Hi
lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Connie di Marco and her new
book, “All Signs Point to Murder”! For
other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the
banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be
sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes
and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back
daily to interact with Connie and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks
for stopping by! Wishing you lots of
luck in this fabulous giveaway!
All Signs Point to Murder
by Connie di Marco
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GENRE: Mystery
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BLURB:
The stars predict a wedding-day disaster, but San Francisco
astrologer Julia Bonatti never expected murder
Julia
Bonatti is alarmed by the astrological signs looming over Geneva Leary’s
wedding day, but nobody asked Julia’s opinion and being a bridesmaid means
supporting the bride no matter what. Even with the foreboding Moon-Mars-Pluto
lineup in the heavens, no one’s prepared for the catastrophes that strike: a
no-show sister, a passed-out wedding planner, and a lethal shooting in the dead
of night.
With
anger and grief threatening to tear the Leary family part, Julia is determined
to understand how such a terrible tragedy could occur. As she digs deeper into
the family’s secrets, her astrological insights will lead her to the truth
about a criminal enterprise that stretches far beyond the California coast.
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EXCERPT TWO:
The
door to the dressing room flew open with such force the mirror rattled against
the wall. “Where the hell did she get
to? We’re almost ready to start.” Brooke’s voice hovered on the edge of hysteria.
I
paused with a mascara wand halfway to my lashes. “Have you checked the ladies room?” Brooke’s nervousness was contagious.
“Yes. I checked,” she groaned. “Julia,” she whispered, “I think Moira’s been
drinking . . .” She turned back to the corridor,
her mauve train catching on the threshold.
“Damn,” she twisted, tugged on her skirt and stormed off.
Geneva
Leary, my best friend from college, my friend who had seen me through the
darkest time of my life, was getting married in just a few moments in the
courtyard of the Inn of the Seven Horses in Sonoma County, north of San
Francisco. Her sisters, Brooke and
Moira, and I were serving as bridesmaids.
The
door flew open a second time. Sally
Stark, our wedding coordinator, charged in with the same question. “Where is Moira Leary?” she hissed.
I
glanced up at Sally’s reflection in the mirror.
“Brooke is looking for her now.”
“I
can’t have this. I just can’t have
this. I have never had a bridesmaid who
behaved in such an irresponsible manner.”
Sally, wearing a severe black suit, was painfully thin, her jaw
permanently clenched. The tendons in her
neck bulged like ropes as she spoke.
Brooke
halted at the door to the dressing room.
Sally turned to face her. “Mrs.
Ramer, this is absolutely unacceptable.
I have never seen such cavalier behavior. I assure you, the Inn will never allow you to
plan an event here again. That’s if I
have anything to say about it.”
Brooke’s
face was flushed. I was waiting for her
to explode, but instead she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment
to regain her poise. “I understand how
you must feel.”
“No,”
Sally bit back, “I don’t think you do.
This reflects badly on me. In all
the years I have been coordinating weddings, I have never had anyone – bride,
groom, or bridesmaid, simply disappear moments before the ceremony is to
begin!”
“We
can’t delay any longer,” Brooke surrendered to Sally’s anger.
Sally
sniffed dismissively. “Fine. I will signal the harpist.” She left the dressing room, slamming the door
behind her.
Brooke
stared at me and silently mouthed the word ‘bitch.’ “Let’s go, Julia.”
I
stood and followed Brooke out of the dressing room. Clutching my small bouquet, I took my place
at the top of the stairway behind her.
Geneva, sheltered in her private dressing room, had been able to ignore
the hubbub and remain calm. I reached
behind me to squeeze her hand. She
smiled in response and we started our slow descent to the courtyard accompanied
by the liquid strains of a harp.
Weddings
always bring out the best and the worst in me.
On one hand, I become embarrassingly teary-eyed and sentimental,
sometimes given to outright bawling. On
the other hand, a cynical part of me separates and steps back, like an astral
body, watching, and wondering about all those ‘till death do us part’
vows. Do the participants realize what
they’re promising? If all marriages end
in death or divorce, why the rush to the altar?
I often reflect on the karmic connections between unique individuals,
those connections that propel us to ‘own’ each other in a marital sense. As an astrologer, this stuff interests
me. I know long term relationships must
have a Saturn connection, otherwise they tend to be fun and short, or short and
not so fun as the case may be, but Saturn connections can be difficult,
restraining, and sometimes even, let’s admit it, oppressive.
When
we reached the altar, Brooke pulled a small tissue from an unseen hiding place
to mop her brow. A trickle of
perspiration rolled down my back and I prayed the June heat wave would abate
after sunset. It was no surprise the weather
was brutal. No one had bothered to ask
my astrological advice when the date was chosen. No one ever calls an astrologer when things
are going well. I wasn’t at all happy
about the Moon-Mars-Pluto connection in the heavens on the chosen day, but I never
for a second thought death was hovering with beating wings.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac
Mysteries from Midnight Ink, featuring San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti,
who never thought murder would be part of her practice. Book 2 in the Zodiac Mysteries is All Signs
Point to Murder, to be released on August 8, 2017.
Writing
as Connie Archer, she is also the national bestselling author of the Soup
Lover’s Mysteries from Penguin Random House (Berkley Prime Crime), set in the
village of Snowflake, Vermont. Her
recently released A Clue in the Stew is the fifth in this series. Some of her favorite recipes can also be
found in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.
Connie
is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and
Sisters in Crime.
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CONNECT WITH CONNIE di MARCO:
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads Author Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONNECT WITH CONNIE ARCHER:
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads Author Page:
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS – ALL SIGNS POINT TO MURDER – BOOK TWO:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
Google Play:
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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE MADNESS OF MERCURY – BOOK ONE:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
Google Play:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Connie will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC
to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored
by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish
Promotions. Prizes are given away by the
sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish
Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Connie ~ It is great to have you here again! Congrats on your new book and good luck on the book tour! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Ally~ Thank you! And thanks so much for hosting me today!
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa ~ Great to see you here! Thanks for following along and best of luck!
DeleteThank you for the excerpt and giveaway.
ReplyDeleteHi James ~ Best of luck in the giveaway!
DeleteHi James ~ thanks for dropping by! Best of luck in the giveaway!
DeleteThank you for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita ~ thanks for following. So glad you enjoyed the excerpt and best of luck!
DeleteGreat excerpt - thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteHi Victoria ~ so glad you enjoyed it! Best of luck!
DeleteWhat books are you looking forward to reading this year? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie ~ I really have to remember to catch up with Tana French's latest book and I also want to read more of Jussi Adler-Olsen's books (Danish). They're rather dark, but I've really enjoyed the ones I've read.
DeleteThanks for the blurb and excerpt - sounds like a terrific read!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday! Thanks for all you do and the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHello! Stopping by to say than you for the chance at winning.
ReplyDeleteHi James ~ Thanks for following along and best of luck!
Delete