Dae’s Christmas Past
by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Dae’s Christmas Past
By Joyce and Jim Lavene
By Joyce and Jim Lavene
Cozy Mystery
Synopsis:
Missing Pieces Mysteries #6
When wild horse rescue director Tom Watts is found dead on Duck Road, newly re-elected mayor Dae O’Donnell is determined to find out who killed him. Her friend Jake Burleson is accused of killing Tom even though the two men have been good friends for years.
The problem is the excavation of the horse cult that’s been happening on Jake’s property. Tom and several archaeologists working on the project think that Jake should give up his land to widen the search for artifacts. Jake won’t do that.
It’s not that Jake hasn’t been acting strangely. He shoved one of the ancient stone horses into Dae’s hands when he knew she was afraid to touch it. He’s obsessed with stopping the excavation—maybe to the point of killing Tom.
But Dae thinks there may be more to the story. Jake’s determination has shown her what the horse cult was used for thousands of years ago, the destruction the demon horses brought before they were stopped. She’s afraid something of the past may have already returned to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and there may be more deaths to come.
Featuring Pet Psychic Mary Catherine Roberts!
Interview time:
Interview time:
S.G. Tell us about yourself?
J.J.L. We have been married forever, have three kids and five grandkids. We like to write a lot and we live in the country outside Charlotte NC. We have two cats and a dog. We love finding strange, out of the way places.
S.G. What inspired you to be a writer?
J.J.L.Reading! We both love reading everything. It seems to be a.natural progression for many readers to become writers.
S.G. Will we be seeing more of Dae?
J.J.L. Yes! We love writing about our friends in Duck, NC. We have already plotted and talked about her next book.
S.G. What was the hardest and easiest part about writing this book?
J.J.L. The easiest part is knowing the characters. After five books, the people of Duck are like our friends and family. The hardest part is doing mean things to them, making things happen to them that might make them unhappy.
S.G. Can you give us a sneak peek on what you're working on now?
J.J.L. Right now we're working on the fourth book in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries, Fire on the Mountain. We write the Sweet Pepper series and the Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mysteries under the name J.J. Cook.
S.G.Since this is a Christmas story, I thought I would throw a Christmas question in and that is what is your favorite memory ( you are willing to share) about Christmas?
J.J.L.Our favorite Christmas memory is of when our house was being built. It was finished on time – which should have been the week before Christmas. But we went inside anyway with no power or water and had Christmas there. It was a magical day.
S.G. What is something you want your readers to know about you?
J.J.L.That all writers rely on them to give small good reviews if they like a book. It can make a difference to your favorite writer that is having a bad day or trying to go to contract on the next book. Thank you!
S.G. First five books in your TBR pile?
J.J.L. The next books in the Barbara Hambly series for Joyce. Jim is reading the first book in the Game of Thrones series so every book after that for him.
S.G. What book are you reading now and who is your favorite Author?
J.J.L. Right now, I am re-reading an old favorite – Death’s Master by Tanith Lee. I don’t have a favorite author but she is one of many that I enjoy.
S.G. Fun question: If you could host a Christmas party and invite five authors (living or dead) who would they be and what would be on the menu?
J.J.L. Edgar Allen Poe
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Jules Verne
Barbara Hambly
Tanith Lee
Menu: Really gooey chocolate chip cookies and coffee.
My review:
One of the best in this series! It's Christmas time and Mayor Dae is getting ready for the Christmas festivites. A trip back in time, a new friend who can speak to animals and murder make this holiday whodunit a book you will not want to see end. Jim and Joyce are master story-tellers and that have shown that again with this great read!
About These Authors
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.
Author Links
My favorite part of the interview was discovering that you care enough about the characters that it hurts to put them through all the things you have to, to make a good story. Love the Christmas memory, we had to more into a rental house before our furniture arrived with out electricity. The water pump was connected the the owners brother's property for some reason so thank goodness we had water and the gas was turned on. Didn't heat the house but it did let us cook. Luckily mother alway prepared for the lack of electricity so we had flashlights and candles, one we could find them. We move in late one Christmas Eve.
ReplyDeleteIt's seems odd that you could get so attached to a character, but it happens. Thanks for visiting today, Billie!
DeleteThanks for having us here, Shelley!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Joyce and Jim!
ReplyDeleteOh I love this series even though I'm 2 books behind. Definitely looking forward to this one!
ReplyDelete