Today I feature the hero in my latest release, Theresa's Talent, book 25 in The Suffrage Spinsters series. In case you missed it, yesterday I talked about the heroine.
Today, I’ll share again about my latest release that came out on October 2nd. Yesterday I teased you with information about Theresa, the heroine. Today, I’ll bring you up to date about Toby, the hero.
In the first book I wrote in this series, Rollie’s Riddle, Lucas Bryant asked his old friend Toby to help him investigate criminal activity in the area. In the process, Toby finds he loves Whispering Pines, and decides to stay. Or maybe it isn’t the town—perhaps a certain Southern beauty of color?
As a Pinkerton’s operative, Toby sees his fair share of danger and excitement, but it becomes personal when one of his employees is kidnapped.
And when he learns that Theresa is in danger, he wants to fix things.
You can purchase Theresa’s Talent here: https://www.amazon.com/Theresas-Talent-Suffrage-Spinsters-Book-ebook/dp/B0C7DPQF89
A Peek Inside the book:
Chapter 1
Tuesday, September 8, 1896
Whispering Pines, Colorado
Theresa Crane hefted her market basket to the other hand and strode along the boardwalk in the small town she called home. At an hour’s ride west of Colorado Springs, the community stuck together—well, most of the time.
When she first arrived several years ago, she’d hired on with the bank manager as housekeeper. But he’d found himself on the wrong side of the law, which was just as well. Now she worked for one at the Dew Drop Inn diner. Long hours, always on her feet, yet her boss, Mister Armstrong, paid her extra when she brought in her baking.
She slowed and switched hands again. Today she had six loaves of bread, ten dozen shortbread cookies, and three pies. While she didn’t earn anywhere near as much from him as she did from her private customers—well, that was her egg money.
Theresa lived—barely—on what her boss paid, while she saved the other to start her own business. Within a month, she hoped. She’d already found a vacant storefront, and with encouragement from her friend Missus Rollie Wheaton Bryant, she’d soon open the shop.
Theresa stifled a giggle. She could hardly wait. For a black woman over thirty years old, still unmarried, this was a dream life she enjoyed. Nobody to answer to. Nobody to order her around. In fact, the only cross she had to bear was Mister Armstrong. And he only for another month.
At the corner newspaper stand, she slowed to catch the day’s headlines. Then she froze, her breath caught in her throat.
WOMAN ADDS NAME TO PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT.
What? How exciting. All the work she and Rollie had invested in the suffrage movement over the past couple of years had finally paid off. At the previous meeting of their local chapter of the Suffrage Women’s of America, rumors abounded about an unnamed woman willing to stand before crowds and not for something even more audacious than the right to vote, and that was for men to vote for her as president.
Imagine! The first woman president. Theresa picked up the newspaper. Belva Ann Lockwood, an attorney in her own right, had stepped into the crosshairs of American politics. Competing for the coveted prize against Grover Cleveland, the Democratic candidate, and James Blaine for the Republicans, Missus Lockwood proclaimed herself as ready for the contest.
Oh, there was a quote from her: I may not be able to vote, but I can ask men to vote for me.
Well, if that didn’t make some of the male population in the country squirm and pull in their toes, nothing would.
Theresa dropped the two pennies into the newspaper seller’s outstretched hand and continued her way. She glanced at the town clock atop the church steeple. Fifteen minutes before eight. Although Mister Armstrong insisted she arrive at ten before the hour, and work until ten past quitting time—for no additional pay—she’d stop and see how Rollie fared this morning.
And share this morsel of good news with her.
Inside the Whispering Pines Echo newspaper office, Theresa set her basket of baked goods on a chair near the door, then leaned over the railing separating the public from the business part of the office.
She beamed down at the darling child smiling up at her from his perambulator. “Mathew, my sweetie. How are you?” She waggled her fingers, and he cooed, reaching for her with slobbery fingers. Theresa straightened. “He’s growing so quickly. I declare he’s two inches taller and at least five pounds heavier since last week.”
Rollie came through the gate and hugged her. “And you’re not the one who has to lug him around like a sack of potatoes.” She rubbed the small of her back. “I thought being pregnant was difficult enough.”
Theresa chuckled. “I don’t envy you.” She held her friend at arm’s length. “How are you otherwise? Married life still agreeing with you?”
Rollie gestured to the child. “Too late to question that now, isn’t it?” She peered at her. “How about you? Did Toby propose yet?”
“No.” Theresa stomped a foot. “Don’t know that I want him to. We’re enjoying courting. Spending time of an evening. Or on Sundays after church. If we get hitched, then I’ll have to do his bidding.” Her eyes widened at a realization. “He might want me to give up my dream of the bakery.”
“Not many married women work, unless it’s with their husbands.”
Theresa waggled a forefinger at her friend. “We all work, married or not. And I think you and your type labor all the harder.” She hugged her friend again. “Then again, your husband hasn’t made you give up your job.”
“It’s different for me. I own this place. He knows how upset I’d be if he so much as suggested I give it up.” Mathew cooed then fussed in his carriage. “Then again, if any more like that one come along, I may have no choice.”
Theresa shook her head. “Don’t think like that. Look for solutions. Hire a nanny. A housekeeper, if need be.”
Rollie smiled at her. “You looking for work?”
“Not me, no thanks. I got enough with the Dew Drop. And getting my own place ready. I have three private events this month, and then I’ll have enough to open next.”
Her friend clapped her hands and danced in place. “Oh, I’m so excited for you. But what else brings you here today?”
Theresa smacked her forehead with her hand. “Almost forgot.” She held out the newspaper. “See this?”
Rollie nodded. “I was just working up a piece for the Echo’s next edition. I wish we could publish more often, but between keeping house, preparing meals, looking after this little tyrant, finding advertisers—well, I can’t be everywhere at once.”
Theresa laid a hand on her friend’s arm. “Hire somebody. Maybe you need help here in the office. Pay them on commission to get you that advertising revenue.”
“Maybe you’re right. That way, I could take one thing off my list each week. Give somebody a job who needs one. And service my advertisers better.”
“That’s forward thinking, girl. Go for it. Maybe a young wife who needs a little pocket money of her own. Or an older woman with too many skills and too much time on her hands.”
Theresa bid her friend good day, picked up her basket, and headed for the Dew Drop Inn. When she stepped inside, Mister Armstrong pointed at the clock.
Oh, dear, had she overstayed her time?
No. Five minutes til. She pasted on a smile. “Good morning, Mister Armstrong.”
He tossed a glare at her then at the clock.
“Yes, sir, my shift starts at eight. And it is five to. And here is the baking you asked for. I stayed up past midnight to make sure it was ready for this morning.”
As she rounded the end of the counter to hang up her shawl, her hat, and her reticule, he neared, towering over her. “You’re five minutes late.”
“Not according to the clock, sir.”
Maybe it was finally time to stand up for herself. He didn’t require the white women to arrive early and stay late. She was fairly certain that what he said she had to do wasn’t right.
“Don’t matter what the clock says. All that matters is what I say. Understand?”
The veins at his temples bulged, and his hot breath in her face made her queasy. She swallowed hard.
Then again, she needed this job. At least for a month. If she had to dip into her savings to replace lost income, that would set her plans back. She’d pay another month’s rent, on top of what she’d already invested in her business.
She nodded, stepping back out of range, then dropped her gaze to the floor. Heat crept up her neck and face. “It won’t happen again, sir.”
Three, four, five heartbeats passed before the man grunted and nodded. “See it doesn’t. And you’ll lose an hour’s pay for your insolence. Lucky I don’t just fire you now.” He spat on the floor, near the tips of her boots. “Clean that up, then get to work.”
He pivoted and strode toward his office. Theresa exhaled. Then she did as she was told.
But not for much longer.
Soon, she’d be her own boss. Run her own business.
And treat herself—and her employees—a far sight better than that man ever did.
Yes, siree.
She might have been born a slave, but she was free now because of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln, and all those brave soldiers who fought for her.
She refused to step back voluntarily into slavery.
~*~
Toby Young nodded to several townsfolk he knew or recognized as he strode along the wooden boardwalk from his boardinghouse toward the Dew Drop Inn.
In the distance, fluffy white clouds nestled near the top of Pike’s Peak like a wreath, stark against the blue sky. No doubt about it, Whispering Pines was a beautiful part of the country.
Too bad he was moving soon. He’d miss Lucas and his delightful if spunky wife, Rollie, and their new son. He’d miss the food at the Dew Drop, the barn dances at the livery, and, most of all, Miss Theresa Crane.
As he pushed into the diner, grinning so wide it pained his cheeks, the town clock struck eleven. Where had the morning gone? Well, mostly in a hurried exchange of telegrams with the area office in Denver, the regional office in Colorado Springs, and then a chat with his landlady. The delightful woman cried when he told her he was leaving town. Said he was one of her best boarders.
No doubt about it. He had a bellyful of news to share with the same Miss Crane.
And there she was. Serving a farmer at the counter. Smiling at him, giggling at something he said.
Then she looked up. Locked eyes with him.
Smiled across the room at him.
Her ebony skin shone like she’d burnished it with furniture polish, but her eyes—brown as hazelnuts, ringed with gold—and those lips—full, soft, and, he was certain, because they’d never actually kissed—as sweet as honey from out of the comb.
She nodded, gesturing to the stool at the end of the counter. As he slid onto the seat, she poured him a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Toby.” She glanced toward the older man a few seats away. ‘Or should I call you Mister Young?”
He chuckled. “Oh, I think we’re past that, aren’t we?”
“I hope so.”
A man stuck his head around the corner. “Bring me a coffee. Now.”
Toby noted how Theresa’s shoulders tensed and her smile slipped away at the man’s order, but he said nothing. One thing he knew about this woman: she didn’t need—or want—anybody else fighting her battles.
Theresa leaned close, the lavender water on her skin sweet and tantalizing. “Be right back.”
She bustled around the corner, out of his sight, returning a few minutes later. “Did you want something to eat?”
“No, I can’t stay long. I have paperwork to finish up. And—uh—well, I got good news.”
No time like the present to tell her what brough him here this morning.
She leaned her elbows on the counter. “So what’s got you so all fired up this morning?”
“Pinkerton’s asked me to manage the regional office. And I said yes.”
Beneath the usually healthy color in her skin, Theresa took on a pale tone, and the skin around her eyes tightened. He thought back over his words. What could have upset her? It was good news.
Wasn’t it?
Then she recovered and adopted a forced smile. He’d interrogated enough suspects to know when the expression didn’t truly match the emotion. “Well, that’s good news for you, isn’t it?”
Had she stressed the word you, or was it his imagination?
If he was excited, she should be too, right?
He pressed on. “I’ll be one of the first managers in the company. And they want me to take on an undercover assignment that could last as much as six months.”
“Six months?”
Now, why had her voice slipped into a little mousey-like squeak? As though she couldn’t get the words out. Maybe she was overcome with emotion, like he was. It’s why he didn’t come here until now. He’d danced around his room for the better part of an hour once he got word.
“Yes. Isn’t that great?” When she didn’t answer, he laid a hand on hers. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, it’s nice that you can pick up and move when and where you like. In a month’s time, when I have my—” She paused and looked left and right. “My you know what, I won’t have that freedom.”
Was that all? Well, once he asked her to marry him, and she said yes, and they jumped the broom, she’d give up any notion of running her own business.
“I still think women—particularly married women—” Had she caught his emphasis on that word? He hoped so. They’d shared their dreams about family, a home of their own, and more. He felt like not only were they on the same page, but they were in the same book on the same shelf in a huge library. “Should stay home and mind the children.”
Her left eyebrow raised. High. Almost disappearing at her hairline. “Is that so?”
Well, maybe he shouldn’t have been so bold to speak his mind until they were hitched. But, dagnabbit, a man had to take a stand, didn’t he? “Yes. Wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”
She reached under the counter and set a folded newspaper in front of him, tapping the headline. “Read that.”
He did, then he looked up at her. “Is this real? A woman is running for president. Why, she can’t even—”
“Vote for herself? True. But she’s not letting a little thing like that stop her.”
“Well, she won’t win.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. That’s not the point.”
“And what is?”
“That she’s stepping out. Taking a chance. Showing the world that women are more than cooks and cleaners and live-in nannies.”
“Well, what kind of a woman is she?”
“The kind that minds the house. The White House.”
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 is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching writers at any stage of their manuscript. Learn more at https://www.donnaschlachter.com/the-purpose-full-writer-coaching-programs Check out her coaching group on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/604220861766651
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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
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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?
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Published by: PLS Bookworks