A Cozy Mystery With a Twist... A Liz Adams Mystery Books by Stacy Wilder ➱ Book Series Tour with Guest Post & Giveaway
Will P.I. Liz and her truth-sniffing dog Duke get to the bottom of things
before the damage is irreparable?
Charleston Conundrum
A Liz Adams Mystery Book 1
by Stacy Wilder
Genre: Cozy Mystery
A
Cozy Mystery With a Twist...
Liz Adams never imagined when she
moved to Charleston with her truth sniffing Labrador retriever, Duke,
that she would use her skills as a private investigator to avoid
winding up on Death Row.
Liz’s
life is upended when her best friend, Peg, is murdered and she
becomes a suspect.Liz’s gun was the murder weapon. Tensions flare
between Liz and the cops as she rises to the top of their suspect
list.
At the request of Peg’s father, Liz agrees to take on
the investigation. Riding a roller coaster of emotions, Liz uncovers
many secrets Peg kept from her despite their being best friends. The
suspects include a cast of characters: the ex-husband, the boyfriend,
a coworker, several neighbors, and family members.
Charleston
Conundrum takes
the reader from Charleston, South Carolina, to Paris and back in the
emotional unraveling of Peg’s life and death to a killer ending.
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Carmel Conundrum
A Liz Adams Mystery Book 2
Stolen
identities, a cult, a kidnapping, an attempted murder, and a budding
romance . . .
Join
Private Investigator Liz Adams, and her lie-detecting Labrador, Duke,
in the scenic town of Carmel By-the-Sea, as the pair investigate the
mystery of stolen identities. Complications arise when Liz becomes
romantically entangled with her hot new client, Brad.
Enter
Apollo, a charismatic cult leader, whose mission to save the homeless
has a dark twist. Why does he continue to trespass on Liz’s
property? She’s compelled to uncover the answer.
Tensions
mount, as the stakes become a matter of life and death. Will Liz and
Duke solve both mysteries before the damage is irreparable?
Travel
with Liz from Charleston, SC to Carmel, CA, and back to discover the
astounding truth.
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From Carmel Conundrum
My heart
fluttered when Brad grabbed my hand and led me to a dirt trail.
“It’s
about half a mile to the coastline. The path is a little rough. You’ll be glad
you wore those shoes.”
My
hiking boots were brand new and weren’t my usual fashion statement, but I was
grateful for them as we navigated the rugged terrain. Duke marked his territory
along the way. Suddenly, Brad put his arm in front of me, halting my progress.
“Shh,”
he whispered and pointed ahead.
When
I spotted the mountain lion perched on a rock fifty yards down the path, my
heart hammered in my ears. My whole body tensed. I yanked the leash tighter to
my body and hoped that Duke didn’t spot the animal as his nose twitched at the
smell in the breeze. Brad pulled the air horn out of his pocket and prepared to
sound it if needed. The tawny feline’s paws were huge. I held my breath, trying
to make as little noise as possible. As soon as the creature spotted us, Brad
sounded the horn and the animal’s muscular body darted off into the trees. Duke
barked, and I took in a deep gulp of air while gripping the leash tighter so
Duke wouldn’t chase the big cat.
“That’s
lucky.”
After
I’d released my breath, I said, “Lucky?”
“Yeah,
you got to see a mountain lion. How cool is that? Probably a male. He was a
decent size.”
“Let’s
go back.” I was glad that I relieved my bladder before we left the house. Duke
sensed my unease and whined.
Trust
me. That mountain lion is long gone. He’s way more scared of us.” Brad grabbed
my hand. “Come on. You have to see your beach.”
His
enthusiasm was contagious, and I reluctantly followed him down the path while
hanging on to his hand. My heart rate slowed as I diligently searched the brush
for any lingering cats. Once I’d calmed down, I had to agree with Brad. Seeing
the creature was definitely cool.
OR From Carmel
Conundrum
As
I licked my lips, I had to admit I was intrigued. I’d investigated plenty of
insurance scams. This would be my first identity theft case. I could pull in
experts. Yes, I was supposed to be on vacation, but the challenge was enticing.
Brad
massaged his forehead with his fingertips. “Do you know someone who can solve
this mess?”
“Before
I answer, I do have a few more questions.” My pulse quickened. “Do you have a
time frame in mind?”
“I’d
like to wrap this up in two weeks.”
I
licked my lips and continued, “How much access will the investigator have to
records and the employees?”
Brad
responded, “As much as they need. This is important to me.”
“Hmm,
it’s not my area of expertise, but I can bring in help as needed…” I locked
eyes with Brad. “What do you think about me taking the lead on the
investigation?”
“You’re
supposed to be taking a break.”
“I
can do that later. I know how much this means to you.”
Brad
hesitated. “Tim?”
“Up
to you, boss,” he replied.
Grinning
dimple to dimple, Brad stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s a huge
relief knowing you’re on the case.”
“When
can I start?”
Brad
responded. “As soon as you’d like. We can set you up in Tim’s office with a
company laptop so you can access the personnel files.”
I
shrugged. “Well then, Tim, show me the way.” As I looked back over my shoulder
at Brad, I said, “I’ll send you a proposal. You’re not getting off cheap.” I
winked.
From
Charleston Conundrum
Duke’s baritone
bark rang in my ears. Sirens screeched. I jerked upright. The neon lights on my
bedside clock pulsed four fifty-two. Heart hammering, I emerged from the warm cocoon
of blankets atop my four-poster bed. The jolt of cold tile on my feet lifted a
portion of the fog created by last night’s
third glass of
wine.
“What’s
the matter, boy?” Red lights beaconed through the front bay windows. My sixth
sense kicked in, and the hairs on my arm responded. I grabbed Duke’s leather
collar and edged past his ninety-pound muscled body to peer through the beveled
glass of my front door.
My
stomach dropped. Police cars swarmed my neighbor’s house.
My
neighbor, Peg, and I had become fast friends shortly after I moved here. Just
six hours ago, we’d polished off her stash of merlot. The good stuff … that
she’d bought at a charity auction … for three times the normal price.
I
couldn’t imagine why every emergency crew in Charleston was parked in front of
her home. I ran my fingers through my hair in disbelief. “What the hell is going
on?”
After
slipping into my robe, I left Duke inside and marched toward the red lights and
swarm of emergency personnel. Each step felt heavy, and leaden. My gut clenched
tighter, and tighter, and I wiped beads of perspiration off the back of my neck.
The yellow tape stretched across the sidewalk leading to her front door
screamed “crime scene.” Streetlamps glowed in the morning mist, and the
combination of pulsating red and orange lights gave off an eerie glow.
Neighbors trickled from their homes and formed a small crowd. I scanned the
faces but couldn’t find Peg. Picking up the pace, I headed toward Cassie, the
sixty-year-old widow, who lived next door to Peg.
“Cassie,
what happened? Where’s Peg?”
“I
don’t know.” She shook her head.
My
legs trembled, and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. “What happened?” I
repeated. “Why are the cops here?”
“I
don’t know.” Her voice rose a few decibels. “Last night I thought I heard a
loud pop, like a firecracker, but I’m not sure. I fell asleep with the television
on. Went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Turned off the television and
crawled back in bed. The next thing I heard was the sirens.”
“What
time was that?” The most likely neighbors to have any information were Cassie
and Lou, Peg’s other neighbor and business partner. Peg and Lou owned an
interior design firm.
“Around
two,” she replied.
I’m
not popular with most of the Charleston police force, and that was an
understatement. I challenged their good ole’ boy club. Even though I owned a
Labrador, I operated more like a bulldog. What most of them resented, second to
my track record, was my ability to navigate through the Charleston elite. I relied
on Peg’s friends and connections often.
I
dreaded trying to drag information out of the cops.
Matt
walked up adjusting his holster. The ginger-colored cowlick he sported on top
of his head made him look like he’d just rolled out of bed. Matt was one of the
few members of the Charleston police force who was actually friendly toward me.
Peg had nicknamed him Howdy Doody.
“Howdy,
Liz.”
“What
happened, Matt? Where’s Peg?”
Matt
gazed at the ground. “I’m sorry, Liz. She’s dead.”
That
was the last thing I remembered before my world went black.
Brad’s Birthday Cake
This recipe is compliments of Piece
and Love Cakery, Houston, TX. The company is owned by two sisters, Gigi Welling
Nitzberg and Kerry Stovall. Their mission is to make beautiful things that
taste like childhood, baking and making moments special. Many thanks to Gigi
and Kerry for this delicious cake recipe!
Ingredients for cake:
5 large eggs 1 1/2 cups
granulated sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons almond extract 1 ½ teaspoons pure
vanilla extract
3/4 cup almond flour 2 cups
unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt 1
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
12 tablespoons unsalted butter,
melted and cooled
Ingredients for frosting:
4 sticks unsalted butter (room
temperature) 6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder 2 teaspoons
vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cherry juice
concentrate (use the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries)
Ingredients for filling:
2 cups cherry pie filling
3 tablespoons hot water
For the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease three six-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
Grease the parchment. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on high
speed with whisk attachment until thick and lemon-colored. Slow the mixer and
add the melted butter and extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the
flours, salt, and baking powder. Add to the egg mixture in three additions,
alternating with the milk. Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds. Divide
the batter into the three pans, about two cups per pan. Bake for 34-37 minutes,
until the edges start to pull away from the sides and the center springs back
when lightly touched. Cool cakes in the pans on a cooling rack.
For the frosting: In a bowl, with hand mixer or
stand mixer, mix softened butter with meringue powder and powdered sugar. When
combined, add extracts and salt. Add cherry juice 1 tablespoon at a time,
mixing well after each one.
For the filling: Add hot water to pie filling.
Strain juice from the cherries into a bowl separating the cherries and the
juice. Set aside.
Layering the cake: Brush ¼ cup cherry filling juice
on bottom layer of cake. Spread ¾ to 1 cup of frosting, pushing it toward the
outer edge and creating a shallow well. Put 1/3 cup of the reserved cherries in
the well (making a dam around the edge will keep the filling from pushing out
and dripping out the sides). Repeat with the next layer. Frost the top layer,
then continue with frosting around the sides. If the frosting seems thin, put
it in the fridge for five minutes to let it stiffen. The cake can be chilled to
set the frosting, but let it come to room temperature before serving.
Enjoy!
Author’s
note – I used two 8 ½ inch cake pans, extending the cooking time 15 minutes.
Gigi gave me a great tip – Listen to the cake. If it’s sizzling, it’s not done
yet. The cake is cooked when it barely sizzles. The recipe would also be great
as cupcakes, skipping the filling. Delicious!
Stacy writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that support wildlife conservation, and the homeless, both people and pets.
As well as writing, Stacy is passionate about her faith, family, Labradors, the causes that she supports, the beach, art, and reading books.
She and her husband live in Houston, Texas, with a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve.
You can find Stacy’s website at www.storystacy.com
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