Essentials of Homicide by Kim Davis INTERVIEW & Giveaway

 

Essentials of Homicide (The Aromatherapy Apothecary Series)

by Kim Davis

About Essentials of Homicide

 

Essentials of Homicide (The Aromatherapy Apothecary Series)

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Setting - California

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harbor Lane Books, LLC. 

Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 8, 2026 

Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages 

Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1963705521

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1963705522

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H2468WHQ

Hollywood has descended on Oak Creek Valley to film a murder mystery. Carissa Carmichael, owner of the Aromatherapy Apothecary, has a front-row seat to the bad-boy leading man’s escapades as she works with the production to bring soothing essential elements to the stressed-out crew.

When the movie set becomes a true crime scene, Carissa’s best friend becomes the star suspect. Instead of enjoying the thrills of lights, camera, and action, she’s thrust into untangling the secrets of the glamorous actors who all seem to hide something. While working behind the scenes to sniff out clues and clear her best friend’s name, Carissa must apply pressure and find the killer before someone else is written out for good.

About Kim Davis

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series, along with The Board Game Chronicles, a middle-grade fantasy series. She is also one of the bloggers at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, where she indulges her passion for food and creating unique cupcake flavors. She lives in Southern California with her husband and very rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines… that is, when Missy lets her sit down to write. Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

INTERVIEW:

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was always the crazy kid who enjoyed having to write reports for school and was happy when exams were in essay form. However, it wasn’t until I reached my late 30s that I considered writing a novel. 

2. How long does it take you to write a book?

It really depends, since I don’t have a consistent writing schedule. I’m a part-time caregiver for my special-needs granddaughter, and my family is my priority. As a result, I’ve finished writing a cozy mystery in three months (sans final editing), and other times it can take 9 months or longer. 

3. What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

My preference for writing is when I have absolutely nothing on the calendar and no household chores that need to be done. On the rare days that happens, I start the morning off with a 2-mile walk with my mini Goldendoodle, Missy, then sit down to write while we eat breakfast. From there I can write for most of the day, only take 15-minute breaks now and then to take Missy for short walks. She’s a super high-energy dog and requires a lot of activity. 

When I have too much going on outside of writing for months on end, I’ll try to write for maybe an hour on my laptop before I get up. Once I’m up, Missy demands our walk, and then my day-to-day commitments start. 

4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’d say I’m more of a hobbyist writer and honestly don’t know how I’ve written as much as I have, lol. 

5. How do books get published?

For my Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries, Harbor Lane Books publishes the series. They create the cover design with little input from me and then have me work with an editor to polish the manuscript. 

For my Cupcake Catering Mysteries, I’m an indie author and have curated a team of people to work with, from the cover design (Karen Phillips is fabulous!), to all the editing and proofreading. From there, I format the books and upload to all the online book retailers. 

6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Writing a series and having recurring characters makes it a bit easier to come up with ideas. I first find an event or holiday I want to center the book around, then decide how I want my characters to grow and change. From there it’s wherever my imagination takes me… I’m one of those people who writes by the seat-of-my-pants, instead of outlining and planning ahead. 

7. When did you write your first book and how old were you?

When I got serious about writing, I really didn’t know how to go about it, so I took some online courses, got sidetracked by writing children’s nature articles for magazines, and finally published my first suspense novel in 2017 when I was 56 years old. After that, I turned my focus to writing cozy mysteries, which is where my heart is.

8. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

As I mentioned before, I care for my granddaughter three days a week. When I’m not busy with her or writing, I’m usually in the kitchen creating new recipes for my cozy mysteries, or creating recipes for Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen where I’m one of the permanent bloggers. I’m also an avid reader, and still review books for some of my favorite authors. 

9. What does your family think of your writing?

They’re all super supportive and proud of me! 

10. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I had no idea I’d end up having to read through my story at least 10 times before it’s published! It gets quite tedious toward the end, lol. 

11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Essentials of Homicide is my fifteenth book. I really can’t name a favorite… It would be like saying I had a favorite child 😊

12. Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

This is more like do as I say and not as I do type of advice, lol. I think the most successful authors have a practice of getting at least a few hundred words down on the page on a daily basis. They don’t have to be good words—editing will fix that—just anything to move the story forward. I never worry too much about the first draft as long as there’s a semblance of a story to work with. Once that first draft is done, it’s easy enough to see where the holes are, what sections need to be reworked, and polish and re-polish until the story feels complete. 

13. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I do hear from readers, and I always love it when they mention how much they enjoy my characters, that it feels like getting to hang out with friends when reading the book.

14. Do you like to create books for adults?

I enjoy creating books for both adults and children. While my adult novels are all mysteries, I also write a middle-grade fantasy series (The Board Game Chronicles) that allows me to stretch my imagination. 

15. What do you think makes a good story?

I think characters make or break a story. It’s important to create characters that readers can look forward to spending time with.

16. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Gosh, I was all over the place! From a racecar driver (a fantasy for sure, but I still like to drive fast), to an elementary school teacher. 

17. What would you like my readers to know?

I’m delighted to be able to introduce them to the world of my protagonist, Carissa Carmichel, and the gang at the Aromatherapy Apothecary in Oak Creek Valley. This is an especially fun series to write because Oak Creek Valley is actually based on the small Southern California tourist town where I lived until my early teens! I’ve enjoyed revisiting the area while doing research on the setting and getting ideas for plots. 

Author Links 

Website: http://kimdavisauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Davis-Author-1532277473479031/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkimdavis/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202599.Kim_Davis

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kim-davis-899e51b0-5661-401c-98b1-ec4c2973d58a Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimdavishb/

Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: https://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kimdavisauthor

• Purchase Links:
• Amazon 
• Other online book retailers: https://books2read.com/u/31v6p7

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 27 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

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October 30 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 30 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 –Christy's Cozy Corners – RECIPE

November 1 - Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

November 2 - Sarandipity's – AUTHOR GUEST POST

November 2 - Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

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THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH by Archana Maniar Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH

by Archana Maniar

October 12 - November 6, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

Synopsis:

A forgotten photograph. A trailblazing ancestor. And a modern woman about to discover that her family's past holds the key to her future.

When overworked surgeon Jaanvi Chowdhury finds a mysterious photograph and a small stack of letters hidden in her Boston attic, she uncovers the remarkable story of her great-aunt Kalyani Joshi--one of the first Indian women to study medicine in 1920s London.

As Jaanvi pieces together her ancestor's life, she discovers Kalyani's experience of colonial oppression, her role in India's fight for independence, and her unlikely connection with a Scottish missionary's son, Alexander. Drawn together by their passion for literature, Kalyani and Alexander will risk everything for a free India, putting their loyalty, love, and choices to the test.

Navigating between past and present, Jaanvi confronts her own struggles. Passed over for promotion, she has lost sight of why she became a doctor. But as she learns how fiercely Kalyani fought for each opportunity--and the price she paid--Jaanvi begins to question her own carefully constructed life. Can her great-aunt's unprecedented story help her reclaim not just her purpose in medicine but her sense of who she truly is?

A sweeping and captivating historical novel that will steal a piece of your heart, The Lost Photograph is perfect for fans of Alka Joshi, Kate Quinn, and Kristin Hannah.

Praise for The Lost Photograph:

"Archana Maniar brings 1930s India to vibrant life with this riveting story of two women bound by blood and ambition. The Lost Photograph is both intimate and sweeping in its portrait of separate generations struggling to find their place ... Maniar weaves their stories into a poignant, luminous novel that stays with you long after you've turned the last page."
~ Claire Booth, author of Throwing Shadows and the Hank Worth Mystery Series

"Archana Maniar’s THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH is a page-turner that has it all, forbidden love, clandestine meetings, and the very real danger of losing everything, including oneself. With vivid and compelling characters, the story is gripping and tender at the same time, a testament to how the past can bring clarity to the present, and strength to embrace the future."
~ Nigar Alam, author of Under the Tamarind Tree

"Beautiful, vivid, and atmospheric."
~ Fiona Valpy, author of The Skylark's Secret and The Dark of the Moon

"A dazzling and deeply evocative novel of love, women’s rights and the Indian independence movement, Archana Maniar’s stunning prose instantly drew me into Jaanvi and Kalyani’s stories. Impossible to put down, I know the characters will stay with me for a long time!"
~ Linda Wilgus, author of The Sea Child

"I knew I shouldn’t start reading this on a weeknight, but my restraint absconded with my willpower the minute I laid my hands on this book. Maniar has done it again, artfully weaving the story of two women—related by blood and connected through time. Both buck the norms of a society that is geared to suppress their intelligence and passion. The book brings a much-needed perspective on the struggles of the Indian people under colonial rule and the tireless work of courageous souls who risked everything to gain independence. Any woman who has tried to break a glass ceiling, flex her independence, or get recognition for the merits of her work will savor this book like a crisp raspberry sorbet on a hot summer's night."
~ Cathi Misquitta, Early Reader

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction with Contemporary Themes
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
Number of Pages: 399
ISBN: 9781662528729 (ISBN10: 1662528728)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Born near Chicago to immigrants from India, Archana Maniar relocated with her parents to Mumbai at age four. After the culture shock abated, she fell in love with her parents’ homeland until chance brought the family to California. During vacations and family occasions, Mumbai was a frequent destination. She attended college at University of California, Los Angeles where she studied political theory and biology before attending medical school at the University of California, Davis. As a professor of medicine and practicing infectious diseases physician, she was a frontline healthcare worker from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was deeply involved in health system pandemic preparedness. Always a writer in the margins of her day, storytelling became an obsession during her medical career, a way to process her observations about human nature during health, stress, and sickness. With a stubborn case of wanderlust, when she is not working or writing, she is usually traveling somewhere with her family. The Lost Photograph is her second novel.

Catch Up With Archana Maniar:

www.ArchanaManiarBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @archanamaniar
Facebook - @Archana Maniar

My Review:

This was a really fun book to read. Especially for fans of history. I loved the back and forth between timeliness. I was able to escape into the past. I live in Connecticut and I also really enjoyed that the book took place in Massachusetts.  The more Jaanvi looked into her heritage. The more I learned about Indian culture. What was difficult for women in the 1920s was even more difficult for women of Indian heritage in the 1920s. I enjoyed the parallel that both women were strong and wanted to study medicine to help others. Reading the letters was also fun. It gave me insight to the characters, and what they were thinking. This is a great book for women that are strong and want to make a difference. From Boston to Bombay these women fought so that us women could have the rights we do today. I do have to admit that the glossary at the end was very helpful. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy, nevertheless all opinions are my own.  

 

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THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH by Archana Maniar | Gift Cards

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DRIVE DOWN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF YOUR NEW CAR by Dale Dallman Excerpt, Interview & Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dale Dallman will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Buying a car. Just those three words can conjure up a whole swirl of emotions.

For some, it’s the thrill of a sleek new model—the scent of fresh upholstery and the promise of open roads. For others, it’s a daunting odyssey filled with jargon, pressure, and the fear of an expensive mistake.

Wherever you fall, you’re reading this because buying a car is a significant life event.

We’ve all stood on the lot, squinting at price tags, decoding financing offers, and feeling the push to “act now.” It’s easy to feel outmatched—to wish for an expert at your side. Consider this book that expert: your trusted co-pilot on a journey that’s both exciting and rewarding.

This isn’t just a checklist—it’s a philosophy. You’ll learn to approach car buying with clarity and confidence, understand financing, master the test drive, and negotiate with purpose, ensuring that you walk away feeling like a winner.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer, upgrading, or simply overwhelmed by options, this book is for you.

So, buckle up. Get ready to embark on a journey that will not only lead you to the perfect vehicle but will also leave you feeling empowered, informed, and ready to hit the road with a smile.

Happy driving!

Read an Excerpt

The Mega car dealers worked up a sales system designed to cost you money! It was to psychologically make your brain pick the one item out of four you reacted to most. The four items are PRICE, DOWN PAYMENT, TRADE ALLOWANCE, and MONTHLY PAYMENT! The designs were different, but the concept was just as deadly.

The top, center of the Four Square Sheet describes the vehicle you are buying. The Brand, Year, and Serial number, then, at the bottom of the sheet, they drew four separate squares. They were all blank squares. The salesperson would have you settle into a specific vehicle and fill in the center part. He wouldn’t fill in the squares. He would talk to you about price, down payment, trade-in, and monthly payment, but not write in the squares. He would ask about a down payment.

Then, he would leave you to talk to the boss. This time alone does two things. It allowed you to talk over the information you had given the salesperson, and it was a cool-down period to settle your jitters.

Now he has left you to tell the Desk Manager everything you discussed. The Desk Manager then fills out the four squares on the bottom of the selling sheet. He lists the FULL selling price, including all dealer-added options and extra profit, in one square. He writes a very low value in another square for the price they offer for your trade. The next square gets a very high cash down payment figure. The last square gets a very high monthly payment figure.

About the Author:

Dale Dallman worked in the CAR business for decades. He started at Frontier Chevrolet in Billings, Montana. He worked the hardest part of the dealership, the USED CAR LOT! Frontier Chevrolet had 37 salespeople after it was bought out and renamed Denny Menholt Chevrolet. Dallman was #1 in sales from the beginning. Dallman invented the tool that made him famous, “THE BIRD DOG BUCK.” It was a copy of a $100 bill, with his picture on it. It had a section for the previous buyer to print their name, and for the potential new buyer to print their name. The idea was to send ten copies to every person who bought a car from him. It asked the buyer to give one to every person they thought might be interested in buying a car. The instructions printed on the fake bill were “Give this to a potential buyer. If they present it to the dealership and ask for Dallman, you will receive a $25 “Bird Dog” check! The potential buyer will get a $500 discount on their purchase.” It got to the point that he didn’t even need to stand at the door and wait for new walk-ins. He had a secretary who handled his appointments!

Dallman then went out to the West Coast. Here, he worked on new and used cars for a Chevrolet dealer in the car village in Olympia, Washington. He and his best friend (both from Billings) worked there. The idea for a book started there, but Dallman needed a broader cross-section of the car business, so he moved to Gilchrist Buick in Tacoma, Washington, to reach a different class of buyers. He did so well that Buick Motor Division had him do training videos that they used internally in National training.

Dallman decided to go to Germany on a contract with TOYOTA WORLD. The job was working the locations on the military bases where the military could buy cars and use them in-country, order one to be picked up at a dealer back in the states when they rotated home.

Dallman now does consultant work for buyers. He has instructed sales classes and trained both BUYERS and the salesmen, trying to get your money! Dallman has advised many dealers and salespeople. But he loves helping buyers outsmart the Dealers more!

Website: https://www.dallmanproductions.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grizzlytrack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallmanproductions/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49906767.Dale_E_Dallman
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dale-e-dallman
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dale-E.-Dallman/author/B0D57RY38J

Interview

 

Where are you from?

I grew up in the small town of Rutland, North Dakota,with a population of 150.   I spent my youth on my uncle's farm.  We moved to the metropolis of Minot, with a population of 20,000, when I was 6 or 7. We lived so close to Roosevelt Zoo, the Animals were my neighbors!

 

Tell us your latest news?

I have a new book in the works. I think readers who enjoyed my first book, Letters From A Warrior, P.S. Mom, I Love You, will find hours of entertainment in the new one.

When and why did you begin writing?

I started writing after getting a job melting used lead type into lead bars, then melting it again into lead type for the printing presses at the Ward County Independent in Minot, North Dakota!  I was 13 years old!  The government today would prohibit that job!  But it introduced me to reporters and printing!  I wrote in school, then shorts in Newspapers, and a few instruction manuals.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I believe I considered myself an author after the publication of my first book titled LETTERS FROM A WARRIOR P.S. MOM, I LOVE YOU

What inspired you to write your firstbook?

It came about after the devastating 2011 flood in Minot that destroyed over 4,000 homes.  My parents' home was one of them.  After the flood, I found an old trunk, stuck in the trees about 12 feet up.  I retrieved this and inside was a bundle of letters I had sent home from boot camp with the US Marines!  I used each letter to introduce the chapters!  It followed 58 men who all joined the US Marines as the NODAK Platoon in the 60s! (Some on the wall). 

What would you like my readers to know?

I wrote, ‘Drive Down the Purchase Price of Your New Car’ after working in the car dealership industry for 40 years. I wanted to give car buyers the keys and straightforward information on the psychology behind car sales, and how to work around it to save thousands at the dealer.

 

The Infinity Formula by Calvin Engen Excerpt & Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Calvin Engen will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

WHAT IF REALITY ISN'T A MISTAKE, OR A SIMULATION TO ESCAPE, BUT THE WAY INFINITY LEARNS TO KNOW ITSELF?

In The Infinity Formula, Calvin Engen invites readers into a grounded blend of science, spirituality, and technology. At its heart is a simple symbolic lens:

U = S(C × T)^A → ∞
A way of seeing the universe as a lived simulation where consciousness moves through time, accelerates through evolution and technology, and returns to Infinity.

From the birth of time to the rise of artificial intelligence, Engen weaves ideas from physics, neuroscience, and ancient mysticism into a unified story of existence. He explores how time can be experienced as more than a clock, how acceleration can become a mirror for awakening, and how behind every moment of division and discovery, the Source is remembering itself through us.

Written in luminous, accessible prose, The Infinity Formula is both a map and a meditation. It's a call to live awake within the dream of existence, to relate to technology with intention, and to remember that we have never been separate from the whole.

For readers of Carlo Rovelli, Philip Goff, and Alan Lightman, this book bridges science and soul to illuminate the deepest mystery of all: how Infinity becomes you. What if reality isn't a mistake, or a simulation to escape, but the way Infinity learns to know itself?

Read an Excerpt

Infinity’s Paradox

Infinity is complete. It is everything. It is without limit, without lack, without division. And yet, here we are in a world of limits, lacks, and divisions. How can this be? This is the paradox at the heart of Infinity: To be all, Infinity must also become less than all.

Consider a canvas stretched across a frame, pure and white. In one sense, the blank canvas is perfect. It is unmarked, flawless, whole. But stare at it long enough and it becomes empty. There is nothing to see, nothing to experience. For beauty to emerge, paint must be applied. The paint spoils the blankness, but it also brings life. In the same way, Infinity spoils itself by generating boundaries, and in doing so, creates the possibility of experience.

Another metaphor: Imagine a pure tone, a single note sustained forever. In its purity, it is flawless, but after a moment it becomes unbearable. Music requires difference, rising and falling notes, silence and sound. Without variation, there is no song. Infinity in itself is like the eternal note. It is perfect, but in that perfection there is no melody. Only through separation, through the creation of contrast, does the music of existence begin.

This paradox shows us something profound: Infinity must limit itself in order to be known. In its seamless wholeness, there is no subject and object, no observer and observed. There is no way to say, “I am.” Awareness requires distinction. To awaken, Infinity divides into knower and known, seer and seen.

From one perspective, this division is a diminishment. Infinity becomes finite, and in doing so, loses its purity. From another perspective, it is the greatest creative act. Through self-limitation, Infinity gains the possibility of experience, relationship, growth, and story. What seems like loss is actually the birth of meaning.

About the Author Calvin Engen is a technologist in Edmonton, Alberta, where he works at the front edge of IT strategy and systems thinking. Outside the day-to-day of technology leadership, Calvin is an autodidact drawn to the biggest questions—how the universe works, what consciousness is, and why human life matters. That combination of practical technology experience and philosophical curiosity fuels The Infinity Formula, a book that explores consciousness, time, and AI as both tools and mirrors. He wrote the book for readers who sense that humanity is at a turning point: our systems are becoming more powerful, and our inner lives must become more intentional. With clear metaphors and reflective prompts, Calvin Engen offers a grounded, hopeful invitation to reconnect with meaning and help build a future guided by wisdom, ethics, and purpose.

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1834383447
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/72105166.Calvin_Engen

Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr Interview & Review

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)
Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 410 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 16, 2016
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

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"OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy "10"  with her latest, Candidate for Murder!...Don't just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren Carr! I'm telling you right now it's a must-read for daring, adventure, crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination." - reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

"OMG!!! The best Mac Faraday...yet. Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list." -review by Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental, As Eye See It

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Book Description:

When the candidate is a dog, the election gets deadly.

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is anything but civil.

When the two major parties offer up a pair of thoroughly unpleasant candidates, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement — by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s brilliant and mischievous German Shepherd, to run for mayor.

What begins as a hilarious joke quickly turns deadly serious when Gnarly becomes the front-runner overnight. Suddenly, the campaign gets ugly. One of the human candidates ends up murdered, and all signs point to the canine contender.

With the entire town watching and political enemies circling, Mac Faraday and the gang must dive headfirst into a dirty election filled with long-buried secrets, dirty tricks, and at least one very determined killer.

Can they clear Gnarly’s name before the votes are counted — or will this be one election that ends in murder?

A witty, fast-paced Mac Faraday Mystery packed with small-town charm, sharp humor, and a German Shepherd who just might be smarter than the voters.

Buy the Book:   
  Audible ~ Amazon
B&N~BookBub
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the author of over thirty acclaimed mystery novels, with more than half a million copies sold worldwide. Her fast-paced series—the Mac Faraday Mysteries, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and more—blend twists, suspense, humor, and unforgettable characters (including clever German shepherds!).
 
It's Murder, My Son organically hit #1 in Mystery on Amazon, and her books consistently rank in the Top 20 Police Procedurals in the US and international markets.
 
A popular speaker and publishing consultant, Lauren lives on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV, with her husband and three spoiled rotten German shepherds.

Interview:

1. Candidate for Murder is Gnarly’s book. Did you plan that, or did he take it?

He took it. I sat down to write a mayoral race in Spencer and David O’Callaghan, who has better instincts than patience, nominated Mac Faraday’s German shepherd out of spite. It was supposed to be a scene. Then the town voted with him. Once Gnarly was the front-runner, the book stopped being about two bad candidates and started being about what people will do to a dog who is beating them.

2. Why are the human candidates so unpleasant?

Because the joke only works if the dog is the reasonable choice. Spencer is split between year-round locals and newcomers who want the lake run like a gated community. The parties hand the town two nominees who care about their agendas and not much else. David is not making a statement about democracy. He is making a statement about the menu. Then the menu wins.

3. Readers meet more of Gnarly’s past here. How far back did you go?

Far enough to hurt. The opposition does what losing campaigns do: they dig. Gnarly’s dishonorable discharge comes up, and with it the story that he killed his Army handler. Mac is not in a mood to let a rumor sit, even when the file is the kind of file nobody is supposed to open. I wanted the funny campaign and the old wound in the same book. A shepherd with a past is funnier, and sadder, than a mascot.

4. Mac and Archie are not running the campaign. Was that on purpose?

Yes. If Mac is in the room, he manages the chaos. I needed David alone with the dog, a town that runs off with the idea, and a journalist who is already pulling a twenty-year-old crime. Mac has his own trouble in this one, including a health scare that reminds everyone he is not furniture. The series is his. This volume lets the rest of the house talk.

5. Is this a political book?

It is a murder mystery that happens during an election. I am not interested in telling readers how to vote. I am interested in what happens when a campaign decides mud is not enough and adds a body. The posters are funny. The crime is not. If a line starts sounding like a speech, I cut it and let Gnarly knock something over.

6. “Don’t give a paws.” Did the slogan show up before the plot?

The slogan showed up because David needed a campaign and Gnarly needed a manager who should not be allowed near a printer. I write the joke, then I check whether the joke is doing work. A slogan that only exists to be cute gets deleted. A slogan that makes the town love a cleptomaniac shepherd, and makes his opponents nervous, stays.

7. Can someone start the series here?

They can. I would rather they meet Mac in It’s Murder, My Son, but I will not lock the door. Candidate for Murder says who these people are without a lecture. You get a police chief, a detective who is supposed to be somewhere else, a resort town that cannot elect a human, and a German shepherd with a military record. That is enough to sit down.

8. What did you refuse to do in this book?

Write the election from Gnarly’s point of view. I was asked. I declined. The comedy is David realizing the dog is winning, Mac realizing the rumor is a lie he cannot leave, and a campaign manager who believes in his candidate more than the law allows. If I crawl inside the dog’s head, the joke dies. Also, Gnarly would demand approval on the edits.

9. A line for the reader who is tired of election season.

The candidates in Spencer are fictional, the dog is not on your ballot, and somebody still gets murdered. You are allowed to enjoy that without calling it civic engagement.

10. Where should they get it?

Candidate for Murder on Amazon. Kindle, paperback, and audio. More of the usual trouble at authorlaurencarr.com.

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Review:

I love a good mystery. What I like about this series is that the main detective is the same and the recurring characters help you remember other books in the series. Mac is a fun detective to follow and has a great set of friends. But there is an even bigger set of suspects. I have to admit that I really liked the idea of a dog running for office. My town is so Democratic, that anyone would win, no matter the name, so it was interesting to read for me. I did not like when they went against Gnarly though! That cost them more votes! While trying to figure out who the killer was. and issues from the past arose I felt like I was going through the cast of characters and everyone was on my radar. From Jessica's kitchen to Dallas this is full of fun tidbits to keep me laughing. I can not wait for the next book. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy, nevertheless all opinions are my own.