Monday, January 22, 2018

Murder of a Good Man-Book Review-Great Escapes Tour w/ Giveaway


Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Texas
Camel Press (January 15, 2018)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1603816359
E-Book ASIN: B076XVG8JP

About the book 
When Nora Alexander drives into Piney Woods, Texas, to fulfill her dying mother’s last wish, she has no idea what awaits her. First she is run off the road, then the sealed letter she delivers turns out to be a scathing rebuke to the town’s most beloved citizen and favored candidate for Piney Woods Pioneer: Adam Brockwell. Next thing you know, Adam has been murdered in a nasty knife attack. Suspicion instantly falls on Nora, one of the last people to see him alive. After all, everyone in Piney Woods loved him. Or did they? Nora learns that her mother had a complicated past she never shared with her daughter. Told not to leave town by Tuck the flirty sheriff, Nora finds a job with Tuck’s Aunt Marty trying to get the rundown Tunie Hotel back in the black. The old hotel was Piney Woods’ heart and soul in its heyday as an oil boomtown. Now the secrets it harbors may be the key to getting Nora off the hook. She’s going to need to solve the mystery quickly to avoid arrest, or worse: becoming the killer’s next victim.
And others are saying 
Family secrets abound in this small town novel. . . Not an easy mystery to figure out.
~Laura’s Interests
There is an amazing amount of secrets revealed that I never really saw coming making this a fascinating read, to say the least.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews
And I thought
First off . . . I was reeling right along with Nora about all the secrets!  

It was a little predictable because Nora's mom on her deathbed asks Nora to deliver a letter to a man she never told Nora about.

As soon as I realized who the man was...he's age etc.  I realized 
he was Nora's father.  But the secrets don't stop there.  And, I can't say more because I just can't 'spoil it'! 

And that is where 'predictable' ended.  I promise if you a fan of a good Cozy you'll love this Cozy.  You might just have a hard time figuring out 'Who Dun It'. 

I loved that the author set us up for a great new series!  Book 
1 has the makings of a great series.  

The characters are fun, believable, charming and welcoming.  
I can't wait to read more about this little town.  

And, to see what trouble Nora might get into down the road!  

I might be a tad biased because the story takes place in the Piney Woods of Texas my home state.  

And, the cover 'got me' because it reminded me so much of a town close to me that is so fun to visit and shop in!  

I am looking forward to my next visit with Nora and her friends 
at the Tunie Hotel!

Murder of A Good Man is a 5 star keep you turning the pages 
read!

This review will appear on retail sites where available.
This review will appear on Good Reads.

Interview
I was delighted to get the chance to chat with Teresa . . . 


Is this your first tour with Lori at Great Escapes? 
No. I found Lori while doing my Pecan Bayou Series. I love it that she caters to cozy authors.

What is your favorite part of the tour? (interviews, quest post etc.)
Interviews! Writers live a pretty solitary existence, so I love it when people ask how I do what I do.

Before we get into the new book I have a few fun questions.  At least I hope they are fun!

Do you have any little guilty pleasures that you indulge in when you writing? 
You are asking me this in January, also known as resolution month. So I say, healthy salads, 8 glasses of water a day, plenty of exercise (and maybe a little macaroni and cheese!)

Do you have any pets that keep you company while you write? I write with Max a toy poodle and Martin Luther a long-haired dachshund.  They helped me out with several books and yes, we all fight over the chair I sit in to write.

Which is more intriguing as a place to write.   A private island?  A cabin in the woods?
The busy city?    Have you ever written in any of these places?
I guess technically I write in the busy city. If I could write anywhere it would be a cabin in the woods. No distractions. I've read books about people who go to a cabin and come back with a book. I can't imagine having that much undisturbed to write. Knowing me, I'd get writer's block.


Can you tell us a little about the new series?  How many books in the series are planned?  This series takes place in the historic Tunie Hotel in East Texas.  The Tunie has seen better days and is picked up in foreclosure by one of the characters. It is the ultimate rehab project, but what fun! I have a brother who has worked in hotels for decades and over the years he shared stories about his life behind the front desk. From drunks, to robberies, to con men and even a few celebrities. What a great backdrop for a variety of characters coming and going. In the first book Nora gets her footing in Piney Woods by finding friends, family and a job. At this time there are two more books planned for the series! I am loving writing Nora and the occupants of Piney Woods.

As I said I am just a few pages in so I have to ask are Nora and Tuck gonna get cozy?
I understand if you can’t answer to keep from spoiling things.  I'll admit it. I'm a hopeless romantic.  If you are a few pages in, then you know there is a definite attraction between the two characters. Could be.



How did you choose the wonderful location of Texas?  I am a native Texan so I 
was super excited to get the chance to read the book!   I love the charming small town!

I think I started considering the Piney Woods area for a book series when I was driving my daughter up to Nacogdoches to look at Stephen F. Austin College. I loved the woods and small town feeling up there.  Maybe it's because I grew in Colorado that I still get excited seeing so many trees! 

If you were to have a little time for a chit chat with one of the cast who would you choose?   What would you serve?  Coffee, tea a glass of wine?  I guess it would be tea with Rosalyn or anyone who was at the Tunie Hotel in forties and fifties.  I loved creating the history of the place and would want to hear more. I grew up near the Stanley Hotel in Colorado It had a history of presidents, inventors and a bevy of famous people who stayed there.  I loved going up there and looking at the rooms, the elevator, the stairway, and even the smell of the wood. I guess it's a hyperactive writer mind thing.

I love the cover my first thought was it reminded me of Grapevine, Texas.  I was wondering how much input do you have in the cover design.  Is it a real place?   I admit I am a bit of a cover junkie I am always curious! 
 I only had a little input, but I wanted the look of a small town. I wish it was a real place because I think I would love to live there!

Thanks so much for visiting today.  I had a great time.  Congratulations on the new book and Best Wishes on the tour!

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7 comments:

  1. Great interview! Thanks so much for the info on the book and your review. I appreciate all of it.

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  2. Thank you for a wonderful interview and review. I can't wait to read "Murder of a Good Man".
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  3. Thanks for being a part of my book tour and thank you for the wonderful review!

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  4. I enjoyed the interview very much. Thank you for featuring Teresa and Murder of A Good Man on your blog ~

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  5. I really enjoyed reading your interview, thank you!

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