THE OLD CRANBERRY LADIES GARDEN CLUB
by Bill Cusano
June 1 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour
THE GHOST AND THE KEY
With a pitchfork through the man's groin and another through his chest, it is clear that someone had murdered Chester H. Cranberry. It's not something that could have happened accidentally. But that was 192 years ago. As Mildred Cranberry, the current family matriarch, puts it, "We have two women, two keys, two pitchforks, and one dead two-timing man." Who in their right mind would want to dig up that cold case and try to solve it? It's not like the murderer could be prosecuted in 2024, right? But what if a key piece of evidence can be dug up (literally)? And what if a descendant of Chester's illegitimate child can get her hands on it? Mildred will need more than the Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club members to solve this bizarre case. The spiritual support she needs may not be what she expects when the ghost of Elcira Cranberry, the widow murderess herself, arrives to do what? Tell the truth or protect her reputation?
The Ladies Garden Club of Old Cranberry, Connecticut, has a 200-year history that has remained shrouded in secrecy for so long, it has been lost to history, until now. Elcira Cranberry and freedwoman Deborah Townsend knew the men of the town would have no interest in a garden club, so it was the perfect cover for their secret organization. Now, nearly two centuries later, the current members have no idea what those ladies were up to in the early 1800s, right here in Connecticut. But the secret will soon be out.
THE WIDOW MURDERESS
Connecticut, 1833. A year after Chester Cranberry's unsolved murder, the town that he founded continues to suspect that his wife, Elcira, ended his life. With insufficient evidence to bring her to trial, and little effort to find another suspect, the town gossip labels her "The Widow Murderess." But Elcira has seven children to feed, ranging in age from three to nine, and her nanny, Deborah, a freed slave, is pregnant with her husband's illegitimate child.
All eyes are on these two women, expecting them to fail to keep the farm and the family together. When the general store cuts off Elcira's credit and refuses to sell anything her farm produces, the alliance between Elcira and Deborah grows stronger, and the women set out to do something unthinkable, something that can cause one to be whipped and the other thrown in jail. They opened their home to runaway slaves seeking freedom along a secret route north. Behind the facade of a ladies' garden club, the women run a clandestine school, teaching the formerly enslaved and runaways to read and write-a dangerous act that could destroy everything she's built.
When a mysterious murder during a violent storm brings old secrets to light, the truth about Chester's death threatens to surface. With the town's suspicions mounting and powerful enemies closing in, Elcira must decide how much she's willing to risk to protect those she loves and maintain the underground railroad that runs through her land.
A gripping historical novel about courage, family, and the price of freedom in pre-Civil War New England, The Widow Murderess explores how one woman's determination to survive becomes a beacon of hope for those seeking liberty.
THE SPARROW AND THE CROW
The last time the crows circled the old farmhouse, her husband Chester was found dead and the town named her a murderess. Thirty years later, the truth she buried with him is stirring again, the country is splitting in two, and the family she fought so hard to hold together is being pulled apart by a war that hasn't yet been declared.
Her grandson Auggie wants to fight for the Union. His mother, born to a Virginia plantation family, will do anything to drag him south instead. Millie — the rector's daughter with golden hair and a satchel full of letters — waits at home for a boy who may never come back. And in the chapel behind the lilacs, Elcira and the women of her garden club continue the work no one is supposed to know about: sheltering freedom seekers as slave catchers tighten their grip on the Connecticut coast.
Then a telegram arrives. And another. And the war everyone said would never come has come for the Cranberry's all at once.
Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Marie Benedict, Paulette Jiles, and Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain — a story about what families inherit, what they hide, and what they're willing to risk when the country they believed in begins to come apart.
Book Details:
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery
Published by: 4610 Publishing
Series: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club
Author Bio:
Bill Cusano is an author, a retired deacon in the Episcopal Church and a believer that it is the process rather than the outcomes that matter most in our lives. Retired from the corporate world and an eight-year stint running a non-profit feeding program, Bill attacks every project as a ministry, giving it his full commitment. Needing to readjust to life after losing the love of his life to leukemia in April of 2024, Bill returned to writing full-time, resulting in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, the motivation and inspiration for which came from his wife’s voracious appetite for reading historical fiction. While this is Bill’s debut novel, he has always been a writer, publishing short stories and poems early on, and then beginning a daily spiritual blog in 2008. You can follow Bill’s Reflections From The Garden Bench along with other writings on his Substack account.
Interview:
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I was in second grade when I discovered the joy of writing. Mrs. Rollender taught us how sentences were built and what they could become. She encouraged me to write stories using the weekly spelling words. I will never forget her.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Some stories flow like water while others plod along. Now that I am writing full time, they come to life sooner. I have written five novels in two years. My readers want them to come quicker. I don’t know if I could write any faster.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I wake up between 5 and 6 every morning. The first thing I write is a daily reflection from the day’s scripture readings. Then I study a foreign language for about fifteen minutes before making my breakfast. After breakfast, I write. I spend most mornings writing and many afternoons working on the business of publishing and marketing my books. I rarely write in the evenings, unless I am rewriting and editing.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I use Speechify to read me my chapters, using different voices to catch errors. I find a female voice from the UK works best with the Cranberry books. A husky male voice from the US works for thrillers and noir stories.
How do books get published?
I started my own independent publishing company to publish my books. When I was younger, I went the traditional publishing route, but that takes too much time. When my wife died, I wanted to get the book about the garden club ladies out quickly, to honor her, so I went independent. I am so glad I did.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Characters come first. I had the idea for two of the characters in my novels 18 years ago during a writer’s workshop. I read my character sketches to the class and everyone hated them. I never forgot them, though. It was my wife who told me to write about those ladies, and the first book in the series was born.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I was seventeen when I wrote my first novel. I had written poems and stories before that, some of which I published, but the novel took shape when I was in high school. I spent a summer in the basement, typing on my typewriter.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I like to walk and meet people. My latest novel was written while on a world cruise. I would write each day, go on excursions, go to lectures and classes, sing in the choir, practice my violin,go dancing, play bridge, eat, and talk to everyone I could.
What does your family think of your writing?
My wife was my biggest fan. It is not easy writing without her by my side, encouraging me and correcting my grammar. There was nothing I wrote that was bad in her eyes, though she did read to me from the books she liked to get me interested in her authors and genres. I wrote this series for her.
My whole family is so supportive. But it is great having people outside the family circle read and love your books.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I am often surprised when I reread my books and realize I actually wrote that. I often don’t remember where the story came from. I swear the characters speak to me and tell me where they want to go in the story.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have written ten books over the years. Five were not published and five were published. My favorite is always the latest one. And The War Came is the fourth book in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series. In it, we get a family at war with itself as it struggles through the start of the Civil War.
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Write. The only way to get better at writing is to write. We ran a writer’s group on board the cruise ship and most of the attendees said they weren’t writers when they signed up. But they challenged themselves, did the prompts and wrote stories. Some were long and elaborate, while others were short. All were clever. They are writers.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I love my readers. My marketing approach is different from most authors. My goal is to get to know every one of my readers and to communicate with them directly. They give me the greatest feedback and encouragement. I don’t know how authors can enjoy writing without knowing their readers. Selling books online without knowing who is buying and why is like writing in the dark. I go to book clubs, give talks, and have informal get togethers with my readers. They tell me which characters they like and which they hate. I love to surprise them.
Do you like to create books for adults?
I love writing books for adult readers, but I hope young readers like to read about these characters as well. In my family saga, there are children, ranging in age from 3 to 17. In two of the books, they are the key characters. So, adults, yes, but young adults as well. The stories work for both groups.
What do you think makes a good story?
Characters make the story. Job one is to connect with a character. Once the reader does that, he/she wants to follow that character through the story. They don’t remember the author. They don’t remember the full story. They remember the characters. So, start there and let the character run away with the story. Just try to keep up.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A doctor because I wanted to help sick people, and a writer because I wanted to make them well again.
What would you like my readers to know?
An author’s biggest fear is that a reader will close the book and throw it across the room. If you feel like doing that with one of my books, please email me and tell me why.
Catch Up With Bill Cusano:
BillCusano.com
Bill's Substack
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @billcusano
Instagram - @billcusano
X - @CusanoBill
Facebook - @bill.cusano
Tour Participants:
Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!Click here to view the Tour Schedule
When Crows Circle… It’s Time to Enter to Win
This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Bill Cusano. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano | Surprise Gift Box w/ Gift CardCan't see the giveaway? Click Here!
Great post! I was searching for a best structural 3d modeling course in hyderabad, and this looks really promising. The focus on practical training and real-time projects makes a huge difference for civil engineering students.
ReplyDelete