by: A.R. Kennedy
Series: Traveler Cozy Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: March 24, 2020
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A bargain deal on a safari + one dead body = An adventure no one could plan for.
Naomi and her estranged sister are off on a trip of a lifetime—an African safari, a bucket list trip for Naomi on which she got a last-minute deal. Naomi thinks traveling with her sister will be the worst part of her African safari until she finds one of their fellow travelers, the unlikable Dr. Higgins, dead. She gets more adventure than she bargained for when she starts investigating what she thinks is murder but the luxury lodge says was a tragic accident. She only has a few vacation days, and a few game drives, to find the killer.
Something red on the walkway, about fifteen feet away from me, toward his room, caught my eye.
I slowly walked toward it. From a few feet away, it looked like a blob, something spilled. As I stood over it, it looked like a paw print. Like the ones my childhood dog, Molly, would leave in the kitchen after playing in the mud. But it was red.
I looked to my left, down the walkway, toward the fifth cabin, Dr. Higgins’ cabin. “Dr. Higgins, you there?” I shouted. There was no answer. I hesitated but then stepped off the walkway. Slowly, I walked toward his suite, listening intently for any sound. I stood at his door, which was ajar. “Dr. Higgins? It’s Naomi from next door. Everything okay?”
With each step, I saw more red. Maybe he had spilled some wine. He liked the red wine. Not as much as Jack liked his beer but it was his drink of choice for the trip so far. He was still at dinner when Charlotte and I left last night. Maybe he came back to his room and had a few more glasses. And somehow spilled it everywhere outside his room.
Standing at the door, I yelled in, “Dr. Higgins? It’s Naomi. I’m going to come in, okay?”
No response. No refusal but no permission either. I went in anyway.
Seated in the sitting area’s plush chair, facing the window and the beautiful landscape, was Dr. Higgins. His head was hanging back. His hand was hanging down by his side, a broken wineglass on the floor next to it. There was even more red everywhere inside the room too. Maybe he’d had a late night after all.
I poked him on his shoulder and prepared for him to yell at me for entering his room unauthorized.
Still no response.
“Dr. Higgins, it’s time for our morning drive.” I tapped him again. “You’re late,” I added, just to annoy him.
Still nothing.
I walked around him to face him head on.
And I screamed.
I slowly walked toward it. From a few feet away, it looked like a blob, something spilled. As I stood over it, it looked like a paw print. Like the ones my childhood dog, Molly, would leave in the kitchen after playing in the mud. But it was red.
I looked to my left, down the walkway, toward the fifth cabin, Dr. Higgins’ cabin. “Dr. Higgins, you there?” I shouted. There was no answer. I hesitated but then stepped off the walkway. Slowly, I walked toward his suite, listening intently for any sound. I stood at his door, which was ajar. “Dr. Higgins? It’s Naomi from next door. Everything okay?”
With each step, I saw more red. Maybe he had spilled some wine. He liked the red wine. Not as much as Jack liked his beer but it was his drink of choice for the trip so far. He was still at dinner when Charlotte and I left last night. Maybe he came back to his room and had a few more glasses. And somehow spilled it everywhere outside his room.
Standing at the door, I yelled in, “Dr. Higgins? It’s Naomi. I’m going to come in, okay?”
No response. No refusal but no permission either. I went in anyway.
Seated in the sitting area’s plush chair, facing the window and the beautiful landscape, was Dr. Higgins. His head was hanging back. His hand was hanging down by his side, a broken wineglass on the floor next to it. There was even more red everywhere inside the room too. Maybe he’d had a late night after all.
I poked him on his shoulder and prepared for him to yell at me for entering his room unauthorized.
Still no response.
“Dr. Higgins, it’s time for our morning drive.” I tapped him again. “You’re late,” I added, just to annoy him.
Still nothing.
I walked around him to face him head on.
And I screamed.
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R.I.P. in Reykjavík releases May 19, 2020
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ReplyDeleteHow did you come up with the title of the book?
ReplyDeleteNice cover
ReplyDeleteI love cozy mysteries, especially travel related. This sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cover!
ReplyDeleteI love the cover and enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a dead body to ruin a vacation! Hope she & her sister still have time to see the sites & have some fun! ��������
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