghostly intrigue from around the world.
★★★★★ “With a crackling fireplace, festive drinks, and plenty of affectionate teasing, Barton creates the feeling of spending an evening with an entertaining group of people who have some extraordinary experiences to share. Each tale has its own setting, characters, and emotional stakes, giving the collection a pleasing variety while maintaining a connection through the family’s holiday celebration.” ~ LITERARY TITAN
★★★★★ “A Delicious Confection of Holiday Tales!”
★★★★★ “I savoured each story as a personal treat in the lead up to Christmas and would recommend this book to anyone who loves short stories and cosy mysteries.”
★★★★★ “From heart warming tales of love and loss to reunions and hauntings these stories have it all — ghosts, history, fabulous places and wonderful characters.”
Which tale will capture your heart?
Noel A Versailles
Millicent is a young lady with a mind of her own in 1920s Paris. When she decides to build a replica of Marie Antoinette’s regal playhouse, the Petit Trianon, many think she’s lost the plot. A mysterious Advent calendar brings glamorous gifts of the season, until one fateful night…
Lady H
The ruins of an antebellum home with a heartbreaking past are in need of a major renovation. Will the ghostly inhabitants help or hinder the latest heir of Plum Hill and his architect?
The Ornament
Two cousins are off to celebrate a recent graduation on a European river cruise. As they tour the city ports, they join the quest to find an ornament from an elderly woman’s childhood. The search seems hopeless, until the magic of Christmas lends a helping hand.
The Rocking Horse
A nanny takes her first assignment with an expat family living in an historic home in Stockholm. As Christmas approaches, strange happenings are going bump in the night. Will the ghosts of Christmas past finally get their peace?
Moving Pictures
A holiday gala gets a major boost when a beloved screen star agrees to participate. As she makes her guest appearance, a mysterious man comes to her side. Will heartbreak turn into Christmas joy?
