FREE READ COMING SOON!
As most of you know, I'm a slow writer (something I hope to change in 2024!), so I thought I'd offer this freebie to my readers and anyone else who'd like to read this fun cozy next month. It will most likely become the prequel to a new cozy mystery series if readers enjoy it.
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In Scarecrow Springs, the truth is stranger than fiction...
With a passion for dark fantasy novels and creepy curiosities, Penelope Primrose’s life is anything but dull. It’s not just her flair for the macabre that’s unusual; Penelope’s witchy psychic sensitivity to objects allows her to hear their whispered secrets.
So, during the annual Halloween bash at Penelope’s shop that promises spooky fun, nobody expected the real-life horror show. When the local artifact expert is murdered and Penelope’s prized skull goes missing, it’s more trick than treat.
With her shop’s reputation on the line and driven by a need for justice, Penelope channels her inner-sleuth, assisted by her talking cat Binx, to sniff out the killer among her mysterious party guests.
As Penelope tangles with a cast of suspects more colorful than a bag of Halloween candy, she finds that solving a mystery is harder than selling a haunted typewriter. Between fake alibis, hidden motives, and her own psychic signals crossing wires, she’s got her hands full.
Will Penelope and Binx solve the case of the missing skull and unmask the killer, or will this Halloween haunt them forever?
If you like kind-hearted, quirky heroines, furry sidekicks, and a dash of magic, then you’ll love this lighthearted whodunit.
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Read an Unedited Excerpt:
Penelope Primrose wandered through her shop, Thirteen Treasures, with the whimsy of a ghost lost in a bookstore. Her fingers trailed over the spines of the novels arranged like silent, eerie soldiers lining the bookshelves. The air, heavy with the aroma of old paper and a hint of mystery, was her favorite fragrance. This emporium of the macabre was a haven for those charmed by the chilling and the odd.
“Mr. Poe, you’re looking rather neglected.” Penelope flicked a cobweb from a collection of gothic tales. Her unruly, fiery red hair framed her face in soft disarray. She straightened her lace-trimmed blouse, a relic from an era as lost as the authors on her shelves, then tugged on the hem of her velvet skirt.
“Conversing with long-departed authors again, are we?” Binx said from a dim corner, the cat’s voice mischievous and melodious.
Penelope glanced at her familiar. “Only the ones who don’t sneeze at my dusting skills.”
Perched atop the counter like a furry monarch was Binx, her coat a velvet black that was sleek and beautiful. Her glowing blue eyes, eerie and electric, watched Penelope with equal parts amusement and endearment. The feline stretched her fluffy body.
“You’ve missed a nook over there.” Binx’s tail gestured towards a neglected shelf.
“Ah, my vigilant guardian of cleanliness.” Penelope mock-saluted her cat, addressing the errant spot. “Where would I be without your sharp-eyed supervision?”
“Drowning in a sea of dust bunnies and chaos, undoubtedly.” Binx, descending from her throne jumped to the floor, then twirled around Penelope’s legs, nearly toppling her.
Penelope laughed, steadying herself by placing one hand on a bookshelf. “I’m starting to think you’re plotting to take over.”
Binx stretched again, her back arching. “And why not? I am known to be a solitary creature.”
Penelope scooped up the cat, their bond a unique blend of human and feline worlds. “But who, dear Binx, would serve your royal highness her gourmet tuna?”
“For that essential service, I might just spare you.” Binx purred, snuggling into Penelope’s embrace. “Besides, we have Halloween preparations to oversee, and you know how I love a good haunting.”
“As do I, my spooky little partner.” Penelope gently set Binx down on a table, feeling a surge of eagerness for the approaching Halloween festivities, their favorite time of year...
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This will be a FREE read for anyone who signs up for my newsletter, but if you're already a subscriber, I will provide a separate link just for you.
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Happy reading,
Sherry
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