by Elizabeth McKenna
* Cozy Mystery *
Title: THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY
Author: Elizabeth McKenna
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 210
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Author: Elizabeth McKenna
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 210
Genre: Cozy Mystery
**********
Mystery with a splash of romance…
friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace
is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a
lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her
plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s
brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was
tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall
safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing.
With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace
set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local
detective.
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______________________
The handsome stranger held the
mini-mart door open for me, and I gazed up into twinkling, meadow-green eyes. I
kid you not. I had read about twinkling eyes in more than one romance book, but
this was the first time I’d seen them live and in action. He was dressed for an
early-September day on the lake with plaid swim shorts to his knees and a white
T-shirt hanging around his neck. My eyes shifted to the “No Shoes, No Shirt, No
Service” sign that was displayed prominently in the gas station’s window. I
checked his feet. At least he was wearing sandals.
mini-mart door open for me, and I gazed up into twinkling, meadow-green eyes. I
kid you not. I had read about twinkling eyes in more than one romance book, but
this was the first time I’d seen them live and in action. He was dressed for an
early-September day on the lake with plaid swim shorts to his knees and a white
T-shirt hanging around his neck. My eyes shifted to the “No Shoes, No Shirt, No
Service” sign that was displayed prominently in the gas station’s window. I
checked his feet. At least he was wearing sandals.
I must have been staring too
long because Grace pushed me from behind. The bare skin of my shoulder
inadvertently brushed across his well-defined, caramel-colored chest and
something akin to a spark sent heat rippling down my arm. When a curve of his
lips revealed straight, white teeth perfect for biting things, I mumbled an
apology and hurried to the snack aisle.
long because Grace pushed me from behind. The bare skin of my shoulder
inadvertently brushed across his well-defined, caramel-colored chest and
something akin to a spark sent heat rippling down my arm. When a curve of his
lips revealed straight, white teeth perfect for biting things, I mumbled an
apology and hurried to the snack aisle.
“Hi, Tom,” he called out to
the cashier, confirming that he was a local. “I’m on pump six, but I need to
grab a few things.”
the cashier, confirming that he was a local. “I’m on pump six, but I need to
grab a few things.”
Tom nodded. “No problem, dude.
Take your time.”
Take your time.”
“What type of chips should we
get?” Grace asked, bringing my attention to more pressing matters than my
tingling skin.
get?” Grace asked, bringing my attention to more pressing matters than my
tingling skin.
We had stopped for snacks on
our way to the Twelve Gables Bed & Breakfast to avoid paying minibar
prices. Grace was covering a charity ball being held at the Brauns’ lakeside
mansion in Fontana, Wisconsin, for the Chicago Tribune, and I was her
plus one. Besides the black-tie affair tonight, guests could spend Saturday
through Monday relaxing by the pool or boating on the lake. It had sounded like
a cushy assignment to me, but to Grace, it was another perfect example of how
people used her connections to get what they wanted.
our way to the Twelve Gables Bed & Breakfast to avoid paying minibar
prices. Grace was covering a charity ball being held at the Brauns’ lakeside
mansion in Fontana, Wisconsin, for the Chicago Tribune, and I was her
plus one. Besides the black-tie affair tonight, guests could spend Saturday
through Monday relaxing by the pool or boating on the lake. It had sounded like
a cushy assignment to me, but to Grace, it was another perfect example of how
people used her connections to get what they wanted.
Having grown up with the
fashionable people her editor wanted to feature, she was stuck on the Life
& Style desk, though she yearned to write a Pulitzer Prize-winning
investigative article on some injustice in the world. Since Edward and Ivy
Braun were family friends of Grace’s, this weekend’s assignment immediately
went to her. She hated using friendships in this way, but she couldn’t refuse
her editor if she wanted to keep her job.
fashionable people her editor wanted to feature, she was stuck on the Life
& Style desk, though she yearned to write a Pulitzer Prize-winning
investigative article on some injustice in the world. Since Edward and Ivy
Braun were family friends of Grace’s, this weekend’s assignment immediately
went to her. She hated using friendships in this way, but she couldn’t refuse
her editor if she wanted to keep her job.
“Maybe Chex Mix and Doritos?
You choose.” I already had spied a lone glazed donut in the bakery case next to
the register, and I was an enthusiast when it came to sugary confections.
You choose.” I already had spied a lone glazed donut in the bakery case next to
the register, and I was an enthusiast when it came to sugary confections.
I wandered through the other
aisles while I waited for her to decide on a snack. Grace didn’t eat junk food
often, so what to get was a serious decision worth slow and thoughtful
deliberation. Based on her furrowed brow, we would be here for a while.
aisles while I waited for her to decide on a snack. Grace didn’t eat junk food
often, so what to get was a serious decision worth slow and thoughtful
deliberation. Based on her furrowed brow, we would be here for a while.
Mr. Green Eyes plopped three
bottles of water and a Gatorade on the counter. “Gimme that donut too, please.”
bottles of water and a Gatorade on the counter. “Gimme that donut too, please.”
I stopped so abruptly that my
left ankle gave out, and I had to grab the metal handle of a nearby drink
cooler to steady myself. I limped over to Grace. “That guy is buying my donut!”
left ankle gave out, and I had to grab the metal handle of a nearby drink
cooler to steady myself. I limped over to Grace. “That guy is buying my donut!”
She blinked her eyes slowly at
me. “Your donut? Don’t they have more than one?”
me. “Your donut? Don’t they have more than one?”
“Probably not.” Yes, I was
being petty. It was only a donut, but once I committed to sugar, I liked to
follow through.
being petty. It was only a donut, but once I committed to sugar, I liked to
follow through.
“Just pick out something
else.” She pointed to a pack of chocolate chip cookies with an expiration date
two years in the future. “Get those.”
else.” She pointed to a pack of chocolate chip cookies with an expiration date
two years in the future. “Get those.”
My nose scrunched in
revulsion. “I’d rather eat sawdust. The taste would be the same but with fewer
calories.”
revulsion. “I’d rather eat sawdust. The taste would be the same but with fewer
calories.”
“Emma,” she said in her best
schoolmarm voice. “You realize that Chef Porter will be laying out a whole
table of luscious desserts for us to gorge ourselves on tonight?”
schoolmarm voice. “You realize that Chef Porter will be laying out a whole
table of luscious desserts for us to gorge ourselves on tonight?”
I did, but I didn’t know how
to tell Grace that sometimes the frou-frou desserts of her people turned me
off. Sometimes a girl just wanted a glazed donut. It was safe and comforting,
and right now, I needed all the comfort I could get.
to tell Grace that sometimes the frou-frou desserts of her people turned me
off. Sometimes a girl just wanted a glazed donut. It was safe and comforting,
and right now, I needed all the comfort I could get.
We had met freshmen year at
Northwestern University in Journalism 101 and became instant friends despite
being from different worlds. I was on a financial-need scholarship. Her father
had a building on campus named after him. I was so nervous that I had forgotten
a pencil. She had ten and gave me two “in case one broke.” We’ve been
inseparable ever since, always living together and now working as reporters at
the Tribune. She was like the sister I never had but without all the
petty fighting.
Northwestern University in Journalism 101 and became instant friends despite
being from different worlds. I was on a financial-need scholarship. Her father
had a building on campus named after him. I was so nervous that I had forgotten
a pencil. She had ten and gave me two “in case one broke.” We’ve been
inseparable ever since, always living together and now working as reporters at
the Tribune. She was like the sister I never had but without all the
petty fighting.
She finally chose some corn
chips and sashayed to the checkout.
chips and sashayed to the checkout.
“Excuse me,” I said to the
cashier. “Do you have more donuts? Preferably glazed.”
cashier. “Do you have more donuts? Preferably glazed.”
The cashier’s bored eyes
shifted to the bakery case and then to me. “Nope.”
shifted to the bakery case and then to me. “Nope.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you have
more in the back somewhere?”
more in the back somewhere?”
“Ryan got the last one. Maybe
if you hurry, you can buy it from him.”
if you hurry, you can buy it from him.”
Grace snickered beside me.
I pulled the bag of chips out
of her hands and slid it across the counter. “We’ll just take this.”
of her hands and slid it across the counter. “We’ll just take this.”
By the time we got outside,
Ryan, a.k.a. The Green-Eyed Donut Thief, was gone.
Ryan, a.k.a. The Green-Eyed Donut Thief, was gone.
Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood,
where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen
King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one
Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora
Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the
first love scene). She combined her love of history, romance, and a
happy ending to write Cera’s Place and Venice in the Moonlight. Her contemporary romance novel, First Crush Last Love, is loosely based on her life during her teens and twenties. The Great Jewel Robbery is her debut cozy mystery, and she hopes readers will like it as much as they have enjoyed her romances.
Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two
beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn’t writing,
working, or being a mom, she’s sleeping.
Elizabeth loves to connect with readers!
Website: http://elizabethmckenna.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMcKennaAuthor
Twitter: @ElizaMcKenna
Instagram: elizabeth_mckenna_author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Elizabeth_McKenna
where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen
King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one
Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora
Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the
first love scene). She combined her love of history, romance, and a
happy ending to write Cera’s Place and Venice in the Moonlight. Her contemporary romance novel, First Crush Last Love, is loosely based on her life during her teens and twenties. The Great Jewel Robbery is her debut cozy mystery, and she hopes readers will like it as much as they have enjoyed her romances.
Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two
beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn’t writing,
working, or being a mom, she’s sleeping.
Elizabeth loves to connect with readers!
Website: http://elizabethmckenna.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMcKennaAuthor
Twitter: @ElizaMcKenna
Instagram: elizabeth_mckenna_author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Elizabeth_McKenna
Sounds like a good little mystery!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really terrific read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteLooks good. I love mysteries!
ReplyDelete