Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy StewartLady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart


Thanks to Leila Meglio of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , I am giving away one print copy of Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart.

Description of Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart


The best-selling author of Girl Waits with Gun returns with another adventure featuring the fascinating, feisty, and unforgettable Kopp sisters.

After besting (and arresting) a ruthless silk factory owner and his gang of thugs in Girl Waits with Gun, Constance Kopp became one of the nation’s first deputy sheriffs. She’s proven that she can’t be deterred, evaded, or outrun. But when the wiles of a German-speaking con man threaten her position and her hopes for this new life, and endanger the honorable Sheriff Heath, Constance may not be able to make things right. 

Lady Cop Makes Trouble sets Constance loose on the streets of New York City and New Jersey–tracking down victims, trailing leads, and making friends with girl reporters and lawyers at a hotel for women. Cheering her on, and goading her, are her sisters Norma and Fleurette–that is, when they aren’t training pigeons for the war effort or fanning dreams of a life on the stage. 

Based on a true story, Girl Waits with Gun introduced Constance Kopp and her charming and steadfast sisters to an army of enthusiastic readers. Those readers will be thrilled by this second installment–also ripped from the headlines–in the romping, wildly readable life of a woman forging her own path, tackling crime and nefarious criminals along the way. 

Praise for Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart


“Constance and her sisters are every bit as enjoyable in this outing as their first. Stewart deftly combines the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of early 20th-century New York City with the story of three women who want to live life on their own terms. The addition of supporting female characters who are also pushing societal boundaries is a welcome touch to the series.” – Library Journalstarred review

“Amy Stewart (Girl Waits with Gun) continues the fictional adventures of Miss Constance Kopp in LADY COP MAKES TROUBLE. Constance is based on a real woman who, just prior to World War I, became a deputy sheriff in New Jersey, one of the first of her kind in the country. And yes, she does make trouble. Escaped convicts don’t stand a chance against this adventurous woman, as Stewart crafts a heady brew of mystery and action in a fast-moving, craftily written novel that’s fueled by actual news headlines of the day.” BookPage

“Constance Kopp’s real-life adventures as “New Jersey’s first lady deputy sheriff” again make savory grist for Stewart’s fictional mill (Girl Waits with Gun, 2015, etc.)….Smart, atmospheric fun, with enough loose ends left dangling to assure fans there will be more entries in this enjoyable series.” – Kirkus Reviews

About Amy Stewart


Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

(c)Terrence McNally

Amy Stewart is the award-winning author of seven books, including the bestsellers The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants. She and her husband live in Eureka, California, where they own a bookstore called Eureka Books.

Giveaway of Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart


This giveaway open to Canada and the U.S. only and ends on September 23, 2016 midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Reporter’s Story by  Joyce StrandReporter’s Story by  Joyce Strand


Thanks to Della Bercovitch of Dellagate, , I am giving away 5 print copies of The Reporter’s Story by  Joyce Strand.

Description of Reporter’s Story by  Joyce Strand


A house burglary in 1912 San Francisco that the victim denies happening piques Emma Matheson’s reporter instincts. Why would a not-so-wealthy businessman deny that recovered loot was his and forego collecting his $8,000 worth of stolen jewelry? Why did he fire his maid and butler who originally reported the theft? The more she pursues the burglary that wasn’t a burglary, the more she sees it as a major story, involving murder, intrigue, and smuggling. Can she solve it and write the story that could project her to become the world-famous reporter she so covets? Or will she become one of its victims?

Additional info about Emma:  Emma Matheson is a young woman determined to be a star front-page reporter despite the bias against women in her day.Her mother died when she was born. She was reared by her father who runs a newspaper in Sacramento. She grew up learning about the newspaper business. Her father valued education and insisted she attend university before starting her career. She is bright, determined, a great writer — but a bit naive.

About Joyce StrandReporter’s Story by  Joyce Strand


Joyce T. Strand is the author of who-done-it contemporary and historical mysteries set in California. All of her published six novels are inspired by actual events and/or real people, although they are definitely fictionalized.

Strand headed corporate communications at several biotech and high-tech companies in California’s Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. Unlike her protagonist Jillian Hillcrest, however, she did not encounter murder in her career. Strand lives with her two cats and collection of cow statuary in Southern California, and enjoys exploring and writing about the growing wine region in the Ramona Valley near San Diego.

Webpage:        http://joycestrand.com
Blog:              Http://strandssimplytips.blogspot.com
Facebook:        http://www.facebook.com/JoyceTStrandAuthor
Goodreads:      http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5385246.Joyce_T_Strand
Twitter:           @joycetstrand


Buy Reporter’s Story by Joyce Strand


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Giveaway of Reporter’s Story by Joyce Strand


This giveaway is open to Canada, the U.S., and the UK only and ends on July 8, 2016 at midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Reporter’s Story by  Joyce StrandJoyce Strand is also holding a giveaway of the following:

1st Prize: Kindle Fire 7” WiFi 8GB Black plus ebook or paperback copy of The Reporters Story

2nd Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card and ebook or paperback copy of The Reporters Story

3rd Prize: ebook or paperback copy of The Reporters Story

You can enter using the following Rafflecopter:

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Reporter’s Story by  Joyce Strand

 

 

Landscape for MurderThanks to Della Bercovitch of Book Marketing Services, I am giving away 5 copies of ‘Landscape For Murder’ by Joyce Strand.  There is another cool tour wide giveaway as well.

Description of Landscape For Murder by Joyce Strand

A friend’s murder. An unconnected cast of suspects, including the victim’s missing adult daughter. As if that wasn’t enough, Brynn Bancroft’s winery has been broken into. Can she deal with her co-owner ex and help the police find her friend’s murder so she can finally overcome her own troubled past and enjoy family life with her teenage ward?

Excerpt of Landscape For Murder by Joyce Strand

 

Chapter 01

The sheriff’s patrol car annoyed Brynn Bancroft when it stopped in the narrow curve of the road next to her, and its driver put down his window. She had traveled more than an hour to her favorite meadow where she could sit at her easel and paint in solitude without interruption. She had just gotten started. She regretted not having walked further into the muddy field.

The uniformed driver, whose sandy hair was cut close, removed his dark glasses and said, “Hello. I’m Deputy Hallis from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. Sorry to hear about your friend.”

Brynn turned to face him, confused. She didn’t know him, nor had anything recently happened to any of her friends, as far as she knew.

He must have detected bewilderment on her face. He said, “Your artist friend. Haven’t I seen the two of you here painting when I’ve driven by on my way to town?”

Although perplexed by the interruption, Brynn understood that the intruder was referring to a fellow local artist she had befriended on former painting trips to the area. The two of them had sat together in this same spot.

Brynn said, “Why, yes, if you mean Kenneth Sterling. We often painted together. Is there a problem?”

“Yes, ma’am. Can you tell me your name, please? And where you are from?”

Brynn’s concern for her friend overcame her annoyance, and she answered, “My name is Brynn Bancroft. My ex-husband and I own the Hilltop Sunset Winery in Sonoma.”

“I see. And you came over here to paint with Mr. Sterling?”

“Yes. What is this about?”

The deputy hesitated briefly and then said, “I’m afraid your friend is dead.”

“What!? Kenneth is dead? How? He was fine just the other day.” Brynn stared at the deputy, who was watching her carefully.

“He was killed, murdered in his own home. We’d like to talk to you. Can you come into town to the sheriff’s office now to see our detective? We’d appreciate your cooperation.”

Brynn nodded. She knew Point Reyes well and enjoyed the scenic seaside area, which was why she traveled from her house in Sonoma to paint it.

He said, “Maybe your friend told you something that would help. We don’t get many murders up here.”

Brynn gazed back at the view she had been trying to capture. It didn’t relate to what the deputy was saying. She returned her attention to him and said, “I didn’t know. Thank you for telling me. I’ll check in with the sheriff.”

“OK, then. Our station is down past the creamery. Right next to the fire department. I’ll let the detective know you’re on your way.”

Brynn watched the deputy drive away. She took a deep breath, absorbing her view—one she’d spent a restful day or two painting alongside Kenneth Sterling—and then picked up her palette, canvas, tripod, and stool and loaded them into her blue Mercedes convertible.

Why would anyone want to kill the quiet, gentle elderly man who spent most of his time painting? He certainly didn’t appear wealthy, so money couldn’t be a motive.

She got into her car and drove toward the town center and to the Marin County Sheriff’s office. She walked into the shingled building and approached Deputy Hallis, still trying to comprehend what had happened. He escorted her to a table and asked her to sit. He returned in a few minutes with a tall, tanned muscular man dressed in slacks and pullover beige shirt.

“Ms. Bancroft? I’m Detective Springer. I understand you knew Kenneth Sterling.”

Brynn nodded. “Yes, sir. Not well, but we shared the same landscape.” Brynn smiled. “That’s how he referred to us. We sat together several times with our easels to paint that scene.”

Springer said, “I see. I thought maybe you were a model.”

Brynn stared at him. “Why would you think that?”

The detective looked embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. You’re just, well, striking with the blonde hair and all.”

Brynn smiled. “Why, thank you, Detective Springer. That’s nice of you to say.” Brynn prided herself on her intelligence rather than her attractiveness, but she appreciated the compliment.

The detective regained his composure and returned to a more officious approach. “Before we get to Sterling, maybe you could tell me more about yourself.”

“Of course. Again, my name is Brynn Bancroft. My ex-husband, Liam, and I own and operate Hilltop Sunset Winery in the Sonoma area.”

The detective nodded. “And you come over here to paint?”

Brynn smiled. “Yes. I find it relaxing to paint near the ocean. The past six months have been chaotic, to say the least. I was almost murdered—twice; and I got divorced, and—”

She pulled her attention back to the detective, who was asking, “I’d like to hear about that sometime. But right now, what can you tell me about Mr. Sterling?”

Brynn said, “He was certainly a far better artist than I. His technique was unique.” Brynn didn’t notice that she had rhymed, but the detective smiled slightly. “He could capture the emotion of a scene with—” Brynn interrupted herself. “Sorry, that’s probably not what you mean. He told me he was a retired CEO—or rather that he had quit working at his company after he found it not very rewarding.”

She hesitated, not knowing how much to tell the detective about her own life. She looked at him and said, “We related well, because I just quit my job as a chief financial officer at a Silicon Valley biotech company.”

“Do you know what changed his mind about being a CEO? Like was he caught doing something illegal?”

Brynn assumed that since he was a detective he had to explore different aspects of a victim’s life, but this seemed to Brynn like an unlikely direction. “As far as I know, it was not a specific incident. I assume for similar reasons as me. The corporate world is based on a motive of profit, not on helping humanity. That’s OK, because without them we wouldn’t have jobs. But after a while, you just want to say, ‘Enough.’ Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound preachy.”

 

About Joyce Strand

Mystery author Joyce T. Strand, much like her fictional character, Jillian Hillcrest, served as head of corporate communications at several biotech and high-tech companies in Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. Unlike Jillian, however, she did not encounter murder. Rather, she focused on publicizing her companies and their products. She is the author of the Jillian Hillcrest mysteries ON MESSAGE, OPEN MEETINGS, and FAIR DISCLOSURE, the Brynn Bancroft mystery HILLTOP SUNSET and the historical mystery, THE JUDGE’S STORY.

Strand received her Ph.D. from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and her B.A. from Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA. She currently lives in Southern California with her two cats, a collection of cow statuary and art, and her muse, the roadrunner.

Giveaway of Landscape For Murder by Joyce Strand

This giveaway is for the choice of  print, mobi or epub and is open worldwide.  This giveaway ends on November 27, 2015. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Joyce Strand

Big Giveaway for the Landscape For Murder by Joyce Strand Tour

1st Prize: Kindle Fire 7” WiFi 8GB Black plus ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder
2nd Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card and ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder
3rd Prize: ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder

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