A review copy was provided
CROOKED HOUSE
by Marlene Bateman
I so ADORE the Erica Coleman series!
Delightfully FUN cases of mystery and intrigue!
When Megan's roommate, Liz, starts to have a series of "accidents"...
Megan suspects that it is more than mere coincident and calls her mom's best friend, Erica, to come investigate....
As Erica arrives to Crooked House she is fascinated at the history of the house.
Called Crooked House because it is deteriorating and therefore leaning at crooked positions it is also a historical landmark and protected.
But a menacing neighbor wants the house to be fixed up.
Liz just doesn't have the money to do that.
As Erica digs deeper the "accidents" become more sinister as shots are taken and bombs are planted...
Is Liz still the target or has Erica now made some enemies?
See if you can follow the clues and figure it out before Erica does...
A "tangled web of love, money, and greed" await in this very ENJOYABLE mystery!
WHAT A GREAT BOOK!
I LOVED IT!
I also especially loved the fact that while you are delving into the clues you also get pockets of humor and mouth-watering recipes to explore!
Do not miss out on this one!
The author has graciously offered a
BOOK GIVEAWAY for one of my followers :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
Marlene Bateman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She is married to Kelly R. Sullivan. Her hobbies include gardening, camping, reading, and enjoying her four cats and three dogs.
Marlene’s first novel was the best-selling Light on Fire Island. Her next novel was Motive for Murder—the first in a mystery series that features Erica Coleman, a quirky private eye with OCD. The next book in that line, (they do not have to be read in order) is A Death in the Family.
Marlene has also written a number of LDS non-fiction books under the name Marlene Bateman Sullivan. Those books include: Gaze Into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History, which is a fascinating collection of over 50 documented near-death experiences from the lives of early latter-day Saints, Heroes of Faith, and Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines. Marlene also wrote three books about documented accounts in early LDS church history when a person either saw or heard an angel; Visit’s From Beyond the Veil, And There Were Angels Among Them, and By the Ministering of Angels.
Excerpt from Crooked House
“I’m scared.”
Erica’s heart turned over when she heard the quaver in her young friend’s voice on the phone.
Then Megan asked, “Can you come?”
“Of course.” Erica’s reply was automatic. She would do anything she could to help. Although she often received emotionally-laden phone calls in her job as a private investigator, there was a difference when the call came from the teen-aged daughter of her best friend. The very fact that Megan—who was usually so calm and composed—sounded frightened out of her wits, put Erica on high alert.
“I think someone’s trying to kill my roommate, Liz,” Megan said.
“What makes you think that?” Erica asked. “Has someone threatened her?”
“No, but Liz has had a couple of serious accidents lately—at least she says they’re accidents, but either one of them could have killed her.”
Erica made an effort to reel in her skepticism. “Tell me about them.”
“First, someone tampered with her car. The brakes went out and Liz ended up driving across someone’s yard and hitting a tree. Fortunately, she was okay. The second one happened downtown. Liz was on the sidewalk waiting for the bus when someone shoved her. She fell into the road. A truck was coming and if a guy hadn’t pulled her back, Liz could have been killed.”
Still, they could have been accidents, Erica thought, at least until the third one occurred—this time at Crooked House.
Recipe from Crooked House
JEN'S ROSEMARY RANCH CHICKEN
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients except chicken. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Cut chicken breast in half, and pound to 1/2" thickness.
3. Coat chicken with marinade, and refrigerate for 8 hours.
4. Grill chicken for 8-12 minute, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
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