Pirates, smugglers, patriots? Who’s responsible for the three corpses found on the sand? Two State Park rangers look for answers & find both romance and murder.
Today’s excerpt is Hope Springs, in which our hero begins to wonder if maybe, just maybe…
Blurb:
State Park Rangers Simon Ribault and Ellie Ironstone are used to dealing with messy campers and ravaging raccoons, but when three bodies wash up on the beach, they mobilize all their powers of deduction. Who are they and how did they get to the shore of Amelia Island? Are they connected to the secretive League of the Green Cross? Or linked to a mysterious Jamaican drug ring?
Ellie, new to Amelia Island, must penetrate a close-knit community if she wants to find answers to the mystery, all while deciding between two rivals for her affection: Thad, the handsome local idol, and Simon, the clever, quirky bookworm.
Simon, for his part, will have to call on his not-so-well-honed romantic prowess to lure Ellie away from Thad and at the same time use his wide-ranging research skills to solve the case.
Simon has been mooning over Ellie for six months, with little to show for it. It takes three corpses—plus a bit of goosing from his best friend Georgia—to bring them together.
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| Amelia Rivee |
Excerpt: Hope Springs
As they crossed the street, a fire-engine red Miata barely missed them. It skidded to a stop, and a woman who would put Christie Brinkley to shame leapt out of the car. Simon, accustomed to the sight of her waist-length black hair and eyes a remarkable malachite green, didn’t notice Ellie’s slack jaw. He called, “Hey, Georgia, how’s Santa’s garage? You didn’t unwrap any presents, did you?”
She ran over to them, her short skirt making the long, Tina Turner legs seem even longer. She kissed Simon’s cheek and smiled at Ellie. “You must be Simon’s new partner. Does he treat you as badly as he treats his other colleagues?”
Ellie made a garbled sound in her throat.
She turned to Simon. “Dollink, I’m only down for a few days, and I need to talk to you. Can you come to dinner tonight?”
Simon started to make a joke about checking his social calendar but caught sight of Ellie’s face. She looked pained. What the—?
“Well?” Georgia tugged at his arm.
“Oh, um, sure. What do you want me to bring?”
“Some of that fabulous Italian bubbly you brought the last time. It gave me such a buzz.” She winked at
Ellie, who blinked. “Seven?”
“Okay.”
Georgia turned on her heel and ran back to her car, starting up just as the two drivers behind her had stopped admiring her attributes and begun to fret. She roared off.
“Who…who was that?”
Simon turned surprised eyes on her. “I’m sorry. I should have introduced you. Georgia Petrie.”
“Oh. Your friend from law school.”
“Uh huh.” He gazed at the cloud of dust, the only sign of her passing. “We grew up together.” Ellie muttered something.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you ask if Georgia had seen me naked?”
“Me? That’s absurd.” Ellie plopped into the driver’s seat and waved angrily at Simon. “Get in.”
Simon did as he was told. On the drive back to the station, they were both quiet. Simon rubbed a meditative finger over his lips, wondering. What set Ellie off anyway? A thought intruded. No, couldn’t be.
He checked her profile. Nah. But his mouth formed a hopeful smile, and he leaned back, humming his favorite tune.
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| Fernandina Beach downtown |
Wild Rose Press, December 17, 2018
Imprint: Mainstream Mystery
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Paper 430 p.; Ebook 97,578 words
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Paper 430 p.; Ebook 97,578 words
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2 comments:
I'm thinking Ellie's jealous and Simon is encouraged. Hopeful for sure!
Very close :)
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