THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS!

It’s another great week on the Suspense Sisters!

From Marji:

This week Iola Goulton reviews DRESSED FOR DEATH by Julianna Deering. Iola says: “Another excellent Drew Fathering mystery!”

Short Version from Amazon:

A Regency-Era Costume Party Should Have Been an Amusing

Diversion, But it Seems Wherever Drew Farthering Goes, Mystery--and Murder--Are on the Guest List.

 Drew and Madeline Farthering arrive at a Regency-era house party at Winteroak House, excited to be reunited with old friends, including Drew's former Oxford classmate Talbot Cummins. Tal is there with his fiancée, Alice Henley, and though many present seem worried about the couple, nobody is prepared when Alice dies from an apparent overdose. Tal refuses to believe she'd taken the drugs intentionally, and a dark question arises of whether the death is an accident or murder.

 The police have their own information though, and Drew is shocked when they arrest someone he's trusted and admired since his childhood--someone who's been smuggling drugs into the country for years. Stunned by what has happened, Tal begs Drew to get to the bottom of everything, but Drew has never felt more unsettled. Questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, Drew doesn't know whom to trust, and he's not ready for the secrets he's about to uncover--or the danger he'll bring down on everyone he holds dear. 

You can read the rest of Iola’s review HERE.

 

On Tuesday, Dana Mentink will share What’s Hot in

Inspirational Suspense and Mystery!

On Wednesday be sure to check out a great post from Suspense Sister Cynthia Hickey!

Friday, we’re interviewing author Tanya Stowe! She’s giving away a copy of her book, SANTA FE SUNRISE!

That’s what’s happening this week on the Suspense Sisters! Don’t miss a single day. Sign up through email so you’ll get updates in the exciting world of inspirational suspense and mystery!

The Suspense Sisters! We love books!

Helping Those in Need by Mary Ellis

In my newest romantic suspense, What Happened on Beale Street, a young Blues musician was dedicated to helping former addicts in inner city Memphis. My saxophone player, a devout Christian, kept late night hours in places seldom frequented by former choir boys. When Danny Andre is murdered, his friends endeavor to bring the killer to justice. There are many suspects to pick from, including Danny’s indigent neighbors, his fellow musicians at seedy bars, and the former addicts and ex-inmates at the outreach center. My private investigators soon discover appearances can be deceiving and evil can take many disguises.

In every city, small town, and rural countryside, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. But it’s so easy to get caught up with our jobs, our families, with ourselves and neglect those who need our help. We often look fearfully at those living on the fringe of society, whose bad choices have caused a downward spiral. A couple years ago our church banded together with seven other congregations in a program called Operation Homes. We were assigned one week out of every eight to provide a place to stay and hot meals for the homeless of our county. In the Bible we’re asked us to go forth and serve one another. Good works won’t pave our way into heaven, but God wants us to leave the safe and predictable to reach those in need.

For people to be open to the Word of the Lord, we must first feed them and provide a safe place to sleep. Once our guests felt safe, they were willing to open their hearts to God. In return my life was enriched by each person I served during our congregation’s participation in homeless outreach. Since the Operation Homes program is no longer active in my community, I’m challenged to do more than just write once-a-year checks to worthy causes. As Christians we must serve the less fortunate with our time, our talents, and our resources.

Mary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances. Her latest, What Happened on Beale Street, is second of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, from Harvest House Publishers. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. She enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming, and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. Find her on the web at: www.maryellis.net or https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236

Murder, mystery and mayhem in the land of the delta blues…sometimes your faith and your friends are all you have left. What Happened on Beale Street is available wherever fine books are sold, in print or electronic format.

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a print copy of What Happened on Beale Street. U.S. readers only. You must leave an email address in order to win.

COZY MYSTERIES

Writing a cozy mystery is different than writing suspense. I started out with cozies, went to suspense, and now I do both. Is it confusing? No, not if you understand the difference.

Cozies are gentler mysteries. No massive blood loss, no profanity, and no s-e-x. Cozy mystery readers feel safe when they buy books from their favorite authors because they know they won’t be lambasted with graphic elements that make them uncomfortable. Of course, inspirational cozies can be different than secular cozies. A quick look at some of the secular titles and you will find witches, magic and s-e-x. It may not be described in graphic detail on the pages, but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. If you like your cozies clean and fun, stick to inspirational cozies.

I’m giving away an ebook copy of one of my cozies, MISSING MABEL. Leave a comment below, along with your contact information (this is really important!) and you could be a winner!

Hilde Higgins — One of the Best Hairstylists in Kansas — Can Recognize a Head of Hair… Even When Her Client is Dead!

Watch the tangled mess that Hilde gets herself into when she realizes that Mabel Winnemaker, her latest client at Druther’s Funeral Home, has gone missing. Hilde knows that the body she isasked to work on at the funeral home is not the same person as in her reference photo. Unhappily for Hilde, everyone else doubts that Mabel is missing.

The situation heats up hotter than Hilde’s curling iron — and forces her to answer some tough questions: Is she being silenced when the funeral director accuses her of stealing a diamond ring? Will Hilde Higgins’s former boyfriend help her unravel the issue — or only bring more trouble to her life? And most important of all, what happened to the real Mabel… and why?

 Reviews:

“Hilde Higgins is an adorable eccentric, with maroon-and-black hair, a punkish wardrobe and a weird weakness for SPAM casseroles. Like all good mysteries, the solution to the body-switching proves us with a fine Ah, Ha! moment, but it’s Hilde’s goofily-good character that kept me grinning as I turned the pages.” — Betty Webb, “Mystery Scene.”

“Hilde is a quirky, funny character — and easy to love. While trying to solve the mystery of Mabel, she copes with real-life issues. Making new friends, dealing with a mom who isn’t happy with her career choice, and learning to fall in love. I recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a fun, easy read with Christian characters and a good mystery to solve.” — Heidi Walfoort, “Christian Book Nerd.”

Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri, with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored twenty-two books and just finished a new series for Bethany House Publishing. The first book in her Finding Sanctuary series, “Gathering Shadows” was released in May of 2014. The second book, “Deadly Echoes” became available in February.  The third book, “Rising Darkness" released in November. Now she’s writing a new series based on the U.S. Marshals. The first book, "Fatal Frost," will release in November of 2016. She is also working on an Amish cozy mystery series for Guideposts. The first book, “Blessings in Disguise” was published in June, 2015. She will write at least three more in this series.   

Readers can learn more about Nancy through her Web site: www.nancymehl.com. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.
  

Some hot new inspy suspense for spring!

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  A Powerful Secret (Worthington Destiny #2)

  Dr. Kevin Leman and Jeff Nesbit

  (March 2016)

  Sean has always felt like an outsider in his own family. Now he must risk never achieving what he wants most--his father's love.
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  Covert Cargo (Navy SEAL Defenders #3)

  Elisabeth Rees

  (March 2016)

  When a woman living in a remote lighthouse unwittingly becomes a target of the traffickers, an undercover SEAL's mission suddenly includes protecting her...
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  Burning Proof (Cold Case Justice #2)

  
  

  (March 2016)

  A decade-old abduction case brings Luke and Abby together, but will his secret tear them apart?