The Perils of Paris
by Ana T. Drew
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
BLURB:
When
someone tries to kill her sister,
it’s
time for Julie Cavallo to don her sleuthing cap!
The
Provence sweet shop owner rushes to the home of her twin sister in
Paris.
Julie’s
main question is: Who would want Cat, a professional medium,
dead?
Unfortunately,
Cat doesn’t have a clue.
But
since when has the absence of clues deterred Julie?
Soon
enough, she uncovers a suspicious death, unsolved disappearances, and
a spiritual community with a dark secret to protect.
By
the time Julie realizes she opened a big can of worms, she’s in too
deep.
And
her life is in danger.
Cue
the handsome captain Gabriel Adinian, Julie’s longtime crush.
Why
is he in Paris?
Probably
on assignment for the Gendarmerie Nationale. Or maybe a private
matter unrelated to Julie.
But
what if he’s taken leave to watch over her?
Then,
Julie hopes he’ll do a little more than watch—professionally and…
otherwise.
Can
Julie, with the help of her friends, solve the far-reaching case and
cheat death once again?
Excerpt:
As always when I try to meditate, I grow sleepy. Just as I begin to nod off, someone near me farts.
It’s a whale of a fart, silent but deadly. In terms of impact, it’s closer to a biochemical attack than to an “oops, sorry” mishap. Incidentally, no one says “oops, sorry.”
I open my eyes and look around. Several other students do the same. Everyone shifts uncomfortably and turns their faces away from the source of the effluvium.
The woman on my left appears to be the culprit. Her cheeks, ears and neck are flaming red.
Oh my God, she’s the raw food eater!
The many health benefits of the uncooked peas and cabbage do come at a price. There’s no such thing as free lunch until proven otherwise. Like Faust signing a deal with Mephistopheles, one must give something to get something. Like Anakin Skywalker transforming into the powerful Darth Vader, one must join the dark side of the Fork.
I stifle a smile.
The raw eater half opens her left eye and looks around, as if trying to assess the damage she’s inflicted. When she catches me looking at her, she shuts her left eye… and immediately opens the right one to check if anyone besides me saw her looking and getting caught.
I crack up.
A deep belly laugh gushes out of me, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I’m roaring and shaking. My face muscles hurt. Tears stream down my cheeks. I haven’t laughed like this in an awfully long time.
Perhaps not since childhood.
Maybe never.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Ana T. Drew is the evil mastermind behind the recent series of murders in the fictional French town of Beldoc. When she is not writing cozy mysteries or doing mom-and-wife things, she can be found watching “The Rookie” to help her get over “Castle”. She lives in Paris but her heart is in Provence. >>> Visit ana-drew.com for a free cookbook and a game!
5 comments:
I love the cover and the excerpt.
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
What inspires your book plot ideas?
I like the excerpt. Sounds like a good story.
Post a Comment