Mac Faraday Mysteries | Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy

{March 28, 2014} {Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt} Twelve to Murder by Lauren Carr (Mac Faraday Mysteries #7)

Twelve to Murder Review:

From Goodreads: Two people are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. Suspected of the murders, former child star and one-time teenybopper idol Lenny Frost takes innocent bystanders hostage in a local pub and demands that Mac Faraday find the killer. Can Mac save the hostages and himself from the wrath of the enraged has-been by piecing together the clues in less than twelve hours, or will it be a fatal last call at the stroke of midnight?

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If you’ve ever wondered about the has-beens, the child stars that disappear from view, who wake up one morning and realize they’ve passed their prime and they’re not even 20 yet, then this is definitely a story for you. Complete with murder, mayhem, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Carr once again delivers a punch with her latest Mac Faraday novel, Twelve to Murder.

Like all Carr’s other novels, Twelve to Murder glued me to its pages from the very start, and while this murder mystery looks like it may be a cut and dried whodunit, Carr’s expertise keeps readers guessing as the twists and turns unfold.

Mac Faraday is perhaps my favorite sleuth of all time. He’s rational and extremely good at what he does, and I always get excited when another novel in the series releases. Carr’s novels maintains an air of mystery yet is offset with humor as Farday’s fiancé Archie and his canine “helper” Gnarly come of the scene. The characterization of all the characters, both stationary and new is always superbly done, and Carr’s latest release, Twelve to Murder, is no different. I love her attention to detail and the many “aha” moments as it all unfolds. The fact that each of these novels can stand alone is also a testament to Carr’s sheer writing ability, though you don’t want to miss out on any of Mac Faraday’s awesome mysteries, so make sure you read them all—Twelve to Murder is as good a place to start as any! Four stars!

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review–scoop it up, it’s only 99 cents on Kindle!!

Amazon | Kindle

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

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Book Excerpt:

Stillman Mansion on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

Sunday: 6:12 am

“Austin is back this year,” Olivia said in rhythm with the pace she had set for her power walk.

Two paces behind his wife, Roland took note of the white stone mansion along the chilly lakeshore. The mansion looked closed up. All was quiet, as it was with many of the estates along the lake in the early spring. With each passing day, the quiet was giving way to the snowbirds came in to roost at their summer homes in the resort town of Spencer, located in the corner of Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.

As the middle aged athletic couple walked briskly on the running trail along the lake, they noted that that mansion was quiet. The only tell-tale sign of change from its winter hibernation was the yacht on the dock in the back. It had not been there the morning before.

“I wonder if Janice will be throwing her week long Fourth of July bash with all her has-been clients this year?” Roland asked.

“I can tell you right now that I’m not going if that loser Lenny is here.” Feeling her heartbeat slowing down, she picked up her pace.

“Come on,” her husband said with a laugh, “Lenny Frost isn’t that bad. He’s really kind of funny.”

“He’s crude,” she shot over her shoulder at him.

He was going to respond that he felt sorry for the least popular of Janice Stillman’s former celebrity client when a black Porsche almost hit the couple rushing pass them and turning sharply into the driveway of the white mansion.

“Do you two ever take a break?” the young man shouted at them when he threw open the door and climbed out of the sports car.

“Never,” Olivia answered with a frown at Derrick Stillman’s apparent lack of self-discipline displayed in the slight stagger in his pace, and clearly having slept in his clothes, or maybe not slept in them, but clearly having worn them the day before judging by their wrinkled and disheveled appearance.

“Well, you can work-out for me, too.”

“Party last night?” Roland asked.

“Date.” Derrick ran his fingers through his dark curly hair. “I was going to come in yesterday with my folks, but when I met Maddie the other day—“ He let out a cocky laugh. “Well, you know how it is.”

“I can imagine,” Olivia said in a bland tone.

“She’s got a body to die for and she’s crazy about me.” With a swagger in his walk, he made his way to the front door.

“Come along, Roland,” Olivia ordered.

The couple continued on their way. They had only made it to the other end of the property before Derrick’s screams stopped them. The young man was running out the front door and dropped to his knees in the yard when they made it back to the driveway.

Olivia rushed over to the young man, who had his face buried in his hands. “Cliff, what’s wrong?”

Shrieking, the young man pointed to the door.

Roland ran inside.

“What happened, Derrick?” she demanded to know. “What’s going on? What’s in there?”

His face white, Roland came running back outside.

Olivia’s heartbeat was racing. “Roland …”

“They’re dead,” he said in a panicked tone while taking his cell phone out of his pocket. “Both of them. Janice and Austin. I can’t believe this would happen here … in Spencer.”

“Who—“ she asked with tears in her eyes.

“Janice wrote something in her blood—” He stopped to turn his attention to the cell phone. “I’d like to report two murders.”

“Her killer,” Derrick spat out. “I saw it, too. Lenny. Why else would Mom have written out his name in her blood while she was dying? Lenny Frost did it. He killed my parents.”

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About the Author:

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Twelve to Murder is the seventh installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder. Dead on Ice (A Lovers in Crime Mystery) was released September 2012. The second installment, Real Murder will be out in 2014.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Visit her author website at www.mysterylady.net.

Connect & Socialize!

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

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Twelve to Murder Tour Page:

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2014/02/12/pump-up-your-book-presents-twelve-to-murder-virtual-book-publicity-tour/

{November 29, 2013} {Review} The Lady Who Cried Murder by Lauren Carr (Mac Faraday Mystery #6)

From Goodreads: Fame comes at a price. Some pay with their privacy. Others pay with their pride. Khloe Everest paid with her life.

Determined to get her pretty face in front of the cameras, Khloe Everest fakes an abduction only to make a grand entrance in the midst of a press conference held by Spencer’s Police Chief David O’Callaghan.

Three years later, after failing to catapult her notoriety into a long-lasting celebrity, Khloe Everest returns to Spencer upon her mother’s sudden death and seemingly finds another weapon to propel herself into the spotlight. Unfortunately, someone kills her before she can make this entrance.

In Lauren Carr’s sixth Mac Faraday Mystery, Mac and his friends come up against reality stars, politicians, has-beens, and wannabes. Mac also finds himself face-to-face with an old foe from his past who had managed to escape arrest during their last encounter. Now, Mac sees that his adversary has only become more powerful, and dangerous, with the passage of time.

Intent to not let this killer escape again, Mac and his friends need to put all of their talents together to put a stop to a cold blooded lady killer.

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This story is a little bit different from the other Mac Faraday novels, or so I felt, in that we learn who the killer is fairly early on in the novel. Thus, we are swept up into a cat and mouse game in which our heroes and heroines try to stop the killer before he/she attacks again. But while the reason behind the murders seems clear enough, this is indeed where Carr springs her twist on her readers, flooring us as the truth, the whole truth, becomes known and it turns out not everything was exactly as it seemed.

Carr is a master story-teller, and her mysteries never cease to amaze and captivate me as I read. I have really come to love the Mac Farady series, and all the many characters, from Gnarly to Archie, and all those in-between; these are wonderful suspense novels full of witty banter, hilarious situations and, of course, enough mystery to enchant an audience from start to finish.

I always love with when authors cross their series, and in this novel, we have this wonderful cross over as Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates grace us with their presence, and I adore them! They add a wonderful element to the already wonderful Mac Faraday series, and if you haven’t read any of the Lovers in Crime series, then I highly suggest you do to better get to know there awesome characters.

What really stunned me about The Lady Who Cried Murder is that is stems from Carr’s own experience with a bully, and her intense look at how people interact with one another provides an extremely eye opening and intriguing read. Though it was a little different from what I’m used to with Carr’s writing, this was another great read, and I highly recommend it. Four stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{October 16, 2013} {Review} The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr (A Mac Faraday Mystery #5)

From Goodreads: Never tell Mac Faraday not to do something.

Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson the hard way when he orders Mac Faraday to stay away from the south end of Spencer’s mountaintop—even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for Mac to find out what lies on the other side of the stone wall and locked gate, on which hangs a sign warning visitors to Keep Out!

Topping the list of the ten most haunted places in America, Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century ago—and Mac Faraday owns it!

In spite of David’s warning, Mac can’t resist unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous master of horror novels.

What starts out as a quick tour of a dusty old castle turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the strangest characters he has run into yet—including a wolf man. No, we’re not talking about Gnarly.

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This is Lauren Carr’s first plunge into the world of the paranormal, and I must say, it’s absolutely thrilling! There is never a dull day in the life of retired investigator Mac Faraday, and finding out he owns a haunted castle piques his interest, regardless of what his friends tell him about leaving it well alone. And, with the investigation into the abandoned castle comes the appearance of a wolf man and the murder of two prominent celebrities, further stirring up the lore surrounding the disappearance of a horror author that once lived in the towers so long ago, creating many different avenues of adventure for both readers and characters alike. I love how seamlessly Carr is able to tie nearly everything together in the end, save the supernatural entities she evokes in this thriller, and as a paranormal and mystery lover, this novel is the perfect mix, providing enough evidence to explain away multiple happenings while leaving enough room for speculation for those a little more into the supernatural.

Carr’s intense characters, Mac Faraday, David O’Callghan, Archie Monday, and Gnarly, take readers on another amazing crime scene adventure you won’t soon forget, just in time for Halloween. If you haven’t read any of the Mad Faraday mysteries and you’re looking for a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then I highly suggest you start with this one as each Mac Faraday novel stands alone. And, once you start, you’ll want to read them all. Five stars.