Blackman’s Coffin: A Sam Blackman Mystery #1 by Marc de Castrique $.99 at Amazon, Kobo, B&N; $2.99 at Apple. Links from above link.
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What’s really hidden beneath Asheville’s rich history? Sam Blackman is an angry man. A Chief Warrant Officer in the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the U.S. military, he lost a leg in Iraq. His outspoken criticism of his medical treatment resulted in his transfer to the Veteran’s Hospital in Asheville, NC. Then an ex-marine and fellow amputee named Tikima Robertson walks into his hospital room. Tikima hints that she has an opportunity for Sam to use his investigative skills—if he can stop feeling sorry for himself. But before she can return, Tikima is murdered, her body found floating in the river. Tikima’s sister, Nakayla, brings Sam a journal she finds in Tikima’s apartment. The volume dates to 1919 and contains the entries of a twelve-year-old boy who accompanies his father, a white funeral director, as they help a black man, Elijah Robertson, transport his deceased relative to a small family plot in Georgia. Nearly ninety years ago, Elijah’s body was found in the French Broad River, a crime foreshadowing the death of his great-great granddaughter—Tikima’s. Sam and Nakayla must delve into Asheville’s rich history, the legacy of the Vanderbilts at the Biltmore estate and of author Tom Wolfe, to uncover the murderous truth. Blackman’s Coffin starts a new series by Mark de Castrique, author of the critically-acclaimed Buryin’ Barry Mysteries.
Blackman’s Coffin was awarded top 10 Mysteries for 2008 on Amazon.
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Forbidden Fruit: A Corinna Chapman Mystery #5 by Kerry Greenwood $.99 at Amazon and B&N. (Links from above link)
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Corinna Chapman, owner of the bakery Earthly delights, detests Christmas. The shoppers are frantic and the heat oppressive in Melbourne, Australia, where Christmas is summer festival. Corinna loathes the festival and the heat. She is a perfect size 20 with a genius for baking bread. And muffins. And while dreaming of air conditioned comfort she finds herself dealing with a rose-addicted donkey named Serena, a maniacal mother with staring eyes, a distracted assistant seeking for the definitive glace cherry recipe, her friend the fearless witch Meroe and the luscious Daniel with whom she would like to spend a lot more time. But Daniel is on the track of two runaways, Brigid and Manny. This Romeo and Juliet romance is not as straightforward as it seems and the pair will go a long way to avoid being found. With the help of a troupe of free-spirited freegans, three very clever internet hackers and a bunch of singing vegans, Corinna and Daniel go head-to-head with a sinister religious cult on a mission and a band of Romanies out for revenge in a wild and wonderful chase against the (biological) clock.
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