Showcase of River of Lies by James L'Etoile and TWO winners of a $20 Amazon Gift Card Each

RIVER OF LIES

by James L'Etoile

January 6 - 31, 2025 

Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery

Detective Emily Hunter must be the voice for the voiceless

The homeless camps spread throughout the city of Sacramento are a topic of heated debate among residents. They’re considered undesirable—a nuisance—an eyesore. But when the camps fall victim to a string of devastating arson attacks, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, dive into the investigation and become acquainted with the real people whose lives have been destroyed.

The attacks only begin to draw attention when two of the victims are identified as the city’s former anti-homeless mayor and a camp social worker—but rather than strengthening the push for justice, the movement to completely abolish the camps intensifies.

The investigation becomes politically charged when Emily discovers who stands to gain from burning the homeless out of their shelters. She struggles to balance the high-stakes investigation with caring for her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother, whose condition is rapidly deteriorating. The investigation uncovers an unlikely suspect and a reluctant witness standing between Emily and the shocking truth. Can Emily overcome resistance and her personal obstacles to halt the attacks?

Praise for RIVER OF LIES:

"[River of Lies has] everything that I love in a police procedural in spades: a smart and intuitive lead detective, an equally intuitive partner, and a high-stakes, ripped-from-the-headlines case that will challenge them both."
~ Karen Dionne, USA Today best-selling author of The Marsh King’s Daughter

"River of Lies is a rich, gripping crime novel. L’Etoile writes with a deep understanding of both human nature and investigative procedure, a combination that keeps the pages flying past."
~ Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of Double Barrel Bluff

"River of Lies is a tour de force thriller . . . Brooding, heartfelt, and powerful."
~ T. Jefferson Parker, New York Times best-selling author of Desperation Reef

"River of Lies is a masterful blend of political intrigue and personal drama, weaving elements of true-life crime into a twisty, page-turning and compelling plot—with a climax and denouement that will shock you to the core. Enthusiastically recommended."
~ Baron Birtcher, award-winning author of Knife River

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural; Thriller
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781608095896 (ISBN10: 1608095894)
Series: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Oceanview Publishing

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

It would be easy to float away in the darkness and let the current pull her under, too. She’d thought about it several times before—in her “dark times,” as her ex-husband used to call them.

Lisa’s life hadn’t turned out the way she’d hoped. Abusive parents, a failed marriage, the booze—so much booze—all swirled together to set her on this path. Losing her apartment finally put her out here. Now this. She thought she’d escaped, but running from her past hadn’t worked. The ghosts of years past had stripped everything away. Lisa had nothing left, not even hope.

The tug of the Sacramento River on her legs was temping, and the spring snow runoff numbed Lisa’s thighs as she waded out.

Lisa closed her eyes and pictured herself lying back and allowing the river to put an end to it.

“Momma?”

Lisa’s eyes shot open.

Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted the faint outline of her daughter standing on the riverbank. The eight-year-old wore a thin blue t-shirt with a unicorn on the front, a threadbare pair of jeans, holding a stuffed bunny with one ear missing. The girl’s face registered confusion.

“Baby, go on back to the tent,” Lisa said.

Lisa felt her daughter would be better off without her. The mother’s sins cast a damning shadow. But she couldn’t abandon Willow. Not like this. Lisa knew what it was like to be an orphan in an unfriendly world. The future of an eight-year-old alone in a homeless camp wasn’t the life Willow deserved.

“Momma, what are you doing?”

Lisa’s eyes welled. She didn’t need to tell her daughter the world was a hurtful place. She’d keep the secrets and not let her know there was nothing worth living for—for now.

“I’m coming, baby.”

Lisa turned and waded back toward the bank. Her daughter spent the last two years in one homeless camp or another. The tightly packed shelters made Lisa’s claustrophobia itch.

Lisa reached for her daughter and grabbed her, lifting the girl into a tight hug. Tears streamed down Lisa’s cheeks. Not because Lisa wanted to end her suffering. She’d considered that option before. The tears came from nearly making Willow an orphan and leaving the innocent girl behind in a homeless camp. Willow couldn’t fight off the predators who lurked in the darkness—like they did tonight.

From the river’s edge, the camp spread a quarter mile in either direction. There was never any official count because people came and went, died, were arrested, or simply disappeared from the camp. Lisa guessed there were over two hundred people living here in the city’s forgotten shadows.

It was time to move. When the camps get too big, bad things happen, and people talk.

Lights flickered from small campfires and lanterns throughout the settlement. Lisa thought they looked like fallen stars. She hugged Willow a little closer and followed the trail back into the camp.

She unzipped the fly on their tent and scooted inside. Their belongings—a change of clothes, a towel to share, and two children’s books lay on one end of the nylon dome tent. A pair of sleeping bags took up most of the space. Lisa knew they were lucky to have them—others didn’t.

“All right, sweetie, let’s get you settled in for the night.”

Willow wiggled into her sleeping bag with her stuffed rabbit. Lisa grabbed a book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, one of her daughter’s favorites. The eight-year-old could recite most of the story by heart.

Lisa opened the book when a loud commotion erupted outside. It wasn’t uncommon in the camp. Fights over property, drugs, or imagined slights fed by drugs, alcohol, and glitchy mental health were a daily occurrence. Lisa learned the best thing to do was stay out of it and never get involved.

It sounded like the usual dust-up until the screams began.

“Stay here, Willow.”

Lisa crawled to the tent flap, zipped it open, and poked her head out.

Fire.

Flames erupted on the far side of the camp. It was always a risk in the cardboard condos and plastic tarp shelters along the riverbank. This was different. At least six structures were ablaze. People were running, backlit by the orange and yellow glow. The evening delta breeze fanned the flames, igniting another dozen tents.

The cheap nylon shelters went up like dried rice paper.

“Baby, get your shoes on.”

“What is it, Momma?”

“We need to—”

Lisa spotted two men in the chaos, both outlined by the flames behind them. They weren’t running. One set the next row of tents ablaze. The second man wielded a baseball bat and swung the aluminum cylinder at anyone who came near. A sickening tink sound echoed among the rows of tents when he bounced the bat off a man’s shoulder.

Lisa grabbed her daughter’s hand, pulling her from the tent. The girl’s eyes grew large when she spotted the fires.

Willow pulled away and ducked back into the tent.

“Willow Marie, don’t you pull away from me. Come here. We need to get away.”

Lisa felt the heat from the fire. It was spreading fast, and the flames jumped up into the trees within the camp.

Bending into the tent, Lisa found Willow gathering her stuffed animal and the books.

“Come now, we need to—”

Tink.

Lisa fell flat on the ground. The rounded end of the baseball bat shoved at her ribs. Dazed from a blow to the head, she didn’t move. Lisa registered a man’s boot stepping over her.

The flames grew closer.

Willow’s fear backed her into the far corner of the tent.

Lisa’s ragged voice called to her daughter. “Willow. Listen. I need—I need you to run. Hide. Go to the safe place—the rock where we hide things. Stay until I come for you.”

“I don’t want to go. I’m scared.”

“I know, baby. You have to be brave. Take Mr. Bunny and go, now.”

Willow clutched her stuffed animal, the book, and stepped through the tent flap.

“Momma, you have an owie.”

“I know, baby. I’ll be okay.”

It was a lie. Lisa knew she was far from okay. She could feel the pressure in her head building with each heartbeat.

“Go to the place we talked about, honey. Go quick.”

Willow’s eyes welled. She didn’t budge, frozen in fear before a scream from someone nearby broke her from the trance. Another row of tents went up in flames.

“Go.”

Willow hugged her bunny and trotted toward the river. Lisa lost sight of her through the smoke billowing through the camp.

She tried to get up and couldn’t move her legs. She crabbed forward using her arms, inching away from the burning camp.

Her tent flashed, and the flames consumed it in seconds. The melting fabric, plastic and nylon fibers fell on her. The molten material burned through her clothing and ate into the flesh on Lisa’s back.

The pain seared into her. Screams around her meant she wasn’t the only one. The two arsonists headed in the same direction Willow had fled.

“Stop them,” she cried. No one could hear over the chaos of the burning camp.

Lisa now wished the water had brought a calm end to everything. She didn’t expect this—the fire, searing flame, and torture. Part of her believed she deserved this fate for the pain she’d caused. Willow didn’t. The girl didn’t understand. Now, Lisa worried about what would happen to her sweet little girl. Mr. Bunny would not be enough.

The last thought before the flames ate at her pant legs. “I’ve failed you.”

***

Excerpt from River of Lies by James L'Etoile. Copyright 2025 by James L'Etoile. Reproduced with permission from James L'Etoile. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies is his most recent novel. Look for Sins of the Father and The Red List, coming soon. He is the host of Authors on the Air, served as a board member of his local Sister-in-Crime chapter, sits on the Mystery Writers of America national board, and serves as the Director of QueryFest at ThrillerFest for International Thriller Writers.

Catch Up With James L'Etoile:

www.jamesletoile.com
Prison to the Page Newsletter
Goodreads
BookBub - @crimewriter
Instagram - @authorjamesletoile
Threads - @authorjamesletoile
X - @JamesLEtoile
Facebook - @AuthorJamesLetoile

 

Tour Participants:

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Win Big! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for James L’Etoile. 

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Friendly Fill-Ins - 1/24/2025

                                       

***********

FRIENDLY FILL-INS:

1. _____________was the highlight of my ____________.

2. A new book ( or movie or tv show) that I highly recommend is ____________.

3. _________ makes me feel like a kid again.

4. If I had to sing karaoke right now, I'd choose the song _________.

  MY ANSWERS:

1.  Being in Italy with my son and meeting family was the highlight of my Christmas season.

2.  A new book that I highly recommend is The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn.

3.  Going into my childhood library makes me feel like a kid again.

4.  If I had to sing karaoke right now, I'd choose the song Be Happy.

Spotlight of Mask of The Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove

PHOTO SOURCE:

TYPORAMA
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MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN

LAURIE L. DOVE

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KAILA MUNDELL-HILL | PUBLICITY BERKLEY | PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE.

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A powerful debut thriller with Indigenous folklore, following a detective who has suffered the loss of her own daughter and must return to the reservation where her father was raised to help other families avoid a similar fate.

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January 21, 2025

Berkley Trade Paperback Hardcover

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PRAISE FOR MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN:

"Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection." —Vanessa Lillie, USA Today bestselling author of Blood Sisters

“A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one’s culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence.”—Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters

"A thriller that dreams are made of—thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure.  The work of a rare, singular talent."—Chris Mooney, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Walk in My Combat Boots

“Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action."—Nick Medina, author of Indian Burial Ground

“Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read.”
—Iris Yamashita, author of City Under One Roof
 
“Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove's detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women's resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters."—K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

"A compelling and sinister story that brings to life the real, shocking epidemic of violence against native women, led by a complex character divided from her own identity and history."
—Lori Rader-Day, award-winning author of The Death of Us
 
“Dove seamlessly weaves magical threads into a narrative that reminds us of the forces beyond what is seen, and the importance of protecting and cherishing women.”—Mary Sullivan, author of High

"Mask of the Deer Woman stunningly illuminates the reality of young indigenous women gone missing from the 326 reservations in the U.S., through a mix of mystery and myth, and a cast of suspects including intriguing locals and scheming officials. In creating a flawed, damaged protagonist, author Laurie Dove brings additional gravitas to this tribal mystery."
—Daphne Kalotay, author of The Archivists
 
"Mask of the Deer Woman, by Laurie L. Dove, is the story of a law enforcement officer who belongs nowhere. Lonely, living amongst strangers, desperate to atone for mistakes and lost opportunities of the past, Carrie Starr is searching for her true home and seeking to find the reason why so many of the women of the Saliquaw Nation have disappeared. Mask of the Deer Woman is both mystery and character study, and Carrie is both easy to root for and difficult to like. She has hard edges and a wounded heart. This is a novel that will keep you awake at night—reading it, thinking about it, and later dreaming about it."—William Holinger, author of The Fence-walker

**PRAISE TAKEN FROM BOOK'S AMAZON PAGE**

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ABOUT MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN:

At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.

In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.

Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.

What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.

************

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laurie L. Dove is a reporter and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications and garnered several honors for outstanding journalism.

She graduated with a master’s degree in creative writing and literature from Harvard University.

She is an adjunct professor who currently lives and writes in Kansas. 

Find her at lauriedove.com

**AUTHOR PHOTO TAKEN FROM BOOK'S AMAZON PAGE**

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Showcase of Early Termination by Cindy Goyette and Giveaway of TWO $15 Bookshop.org Gift Cards

EARLY TERMINATION

by Cindy Goyette

January 20 - February 14, 2025 

Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Probation Case Files Mystery

There are two ways to get off probation early. The first is to be a model citizen and complete all requirements imposed by the court. The second is to die. In Early Termination, Phoenix probation officer Casey Carson’s clients aren’t civic-minded, but they are dropping like flies.

She’s on a gang’s hit list, a detective’s suspect list, and is torn while two very hot men vie for her heart. As more clients die and a probationer accuses her of brutality, she becomes the focus of the investigation. Casey risks losing everything in her race to find the real killer, but doing so will put the target squarely on her back. She will need to find the person responsible for lightening her workload before she’s the one terminated.

Praise for Cindy Goyette's Novels:

"A hard-charging crime novel powered by combustible realism and driven by a fresh, new heroine—probation officer Casey Carson. Buckle up for a wild, white-knuckle ride."
~ Lee Goldberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A dynamite start to an excellent new series. This is the kind of book that can grow legs and take off just by word of mouth. The character Casey Carson has grit, loyalty and honor. OBEY ALL LAWS is a topnotch thriller and I can't wait for the next one. Author Cindy Goyette is here to stay."
~ David Putnam the bestselling author of The Bruno Johnson series

"Cindy Goyette is a master with words. And she knows how to spin a tale! Drawing from rich life experiences in law enforcement, her characters jump from the page. Don't miss a single sentence this gifted author writes."
~ Judith L. Pearson, author of From Shadows to Life, The Wolves at the Door and Belly of the Beast

"A rollicking ride through the gritty world of feisty Probation Officer Casey Carson, a fantastic character with a heart as big and vast as the Arizona desert she calls home. When her probationers keep stacking up as homicide victims, Casey realizes that someone is sending her a message, and they're dead serious about it. Now, she must unravel the sinister plot before she becomes the next victim. A complex, entertaining story that includes a secondary theme of romantic frustration simmering in the background, and a twisty ending that ensures we'll see more adventures from Casey Carson. A great read! Five thumbs-up!"
~ Kerry Peresta, author of the Olivia Callahan Suspense series and Back Before Dawn

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Number of Pages: 320
Series: A Probation Case Files Mystery
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

One

In probation work, there’s no such thing as a routine day at the office.

This morning, flashing red and blue lights guided me to the crime scene. Coming to a stop behind the coroner’s van, I parked my Jeep Wrangler and took a deep breath.

Coroner meant someone was dead. Not a good start to my day, but even worse for whoever I’d been called here about.

As I climbed out of my Jeep, I adjusted my sunglasses and surveyed the area. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off the entrance to the canal. Red tile rooftops peeked over six-foot walls that separated the waterway from the middle-class sea of stucco on either side. The canal, about ten feet wide, snaked smack in the middle of a dirt pathway that residents used to get their steps in.

It was nearing the end of September, and I was grateful for the hint of the cooler weather that would dip below one hundred for the first time in months. Ninety degrees might seem hot to some, but in Arizona, it was sweater weather.

I walked up to a uniformed cop and held out my badge. “I’m with probation. Detective Ramsey asked me to come.”

It wasn’t unusual for the police to contact us, but it wasn’t common practice to be called to a crime scene. My curiosity mixed with dread.

The cop glanced at my identification. “Ms. Carson. Welcome to the shit show. Don’t touch anything.” He held the tape high so I could pass. I ducked underneath and secured my badge to my belt so the other officers could tell I belonged there.

Lots of Tempe Police blue uniforms and forensic staff mulled around the area, but I homed in on the tall, balding man standing close to the water. He had on plain clothes—khakis and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I figured he might be Ramsey, so I walked over to him.

He scribbled something on a small notepad and glanced at me as I approached. “You the PO?”

I nodded and dropped my gaze to the mound covered by a tarp at his feet. I wasn’t fond of seeing dead bodies. One reason I was a PO and not a cop.

“Thinking this might be one of your charges, Ms. Carson,” he said. “I gotta warn you, it’s not pretty. He was in the water for a while and birds, and god knows what else got to him. You got a strong stomach?”

No. At the mere thought of seeing the body, my breakfast threatened to make a reappearance, but I wouldn’t admit that. “I’m fine. Why do you think he was on my caseload?”

Ramsey shrugged. “Someone stuffed your business card in his mouth.”

I gulped air. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope. You ready?” Ramsey reached down and pulled the sheet back before I could respond.

A bloated, green face, missing chunks of cheek, greeted me. Bulging eyes looked skyward. Bran flakes swirled in my stomach and crested in my throat. Without a word, I ran to the canal and vomited so hard I thought I’d hack up a vital organ or two.

“You okay, ma’am?” Ramsey sounded bored.

I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and straightened. Memories of the same man, alive and animated, flashed in my mind. Not so long ago, he was proud of accomplishing a solid month of sobriety. Now, I hardly recognized him. “Could you put the sheet back?” I said, keeping my back to the body on the ground.

“Sure.”

I waited a moment to give Ramsey time to cover the corpse and to compose myself. But that would take a while, and the detective didn’t seem like he had a lot of patience. The relationship between police and probation was fickle. We often needed each other, but POs were on the lower end of the food chain.

When I finally turned around, Ramsey was tapping his pen against his notebook. “So, you know the guy, or what?”

“Brian Johnson,” I said. “He was on abscond status. Haven’t seen him for a few weeks, maybe a month. He was doing well, but then he stopped reporting. He probably relapsed. I was gearing up to request a warrant for probation violations. What do you think was the cause of death?”

Ramsey shrugged again. “Too soon to tell, but most people who die of natural causes don’t end up in a canal or send a message like your business card does. They preserved it in a plastic Baggie, so we’d get the point no matter how long it took to find him.

I felt even sicker. Was the message for me? “Couldn’t you ID him through fingerprints? I thought you had all kinds of tech gadgets for that.”

“Sure,” Ramsey said. “But then I wouldn’t have seen your reaction. Plus, some of his fingertips are missing and what’s left probably isn’t usable. Dental records take time.” He pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to me. “Call me if you think of anything else I might need to know.”

I turned back to the canal and vomited until I had nothing left to give.

In probation work, there’s no such thing as a routine day at the office.

This morning, flashing red and blue lights guided me to the crime scene. Coming to a stop behind the coroner’s van, I parked my Jeep Wrangler and took a deep breath.

Coroner meant someone was dead. Not a good start to my day but even worse for whoever I’d been called here about.

As I climbed out of my Jeep, I adjusted my sunglasses and surveyed the area. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off the entrance to the canal. Red tile rooftops peeked over six-foot walls that separated the waterway from the middle-class sea of stucco on either side. The canal, about ten feet wide, snaked smack in the middle of a dirt pathway that local residents used to get their steps in.

It was nearing the end of September, and I was grateful for the hint of the cooler weather that would dip below one hundred for the first time in months. Ninety degrees might seem hot to some, but in Arizona, it was sweater weather.

I walked up to a uniformed cop and held out my badge. “I’m with probation. Detective Ramsey asked me to come.”

It wasn’t unusual for police to contact us, but it wasn’t common practice to be called to a crime scene. My curiosity mixed with dread.

The cop glanced at my identification. “Ms. Carson. Welcome to the shit show. Don’t touch anything.” He held the tape high so I could pass. I ducked underneath and secured my badge to my belt so the other officers could tell I belonged there.

Lots of Tempe Police blue uniforms and forensic staff mulled around the area, but I homed in on the tall balding man standing close to the water. He was dressed in plain clothes—khakis and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I figured he might be Ramsey, so I walked over to him.

He scribbled something on a small notepad and glanced at me as I approached. “You the PO?”

I nodded and dropped my gaze to the mound covered by a tarp at his feet. I wasn’t fond of seeing dead bodies. One of the reasons, I was a PO and not a cop.

“Thinking this might be one of your charges, Ms. Carson,” he said. “I gotta warn you, it’s not pretty. He was in the water for a while and birds, and god knows what else got to him. You got a strong stomach?”

No. At the mere thought of seeing the body, my breakfast threatened to make a reappearance, but I wouldn’t admit that. “I’m fine. Why do you think he was on my caseload?”

Ramsey shrugged. “Your business card was stuffed in his mouth.”

I gulped air. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope. You ready?” Ramsey reached down and pulled the sheet back before I could respond.

The face before me was bloated, green, and missing chunks of cheek. Bulging eyes looked skyward. Bran flakes swirled in my stomach and crested in my throat. Without a word, I ran to the canal and vomited so hard, I thought I’d hack up a vital organ or two.

“You okay, ma’am?” Ramsey sounded bored.

I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and straightened. Memories of the same man, alive and animated flashed in my mind. Not so long ago, he was proud of accomplishing a solid month of sobriety. Now, I hardly recognized him. “Could you put the sheet back?” I said, keeping my back to the body on the ground.

“Sure.”

I waited a moment to give Ramsey time to cover the corpse and to compose myself. But that would take a while, and the detective didn’t seem like he had a lot of patience. The relationship between police and probation was fickle. We often needed each other, but POs were on the lower end of the food chain.

When I finally turned around, Ramsey was tapping his pen against his notebook. “So, you know the guy, or what?”

“Brian Johnson,” I said. “He was on abscond status. Haven’t seen him for a few weeks, maybe a month. He was doing well, but then he stopped reporting. He probably relapsed. I was gearing up to request a warrant for probation violations. What do you think was the cause of death?”

Ramsey shrugged again. “Too soon to tell, but most people who die of natural causes don’t end up in a canal or send a message like your business card does. It was preserved in a plastic Baggie, so we’d get the point no matter how long it took to find him.”

I felt even sicker. Was the message for me? “Couldn’t you ID him through fingerprints? I thought you had all kinds of tech gadgets for that.”

“Sure,” Ramsey said. “But then I wouldn’t have seen your reaction. Plus, some of his fingertips are missing and what’s left probably isn’t usable. Dental records take time.” He pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to me. “Call me if you think of anything else I might need to know.”

I turned back to the canal and vomited until I had nothing left to give.

***

Excerpt from Early Termination by Cindy Goyette. Copyright 2025 by Cindy Goyette. Reproduced with permission from Cindy Goyette. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Cindy Goyette is a former probation officer who had a front row seat to the criminal justice system. She kept her sanity by finding humor in most situations. A mix of these things helped her create The Probation Case Files Mystery Series, Book 1, OBEY ALL LAWS won a PSWA Award for best suspense, and was published in January of 2024. Book 2, EARLY TERMINATION, released January of 2025. Her first cozy mystery, DIAMOND IN THE RUFF, will release in May of 2025. After spending over twenty years in Arizona, Cindy lives in Washington state with her husband and two Cocker Spaniels.

Catch Up With Cindy Goyette:

CCGoyette.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @ccgoyettewriter
Instagram - @cindy.goyette
Threads - @cindy.goyette
X - @cindy_ccgoyette
Facebook

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Don't Miss Your Chance to Win! Enter Today!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Cindy Goyette.

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Void where prohibited.

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Spotlight of Dancing Woman by Elaine Neil Orr

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
***********    

DANCING WOMAN

 ELAINE NEIL ORR

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KATELYNN DREYER | PUBLICIST | KAYE PUBLICITY 

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Dancing Woman brings us an indelible portrait of a young female artist in Nigeria in the 1960s who is torn between two men and two cultures, struggling to find her passion and her purpose. 

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January 21, 2025

 Blair Publishing

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PRAISE FOR DANCING WOMAN:

"Provocative, lyrical, moving . . . well worth readers' valuable time."—Therese Fowler, It All Comes Down to This and Z

"Brimming with vivid description, deeply rooted in time and place, and with a fascinating cast of complicated, enigmatic characters, Dancing Woman is ultimately a story of longing—for a sense of self, community, redemption, and healing—and a profound exploration of the transformative power of art in its many forms."—Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain and The Trackers

"1960s Nigeria is in turmoil, and so is Elaine Neil Orr's thoughtful, unique protagonist: transplanted American bride Isabel Hammond, whose struggles to find her purpose and identity launch this fascinating tale. Dancing Woman is a provocative, lyrical, moving exploration of a dynamic young woman's journey from crisis to growth in a challenging time and place, and well worth readers' valuable time."—Therese Fowler, It All Comes Down to This and Z

“Utterly intriguing...Who knew sex and drumming are intertwined? Elaine will take you on that journey...Amidst suspense, betrayal, and confusion, Elaine Neil Orr brings Nigeria in the 1960s to you, giving you a dose of history, language, culture, music, and art. I expect nothing less from a Nigerian in spirit and body."—Toyin Falola, author of Counting the Tiger’s Teeth

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ABOUT DANCING WOMAN:

"Elaine Neil Orr, born in Nigeria to expat parents, brings us an indelible portrait of a young female artist, torn between two men and two cultures, struggling to find her passion and her purpose. 

It’s 1963 and Isabel Hammond is an expat who has accompanied her agriculture aid worker husband to Nigeria, where she is hoping to find inspiration for her art and for her life. Then she meets charismatic local singer Bobby Tunde, and they share a night of passion that could upend everything. Seeking solace and distraction, she returns to her painting and her home in a rural village where she plants a lemon tree and unearths an ancient statue buried in her garden. She knows that the dancing female  figure is not hers to keep, yet she is reluctant to give it up, and soon, she notices other changes that make her wonder what the dancing woman might portend. 

Against the backdrop of political unrest in Nigeria, Isabel’s personal situation also becomes precarious. She finds herself in the center of a tide of suspicion, leaving her torn between the confines of her domestic life and the desire to immerse herself in her art and in the culture that surrounds her. The expat society, the ancient Nigerian culture, her beautiful family, and even the statue hidden in a back room—each trouble and beguile Isabel. Amid all of this, can she finally become who she wants to be?" 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elaine Neil Orr is the author of five books, including the novels A Different Sun and Swimming Between Worlds She was born and grew up in Nigeria, the daughter of missionary parents, and most of her writing is grounded in both the American South and the Nigerian South.

She is a professor of literature at N.C. State University and serves on the faculty of the Brief-Residency MFA in Writing Program at Spalding University.

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SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/elaineneilorr/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/elaine.n.orr.9

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/elaineneilorr

Spotlight of Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA

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ACCIDENTALLY AMY

LYNN PAINTER

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF CHELSEA PASCOE| BERKLEY | SENIOR PUBLICIST

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Pretty Woman meets While You Were Sleeping in the newest romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author, Lynn Painter. 

This charming tale revolves around a stolen latte, setting the stage for a meet-cute of epic proportions.

 

Romance enthusiasts of all kinds will delight in the beloved tropes featured, such as the grumpy meets sunshine dynamic and the friends-to-lovers storyline.

ACCIDENTALLY AMY is romance at its best—vivacious, hilarious, sexy, and genuine.

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January 14, 2025

Berkley Trade Paperback Original

Romantic Comedy

Contemporary Romance

Women’s Fiction

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ABOUT ACCIDENTALLY AMY:

The story: A stolen latte results in a meet-cute for the ages in this brand-new edition, with bonus content, of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter's rom-com Accidentally Amy.

 

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

 

Izzy takes that PSL.

 

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to her: “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lynn Painter is the USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author of BETTER THAN THE MOVIES.

She writes romantic comedies for teens and adults, and when she isn't reading or writing, she can usually be found binge-watching rom-coms or shotgunning energy drinks.

**AUTHOR PHOTO AND INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THE BOOK'S AMAZON PAGE**

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