Murder on Main Street, a Comstock Cozy Mystery, by Shannon Kaper was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the well-drawn characters and the town so real I want to go there. If you like murder mysteries with a touch of romance and poison, pick this one up today.
Location: Sterling, Ohio
“Run!” said Rita, fear catching in her voice.
“Are you kidding me?” replied Skye. “I’m too damn old to run! Do you want me to have a heart attack? Or fall and break a hip? If some slimy son of a bitch wants a piece of me that bad, then let him come! He’ll be damn sorry.”
“We gotta get out of here. I’m scared,” Rita whispered.
“Calm down, Rita. We’ll be okay.” Skye pulled out her cell phone and tapped 9-1-1. “Yes, we’re in the underground parking garage of the Sterling City Center and we’re being chased by a madman with a knife, and my friend here is scared and I’m too damn old to run. Yes. Skye McKenna. Sixty-six. Well, I’m glad you agree that’s too old to run.”
“Help is on the way.”
“Skye, you don’t know he has a knife!”
“You’re absolutely right! He could have a gun. Shall I call her back and correct myself?”
Sirens were blaring in the distance.
“Isn’t this illegal? This is at least a misdemeanor, if not a felony. Skye, we could end up in jail.”
“Would you rather be murdered in the underground parking garage?”
“No.”
“Then, cry and sniffle, look weak and helpless, and let me handle Sterling’s Finest. Damn! If I knew there was a chance we were going to die on the way to the car, I would’ve had dessert. They make this wonderful strawberry and mascarpone cream cheese torte in there that is pure heaven on a plate.”
A police car pulled up the aisle. Skye and Rita were shouting and waving.
“We’re here! We’re here. Did you see him? He ran that way,” Skye pointed. One officer, the shorter, younger one, took off on foot in the direction of Skye’s pointing finger. The taller, older one stayed with them and tried to calm them down. He walked them to their car and let them sit to rest.
“It’s okay, ladies, you’re safe now. Can you give me a description of this madman with the knife? Height, weight, clothing?” Rita cried and sniffled, shaking her head no.
“About six feet tall, brown hair, brown eyes, stubbly face, jeans, light green tee-shirt with some band name on it, navy pea coat, old black tennis shoes. No piercings or jewelry. No visible tattoos. Not a bad looking guy.”
“Weight?”
“I’m no judge of weight. Far be it from me to attach a number to the human frame. I know I certainly don’t like it when they do it to me. Not fat, not too skinny, but a slim build. Just right.”
“Age?”
“Thirties, I’m guessing here.
“The knife?”
“Chef’s knife. Silver handle, scalloped grip. You can’t buy those individually, you have to buy the whole set. They come with a wooden butcher’s block.”
“Did he brandish the knife at you?”
“Of course, he did! Do you think we would’ve called for help if he were just a prep chef taking his chef’s knife out for a midnight stroll in the underground parking garage? He threatened us.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, ‘Die, you bitches!’’”
The other officer came back, shaking his head.
“Couldn’t find him. I heard running and panting, though. There was definitely someone out there who didn’t want to stop and talk to the police. He got away.”
“Were you in the restaurant?” asked Tall Officer. Skye and Rita nodded. “Did he follow you out?” They looked at each other.
“We don’t know. We ate too much. We were just about rolling out of there. We weren’t paying any attention,” said Skye. “Officer, we’re really tired. This has been a harrowing experience. We want to go home. If we remember anything else, we’ll call you, okay?” He took their names and contact numbers and said he’d be in touch.
“Lock your doors. Go straight home, Ladies.”
He patted the hood of Skye’s car and let them go. Skye drove away.
“This isn’t calmness. It’s boredom.”
“How can you be bored when we’re being stalked by a menacing slasher in a dark underground parking garage at night with a big knife?”
“Did you ever think he might’ve just been some poor shlub walking to his car? Maybe he had a business dinner, or some other meeting. Or maybe he works at Sterling City Center. And, Rita, we didn’t see a weapon, remember? Just because he was in the parking garage at the same time as we were doesn’t mean he was after us or dangerous or a public menace.
“No, no, Skye. I know he was. He looked at me funny. And where did you ever come up with that description? That was nothing like him.”
“That cutie pie? Oh, he’s the man in my head. He’s always in there, smiling at me. That one walking in the garage? I’m not sure that he was after us, or after anybody.”
“Well, let’s hope the police don’t find the man in your head. They’ll arrest him.”
“Oh, Rita. I’ve looked for him all my life. If they can find him and detain him, I’ll gladly go bail him out. And take him home and make him some soup and give him a back rub and…” love him forever, she thought. My Richard. Rita laughed.
“Skye, you’re crazy!”
“I know,” she sighed. She was resigned to the fact she would never find him, this incredible man in her head with the big, warm, liquid-velvet brown eyes and the sweetest unguarded smile. The cutest dimple. A splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose. He’d been there, in her dreams, smiling at her, for as long as she could remember. If she hadn’t found him by now, she never would. And if she found him now at her age, her hormonal drive was gone, her skin didn’t quite fit her body anymore, and she had succumbed to gravity, what the hell would she do with him besides make him soup and give him a back rub? Still, he was there, in her head. Smiling. Those eyes.
Skye pulled up in front of Rita’s rental house.
“Will you be okay?”
“Sure. See you tomorrow after work. I’ll bring you that letter from my kid brother. It’s causing me sleepless nights. You’ll see what I mean. He always exaggerates I know, but this time he’s in trouble, and it’s worse than the usual. I just know it, but I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Okay, bring it over. We’ll figure out what’s up with him. Good night, Rita. I’ll wait until you get in and check the house for slashers hiding under your bed or in the closet, with my finger on speed dial to the police department.”
“Thanks, Skye. You’re a peach. Good night,” she chuckled.
“Good night, Ri.” Rita went in, checked her apartment and waved Skye off. Skye went home and went to bed.
Skye was awakened very early by the sound of the doorbell. She pulled on her robe and slippers and shuffled to peak out the window. Sterling Police Department.
“Ms. McKenna?”
“Yes?”
“Ms. McKenna, it’s Detective Samson. This is Officer Metz. May we come in?”
“Yes, of course. What’s wrong?” she said as she moved aside to let them in.
“Ahh, Ms. McKenna, we need to talk to you about what happened in the parking garage at Sterling City Center last night.”
“Well okay, but we told the officers everything we knew last night.”
“There has been a… recent development, Ms. McKenna. Rita Collier is in the hospital. Someone broke into her home sometime last night and shot her. She’s alive, but in serious condition. Head wound. She’s unresponsive, in a coma.”
Skye sank into the couch, hardly able to comprehend what he said. Someone shot Rita? Last night?
“Oh, my God!”
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Note:
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Note:
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Nancy Loyan
Cleveland, Ohio
U.S.A.
Good morning, Nancy, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for art and authors. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?
What haven't I written! Through the years, I have written for trade and consumer publications, with a specialty in architecture and construction. I’m the author of a coffee table book: Cleveland, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait. My love has been penning “fairy tales for adults.” I was traditionally published (five novels) with Crimson Romance, a Division of Adam’s Media (Writers Digest Books). The line was sold to Simon and Schuster, and, basically eliminated. I had the rights reverted to my novels, and self-published them. I have continued to self-publish.
My novels are women’s fiction with a “happily ever after.” They are in multiple genres, as I prefer variety.
Here’s a list:
PARADISE FOUND (Contemporary, R) After being a woman of the world, Victoria returns home to the exotic Seychelles Islands, to reconcile her past. Island helicopter pilot, Daemon, isn’t expecting to meet a native with an agenda contrary to his own. Will they realize that no man or woman is an island, and that they need each other to begin anew?
LAB TEST … (Animal Attraction series, Paranormal, Comedy, PG) A curse turns a debutante into a dog. She is adopted by an automobile designer, and becomes a voyeur into his life. They find what they have both been missing in life.
PS: I was inspired by my Black Lab-Pointer, Ebony.
HORSE POWER … (Animal Attraction series, Contemporary, PG) A motorcyclist breaks down in front of a widow’s farm. He is the Director of Horsemanship at Culver Academies. She rescues horses. Horses bring them together, and help them overcome tragedy.
PS: My husband is a graduate of Culver.
MOUSE TRAPPED … (Animal Attraction series, Paranormal, Comedy, PG) A woman returns home to the family farm to settle her mother’s estate, only to find another inhabitant at the farmstead, a mutant mouse. Not just any animal, Michael is formidable and tempting as a desirable human male.
WISHES AND TEARS … (Time Travel, PG) My personal favorite. If you like “Somewhere in Time,” this is the novel for you. Faith goes back in time to the Great San Francisco earthquake to find herself in the Queen Ann mansion of a handsome doctor, the same home where she lived in the future. Love can transcend time.
THE RIGHT COMBINATION … (Suspense, R) Someone is murdering the country’s legendary safe and vault technicians. F.B.I. Agent Raphael must find the killer before he strikes again. Is safe tech, Nalani, a suspect, or the pawn of a demented killer?
PS: I collect and have written about antique safes, so this novel is close to my heart.
CHAMPAGNE FOR BREAKFAST… (Historical, R) During the glamorous 1970’s, a model with lofty dreams falls in love with a famous architect with a mysterious past.
A KISS IN THE RAIN … (CHQ series, Suspense, PG) A “black widow” is stalking the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution looking for her next victim. F.B.I Agent Carter has to find her before she strikes again. Will old flame Katy be a distraction?
PS: I taught writing and dance at CHQ for a dozen years.
A CLOUD OVER THE SUN … (CHQ series, Suspense, PG) Patrol Officer, Fredericka and her K-9 partner are recovering from a shooting at the Chautauqua Institution. F.B.I. Agent Kilbane is on the grounds recovering from his own demons. Can he find her shooter-stalker before it’s too late?
AFTERLIFE … (Speculative Science Fiction, G) Kalden is an astronaut, who has lost all that he loved on Earth. On a one-way mission to find other life in the Universe, he lands on a mysterious planet, where his perception of life, death and the beyond, are challenged. He is returned to Earth, where he learns that faith cannot be proven, and that one person can make a difference.
DANCE TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER … (Pharaoh’s Daughters series, Contemporary, G) Mysterious belly dance instructor, Kemsit, transforms the lives of her students in the small town of Cairo. … Kemsit’s studio brings an unlikely pair together. Emily is a nerdy evangelical Christian and Jordan is an Egyptian Muslim co-worker and drummer. Will their differences bring them together, or tear them apart?
DANCING IN THE DARK … (Pharaoh’s Daughter’s series, Contemporary, G) Expectant single mother, Sara, overcomes tragedy by moving to Cairo. Belly dance with Kemsit gives her hope for the future. Will her future include, Lucas, the owner of the local auto repair garage? She makes him re-evaluate the meaning of family.
DANCING ON AIR … (Pharaoh’s Daughter’s series, Contemporary, G) Famous actress, Daphne, hides undercover as a waitress in Cairo. River is a billionaire tech guru, who is seeking a woman after his heart, not his bank account. Can two deceptive people succeed in love? With Kemsit’s help, anything may be possible.
PS: I have taught belly dance (even at CHQ), and have been a professional belly dancer for over thirty years. Finally, I’ve combined my love of dance with writing.
SPECIAL ANGEL (Suspense, PG) In the process of being re-published)
What is your favorite genre to write?
I like all genres, as is evidenced by my novels. I do tend to gravitate toward suspense.
Favorite food
I’ve been leaning toward being a vegetarian. I love Chinese and Thai, because they cannot be duplicated at home.
Tea or coffee?
I used to require flavored coffee. I woke up after having the flu a number of years ago, and found it revolting. Haven’t not had it, since. I now love tea. I’ve never felt more alert, after having kicked the caffeine habit.
Pizza or ice cream?
Yikes! I’d chose pizza.
Wine or beer or soda or what?
I don’t drink beer or soft drinks. I prefer flavored seltzer and an occasional glass of white wine.
Where would you like to visit?
Giraffe Manor in Kenya, Turkey, Spain, the Orient …
Favorite musical artist
I’m old school. Elton John, Tom Jones, Elvis, Barbra Streisand. I do like Lady Gaga.
Do you listen to music when you write? What?
It depends. Tom Jones and Julio Eglesias are great for writing love scenes. Marc Anthony inspired me, while penning The Right Combination.
What makes you laugh?
Romantic comedies.
This is an Art and Author Blog, so I am obligated to ask: Favorite work of art or sculpture.
That’s a hard one. I love classics like Monet, Michaelangelo, Van Gogh … anyone exhibited in the Louvre or Musee D’orsey.
How old were you when you started writing?
I’ve been writing since penning picture books for friends in elementary school. Writing is as necessary as breathing.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I am a “Pantser.” I usually have an idea of the ending, but I work my way to get there. Somehow, it works out.
Describe your perfect evening.
Sitting alone, just me and the dog (after the husband has gone to bed), at the computer … writing. Isn’t it SO romantic?
Where do you get your inspiration?
From life, world travel, experiences, people.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I get away from writing, and do something else, like dance, work out, walk the dog, practice the piano.
Who is your favorite author?
I’m going to duck. I don’t have one. If a book sounds interesting, and appealing, I read it. I love to read books that friends, who are also authors, write. I read multiple genres. I confess that I do like Nora Roberts.
Best book you ever read.
That’s hard. I still love Gone with the Wind, The Thorn Birds, Beloved Infidel … oldies.
Last book you read.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
In my previous life, I was in outside sales and marketing. My BSBA is in Marketing.
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My husband, for believing in me, when no one else did. He still is my biggest cheerleader.
Jesus. I would like to know the real reason for my existence, the secret and purpose of life, and what to expect in the hereafter. I’d like to hear his wisdom, like why bad things happen to good people, and why there is so much suffering and hate.
ETC: I love to travel. I also love to instruct writing (Writing Romance and Women’s Fiction, and Self-Publishing 101). I also instruct belly dance.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Don’t expect to be rich and famous. Study the craft. Write, and keep writing. Expect rejection. Keep writing. Don’t give up. Just write.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Website: www.nancyloyan.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nancy+loyan&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nancy-Loyan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com /NancyLoyanSchuemann
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NLSScribe
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/9nls
LinkledIn: NancyL.Schuemann@NLSScribe
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/nancyloyanschuemann
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