The Sign of the Calico Quartz: Read an Excerpt + Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Sign of the Calico Quartz audiobook by Jan Drexler, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Sign of the Calico Quartz
Series: The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries
Author: Jan Drexler
Narrator: Gillian Wiggin
Publisher: Swift Wings Press
Audiobook Release Date: July 24, 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Solving a murder is easy, right? All you need to do is follow the clues, and they will lead you to the culprit. 

 At least that’s what Emma Blackwood thought before she and her cat, Tim, came to the Black Hills to work in Aunt Rose’s Sweetbrier Inn. Before she found a dead body in her living room. Before the hunky Deputy Sheriff accused her of murdering the poor guy. And before the real killer put her name on their list of victims. 

For this fan of Agatha Christie and a plethora of television crime dramas, it’s an intriguing situation that demands her skills. Investigating might not be as simple as it looks in fictional mysteries, but Emma’s organized mind and OCD tendencies start making sense of the clues…until she finds a second body with no apparent connection to the first. 

Sifting through evidence is easier with the help of her new friend, Becky, who provides baked goods for the inn, and Aunt Rose is always willing to take time from writing her mysterious memoirs to give support and advice. Wil, the inn’s chef, moves things along with a barbed comment or two, and Tim the cat and Rose’s corgi, Thatcher, make themselves available for fuzz therapy and to point the way to another clue. 

The list of suspects grows as Emma learns more about the inn’s guests and their reasons for visiting the Black Hills. From the honeymoon couple to Mysterious Montgomery, to the famous reality show ghost hunter, to the gold seekers, no one is the person they appear to be. Even Rose’s good friend Clara is hiding secrets in her pink chenille bathrobe. 

But as Emma pursues the investigation, things start to get personal. Can she identify the murderer before disaster strikes?  

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More Books In This Series

Book Excerpt

“What do you mean, did I murder Dick Brill?” My knees trembled and I was glad I was sitting down. Cal didn’t move a muscle. “I found his body, but that was all. I didn’t know he was in my suite. I didn’t murder him.” 

My voice was rising even though I tried to keep calm. It was time to shut up. I clamped my mouth closed.

Cal didn’t say a thing but kept staring. Waiting for me to talk myself into a confession.

I knew this trick. I had seen it plenty of times on television police dramas. The stare. I could wait as long as any deputy sheriff.

Finally, he sat back in his chair, still staring. “How did he end up in your suite?”

I sighed. He had circled back. “I have no idea.” I congratulated myself for keeping my voice even.

“Somebody does.”

I leaned forward. “You’re right. Somebody does. We just need to find out who.”

His eyebrows rose. “Oh, no ma’am. There is no ‘we.’ You are not going to involve yourself in my investigation, do you understand?”

“What I understand is that I’m already involved. Somebody involved me when they put Dead Dick in my room.”

The toothpick twitched. “Dead Dick?”

I put both hands over my mouth. “I can’t believe I said that out loud.” I lowered my hands. “I’m so sorry. That was inappropriate. In my profession it’s important to remember people’s names, so I use mnemonics.”

“You mean like alliterative nicknames?”

I nodded.

Cal leaned forward. “What’s your mnemonic for me?”

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About the Author

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband where she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family. She spins stories of History, Mystery, and Sweet Romance. Her works include several historical romance novels, including the award-winning Mattie’s Pledge, and The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries cozy mystery series.

Connect with Jan by visiting jandrexler.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates. Those who sign up for her newsletter will receive a free e-book copy of The Sign of the Calico Quartz!

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 8, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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