by: Geri Krotow
Series: Shop ‘Round the World
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: November 2, 2022
Publisher: Tule Publishing
She didn’t realize she’d traded “Naval Aviator” for “amateur sleuth”…
Retired Navy pilot Angel Warren’s new life awaits in Stonebridge, Pennsylvania, where she’s opening Shop ‘Round the World, her travel-inspired gift and novelty shop. A newly empty nester and longtime widow, she’s looking forward to leaving her flying career and its many life-or-death decisions behind and reconnecting with family and friends. Right now, Angel’s biggest challenge is getting the shop ready for its grand opening just weeks before Christmas.
Until she finds a dead body in the shop murdered with one of her specialty Santa figurines. Even worse, Angel’s fingerprints are on the “weapon” and she’s a prime suspect. It doesn’t help that the deceased is an old friend who’s collected a long list of enemies as a cut-throat real estate agent. And then there’s the Stonebridge Chief of Police—and Angel’s high school BFF—who brings her in for questioning.
If Angel wants to clear her name before the Christmas rush, she’s going to need to do some sleuthing on her own—and with the help of her stressed out parrot, Ralph.
Age: 45ish
Date of birth: Aug/Sep 1977
Physical Description: Tall, athletic, shoulder-length chestnut brown hair with blonde highlights
Occupation: Owner of Shop ’Round the World, my international gift shop, and now, a criminal investigative consultant to Stonebridge Police Department. I’m a retired Navy pilot.
3 likes in no particular order: Bright colors, flying, sleuthing
3 dislikes in no particular order: Injustice, being apart from my college-aged twin girls, negative attitudes
Drink of choice: A lavender latte made by my babe and local barista, Nate Silver
Favorite food: Any meal with Nate, but Greek takeout tops the list
Favorite song: “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
Choice of transportation: Airplane! Cessna 172 at the moment
Favorite way to spend an evening: Curled up with Nate, his 110 pound Shiloh Shepherd at our feet, and my one-pound bright green parrot Ralph on a perch nearby. With a true crime docudrama streaming, of course.
Favorite holiday tradition: Decorating the tree with ornaments my family and I collected from all over the world while I was on active duty. Treasure hunting for fun decorative items for all holidays was the inspiration for my new business, Shop ’Round the World.
Best memory to date: Besides birthing my twins, marrying my first husband, or falling in love with Nate after being widowed 5 years, it’s the satisfaction of solving a murder and bringing justice to the victim.
If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently? I would have made more of an effort to get back to Stonebridge, PA and visit my family more often while I was on active duty. I would have stayed in better touch with my best friend Trinity.
What’s something you’ve said you would never do, but in fact have done? Move back to my tiny hometown. I used to think that was so boring but I love being with my family. And I found Nate in Stonebridge, too.
Most romantic gesture (done or received): Every time Nate has dinner ready for me after I’ve spent the day hunting down clues for a murder investigation.
Words to live by: Live each day to its fullest.
“What time did you leave for Latte Love?” Detective Trinity Colson’s brows remain straight and unmoving as she watches me with her bright brown eyes, as observant as they’ve always been. We were best friends since first grade and all through high school, but I’ve never seen this side of her. The “I think you might have killed a woman” side.
“I told the rookie, I mean, Officer Sam. His name is Sam McCloud, right?” I look at my childhood bestie, hoping for a bone. “I left my shop right after Frannie left, sometime around ten-thirty. I came back here later in the afternoon after I left church. I went to the four o’clock Mass.”
“Did anyone you know see you there?” Some distant part of my mind understands what Trinity’s doing, that it’s part of her job, not personal. But having someone who once knew me so well question my truth makes me shake more.
“Father Drew. The parishioners who were in the back, when I left.”
“Names?”
“I, I don’t know.”
Trinity sighs, making a single dark curl on her forehead dance. We’re still in my office, where she’s been questioning me for the last hour.
Sitting here with Trinity allows me the chance to check out my office, which I bypassed when I was following the trail to Frannie. My stomach sinks at the overturned desk drawers that were thrown against the wall, their contents strewn everywhere. I haven’t had a chance to see if anything’s been taken yet. I didn’t have any valuables in the desk, so it’s not a priority but I can’t help wondering what the murderer was looking for. Or if they had an accomplice who searched my desk while they killed Frannie.
A burnt-orange wool coat—Frannie’s—is strewn over a column of stacking boxes meant for the window display and reminds me of a flag. A sign. It wasn’t tossed there casually as the bandboxes would have been knocked down. Someone placed her coat there deliberately.
In short, Frannie’s murderer wants to frame me. Or maybe the murderer was here to rifle through my stuff and happened upon Frannie? But again, why was Frannie back here in the first place?
I’m both exhausted and wired. My mind is fried. I need my sister, my brother, my family, but I haven’t been allowed to call anyone yet.
Excerpt From: Geri Krotow. “A Santa Stabbing.” Apple Books.
“I told the rookie, I mean, Officer Sam. His name is Sam McCloud, right?” I look at my childhood bestie, hoping for a bone. “I left my shop right after Frannie left, sometime around ten-thirty. I came back here later in the afternoon after I left church. I went to the four o’clock Mass.”
“Did anyone you know see you there?” Some distant part of my mind understands what Trinity’s doing, that it’s part of her job, not personal. But having someone who once knew me so well question my truth makes me shake more.
“Father Drew. The parishioners who were in the back, when I left.”
“Names?”
“I, I don’t know.”
Trinity sighs, making a single dark curl on her forehead dance. We’re still in my office, where she’s been questioning me for the last hour.
Sitting here with Trinity allows me the chance to check out my office, which I bypassed when I was following the trail to Frannie. My stomach sinks at the overturned desk drawers that were thrown against the wall, their contents strewn everywhere. I haven’t had a chance to see if anything’s been taken yet. I didn’t have any valuables in the desk, so it’s not a priority but I can’t help wondering what the murderer was looking for. Or if they had an accomplice who searched my desk while they killed Frannie.
A burnt-orange wool coat—Frannie’s—is strewn over a column of stacking boxes meant for the window display and reminds me of a flag. A sign. It wasn’t tossed there casually as the bandboxes would have been knocked down. Someone placed her coat there deliberately.
In short, Frannie’s murderer wants to frame me. Or maybe the murderer was here to rifle through my stuff and happened upon Frannie? But again, why was Frannie back here in the first place?
I’m both exhausted and wired. My mind is fried. I need my sister, my brother, my family, but I haven’t been allowed to call anyone yet.
Excerpt From: Geri Krotow. “A Santa Stabbing.” Apple Books.
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The Shop ‘Round the World Series:
A Mid-Summer Murder releases April 25, 2023
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I would love to travel to Hawaii. I need a beach vacation.
ReplyDeleteSanta Stabbing sounds like an excellent cozy holiday mystery for me to read and Angel sounds like a great heroine!
ReplyDeleteIf I could go anywhere, it would be to Scotland, New Zealand, Iceland and Montana!
Have a magical holiday season!
I would really love to go on a European tour throughout several countries. I would take a month to do it, and it would be amazing to see all those sites.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to visit Hawaii and Paris.
ReplyDeleteItaly or Greece!
ReplyDeleteCastle tour in the UK
ReplyDeleteI would love to travel to Spain
ReplyDeleteI would visit Germany, the home of my ancestors.
ReplyDelete