Gambling with Murder
by Lida Sideris
Publication Date: Mar 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68512-086-3 (PB-254 pgs 6”x9”) $16.95
978-1-68512-087-0 (EB) $5.99
GENRE: Mystery (traditional, humor)
BLURB:
A late-night call is all it takes for rookie lawyer Corrie Locke to kiss her day job at the movie studio goodbye, and do what she does best: flex her sweet P.I. skills and go undercover to find a senior who’s missing from a posh retirement community. One small stumbling block: skirting past security to gain inside access to the exclusive Villa Sunset. Time to call in the heavy artillery. Besides former security guard turned legal assistant—now wannabe P.I.—Veera, Corrie relies on a secret weapon: her mother, a surprisingly eager addition to Corrie’s team. Armed with enough pepper spray to take down a band of Navy Seals, Mom impersonates a senior to infiltrate the Villa, Corrie, and Veera in tow. Turns out the job’s not as easy as they’d thought. These seniors have tricks tucked up their sleeves and aren’t afraid of using them.
The action gets dicey when the missing senior case turns into attempted murder by a criminal mind who’s always one step ahead. Corrie’s hot on the trail, but finds more than she bargained for…when her mother becomes a target.
Purchase Gambling with Murder on Amazon
Excerpt:
I pinned the beam of my light into a dark corner of the warehouse. Four large pieces of luggage lay side-by-side atop a folding table. Everything surrounding me was in stacks and piles. The luggage exteriors, aluminum handles, and zippers looked new. Why store unused luggage in a place with worn-out, broken-down stuff?
“Oh-oh,” Veera said.
“Hold on.” I grabbed a suitcase and slid it closer. I shone my light on a combination lock. Next to it sat a small keyhole. Pulling out a paperclip from my pants pocket, I shoved it into the keyhole and jiggled it around.
“Two unmarked vehicles drove up,” Veera whispered.
We’d parked behind the warehouse. I’d left Veera hiding near the entry to keep an eye out. I popped open the lid of the suitcase. Folded bedsheets lay on top. Easing them aside, I gaped at the blood-red cape with a stylized golden “S” on the back. “It’s Superman’s.”
“The cars parked next to each other,” Veera said.
To the side of the cape lay a pillowcase. I ran my fingers over something odd-shaped and bulky inside. I unwrapped it to find a one-of-a-kind, golden gun. “No way.” A cigarette case formed the handle. The trigger was a cufflink and a fountain pen served as the barrel. It was a prop gun from a James Bond film.
“Two muscular guys came out of a van,” Veera said. “There’s a thirdperson taking his sweet time. Looks to be someone smaller, older by the way he moves. And he’s wearing a dress, which means he could be a her. Headed your way. If there’s a backdoor, I’d use it.”
Veera and I swung around. Taller than the fence and far meaner looking, a uniformed security guard glared down at us, head cocked to one side. His top lip curled in a snarl. I half expected his mouth to be filled with steel-capped teeth.
“Can you point us to the ladies’ room, please?” I asked. The name on his badge was Kyle.
“Get off this property.” He blinded us with his flashlight.
“Technically, this is city property.” Sounded legit to me.
“Out now.”
“Any wiggle room in the ‘now’ part?” I took a step back and limped. I stalled, hoping to conjure up a way to get in. “I hurt my foot.”
Veera pointed at my boot. “Could be a sprain. You got a doctor inside those buildings?”
“Get out before I physically toss you out,” he said.
Kyle could probably pick me up and hurl me across the street with one hand, but Veera? It wouldn’t be so easy. Together, we could take him. He leaned forward with a grunt, just as I leaned toward Veera. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” I whispered. I was betting his knees were his weak point.
Veera rolled her eyes over him and whispered back, “I’m thinking we should get going.”
My Review:
Gambling with Murder is the first book in the Southern California Mysteries series and the first book by Lida Sideris that I have read. Even though it is the first book I have read I don’t feel as if I missed out on too much. Gambling with Murder has enough mystery and suspense to keep those pages rolling from beginning to end and to stand on its own. I can’t wait to check out the rest of the Southern California Mysteries series.
Corrie Locke is a lawyer but what she really wants to do with her life is be a P.I.. Corrie gets that chance when she is hired to find a missing person. Corrie with the help of her partner and friend Veera goes undercover at this retirement center to find one of its residents. Corrie needs away inside so she enlists the help of her mother. Corrie’s mom goes undercover as a senior to get them all inside the door.
There is more going on inside this senior village than Corrie ever anticipated. There are lots of secrets circulating inside the villa. These seniors know how to keep their mouths shut. Sticking together whenever they need to. But never fear Corrie’s mom is on the case and she will crack every secret that the villa is holding on to one by one.
I really enjoyed Corrie’s mom and would love to see her play out her role on the big screen. I think she would be hilarious. Yeah, and I bet so would the rest of the characters.
I would recommend Gambling with Murder to anyone looking for a sweet, warm, and cozy read! Grab your copy of Gambling with Murder today!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lida Sideris' first stint after law school was a newbie lawyer's dream: working as an entertainment attorney for a movie studio...kind of like her heroine, Corrie Locke, except without the homicides. Lida was one of two national winners of the Helen McCloy Mystery Writers of America Scholarship Award and a Silver Falchion Award Finalist. She lives in the northern tip of Southern California with her family, rescue dogs and a flock of uppity chickens.
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5 comments:
Great blurb and cover.
Thanks for hosting!
Great review and excerpt.
Great excerpt, Gambling with Murder sounds like a great mystery read for me! Thanks for sharing it with me! Thanks, Avid Reader, for sharing your review! Have a super fun TGIF!
The book sounds very intriguing. Great cover!
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