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by: Vickie McDonough
Dancing Word Reviewer
Title: Novel
Crimes
Authors: Susan K. Downs, Pamela Griffin, DiAnn Hunt,
and Susan May Warren
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
ISBN:
1-58660-971-8
Genre:
Inspirational/Contemporary/Romance
Fact and fiction lines blur in four stories of aspiring mystery writers
"Love's Pros and Cons” by Susan K. Downs
Tina Frank has just returned from a mystery writers' conference, and she's constantly studying the people she comes across, searching for the perfect
villain for her own mystery novella. She's already found the perfect hero-at least
for herself-her handsome Hispanic neighbor and close friend, Miguel
Villarreal. When a drug related murder occurs in her sleepy town, and evidence points to
Miguel, Tina begins to wonder about her friend. And when a handsome FBI agent moves in
next-door, Tina's heart takes a dive as Miguel moves to the top of her suspects list.
“Suspect of My Heart”by Pamela Griffin
Raine E. Wells thinks she's seeing things when the suspicious characters
she's designing for her mystery novella seem to walk off the page and into her
life. Raine has recently inherited a multi-million-dollar art collection, and she
believes someone is planning to steal it. Her chief suspect is Lance, a maintenance
man at the museum where she works. Is he just a janitor when a penchant for fancy
art, or could he have devious plans in mind? Raine's heart tells her that Lance is
innocent but her mind and the evidence say otherwise.
“Love's Greatest Peril” by Susan May Warren
When Justine Proof left danger-ridden Chicago behind, she hoped she'd
leave her fears behind too and live a peaceful life in the back hills of Tennessee,
but weird things keep happening to her. Now she's beginning to think someone is out
to kill her. But why? And then there's handsome Patrick Bells, a local coffee shop
owner. Is he stalking her or does he really want to be her friend? Are the harrowing
events a figment of Justine's overactive imagination as a mystery writer, or is her
life really in jeopardy?
“'Til Death Do Us Part” by DiAnn Hunt
Cassie Jordon thought her idea of having the killer in the mystery story
she is writing leave a bouquet of dried flowers at the murder scene was unique.
But when real murders begin happening nearby, she is disturbed to discover the
murderer is copying her story by leaving his own dried flower bouquets. The only
person's she's told about her flower idea is Ethan Hamil, local bookstore owner and the
man who is quickly stealing her heart. But when the murder evidence begins to point
toward Ethan, will Cassie trust her heart or has she just given it away to a
murderer?
The creative format and storyline of Novel Crimes was engaging from
the start. Four women, known as the Sleuth Sisters, have just returned home from a mystery
writers' conference with their minds buzzing with ideas for a mystery anthology in
which each of the women will write a novella. As they plot out their stories, each
writer finds herself neck deep in a real life mystery unraveling around her. Everyone
is a suspect, including the heroes of each story. Plenty of red herrings keep
you guessing the identity of the real perpetrators.
I found Novel Crimes a delight to read. Wannabe mystery writers get
more than they bargained for as their quiet lives as romance authors get turned upside
down with heart-quickening suspense. Charming romance woven around thrilling
intrigue and a light faith message make Novel Crimes a book well worth the money.
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