This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kris Bock will be awarding Ebook copies of the first four books in the Accidental Detective Series – Something Shady at Sunshine Haven and Something Deadly on Desert Drive (out now), plus early copies of books 3 and 4, Someone Cruel in Coyote Creek (not available publicly until September 29, 2022) and Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain (not available publicly until February 28, 2023) – to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Accidental Detective book 1: Something Shady at Sunshine Haven
Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona with new scars, a limp, and pain meds that give her brain fog. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age (49), even though she’s living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into old friends who still think of her as Kitty.
Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer’s unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed “Angel of Mercy” killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and killing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit. If Kate can’t uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer’s list.
Kate has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?
The Accidental Detective book 2: Something Deadly on Desert Drive
Starting over at fifty might be hard, but it shouldn’t be deadly…
Still recovering from an injury that might have permanently derailed her career as an international war correspondent, Kate Tessler is living in her childhood bedroom and pondering her second act when another case lands in her lap. Kate’s father and his coffee group are worried. Their friend Larry married a younger woman who now insists he has dementia and won’t let any of his friends visit. They’re convinced that Larry’s wife and her two adult, dead-beat kids are out to steal his money. Can Kate help?
Soon Kate and her unusual gang of sidekicks are unofficially, officially investigating. But before they can dig out the truth, a murder raises the stakes. Now they need to prove Larry is both mentally competent and not a killer. They’ll have to find the real murderer—without risking their own lives in the process.
Praise Something Deadly
“I had such a lovely day reading your story. I could barely put it down. I am still in awe of how you manage to wrangle these three generations of sleuths without every going over the top or relying on stereotypes or cliches, and of course watching Kate start to come to terms both with her disability and potential inability to ever fully heal as well as her new life, aging, being back home again and reconnecting with her family—all while solving two crimes—definite multi-tasker! The story was so engaging and quite clever.” – Sinclair Jayne, author
Read an Excerpt from Something Shady at Sunshine Haven
The director’s office was behind the reception counter. A glimmer of familiarity hit me as the woman looked up from her desk. She was my age, with brown hair to her shoulders, a strong jaw, and dark eyes framed by laugh lines. She stood and extended her hand. “Kitty! Or I guess you go by Kate now.”
“Yes, I prefer Kate.” Technically, my name was Katherine. I’d grown up as Kitty, but I’d started using Kate the first year of college as it sounded more like a serious journalist.
She beamed as we shook hands. “I’ve followed your career. You probably don’t remember me.”
The vague familiarity wasn’t clicking into anything definite. “It was a long time ago.”
“Isn’t that the truth? I was two years behind you. I took journalism my sophomore year, when you were a senior.”
It was coming back. “You were on the school paper that year.”
“Right. Please, have a seat. I shouldn’t have kept you standing, with your leg. We were all horrified when we heard.”
I managed a tight smile. I wasn’t surprised my injury had made the local news, or the grapevine anyway, as I was something of a hometown celebrity simply for getting my byline in the papers via the Associated Press. I wasn’t supposed to be the news story, but at least I wouldn’t have to explain the limp over and over. I sat in the chair across from her and leaned my cane against her desk.
Heather glanced at the closed door. “Can I tell you something in confidence?”
My journalism senses, dormant and neglected for weeks, gave a faint tingle.
“It depends. I won’t spread gossip. I hardly know anyone around here to tell.” I smiled. “But if you confess to murdering someone, I’ll have to report you.”
“Ha. Nothing like that. I hope.”
I stared at her. “You’d better tell me what’s bothering you. If I can keep it a secret in good conscience, I will.”
“Okay.” She spread her fingers and pressed her hands on the desk. “Two of my patients died last week.”
My stomach churned. People came to this place for the ends of their lives. My mother …
Shut down that thought. Snap into journalist mode.
About the Author:
Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels
Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers
Where to buy Something Shady at Sunshine Haven
Buy links for Something Deadly on Desert Drive
Thanks for hosting!
It’s a pleasure to have you here Kris! Congratulations on this exciting release!