On the Chopping Block - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

The author was born and educated in Ohio and now resides in southeast Michigan.

Aus dem Klappentext

Along the road to northern Michigan for a quiet week of fishing and relaxation, one-time homicide detective, Brady Kincaid, stops to visit friends and attend Early's Founders Day Fair.

The late June weather is perfect for the fair and the thousands of visitors expected in downtown Early.

Participating in the fair, Brickley's Books is ready to welcome hundreds of fans for a book-signing session with best-selling author, Holly LaFrance.

What could go wrong?

For starters--the body of the town's librarian is discovered inside Brickley's bookstore.

Who would murder Miss Powder, why so brutally, and why was she found at the coffee bar in the bookstore?

To completely jinx the day for Brickley's Books, the syndicated column, 'On the Chopping Block,' is published with a scathing review of the book to be autographed by Miss LaFrance.

Are these incidents related and can Brady be persuaded to remain in town long enough to catch Miss Powder's killer?

The case becomes even more interesting when Brady meets and learns he'll be working with the lovely wildcat, Officer Alice Drinker.

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CHAPTER 1 - Friday evening, June 23rd

"Hello, Penelope."

"You! What are you doing here? Is this a trick? Did you hire that poor, unfortunate person to lure me here?"

"Don't worry, pretty Penny, we're going to take good care of you."

Unwilling to put up with unexpected nonsense, she gathered her purse and books; and in that final instant, Penelope Powder felt a sudden piercing, searing, blinding blow to the crown of her head--then nothing. She was dead.

A moment of silence was observed. Not out of respect, only the nanoseconds it took to pull an axe from Miss Powder's skull.

"What should I do with the axe?"

"Here. Hand it to me and stand back while I give her a couple of whacks myself."

Another spray of blood and brains followed the dull thud as Miss Powder's freshly styled ash-blonde hair was parted by the violent smashing thrust of the axe. A deep slice across the back of her head finished the job.

"All right, help me wrap up the body and the axe. We'll dump them after we've cleaned up this mess. And, for God's sake, keep your voice down. Your bellowing is enough to wake the dead, and Miss Powder wouldn't like that. You know how librarians are."

Saturday morning, June 24th - 7:30 a.m.

"Robert! There's a dead body in the shop! I think it's Miss Powder! Please! Come quickly!"

Carolyn Brickley hung up, praying her husband would drive to the bookstore immediately. She'd arrived early to greet the first customers in line for a book-signing session with best-selling author Holly LaFrance. She expected even more of the author's fans would visit her shop when the Founders Day Fair opened at ten across the street in Pride Park.

This was supposed to be the biggest day of the year for Brickley's Books

Now what?