Another start to the week. I had a wonderful time at the Passaic County Book Festival in Clifton NJ. There were so many authors, readers, and folks just enjoying the beautiful sunshine. I met authors who have been on my blog and friends for New Jersey Romance Writers. Sitting on a paranormal panel was the highpoint. We had so much fun answering questions.  As always the team putting together this huge event did a bang up job. Now onto today's guest and her new cozy mystery. 

Framed for Murder
by 
Marla A. White

A cozy animal mystery.

Old enemies become allies to unravel a deadly mystery. 
Mel O'Rourke used to be a cop before a life-changing injury forced her to turn in her badge. Now she leads a relatively peaceful life running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. That is, until her old frenemy, the charismatic cat burglar Poppy Phillips, shows up, claiming she's been framed for murder. While she’s no saint, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone and sets out to prove Poppy's innocence.
The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

Heat level – PG.   There’s only 1 fairly chaste kiss but some salty language sprinkled in.

Get your copy today
Amazon - https://bit.ly/43Uwj96
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/3TKdPDu
Apple Books - https://books.apple.com/us/book/framed-for-murder/id6483932566
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211106987-framed-for-murder
AllAuthor - https://allauthor.com/book/87348/framed-for-murder-a-pine-cove-mystery/
Books2Read - books2read.com/u/4Djgor  
Book Bub-https://www.bookbub.com/books/framed-for-murder-by-marla-a-white
Inspiration for the story
I love murder.  Mysteries were always my favorite things to watch and read as a kid. Well, first horse stories. After I went through that section of the library, I moved on to mysteries. The ability to murder people who annoyed me without going to jail? Perfect.  
The location for the book was inspired by the very real and quirky town of Idyllwild. Although to be honest, what I thought was a babbling brook running behind my little cabin turned out to be a large koi pond 😀Who knew?
Mel’s story of what to do in her “second act” of life when her dream of being a cop was no longer available began in “The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder”. Her doubts of who she is if she can’t be the one thing she always wanted to be were inspired by my own journey hitting a fork in the road. Like most people, it took getting through it to realize how much better life can be on the other side of that mountain you think is in your way. I just had to hang on and enjoy the ride on my way to achieving a lifelong goal of being a published writer. 
Her foil in this book, cat burglar Poppy Phillips, was inspired by a weird event that happened when staying at a moderately tall hotel on the California coast. In the middle of the night, a random person parkoured across our balcony and onto the next one. Or was it a dream? Either way, in my head Poppy said “Yes, please!” and so the opening was inspired. 
My main goal in writing the stories I do is to entertain the readers enough that they forget about whatever troubles they might be facing. To laugh a little, to see a little bit of themselves in the characters, and hopefully be inspired even when life throws them curves.

About the Author
Marla White is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails (to, you know, drown her sorrows over the Kings).   
  Fun facts
Something readers might find interesting about this book:
The quirky Babbling Brook Bed-and-Breakfast is loosely inspired by the Silver Pines Lodge in Idyllwild. Highly recommend staying there if you’re even in that neck of the woods. 

A fact about me that readers might find interesting:
I share Mel’s nearly debilitating fear of heights. Well, not to the same extent, I can climb a set of stairs, but looking down more than a few flights? No way 😀
There’s a scene where Mel does a singing bowl session. I’ve done that and honestly, it’s pretty cool!
I accomplished the dream of becoming a published writer in my late fifties after helping other writers craft their stories for thirty years.

Follow the author.
https://twitter.com/TheScriptFixer
 
https://www.instagram.com/marlawriteswords/
 
https://www.facebook.com/MarlaAWhiteAuthor
 
https://www.tiktok.com/@marlaw825
 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21467766.Marla_A_White
 
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marla-a-white
 
https://amzn.to/3MHIzkB
 
https://substack.com/@marlawhite?utm_source=edit-profile-page

Hi everyone. Ususally I'm the one asking the questions but today I thought I'd share with you the questions and my answers while sitting on a Paranormal/Fantasy panel at the Passaic Book Festival this past weekend. I'd love to know how you would answer the questions or what you think of my answers in the comments. 

Moderator "Paranormal” is a pretty broad topic and can apply to anything from high fantasy worlds with complex magical rules and ancient histories, to contemporary settings that include ghosts, cryptid monsters, vampires, witches, or even just a touch of the supernatural, like unexplained interventions from unseen powers. Can you tell us a bit about the paranormal elements in your writing and what inspired you to write in this genre?
Books and authors who made a lasting impression on me are CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. Books that take me away to a magical place or time and real-world worries are my form of therapy. I love the theme of good overcoming evil. I adore epic battles and magic wands. And ghost stories. Who remembers The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by Josephine Leslie, an Irish writer who wrote under the name R. A. Dick.
Moderator I understand that your Lake Unami Stories involve guardian angels and other serendipitous elements. Are there recurring themes or messages you aim to convey through your paranormal fiction? How do you use paranormal elements to explore deeper human emotions and societal issues?
DV I’ve always thought of the rainbow as a promise. I also believe heavenly intervention is active. I’m a Christian, though I don’t write Christian novels. But the themes of love, family, and hope run through all my books. I don’t think love dies after a person leaves this world. I believe it lives on in us, and we pass that on to others. While my books seem light-hearted, they do deal with loss, grieving, divorce, and single parenting. In an upcoming novel, A Christmas Storm, my main character, Lacey, deals with being a military wife with an overseas husband. She struggles with accepting help and believes she has to do everything on her own.
To the second part of your question I’m going to talk about my Shield-Mates series. The shifter characters carry a shield representing who they are. The nature of their inner beast can be volatile, so Shield-Mates exchange shields and open pathways to their mates, who can also help them control the animal nature in them. Felice is an emotionally damaged panther shifter who, due to circumstances, marries a human. Ayer does not have a shield. The balance of power is off. They both have to learn about trust and control without a crutch and despite circumstances. How they both overcome the pain of past losses and realize with the love of family and friends, there is a better way than by going it alone. As far as societal views, both humans and shifters have prejudices, and by learning instead of fighting, they can change the world and work together.
Moderator How do you see the paranormal fiction genre evolving in the next few years?
DV I have no idea. It’s constantly evolving, and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Moderator What trends or changes would you like to see in the genre?
DV There are so many sub-genres. Readers can find books that matter to them, their life, experience, and worldview. So I guess it would be live and let live and not slam others because of their choice of reading. I have a dear friend who writes monster romance. Is it my cup of tea? Nope. But I cheer her on. She has a big following of folks who like that.
Moderator Can you tell us about your creative process? How you come up with ideas, what inspires you, how you like to do the actual writing portion, your schedule as an author, etc.
DV I’m all over the place these days. Ideas come from all over, and I keep notes on whatever interests me. I also do a lot of research. If possible, I travel to locations. Somedays, I write a sentence or two. Other days pages. I used to be very regimented, but these days, I’m more flexible. Retirement will do that to some people. 

In the Crosshairs: The Body on Leffis Key
by
M. S. Spencer
A birder meets a handsome, secretive man and finds herself entangled with global investors, Chinese operatives, radical environmentalists, all searching for a mysterious briefcase.

Released May 27, 2024
#Mystery #Suspense #Cozymystery

About the Story
Someone is killing people with a crossbow, but what connects the murders is a mystery, and only a birder and the aide to a dead Senator can find the answers.

Palmer Lind, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, embarks on a bird-watching trek to the Gulf Coast of Florida. One hot day on Leffis Key she comes upon—not the life bird she was hoping for—but a floating corpse. The handsome beach bum who appears on the scene at the same time seems to have even more secrets than the dead man.
His story begins to unravel as the pair search for answers to a growing pile of dead bodies. Spies, radical environmentalists, and wealthy businessmen circle around each other in a complex dance. Which one is lying? What do a seemingly random group of individuals have in common, other than being targeted by a crossbow?
 
5 stars from N. N. Light: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/in-the-crosshairs-the-body-on-leffis-key-br
 
Grab your copy today!
Amazon  Barnes&Noble  ITunes  Kobo  Google
Books2Read  WildRosePress    AmazonCA   AmazonUK

The Story ​Behind The Story
When I started writing In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key, I had just come across an obscure news item about Chinese buying up US farmland. It intrigued—and concerned—me. I decided to insert it as a plot element in a novel—and what to my wonderment should happen but it’s now a full-blown global issue! So you heard it here first.

Thanks for popping in to Around the Fire. Before we get to today's Spotlight I'd like to invite you to a huge event this Saturday June 8th. If you live in the tri-state area check out 
www.facebook.com/events/810571914368507
The Passaic County Book Festival is taking place at Weasel 'Book' Park in Clifton, NJ.  Join us for a day filled with literary delights, including book signings, author meet-and-greets, panel discussions, and insightful author interviews. Best part? Admission is absolutely FREE! 
Now to today's guest and her new release.

The Last Broken Girl
by
Cynthia RiceJune 3, 2024
Kidnapping Thrillers

www.amazon.com/Last-Broken-Girl-Cynthia-Rice/dp/1509255397
Erin Moore, kidnapped as a teenager and held for months, learns her abductor is up for parole. The police always believed her captor acted alone, and that the female accomplice Erin described years ago was the fabrication of a traumatized mind.
Twenty years later, Erin leads a rigidly structured life with her husband and two young daughters and has a successful psychology practice in the same small midwestern town. When her abductor is paroled early and goes missing, leaving behind a large pool of blood, Erin and her husband become suspects. Erin receives threatening notes she is certain came from the accomplice, but she is unable to convince the police the menace is real.
As Erin watches her life unravel, including her marriage, career and possibly her sanity, she knows the only way out is to bring the accomplice to justice, even if it’s twenty years late.

"Rice has written a masterful debut thriller with a fantastic hero in Erin, who leaps off the page with her bravery and relatability . . . For those who enjoy thrillers about strong women who face impossible odds, this is a terrific read. An exhilarating page-turner showcases this debut author's talent for suspense."
— Kirkus Review

​

Happy Memorial Day. Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. We tend to think of it as the beginning of summer; the festivities and barbaques. I like to just say in memory of those fallen just pause a moment and give thanks to those who've given all to allow us those fun times.  Now, on to today's new release spotlight.

Here we are near the end of May. I can't believe this weekend is Memorial Day. Way back in the olden days when I was born, May 30th was Memorial Day. That's my birthday. Little D. thought the parades were for her. A lot of parades have passed since then. But everyday is a gift and its own adventure. One of those adventures of mine was living on a dairy farm in Minnesota. Today's guest is from the Land of 10,000 Lakes also known as the North Star State and even the Gopher State. Please help me welcome a new to The Fire author.

Joie, welcome to the fire. I have the coffee pot on but I'm going to grab us some waters. While I do, will you introduce yourself? Tell us who you are other than your bio?
I am an observer of life. 
When a person first meets me, I may be quiet. It’s not that I’m an introvert exactly because to be honest I love meeting new people and I love to talk. The truth is I learned the art of observation as a child. I enjoyed listening to my mother and her sisters talk about their lives growing up in Minneapolis during the decades long before I was born. I learned about the 30s, 40s and 50s and it fed my creativity and influenced my writing.
Even now, during my times of quiet observation, I continue to learn and experience life through other peoples’ perceptions, reactions, and actions.

You sound like me. I'm a fly on the wall until I get the feel of the room. I also have learned to ask questions and then sit back and listen to the answer. What do you do for fun besides writing ? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?I am a lifelong reader. I simply love to lose myself in a story and always have. Without my love for reading, I would not be a writer. 
​I also am a novice ukelele player and by this means, I’ve been learning how to play for the last 4 years. My husband did restring my ukelele for me last year, so I think I should get the hang of it one day soon—maybe. Which leads me to say, aside from books, one of my biggest interests is music. I have an eclectic taste but my favorite to listen to by far is indie rock—80s and current.

Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
When asked this question, The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser instantly springs to my mind. While it’s my favorite, I can also honestly say this story has had the biggest influence on me as a writer.
My older sister introduced me to it when I was sixteen in 1984. From page one, I hooked. I was excited that the story evolved from a writer’s imagination. Marlys Millhiser’s words awed as they transported me to the 1900s Boulder, Colorado and back again to 1978 with the help of a cursed mirror. Through the words, I lived vicariously through the two main characters. I loved it and knew this was the kind of story I needed to write—someday. 

I had to look it up and now I've added it to my TBR. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
My intent is to do both. I write each book to stand on its own but there are definite connections. For instance, one scene in my WIP—a 1960s ghost story—takes place in the beach side town where my mermaids live. (See below where I talk about having finished books awaiting their next draft.)

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Oh wow. When it’s put that way, I have to go count--
Okay. So, I currently have eight books that are in various stages of completion with four finished awaiting their next draft edits. 

Research is one of my favorite tasks when writing a book. I can get lost in it. What kind of research do you do?
My research happens in tandem with my writing. Since many of my stories are historical and set between 1900–1970, I spend much of my time listening to the music, watching documentaries or motion pictures along with reading voraciously. I take an immersive approach in order to feel as if I’m there throughout the entire writing process. 

What did you edit out of your upcoming release, The Passenger?
Initially, it was the first seven chapters from the earliest draft. While I cut those chapters, I didn’t abandon the parts of the story they told. No, I then challenged myself to take those elements and weave them into the chapters that remained. My goal was to show the friendship between my ghost whisperer, Elizabeth Reilly, and the spirit she sets out to help.
In my later final draft, I decided to cut an opening scene where Elizabeth says goodbye to her late husband, Patrick, a WWII soldier who died in battle. Here again, I just leave Patrick’s goodbye by the wayside. Instead, I weaved this element into the Chapter One. Here’s an excerpt to show how I incorporated this deleted scene:

When her husband was on his way to her to say goodbye, she’d sweated through the cries of soldiers falling into the mud around her and the deafening noise of battle.
Don’t go there, Elizabeth. You couldn’t help him.
She’d known the only help she could provide was to help him pass on in peace.
Elizabeth had expected Patrick’s ghost to visit her. For weeks, she braved the early spring chill to await his arrival. Bundled in layers, she waited on the beach for him. Their special place. When he finally came, he met her there. Patrick sat next to her on the blanket he’d given her as a birthday present when they were younger. The one with the purple daffodils. When she thought of his final goodbye, she thought of the daffodils she’d stared down at while he talked—as if the color of the flowers were the most important detail of the day. 
Yet the broken dead man who sat beside her was. 
Patrick’s once handsome face wore sadness like a caul. He’d wished she would remember him as the whole and healthy man who she clung to and kissed before he shipped off to war. When she pictured the delicate purple flowers imprinted on the fabric, she overlooked the bloodied gash in his side where he’d taken the bullet.

If I time traveled I think I'd optimistically go into the future. What about you?  Where would you go and when? Why?
I would go to the 1940s and travel from Boston to California. 
Why? Because I have spent so much time there in my imagination with Elizabeth, Gio, Paolo and Adriana. In my mind’s eye, I’ve spent countless hours picturing the clothing, hearing the music and the way people interact with one another. I would revel at the chance to see how my imagination matched up with the real thing.

Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
I would definitely rather have unlimited international tickets. They wouldn’t even have to be first class. They would just need to fly me to all the destinations I dream of going to.
The first place I would jet off to would be Madeira, Portugal!

If someone came up to you and said, “Hey, do that thing you do!” what thing would pop into your head first?
It wouldn’t be a thing that I actually do. 
No, for me it would be a moment in time and a movie--That Thing You Do and watching it after a dinner of gluten free pizza and coffee ice cream on Thanksgiving in 2022 before my taste and sense of smell diminished due to Covid-19.

Joie, thank you so much for spending time Around the Fire. You must be so excited for August to get here. Congratulations on your book. Will you leave us some information about it?

Hi, everyone and Happy Monday. Since my last check in, Pete and I spent some time in Corinth NY. We assisted in readying Cedar Brook Christian Girls camp for the upcoming season. I made meals for the crew which varied from 20 to 40 mouths to feed. I love to cook but this ole gal isn't used to 12hr days. Phew. Then DH and I stayed in the area and celebrated our 30th anniversary by touring around. I did pick up some new cheeses to try.  Now back in the Garden State, we are waiting for the next trip with our Grands to Knobels, an action/water park in Pennsylvania to celebrate their birthdays. I hope you enjoy today's guest and information about her new cozy mystery. Welcome, Joyce.  

WILD IRISH YENTA
by
Joyce Sanderly 

May 1, 2024
Cozy Mystery
PG-13

About the story.

Set against a backdrop of a suburban Maryland synagogue, Wild Irish Yenta dishes on interfaith marriage, misbehaving clergy, Biblical myth, and the beauty of religious traditions. When the body of custodian Roberto Gomez is found in Temple Israel’s parking lot, Patricia Weiss, nee Reilly, exchanges her suburban-mom sneakers for gumshoes to investigate the hit-and-run. An ardent new convert to Judaism, Patricia is grappling with her outsider status at the upscale Reform congregation. For Roberto, the stakes had been much higher. He was struggling to be adopted by a new country and learn a new language. Inspired by her detective dad, Patricia is compelled to find out who-dun-it and why. 
This novel takes a wry look at marriage, insular suburban cliques, and the politics of religious institutions. While poking fun at cultural stereotypes, the novel interweaves biblical stories with questions of contemporary concern. Can a nice Catholic girl find happiness with a Jewish cardiologist even if she converts? Can Patricia’s yenta patrol detect a connection between a custodian’s death and other troubling happenings at the Temple?

Get your copy today.
Available at Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Irish-Yenta-Joyce-Sanderly-ebook/dp/B0CVXW6H8K           
Barnes & Noble   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-irish-yenta-joyce-anderly/1144882468
Bookshop:  https://bookshop.org/book/9781509250936
  
Joyce's Inspiration for the Story.
My novel began with a focus on the conflicts surrounding an interfaith marriage. My own experience with the difficulty of finding clergy to officiate at my interfaith marriage was the impetus. I am a big fan of mysteries, especially novels by authors like Laura Lippman and  Megan Abbott who explore the multi-faceted relationships among family members and delve into the psychological impetus behind their characters’ crimes. My hope was to follow (at least a little bit) in the footsteps of these authors in crafting a story that explored the interlocking dynamics that exist within an interfaith marriage, a family, a friendship, and the politics of religious institutions. As the plot of Wild Irish Yenta began to form, I researched customs, doctrine and biblical interpretations of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as well as relevant   securities laws and criminal procedures. 
The reader might ask:  What exactly is a yenta? As with most Yiddish words, there is no precise English equivalent. One of the book’s characters (Brenda) defines yenta as a wise and knowledgeable female who distributes essential information to parties who have a need to know, kind of like an analog version of social media. A less complimentary definition of the term yenta might be “busybody.” In any event Brenda and the book’s protagonist Patricia make a great detecting team with good intentions at heart as they try to unravel the novel’s mysteries.

Happy Monday! I'm writing this post from the Rustic Barn Campground in Corinth NY. It's a small quiet campground in the Adirondacks in Upstate. Pete and I worked the weekend at Cedarbrook Christian Girls Camp nearby getting them ready for the season. While DH worked outside lifting and toting, hammering and chopping, I was the camp cook for all the volunteers, forty of them. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Phew, it was tiring but also rewarding. Enough about moi, lets get to today's recent release. 

Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage (A Flippin' Good Mystery Book 1)
by
Lori Pollard-Johnson 
Cozy Craft & Hobby Mysteries
 Cozy Animal Mystery
Amateur Sleuths
May 8, 2024

Thirty-four, newly divorced and parenting two little girls, Jan Weatherly is determined to make it on her own doing what she knows best: do-it-yourself home flipping. With her BFF Pam Bacchus by her side, she purchases their first fixer-upper—a cute Craftsman cottage with quick profit potential in rainy Rainier, Washington. With the first swing of her claw hammer, however, Jan pries back faux cedar paneling and reveals a nude, snow-haired corpse floating in a makeshift aquarium. If that didn’t fully sour their dreams in a plume of formaldehyde-tinged air, Sergeant Daniels arrives and bans the women from the crime scene. Will they continue sleuthing, despite Daniels’s warnings, or simply wait for their dreams of financial independence to fall apart?

From the author.
As a writer with a 1000-words-a-day habit, I’m often asked how I get started. What they mean, of course, is how do I settle down and focus in for some meaningful keyboard pounding? The answer is simple: thick socks.
Thick socks?
Yes, thick socks. 
Think of it this way (read to the cadence of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”:
If you give a writer thick socks,
She won’t feel the crumbs under her feet.
If she doesn’t feel the crumbs under her feet,
She won’t stop to sweep the floor.
If she doesn’t stop to sweep the floor, 
She won’t empty the dustpan into the garbage.
If she doesn’t empty the dustpan into the garbage, 
She won’t remember to take out the trash.
If she doesn’t remember to take out the trash,
She won’t see there’s a mouse in the garage eating cookies.
If she doesn’t see the mouse in the garage eating cookies,
She can walk straight to her desk and begin writing. 

Humor aside, you get my drift. Prioritize yourself and your writing, and you’ll suddenly discover everything else truly can wait. 
Get your copy.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW9C7W7P/thewildrosepr-20
https://wildrosepress.com/product/corpse-in-the-craftsman-cottage/​
​

About the author.
Lori Pollard-Johnson is a retired educator and current wife, mama and grandma. She writes from her homes in Washington and Arizona, and has been published in fiction, nonfiction and poetry, in publications as diverse as Vegetarian Journal, Seattle, Black Belt, Bridal Connections and The Binnacle, in addition to five novels. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her grandbabies, braiding rugs, perfecting her shavasana, swimming, hiking, practicing her releves, renovating fixer-uppers, reading, or watching javelinas dance through her backyard.

​We won't talk about how many years ago I went splunking several times. In Hunterdon County, there were wild caves. One had a tunnel called The Corkscrew. You had to twist going up. Usually with one person in front to pull the other behind to push, at least if you were the middle people. Being underground doesn't bother me. One of my favorite places these days is Sterling Mine. Here are two pictures of it.  If you live anywhere near this place is worth the trip. It's a museum and educational center. Here's the link https://www.sterlinghillminingmuseum.org/
They do tours year-round on the weekends. 
So what does this have to do with me? Well, keep reading.
Coming soon will be the THIRD Agent Sam Carter Mystery. 

Recently we were in Virginia and went from underground at the Grand Canyons in Grottoes, VA. Oh. My. I could have spent way more than the hour and a half tour. Some things I wanted to just stare at and take in the images. Then the next day to the top of the world, at least in Virginia as we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway in Shenendoah National Park. Again, stunning. 

Next up is Saratoga Springs. Pete and I are celebrating our 30th Anniversary at camp. I can't think of a better way to do it or anyone to do it with.

​Venetian Bind
by
​Lawrence E. Rothstein
Mystery
Release May 15,2024
​PG-13 some violence

How does a brilliant detective with his intrepid assistant solve a crime in Venice and save his reputation when he hates the victim and empathizes with the killer?

About
​In Venetian Bind, Detective Marko Korb and his associate Kelan Su, a Chinese-American woman, must hunt down a murderer and prevent a devastating terrorist attack in the romantic city of Venice.
Korb, a fat, egotistical, brilliant detective, and Su, a former Chicago police officer,  attorney, and martial arts expert, arrive in Venice to investigate the murder of Stefan Pakulić, a former Serbian paramilitary leader and accused war criminal. The daughter of a Bosnian expat who had rescued Korb from Pakulić’s clutches during the Bosnian war is a suspect in the killing. Korb is torn between finding the murderer and his sympathy for the killer – the Venetian bind.
The investigation leads to Pakulić’s connection with Italian neo-fascists planning a terrorist action in Venice. It takes Korb’s genius and the intrepid sleuthing of Su to find the murderer, forestall the terrorist action, and protect the daughter of Korb’s rescuer.
 
Grab your copy today.
www.amazon.com/Venetian-Bind-Lawrence-Rothstein-ebook/dp/B0CX5T3CP5
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/venetian-bind-lawrence-rothstein/1144981330
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209521954-venetian-bind

Inspiration and writing process
As an academic, I had written many published scholarly pieces including a book and book chapters. I love to read mysteries, particularly those with recurring characters. I have been working on mystery fiction since 2012. I started writing mystery/legal scenarios as hypothetical cases for law courses I taught. I get my ideas from the news, particularly legal news, and other detective stories. With regard to Venetian Bind, my visits to Venice enthralled me with its atmosphere.
When I write, my recurring characters come first and then the case plots that those characters would find interesting and for which my detectives would be sought after by clients. I always have some ideas of where the case is going and what procedures would be followed from my legal experience, but my detectives seem to inspire scenes and activities that show off their particular virtues and personalities as the investigations proceed.

Some of Korb’s favorite dishes clockwise from left: sausage with lentils in balsamic sauce, tuna salami and aioli, torta rustica.

About the author.
​Lawrence E. Rothstein is a retired lawyer and university professor who has publications in constitutional law, privacy law and labor law. He was born and raised in Chicago and now resides with his wife and family in beautiful southern Rhode Island.  He has lived and traveled widely in Europe.  An avid reader of detective fiction, Rothstein has always wanted to write detective novels.  
For more information.
www.rothsteinsmysteries.com
Facebook: Rothsteinsmysteries