Heart, Help, and a Chilling Mystery

Yesterday was a near-perfect day, recalling the James Russell Lowell poem, What Is So Rare As a Day In June. Matt and Dawn, Sara and Nathan came, bringing a lot of heart-healthy foods for lunch and later. Dawn and I packed serving-size lunches and put them in the freezer. Nemo was glad to see everyone together and we all enjoyed the day.

This looks like another beautiful day and to celebrate so, wouldn’t you know I am turning my thoughts to mystery and intrigue. In other words, I’ll continue writing the sequel to Moonlight Can Be Murder, By the Fright of the Silvery Moon. 

My publisher, Pen-L, tells me they are aiming for a September release date for the fourth Darcy and Flora cozy mystery, Grave Heritage. I thought you might enjoy a preview of the teaser for this book:

Grave Heritage

     Above the noise of a summer thunderstorm, Darcy Campbell hears someone pounding on the front door. When Darcy and her mother, Flora Tucker, open the door, a stranger stumbles into their living room, asks their names, and bolts back into the night. The next day, Darcy finds the man dead outside an abandoned shack. Who is he and what did he want?

     Ventris County is experiencing the rainiest July in history. Lee Creek and the Ventris River are in flood stage and a murderer lurks somewhere in Levi, Oklahoma. Is the killer a friend or neighbor? Is he someone Darcy and Flora have yet to meet? Which is more dangerous, the killer or nature on the rampage?

     Before Darcy discovers the perpetrator’s identity, he strikes again! This time, the victim is someone Darcy and Flora know.

     The once-peaceful summer seethes with turmoil, both natural and emotional. Flora’s friend Pat is plagued by an old memory, new discoveries about Flora’s family cause her to lament Darcy’s heritage, and Darcy’s loyalty to Grant Hendley is in question when a handsome preacher comes to town.

     Murder, mystery, romance—Grave Heritage has them all.

Wherever you are, in a far-off European country or in sunny California or flood-soaked Texas, I hope your day is a good one and all your mysteries are cozy ones.