Hey lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Carolyn Arnold and her new book, “Halloween is 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 $15 PayPal
Cash!! Also, come back daily to interact
with Carolyn and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping by!
Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!
Halloween is Murder -
McKinley Mysteries, Book 11
by Carolyn Arnold
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
Beware of all that goes bump in the night…
Sean
and Sara McKinley are excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a
Halloween charity fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the
reporter covering their story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about
how she died, Sara’s curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the
investigation through their PI firm.
But
this case is not without its challenges. The police are actively investigating
it, as well, and it’s not even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take
a little cloak-and-dagger, dress-up, and finesse for the McKinleys to get to
the bottom of it, but they aren’t the kind to give up.
As
they troll for leads and work through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet,
they unearth a few suspects, but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if
they’re going to find her killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even
be time for a little trick-or-treating.
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EXCERPT THREE:
Chapter 5
GRIM REAPER CLAIMS A VICTIM
“THERE
SURE IS A LOT of secrecy surrounding Chloe’s death,” Sara said. “And they’ve
all been ordered to keep quiet?” She looked over at Sean, who was behind the
wheel, and arched an eyebrow. “That seems suspicious to me.”
“The
station could be protecting their image. She could have had a drug overdose,
something else…” he pointed out as he took a left turn, as directed by the GPS.
She
wished she could run with that theory, but given their background as homicide
detectives, her mind had to rule out murder first. “No, Sean, I don’t think so.”
“Well,
before we get carried away, let’s talk to Jackson.” Sean steered the car into
an apartment building parking lot.
She’d
been working to quiet the voices in her head speculating about how Chloe had
died, but speaking with Allison had only ratcheted up their chatter. She needed
answers to quell her mind. She also felt a personal obligation to ensure
justice was found, probably because she’d known Chloe—even if only for a brief
time. Of course, that was assuming she’d been killed.
“And
that poor man discovering his coworker,” Sara began. “I wonder where he found
her and if he knows how she died.”
“Hopefully
we’ll find out.” Sean got out of the car, came around, and opened her door. He
held out a hand to her. “Keep in mind that Jackson might not be too happy to
see us.”
“I
know,” she said, taking his hand. “But if nothing else comes of this, maybe
we’ll find out what happened to our segment.”
“Yeah,
but will you be satisfied if that’s the only question we get answered?” He
looked over at her as he held the front door of the building open for her. The
glint in his eyes told her he doubted she’d let the matter of Chloe’s death go
until she had all the boxes checkmarked and found out what had happened.
“I’d
be lying if I said otherwise, and you know it. But please—” she took his hand
“—just keep an open mind.”
Sean
nodded. Sara often ran with her feelings, her hunches, her higher knowing, and
did so on a whim. In contrast, Sean was compelled by reason, logic, and solid
evidence.
They
walked up to Jackson’s apartment on the third floor and knocked. Sean was about
to knock again when footsteps padded toward the door. Then all went quiet for a
bit. She imagined Jackson looking at them through the peephole.
“Jackson?”
Sara called out. “It’s the McKinleys.” When he didn’t say anything, she added,
“From the haunted house.” Maybe he needed a little more of a reminder.
Sean
was shaking his head, and if she was reading his mind properly, he was thinking
their coming here had been a bad idea.
“We’d
like to talk to you about Chloe,” she said, certain to articulate in such way
that he’d sense concern, not suspicion.
The
chain rattled as it was being undone, and the handle turned. The door opened
slowly.
Jackson
was standing there in tattered jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes looked weary, and
they were wet with unshed tears. Based on his complexion, she guessed that they
had interrupted him crying.
“She’s
dead.” He spat out the words in a cool manner, as if trying to separate reality
from emotion, but it only made his pain that much more tangible.
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REVIEW:
I really enjoyed reading this book!
Another successful book from Carolyn Arnold!
I love fun, cozy, mystery books and this book totally fits the
bill!
I had so much fun playing along, trying to solve the crime with the
McKinley’s!
This book revolves around Sara and Sean McKinley, their PI Firm, and their team of investigators. Sara and Sean are interviewed by reporter Chloe Parsons about the haunted house they set up as a Halloween charity fund-raiser. While the whole crew is at home waiting to watch their interview on TV it is announced that Chloe, the reported who interviewed them has died and their interview is not aired. Everyone is in complete shock, especially Sara who wants to go investigate Chloe’s death. However, Sean is resistant and thinks they should wait and see what the police turn up. Unfortunately, the police and medical examiner seem to be leaning towards Chloe dying of natural causes! Sara is outraged and is dead set on proving it was murder! Sara is finally able to convince Sean to partake in the search to prove Chloe was murdered and to find her killer. This is not an easy feat and Sara and Sean encounter many obstacles along the way. But the McKinley’s and their team are on the case and they’re going to find the truth and bring Chloe justice.
I
really liked the main characters – Sean and Sara McKinley! They were well developed, likable, and
genuine. They had great chemistry and
really played well off each other. They
pushed and pulled each other’s buttons, but also helped and supported each
other – like a real married couple!
I enjoyed
the supporting cast for the most part – the PI firm team. I think if I had read the other books in this
series I might have had a better, stronger connection or relationship with
them. Don’t get me wrong they were fine –
but easily forgettable characters.
The
pace of this book is fast to steady. It
keeps you fully engaged and entertained to the last page!
I
felt that some of the passages were a bit wordy, which detracted from the story
and the pace. But overall it was an
excellent read!
This
book is book eleven in the McKinley Mysteries Book Series. I had not read any of the books in this
series before reading this book and I had no problems following this story and
did not get lost or confused. So, this
book can absolutely be read as a standalone book.
Although
this book has a strong seasonal Halloween background it can absolutely be
enjoyed year-round! I happened to have
read it around Halloween, but I could totally see myself enjoying it in February
as well!
All in all, I really
enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend this book to all
readers who enjoy a fun, exciting, cozy, mystery book!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
Did you find this review helpful?
If so, please, please, please mark it as
helpful on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R2IO405Q5GR0XE
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AUTHOR BIO:
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an
international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker,
teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction
series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and
Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre
diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and
thrillers to action adventures.
Both
her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law
enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the
trademark: POLICE
PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn
was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves
the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her
overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch
the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She
currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a
member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.
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CONNECT WITH CAROLYN:
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:
And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date
information on release and special offers at:
Goodreads Author Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS & BOOK SALE INFO:
**Halloween is Murder is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY
$0.99!!!**
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
Apple iBooks:
Google Play:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Carolyn will be awarding a $15 PayPal Cash 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.
Carolyn ~ It is great to have you here AGAIN! Congrats on your new book and good luck on the book tour! I REALLY enjoyed reading and reviewing your book, thanks for providing the copy! :)
ReplyDeletecongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what you are working on next?
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteWho is your favorite author?
ReplyDeleteWhat's your writing process/routine like?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your honest review, it's much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do when you get writer's block?
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and reviewing HALLOWEEN IS MURDER. If you haven’t already, can you post your review to your favorite retailers. Again, thank you for your support.
ReplyDeleteWhat's your ultimate career/writing goal?
ReplyDeleteIs halloween your favorite holiday? What are your halloween traditions?
ReplyDeleteLast day! Thank you for everything and I wanted to wish you much success and luck with your writing future!
ReplyDelete