And if you’re wondering
where I’ve been, well . . . California! And yes, this is
also my sneaky way of introducing the latest in The Val & Kit Mystery Series:
Palm Desert Killing.
The setting is
gorgeous, the police are gorgeous, even the wildlife is gorgeous—it’s
California, after all. The characters are interesting (did I mention it’s
California?). But the danger is real; and while it might never rain in Palm
Desert, there’s at least one sandstorm and a lot of people stirred up. Oh, and
I’m happy to report that Starbucks is just as good on the West Coast as it is here
in Illinois.
So, back to the book. Following
are a few excerpts from some of the topics covered:
DRESS
SENSE
Kit’s
· She had
removed a lightweight evening coat, revealing a black silk dress with half of
the back missing. It was the kind our mothers used to call a cocktail dress,
although I don’t think they do anymore.
· Kit was
wearing white silk tailored pajamas and a black satin sleep mask embroidered
with the words Fly Me to the Moon.
Mine
· I
quickly changed into my Chicago Cubs T-shirt I used as a nightgown and crawled
into bed beside her.
OUTDOORSY STUFF
I sat down on a big rock next to a jumping
cholla cactus that held a tiny nest and hummingbird eggs the size of Jelly
Bellies. I pointed to the natural wonder with my own kind of wonder.
“Cute,” Kit said. “Although I could go for a
real Jelly Belly about now.”
COOKING (Kit,
not me)
“Oh, for crying out loud, just pass the salad.”
Kit placed her large dish in the center of the table and made a show of
removing the lid. A delicious aroma filled the room. “Beef stroganoff,” she
announced, picking up a ladle from the sideboard.
“Smells delicious,” I said.
“Actually, stroganoff originated in Russia, not
Hungary as some people think,” Nora added.
Larry rose from his seat. He removed the
utensil from his wife’s hand and placed it in the stroganoff. “I don’t care if
it came from a soup kitchen on the South Side. It looks and smells delicious.
Let’s eat.”
ANIMAL LOVERS
“Someone
was following me at the hotel. So I came here to The Living Desert, and now
they’ve closed. I’ve been hiding behind a bush near the giraffes. They’re so
elegant—”
BOOK LOVERS (yeah, you)
Val and Kit, and Roz
and Patty, say a HUGE THANKS to all our readers, supporters (you know who you
are), and the genius who invented Skype; we couldn’t have done it without you.
Love you all!
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Palm Desert Killing Release Date August 25. Pre-order
now for guaranteed lowest price!
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