Today I’m giving you a sneak peek into my upcoming release, Morgana. Over the past two days, I shared about the hero and heroine, so you can check those out if you missed them.
Here’s the first chapter:
Chapter 1
July 23, 1925
Kansas City, Kansas
Morgana Campbelton glanced into the wavy mirror perched atop her dressing table and sighed. The humidity of Kansas City—KCK to the locals—combined with the hundred-plus-degree temperatures did little for her naturally curly hair. Her fringe, plastered to her forehead, reminded her of paintings of The Little Dutch Boy.
She yanked open the final dresser drawer and pulled out the contents. Scarves, stockings with a run or small hole. Not bad enough to toss out, but barely acceptable to wear. An article of shapewear with a broken clasp—in the trash can. Along with the legwear. One silky scarf as an accessory. The rest into a pile in the middle of the bed. Perhaps the next girl in this room could use them. Or the landlady.
Morgana sank onto the mattress to rest her back and legs. A long—and potentially strenuous—journey faced her, and she’d do best not to begin it already worn to a frazzle.
As her eyes roved the room, checking to ensure she had forgotten nothing critical to her success in Anchorage, one hand rested on her abdomen. A new life out in the wilds of Alaska, and a second new life in there. Not one she’d planned. Nor one she’d particularly wanted when she confirmed its existence two months back. Hard to believe she was already five months along.
And certainly not one Chester Dawson, her former lover, wanted. In fact, he’d offered money for her to visit one of those midwives who did more than deliver babies.
Had she made the right choice? She’d heard terrible stories of young women horribly maimed, some who even died, after undergoing the butchery and unsanitary conditions in some of those places. Married women who waited too long, then delivered infants marred and scarred by the midwife’s failed attempts to end the pregnancy.
She hadn’t thought only of herself, though. What of the babe?
And on the flip side of the coin, what would happen to both if she continued the pregnancy? Perhaps she could find a family—a good, loving, stable family—to take the child. And she—well, she could start over anywhere she liked. Although nearing forty, she was educated, skilled, and occasionally called handsome.
Morgana picked up her cousin Juliette’s last letter, mailed from San Francisco while on her honeymoon.
Dear Morgana, you will be thrilled to know…
And yes, she was. Excited for her cousin. Just a few months older than herself, Juliette had lived a love-drenched excitement-filled life with her first husband. After his accidental death—a horrid affair that initially pointed the finger at his wife. Police later proved that an infatuated patient had followed him, causing his fall from the side of a cliff—and a few months living with his mother, Juliette set out for Anchorage in response to an advertisement for switchboard operators.
It seemed that in no time, in a city where men outnumbered women ten to one, she found her second chance at love.
She continued reading the letter, although by now, she knew the words almost by heart.
Perhaps once we return from our month-long honeymoon, you might think to take time from your busy life and visit us here. We have plenty of room. In fact, we’ll practically rattle around in the Bruder Mansion. Can you imagine naming a house after yourself? Patrick said it was his father’s idea. A way to lay down roots in this new country.
She set the letter aside. How foolish her dreams were. Chester’s words were full of confidence and his kisses were sweet. She’d given herself to him willingly. After all, they were getting married, weren’t they? Isn’t that what intimacy like this meant? She’d kept herself pure for her marriage bed, then tossed her gift to the four winds based on empty promises and airy flattery.
She sighed. Well, she’d never have that first time chance again.
And maybe the girls at the switchboard were correct. Who would want a woman saddled with another man’s child? If the real father didn’t want her—or their babe—no man in his right mind would, either.
Which left a passel of gents not in a stable mental state to choose from.
Images of drunks sleeping in doorways and drug addicts singing in a rat-infested alley came to mind. She’d worked downtown and knew the vices a man could get into.
Perhaps that kind of life was all she deserved.
She stood and surveyed her image again, running her hands down her side, through her once-waspish waist, and down her hips. She still had curves—not all exactly in the best places. Could she still attract the eye of a proper gentleman?
Not unless he wanted her for a mistress. That’s what Chester offered. Once she got rid of the brat, as he referred to the baby.
Her hand stroked the still-tender spot on her cheekbone. She’d waited until today to travel, ensuring the bruise had time to dissolve. Chester’s anger was clear and immediate.
Morgana sighed. Maybe she should do what Juliette suggested.
As for us, for the next month, we plan to take it one day at a time. Patrick has much planned for our time in San Francisco, as he knows the best galleries, and, of course, we must visit each, according to him. I overheard him tell my artist friend Helena that he really wants to show me off to those who didn’t think he’d ever marry. I find myself really quite nervous. After all, I am not an artist, and I know nothing about that world. What if they should ask a question that illuminates my total ignorance? Will Patrick wish he could trade me for another?
Which is what Chester Dawson had done. Neglecting to tell her he already had a wife, luring her to his bed, then discarding her like yesterday’s newspaper.
But, her cousin had found true love. Morgana read it in her words.
While the best she could hope for was another chance to make a decent life for herself. And for the little one inside her. Most likely in two different places.
Movement, like the touch of a feather on her abdomen, caught her attention. Did the little one shift position? Kick in protest of its mother’s choices?
She stood and slammed her suitcase shut, engaging the fasteners to hold the lid tight. Then she hefted the bag. Not a lot to show for a lifetime. Perhaps living in a boarding house for the last two years was a blessing. Forced her to cull her belongings into what could fit into one case and a carpetbag.
She donned her hat, pinning it to her curls that Chester said shone like ripe wheat. Hmmph. Sweet words that a person could starve to death feeding on. No substance. Nothing truly good in them.
A final check under the bed—nothing but dust bunnies—and she was off. She’d given her notice last week, and the landlady didn’t seem upset at her leaving. She’d have the room rented again before she’d laundered the sheets.
If she did that much.
Down the stairs. The grandfather clock in the parlor chimed two o’clock. She nodded to the landlady, who cleared the table following the midday meal, then stepped outside.
The air slapped her in the face like a warm, wet towel. She paused on the top step to draw a breath, changed hands on her bags, then stepped down to the sidewalk. Merging with other pedestrians and feeling like a bobber on a river current, she allowed the crowd to sweep her along. At Main Street, she worked her way to the outer fringes of the packed sidewalk, then turned left onto Pershing. A few more blocks, and she stepped inside the relatively cool interior of the Union Station building.
A long and wide corridor hosted seating, plus concessions—although she thought it strange that somebody would need to purchase a hat or a suitcase on their way to board a train—as well as several booths selling hot coffee, iced tea, and sandwiches. She tucked a ham sandwich into her reticule in case of emergency, then sought a porter for directions to her platform.
He did better than that. The portly gentleman, who introduced himself as Fred, offered to take her bags. When she hesitated, he added he didn’t expect a beautiful woman like her to pay him one red cent for the privilege.
Heat rushed to her cheeks as she stood there, frozen, undecided.
Goodness, how silly of her. Since when had she blushed on receiving a compliment?
Since Chester stopped whispering sweet nothings into her ear and instead concocted slanderous lies about her handing out her favors to any Tom, Dick, or Harry who asked. Anything to divert attention from himself and try to save face.
After all, he had a wife to think about. To protect.
Hmmph. He hadn’t spent a second doing either as they dallied away the hours in a posh hotel room. Always under a fake name, of course. Smith. Brown. Black. Jones.
How she longed to be called by his name. Missus Dawson. But no.
Missus Smith. Missus Jones.
Constantly reminding her just how cheap and sleazy their time together really was.
Well, she’d show Chester Dawson. She didn’t need him.
Nor any man.
She could take care of herself.
{***}
Alex Handel tapped a toe in time with the hissing and wheezing of the train he waited to board. Seemed everybody wanted to leave Kansas City, Kansas, on this sweltering summer’s day. Maybe they had the right idea. If so, that meant he did, too. Not that the decision for him to head to San Francisco and then on to Anchorage, Alaska, was his.
He glanced at the letter from his manager, Walter Jenson. A company man, if ever there was one, Jenson had worked his way up through the ranks. Alex grunted. To hear Jenson speak of his career, the man made it quite clear he was born to be the manager of Northwest Exploration Company—as if the Good Lord designed it to be so.
Well, Alex wasn’t certain the Creator had that much interest in who lorded it over whom. In fact, right now, he couldn’t rightly say God even knew his name. If He did, why hadn’t He intervened over the past five years?
A burly man pushed past, bumping Alex’s shoulder, causing him to sidestep to regain his balance. How rude some folks were. A newspaper boy held up the morning edition, 1925 census emblazoned across the front upper fold. An eastbound train, loaded with folks heading to Saint Louis and beyond, pulled out on the next platform, decreasing the hubbub and sounds of steam, loading, and conductors ushering passengers into compartments.
He sighed, enjoying the relative quiet.
But only for a moment.
Footsteps neared, and he swiveled his head. A handsome woman, approaching his own age of middle forties, strode along the wooden walkway, eyes searching this same train he awaited. Probably looking for her compartment. He kept his eyes on her, as she seemed burdened with a suitcase and carpetbag, along with a drawstring purse. Not meeting anybody. Traveling, perhaps, to meet her husband? Had she walked far?
He dropped his focus to her feet. Sensible shoes. Everyday heel height. He scanned her from foot to forelock. Cute hat—a black felt high top, decorated demurely with a matching flower and vine-thing that wrapped from the side around the front and then disappeared to the back. The narrow brim framed an unlined face. Hair the color of sun-swept wheat peeked from under the hat, and when she met his gaze—goodness, eyes the color of the ocean stared back at him. Boldly, as if questioning why she held his attention.
His ears burned, and he turned back to the train. When had he gotten so brazen as to assess a stranger’s clothing and demeanor?
Scrambling steps thundered on the deck. A shout. A thunk!
Alex’s head snapped to his right. A child stared at clothing scattered around the woman. She tottered on one foot, the other heel wedged between two boards. She needed help.
The conductor stepped down from the nearest car. “Boarding for San Francisco and points in between. All aboard. Leaving in two minutes.”
Two minutes? What to do? If he missed this train, what would Jenson say? Alex already suspected the man had sought a reason to fire him. The ogre wouldn’t hesitate to call his failure to board this train, to meet the ship in San Fran and travel to Anchorage to open a branch office, evidence of his ongoing ineptitude.
But she needed help.
At her cry, he decided. Walter Jenson might not aid this woman, but thankfully, he was a much different man.
Morgana releases on April 11th, and the ebook is available for preorder here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTCC5Y3W and the rest of the series, including Morgana’s cousin, Juliette’s, story here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNPJF8SJ
About Morgana:
Morgana Campbelton, 40 and long in the tooth—at least as far as her friends and contemporaries are concerned—has fallen pregnant to a man who neglected to tell her he was already married. Having spent several years supporting herself by working at the Bell Telephone Company in Kansas City, Kansas, so she could fulfill her dream of becoming a landscape painter, she is summarily fired once her condition becomes apparent. Her lover abandons her, even spreading vicious lies about her loose morals. At her wit’s end, she decides to take her cousin Juliette up on her invitation to join her in Anchorage, Alaska for a holiday. One she hopes will extend into a permanent stay.
Alex Handel, a mining engineer, travels to Anchorage in search of diamonds on behalf of his employer, the Northwest Exploration Company. He’s had a string of failures over the past five years. Fearing he’s lost his knack, he resolves to stay focused on the job. At 43, he can’t afford to lose his reputation—or his paycheck—again. Alaska is his last chance, according to his boss.
Can Morgana and Alex find the life they’re seeking? Will God be allowed to interrupt their plan with His own? Or will they discover that the answer doesn’t lie in the where, but with the who?
About Donna:
A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She also coaches writers at any stage of their manuscript. Learn more at www.donnaschlachter.com/Tapestry
www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive 2 free ebooks simply for signing up for our free newsletter!
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter
Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-schlachter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=donna+schlachter
MY BOOKS
CLICK TITLE or COVER TO LEARN MORE OR TO PURCHASE
Like what you see? Sign up for my free monthly newsletter and receive two free ebooks, plus publishing news, ways to win, new authors with great books, and ways to connect, including
the Birthday Club and Street Team.
HISTORICAL
Written in Love series: What happens when a romance writer and a book publisher come together? Love!
Cactus Lil and the City Slicker (Book 1)
A rough-and-tumble cowgirl, “Cactus” Lil Duncan longs for true love, but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.
Written in Love (Book 2): Cactus Lil's Big City Debut
Lily and Peter Golding arrive triumphantly in the Big City. But when they learn of Uncle Phillip’s mysterious disappearance, Peter and Lily are pulled into the dark underside of the Big City, then thrust onto the front pages of the newspapers as ‘persons of interest’ in the investigation.
Can they survive the onslaught of attention on themselves, their marriage, and the seedy side of the publishing industry? Can they survive? Period? Or can they discover who is behind this nefarious act, save Uncle Phillip--and themselves?
CONTEMPORARY
IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES, YOU'LL LOVE THE “BY THE NUMBER OMNIBUS COLLECTIONS”. THREE COMPLETE CARLY TURNQUIST NOVELS IN EACH VOLUME, FOUR VOLUMES IN TOTAL. AVAILABLE HERE
Hearts of the Pony Express series: Follow these brave men and women along the Pony Express Trail as they look for a new future and find much more, thanks to God.
Hollenberg Hearts (Book 1)
A mail order bride. A crippled stationmaster. No way out for either of them—except with each other. Can they surrender their hearts and find true love?
Hollow Hearts (Book 2)
Can a widow and a loner discover a new beginning in the midst of tragedy, or are they bound to remain alone forever?
Hearts of Julesburg (Book 3)
Adventure and freedom—can a pair of Pony Express riders find their way from danger to daring?
Hearts of Midway (Book 4)
Missing horses. A missing Pony Express rider. A sheriff's daughter with a nose for mystery and a penchant for wearing trousers. And a Pony Express rider with a secret. Releases: August 31, 2024. Available for preorder now.
Counting the Days A 31-day devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk
Mail-Order Romance series: marriage sight unseen, hoping love comes later. Will these men and women find what they’re looking for?
New Hope Train (Book 1)
John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.
The Road to Freedom (Book 2)
The Recipe Box Series follows generations of women from the birthing of the United States through to contemporary times. A recipe box is handed down, and our heroines find the answer they need inside this box.
Recipe for Disaster (Book 1)
A spinster, a man looking for family – Can God somehow turn this for good for all?
Cooking Up Trouble (Book 2)
An unsuitable match to satisfy a debt. Can Holly find another solution? An unsuitable calling--a man in the kitchen. Practically unheard of. Can Adam find the strength to step into his purpose in life? Or will Holly and Adam both resist God and make their own way?
A Fresh Start for Elizabeth (Book 3)
Elizabeth Maddock, widow and chef, answers an ad and finds herself in Boulder, Colorado, passing her infant son off as her brother.
Evan Hamden, childless widower, searches for a cure for TB. While drawn to Miss Maddock, he resists falling in love, But when his patients start dying, he doesn’t know who to trust. Certainly not this invisible God Miss Maddock relies on
.
Can Evan and Elizabeth discover whether his treatment plan is faulty, or is somebody behind the deaths? Can they trust each other—and God—to reveal the truth? Releases May 28, 2024 -- available for preorder now.
Healing the Wounded Heart series: Follow these brave women as they venture into fields of medicine early in
our country’s history.
Testing Tessa (Book 1)
Can Tessa find a way to heal a wounded heart through loving the father’s son?
Justice for Julia (Book 2)
Should love come before or after marriage? Julia escapes unfounded medical malpractice claims. Josiah hides in a small town in Iowa with his daughter. But will they be willing to settle for a loveless marriage? Can they fool the residents with their subterfuge? Or will their pasts catch up with them?
Prairie Roses Collection: Adventure and romance in a covered wagon setting.
Kate (Book 7 in Prairie Roses Collection 2020)
A prostitute’s daughter, an outlaw’s brother, and a stagecoach robbery—can anything good come out of Deadwood?
Calli (Book 13 in Prairie Roses Collection 2022)
Can God use an orphaned baby to draw an independent woman and a twice-burned man into a family? Or will they all end up alone?
Tina (Book 29 in Prairie Roses Collection 2023)
An orphan left with the responsibility of raising her younger siblings falls for a mining engineer with adventure on his mind. Another steps in with an untenable solution. Is making a bad choice better than making no choice at all? And can God really turn even the worst situation to good for His glory?

The Switchboard Sisterhood series: Brave women travel to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1925 to look for love in a town where men outnumber women 10 to 1. But will they find more than they bargained for?
Juliette (Book 7)
Morgana (Book 13)
A shattered heart, an unplanned pregnancy, a ruined reputation. Can God—and love—repair what was so deceitfully stolen?
Christmas Under Main Street series: Will these entrepreneurial women in Pueblo, Colorado,
overcome the obstacles the men of the town
have thrown at them?
Time Will Tell (Book 2)
Can God reach through the hurts and betrayals of the past to create a new future in time for Christmas?
The Suffrage Spinsters: Tired of being ignored and treated as inferior members of society, the brave women of the mid-1800’s decided to do something about it. They banded together to initiate what is now known as the Suffrage movement – the decades-long fight for women to achieve the right to vote. The stories in this fictional romance series feature strong heroines of this era who were unwilling to give up their collective voice in order to discover true love.
Rollie's Riddle (Book 10)
A senate contender, a suffragette, and stolen money—which is more important?
Theresa's Talent (Book 25) Releases September 2024 -- Preorder!
Faith, freedom, fear – can Theresa and Toby embrace the first two and release themselves of the third?
The Reclusive Man/Hers to Redeem series: every man has a secret. And when a woman has a good reason, she won’t let go until she knows what it is.
Dianna’s Dilemma (Book 18)
In 1881, a female journalist travels to La Junta, Colorado, for one story, but finds another even more intriguing. Will she break her promise and reveal a man in hiding—or will she stay true to her word—and her heart?
David's Difficulty (Book 19 Hers to Redeem)
A secret fear, a secret dream -- can God bring them together?
Thanksgiving Books & Blessings: Gather around the family table with us as we share our blessings and enjoy a little romance along the way.
A Pink Lady Thanksgiving (Book 3 in Series 3, 2020)
A new home, a new name, and a new baby—who is trying to take all three from her? Kate McBride settles into life in Oregon City, Oregon in November 1879, while furthering her dream to solve mysteries. Her first case: find a missing woman. But when somebody seems intent on stopping her, she and Tom must join forces to reveal who is trying to stop them.
Claire (Book 22 of the Rescue Me Mail Order Brides Series)
A young woman running from the mob, a Pinkerton agent running from his heart—can God slow them down enough to spot the gift He’s provided?
Kaihtlyn's Choice (Book 19 of the Courting Chaos series)
A widow heads west to meet her wandering husband in Nugget, Colorado. On her arrival, she learns he died. But he left a gold mine and a will. With a stipulation: She must marry within 30 days. To one of three men he pre-selected before he died. But which man will win her heart? The tinker, the tailor, or the candlestick maker?
Oregon Trail Mysteries: Traveling west in the 1800s wasn’t easy, and neither was settling in Oregon City, Oregon. Join Tom and Kate as they explore the country and solve mysteries.
Kate (Oregon Trail Mysteries Book 1)
A prostitute’s daughter, an outlaw’s brother, and a stagecoach robbery—can anything good come out of Deadwood?
A Pink Lady Thanksgiving (Book 2)
A new home, a new name, and a new baby—who is trying to take all three from her?
Kingston Marchmont flees Australia in search of a new life—and a new opportunity to prove he isn’t the man wrongfully convicted and transported.
Kinsella Jackson struggles to raise her four children following her husband’s mysterious death. Did he jump? Was he pushed? Or was it an accident?
Standalone Books
Christmas Past, Christmas Present
A widower and his two daughters; a boy lost in the woods -- all in desperate need of a Christmas miracle.
Misunderstandings, accidents, and outright attacks plague a wagon train heading to California. Can love overcome and create a real family?
Also available in AudioBook format: https://booksinmotion.com/book-author/donna-schlachter/
The Mystery of Christmas Inn, Colorado
Can Matthew find a reason to go on living, and can Edith find someone who wants her for herself, before their Christmas Inn refuge is closed and they are forced to continue their search elsewhere, alone?
An unredeemable woman; a boy-child who simply wants to be loved; and a man-child seeking
answers to his past.
Short Stories, Devotionals,
and More!
Transformation: a 366-day walk through
the Bible in a year
Second Chances and Second Cups
A collection of short stories certain to warm your heart as you read about second chances from a God of second...and third...and fourth chances.
Broken Dreams, Mended Heart: 21 days to the spiritual healing you've always wanted
Broken Dreams, Mended Marriage: 21 days to the marriage you've always wanted
Broken Dreams, Mended Family: 21 days to the family you've always wanted
I Do -- Again: a 30-day devotional for couples in their second or subsequent marriage
Books on Writing
A compilation of essays and articles on many aspects of writing that will prove helpful and encouraging to writers of all levels.
A brand new go-to resource for fiction and non-fiction writers at any stage of your writing career. Helpful articles and essays on ideas, planning, writing, structure, the writing life, encouragement, and a subplot mini-conference.
books by other authors
Kelsey the Christmas Tree, by Gary Vargo, is a sweet story of believing in yourself when it seems impossible.
Full color, great for reading aloud or with.
Bella and The Friendship Sled, by Gary Vargo, is a richly illustrated story that transcends Christmas and time. Sure to be a family favorite.
Jezebelle by HG Ferguson: a gothic horror set in the back country of Alabama, where the line between legend and fact is dulled, and where monsters still live. (warning: R rating for graphic violence and thematic elements. Think Frank Peretti)
By the Numbers series: Join Carly Turnquist in 2002 as she pokes her nose into one mystery after another. Watch as a nudist colony threatens to take over her hometown, then join her as she and hubby Mike travel the country, stopping by Bear Cove, Maine, often enough to still be called residents.
No Accounting For Murder (Book 1)
Most people think accountants are boring. Carly Turnquist is about to prove them wrong. Join Carly, a forensic accountant, as she gets involved with a mystery business that threatens her quiet East Coast town, embezzled money, a missing mayor, and several attempts on her life. Will she live long enough to reveal who the killer is?
There Was a Crooked Man (Book 2)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is joining husband Mike on a working vacation--working for him, vacation for her--at a dude ranch in New Mexico. First she learns of missing stock and unpaid invoices, then veiled threats and a dead foreman threaten to ruin her trip.
Can Carly figure out who wants to put this family-owned ranch out of business, or will she die trying?
Unbalanced (Book 3)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is at home in Bear Cove, Maine, happily planning her son's wedding, when she sees a bank robbery. The only problem is that nobody else sees the robbery, and when she tries to investigate, her credibility is called into question. Add into the mix her husband's long-lost brother who disappears, leaving his son behind.
Five and Twenty Blackbirds (Book 4)
Join Carly Turnquist as she accompanies husband Mike to his twenty-fifth college reunion in Arizona. However, a sleepy little town is about to wake up to its first murder in over a hundred years, and Carly's nose for a mystery is on high alert.
Broke, Busted, and Disgusted (Book 5)
Back in Bear Cove, Carly's best friend is being courted by a smarmy stranger, and Mike's latest client is unhappy with him. When the client turns up dead and Mike is nowhere to be found, the police suspect him, and the video and paperwork they have that shows someone matching Mike's description maxed out their credit cards and cleaned out their bank accounts is compelling. But Carly knows her husband couldn't kill anybody. Could he?
Hidden Assets (Book 6)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, responds to a call from her friend, Anne, who is in the middle of a nasty divorce, and travels to Wyoming to help find assets Anne thinks her husband has stolen. But the mystery begins before Carly even arrives when she sees a man thrown off a train. Except there’s no body. Husband Mike uncovers an illegal scam in a computer program he has been asked to upgrade, and then Anne is arrested for her ex’s murder. Can Carly figure out what’s going on, and why a strange couple is digging in Anne’s basement? Or will she disappear along with the artwork, coins, and money?
Petty Cash (Book 7)
Can Carly enjoy a peaceful vacation on Cape Cod, or will a local ghostly legend and a murder keep her too busy to notice what else is going on around her?
A Deadly Dissolution (Book 8)
Carly loses more than daylight when the total lunar eclipse and crime come to town. Can she figure out what’s going on before the suspects escape?
Silent Partner (Book 9)
Carly and Mike take the vacation of a lifetime--an Alaskan cruise. Unfortunately, Carly can't turn off her nose for trouble. Or mystery. Pretty soon she's embroiled with a series of allegations, innuendoes, overheard conversations, and even a shoving match. And before she knows it--a body. Can Carly figure out who the killer is before she ends up floating on an iceberg--or worse?
In the Money
(Book 10)
A million-dollar jackpot, a missing neighbor who won the money, a mysterious investment advice friend, and a cyber-security expert blended together with a dollop of insurance fraud and a smidgeon of gossip—can Carly get to the bottom of it all without ending up sunk in the harbor?
Missing Deposits (Book 11)
Carly looks forward to a vacation when Mike is hired to assist a rancher family in western Colorado catalogue their various mineral rights following the discovery of a large copper field on their property. However, Carly soon learns that the real wealth—and the real danger—aren’t below ground. Someone is out to keep a secret bigger and more profitable than copper. And they’re willing to kill for it.
Risk Management (Book 12)
When Carly is confronted with three terrible monsters, will she survive all three – or will this be her end?
Carly can’t ignore a good mystery. But when her investigations come close to home, she must decide whether to step back or continue, because now her family—and her own life—are at stake. Will she continue? Or will she retire gracefully? Perhaps she can do both.
Mysterious Ink Mystery Bookstore series: Join Margie Hanson, Carly Turnquist’s now-adult granddaughter, as she inherits a mystery bookstore in Edgewater, Colorado. This light-hearted cozy mystery with a dose of romance series is sure to delight you as Margie finds herself in the midst of missing books, murder, hidden secrets, and clandestine affairs. She undoubtedly inherited her grandmother’s sleuthing gene.
The Game is Afoot
(Book 1)
When Great-Aunt Roselda calls, everybody comes running. But by the time Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, and her now adult granddaughter Margie Hanson arrive, Roselda is dead. Follow Carly on her absolutely final case as she mentors Margie into the finer art of solving a murder.
Little Grey Cells
(Book 2)
During renovations to her inherited house, Margie Hanson, library science graduate, discovers a suitcase with several items, including a wedding album, a baby's bonnet, and a rare manuscript. Who hid them there? And why? And where did two people and a newborn disappear to?
Heavier Than Broken Hearts (Book 3)
Dead men are heavier than broken hearts—at least according to Philip Marlowe, the legendary detective. Margie Hanson discovers a copy of “The Big Sleep” in a box lot of books at an estate sale, and she snags it to sell in her bookstore, along with a spice rack and spices for her kitchen. At home, she discovers neither is what she first thought. Can she solve these two mysteries before somebody succeeds in snuffing her permanently?
Nothing is Easy (Book 4)
Margie hosts a Christmas mystery month, featuring four different mystery books for the month. When a series of murders mimics the plot in the books, and she is the prime suspect, she soon learns that nothing is easy.
Christmas Ridge Romance series: a small town in the Colorado mountains. A community center that is the heart and soul of the town. Can the entire town’s Christmas wish list come true?
A Mommy by Christmas (Book 2)
Standalone Books
Always a Wedding Planner Romance Collection
Business partners Felicity Anderson, the cake baker; Kiki Bell, the seamstress; Cassie Blackthorn, the coordinator; and Chef Saffron Delarosa are best of friends in a town that is a romantic wedding destination for many couples—who work together at Weddings by Design to make every bride’s special day perfect. Could each falling into their own romance be the key to working out their differences and learning to trust each other—and God—with their futures?
A Mistletoe Mystery (Merry Little
Mysteries Anthology)
Christmas trees, cattle—and mayhem. Can Holly & Ivy Christmas figure out who is behind this nefarious deed?
Christmas Past, Christmas Present
A widower and his two daughters; a boy lost in the woods -- all in desperate need of a Christmas miracle.
Can Grace and Luke solve the clues in her grandmother’s scavenger hunt and uncover the truth about their real feelings, or will the tension and their differences in goals and faith drive them apart?
we proudly distribute our books through Amazon (print and digital)
Most books are available through KDP Unlimited for monthly subscribers
Published by: PLS Bookworks