by Linda Hope Lee
Adult Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 210 Pages
March 25th 2016 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc
March 25th 2016 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Held responsible for a student's tragic death, teacher Deborah Kent was fired from an exclusive girls' school in Fairfield, Vermont and left town in disgrace. Now, she’s back in Fairfield with the intention of operating a bed and breakfast from her guardian's Victorian home. When threatening notes indicate someone isn’t happy with her return, Deborah suspects her student’s death was no accident. The man she turns to is the one least likely to help.
Horse breeder Milo Jordan has long harbored anger toward the woman he blames for his younger sister's death. Too many questions have gone unanswered, but now Deborah appears to hold the key to the truth. Can he put aside his anger, and his growing attraction, and work with her to solve the puzzle of the deadly event?
Linda Hope Lee writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and mysteries. She enjoys traveling especially to small towns in search of story ideas. She's also an artist, specializing in watercolor, pen and ink, and colored pencil. Photography provides inspiration for both her writing and her art. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where many of her stories are set.
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Excerpt:
Excerpt:
Chapter One, Part 2
“Car trouble?” He nodded in
the direction of her SUV.
She pursed her lips and
nodded. “It suddenly quit. I intended to call for help, but my cell phone won’t
work.”
“Reception here is a
problem. I’ll take a look at your car. I’m no mechanic, but if it’s something
simple, I might be able to fix it.”
His deep voice rang with friendliness, and if
Deborah’s instincts were on target, his gaze held more than a hint of male
interest. Despite her annoyance with the car breakdown, she experienced a tingle of excitement. “I’d appreciate that, if
you’re sure it’s no trouble.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Not at all. Black Magic and
I are just out for an afternoon ride with no particular destination.”
“All right.” Relieved to find help so soon,
Deborah offered him a smile.
The man dismounted his horse. Reins in hand, he
fell into step beside her as they headed toward her car.
Taller than she, he was about six feet, she
judged, and in his mid-thirties.
He slanted her a glance. “Do you live around here?”
“In Fairfield.”
“I get the feeling you’re new in the area. Am I
right?”
“Sort of. I used to live in Fairfield a few years
ago.” Unwilling to share details of her absence from Fairfield with a stranger,
Deborah kept her reply brief. Before
either of them could say more, they reached her car.
“What happened when your car quit running?” he
asked as he tied the reins to the guardrail.
While she explained the car’s behavior, Deborah
unlocked the driver’s side door and then handed him the keys.
He climbed in and settled behind the wheel, his
broad shoulders filling the seat. When he twisted the key in the ignition, the
engine made only a dull, rasping noise. He looked up with a frown.
She nodded. “That’s exactly what happened when I
tried to restart it.”
“I’ll check under the hood.” He reached below the
dashboard to pull the hood release. Waiting
for him to complete his inspection, Deborah paced, glancing at him now and then
when he mumbled something under his breath. Dare she hope he could take care of
the problem and she could soon be on her way?
After a few minutes, he straightened and shook his
head. “Sorry, I don’t see anything I can fix. Could be a bad fuel pump. For
that, you’ll need professional help.”
Deborah stuffed down her disappointment and
considered her next option. “Thanks for trying. I’ll have the car towed to a
garage in Fairfield. I was on my way to the farm down the road, to use the
phone.” She pointed toward the silver silo.
Grinning, he pulled a handkerchief from his back
jeans pocket and wiped his hands. “That’s my place. I’ll phone for a tow truck
and then drive you to home.”
Deborah stiffened. “I don’t want to put you out. I
can hitch a ride with the tow truck.”
“I don’t mind.”
He offered her a persuasive smile. Still, Deborah
hesitated to accept his invitation. He appeared sincere, but he was a stranger.
And, there was that note . . .
The man’s gaze shifted to her vehicle. “Don’t worry about leaving your car and that furniture here. Just be sure to lock up.”
The man’s gaze shifted to her vehicle. “Don’t worry about leaving your car and that furniture here. Just be sure to lock up.”
“I’m not worried about that.”
Other Books by the Author
Tour Schedule
April 4th: Launch
April 5th: Bookworm Nation
April 6th: Katie's Clean Book Collection & deal sharing aunt
April 7th: Bookworm Lisa
April 8th: Getting Your Read On & Rockin' Book Reviews
April 10th: EskieMama Reads
April 11th: Grand Finale
Tour Giveaway
$50 Amazon eGift Card
3 copies of Dark Memories (print if US, ebook if international)
Open internationally
Ends April 16th
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$50 Amazon eGift Card
3 copies of Dark Memories (print if US, ebook if international)
Open internationally
Ends April 16th
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sounds like a richly layered story, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Richard!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the cover of this book, it is very eye catching.
ReplyDeleteI like it, too, Sara. It captures the "dark" tone of the story.
DeleteI enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, Rita! Thanks for your interest.
DeleteI think it sounds like a great book with twists and turns. Love the cover, beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Natasha.
ReplyDelete