MURDER AT ROYALE COURT
A Cleo Mack Mystery #2
by
G.P. Gardner
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Date of Publication: June 4, 2019
Number of Pages: 228
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Harbor Village is a vivacious retirement paradise known for its beachy locale and active senior scene. But ever since murder moved in, the idyllic coastal community is becoming a little less lively . . . With the first annual antique car show cruising into the tranquil bayside oasis of Fairhope, Alabama, there are bumpy roads ahead for Harbor Village director Cleo Mack. As an automobile-themed lecture series gets off to a rough start, she finds herself balancing one too many responsibilities—and dodging advances from a shady event sponsor. It’s enough to make Cleo feel twice her age. But the festivities reach a real dead end when she discovers a body at the Royale Court shopping center . . . When an innocent man lands in the hot seat for murder, Harbor Village residents look to Cleo to crack the case. Aided by an eclectic group of energetic seniors, Cleo races to identify the true culprit from a growing list of harmless Sunday drivers—before a killer revs up for another hit and run! This ebook includes an exclusive knitting pattern!
CHARACTER GUEST POST – Stephanie McKenzie
Aren’t my parents the cutest things? They’re in the retirement industry, you know. Dad—Travis McKenzie—is CEO of Harbor Health Services, in Houston. And my mom is Cleo Mack, who gave up her academic position to become executive director of Harbor Village in Fairhope, Alabama.
He’s sort of her boss, which couldn’t have been easy for either of them since they divorced before I was a year old and barely saw each other for twenty-something years. But they’re getting along okay.
They both complain to me about the other one but at least we can all be together without any explosions. Lots of children of divorce can’t say that.
They’ve done so well, in fact, that I’m thinking we need a vacation home somewhere. Maybe a ski chalet in the mountains, where we can all get together and forge bonds now that they’re grandparents. Dad’s all for it but says funds are tight right now, after what’s-her-name just died. And he’s not too sure about bringing a girlfriend along, not that he has one yet. I think he might’ve learned his lesson. Mom’s got a beau but she can’t make up her mind about anything.
She couldn’t even decide what Barry would call her until he was two years old. She vetoed granny and grandma—anything that made her sound old, and I am definitely against kids calling adults by their first names. Finally Barry came up with a name on his own and now she’s Mackie, which she loves and I do too.
I’m sure I must’ve suggested it at some point but you know how that goes. She takes it better when it comes from Barry. Of course he is a little doll, if I do say so myself. We’re thinking about having a little sister for him. Or a brother—I don’t really care which. But it would be nice to have a girl.
Now don’t tell anybody about that yet. It’s still at the thinking stage and I haven’t quite figured out how I’d manage the quilt shop, two kids, and still make good use of a ski chalet. It’s do-able, I’m sure, but I certainly don’t need advice from parents right now. They’re just waiting to fire off advice. Like they never made any mistakes. Parents, right?
Born and raised in Alabama, G. P. Gardner earned BS and MA degrees in Psychology from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) and an MBA from Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL). She also attended the University of Georgia (Athens, GA), where she studied biopsychology and primatology. But her heart belongs to Talladega College—an HBCU and the first educational institution in Alabama to admit students without regard to race—where she taught business. Her writing life began with short stories, some of which were published in regional literary journals and some of which won prizes. She enjoys the classic mystery writers as well as contemporary whodunits but reads widely. She is a knitter and once owned a knit shop in Fairhope, AL. She studied mystery writing with Terry Cline, another Fairhope resident. Murder in Harbor Village is the first in her series about social worker Cleo Mack. You can visit her at gpgardner.com.
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And be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for more opinions and extras!
And be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for more opinions and extras!
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 5 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 5 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 5 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
June 6 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 6 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
June 7 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
June 7 – That’s What She’s Reading – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 7 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
June 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 8 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 9 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
June 9 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 10 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
That's What She's Reading 