Monday, May 9, 2016

Straight Browsing from the Library: The Madness of Mercury by Connie di Marco


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Connie di Marco will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB


Astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought her chosen profession would bring danger into her life, but her outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, makes her the target of San Francisco’s recently-arrived cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle. The followers of the power hungry preacher will stop at nothing to quell the voices of those who would stand in his way and Julia’s at the top of his list. She’s willing to bet the charismatic Reverend is a Mercury-ruled individual, and she knows all too well that Mercury wasn’t just the messenger of the gods, he was a trickster and a liar as well.

READ AN EXCERPT


The second floor hallway was dim, lined with dark wood wainscoting and lit only by a few wall sconces leading to the top of a curving staircase. A stained glass window filtered outside light onto the landing. It was only mid-afternoon, but the sky had grown dark, muting the brilliant reds and blues of the window. Heavy Pacific storms were closing in from the north and San Francisco would be buffeted by wind and rain through the holidays.

At the foot of the stairs, I called to Dorothy. She didn’t answer but a sweet and toasty aroma filled the foyer. I followed the short hallway toward the rear of the house and pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen. At the other end of the room, a wall of windows overlooked the back garden and beyond that, a view of the city and the bay to the north. Black clouds, roiling and heavy with rain, were visible beyond the Golden Gate and the Marin headlands. The storm would hit within a few hours.

Dorothy worked at the center island, kneading dough, a full length white apron tied over her loose slacks and long-sleeved red sweater. She looked up and smiled then spread her dough carefully over the board. An apple and cinnamon mixture was warming on the stove top and my stomach was reminding me I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. “What are you making?”

“Apple pastries, little turnovers. I make them every Christmas. My aunts love them. I thought it might cheer Evandra up especially . . .” The sound of a gasoline-powered mower drowned out the rest of Dorothy’s response. Dorothy glanced toward the windows. “Damn. What’s he doing?”

“The gardener?”

“Yes. Luis.” Dorothy walked to the windows and peered out into the garden. “He probably wants to finish the lawn before the rain starts.”

A low stone wall formed the perimeter of the back garden, delineating an edge where the ground dropped off to a steep cliff marked with rocky outcroppings. I joined Dorothy at the window and followed her line of sight. The power mower was running, unattended, butting against the stone wall. A red bandanna hung from the vibrating handlebar of the machine.

Dorothy looked puzzled. “He shouldn’t leave that thing like that. Where did he get off to?” She tossed her dishtowel on the table, heaved a sigh and opened the back door to the garden.

“Luis . . . Luis,” she called.

I followed her out the door and joined her on the lawn. The wind was whipping fiercely across the hillside and the sky had grown even darker. In the distance, the sea churned black in the bay. Dorothy’s apron billowed like a sail in the wind. She strode purposefully across the grass to the mower, and hit the control, silencing the monster. She turned her head to speak to me and hesitated, then turned back and peered over the low wall. Something had caught her eye. She was still for a moment and then took two steps backward.

“What is it, Dorothy?”

Her face had drained of color. “It’s Luis. He’s down there.” Her voice quivered. “I think he’s dead.”

MEET THE AUTHOR


Connie di Marco is the author of the upcoming Zodiac Mystery series from Midnight Ink featuring San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti. The Madness of Mercury, first in the series, will be released on June 8, 2016. Writing as Connie Archer, she’s also the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. You can find her excerpts and recipes in both The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. You can visit her at her website: www.conniedimarco.com, or Facebook.com/ConniediMarco (Author) and Twitter: @askzodia.

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or IndieBound.
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway

26 comments:

  1. thanks for sharing the great excerpt, I'm looking forward to reading this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Danie ~ I hope you get to enjoy Julia's adventures soon!

      Delete
  2. Thank you for the excerpt ad giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  3. I enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rita ~ I'm glad you enjoyed it! Best of luck!

      Delete
  4. This sounds like a wonderful book, thanks for sharing the excerpt!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Victoria ~ Julia does have some exciting adventures in this book!

      Delete
  5. What a fascinating concept and great excerpt.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What do you think makes a good story?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mai ~ anything that makes a reader want to turn pages!

      Delete
  7. How many books in the series do you envision? One for each zodiac sign?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wouldn't that be great, Cathy? Let's see, there are 10 planets (I include Pluto, you can read my "I Miss Pluto" blog on my website) and 12 houses. I just need to think up plots! That's all.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the giveaway; I like the excerpt. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's great. Thanks for visiting today and good luck!

      Delete
  9. Congrats on the new book and good luck on the book tour!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ally - Thank you! And thanks for visiting too. Best of luck!

      Delete
  10. I enjoyed the excerpt sounds like a great read. Entering under the name of Virginia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Virginia ~ thanks for visiting and best of luck!

      Delete
  11. I enjoyed the excerpt sounds like a great read. Entering under the name of Virginia

    ReplyDelete
  12. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOOK AND THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY! SHELLEY S. calicolady60@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shelley ~ thank you! I hope you're able to enjoy Julia's first adventure soon. Best of luck!

      Delete
  13. I really enjoyed reading the excerpt. This book sounds like such an interesting and intriguing read! Totally can't wait to read this book!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Connie. What do you think Julia would say about all the adventures you put her through?

    ReplyDelete