Guest Post (What Makes Sally Witherspoon Tick?) by Eric S. Meyers Author of The Sally Witherspoon Mysteries (#contest- Enter to win a copy of Both Books in the series)

 MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI

by Erik S. Meyers

April 28 – May 16, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

 

           THE SALLY WITHERSPOON MYSTERY SERIES  

Amazon | Goodreads

Six months after the events in Death in the Ozarks, Sally Witherspoon is trying to put that terrible time behind her. She books a river cruise down the Mississippi to get away and relax.

Unfortunately relaxation is not to be as as she's called on to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that occurs on board.

A combination of Cheers bartender and Miss Marple, Sally Witherspoon is as determined as ever to solve it.

Praise for Murder On The Mississippi:

"An enjoyable, but deadly cruise down the Mississippi that will keep you in suspense from start to finish! A relaxing trip down the river that turns into a nightmare for main character Sally Witherspoon is a delightful mystery for readers... Lots of twists make for an entertaining read. And like Sally, once it’s over, I’m ready for the next adventure. Looking forward to more in the Sally Witherspoon series!"
~ Ivanka Fear, author of the Blue Water Mysteries and Jake and Mallory Thrillers

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Series Links: THE SALLY WITHERSPOON MYSTERY SERIES on Amazon & Level Best Books

GUEST POST:

What Makes Sally Witherspoon Tick?

I have always thought about writing a mystery novel as I've loved reading mysteries since pretty much forever. Growing up, my mother had most of the Agatha Christie novels and I especially liked the ones with Miss Marple. I now have many of the books myself as well as the TV series with Miss Marple and could engross myself in the stories over and over. They are just so entertaining!

At the beginning of the pandemic back in 2020, I had a lot of time on my hands (as did so many of us), so I decided to begin writing the first book. I thought a lot about what kind of detective I would want to create and where I would place this person in the world. The most important thing for me on creating my detective was that I knew it should be a female detective who is in her mid- to late 50s. There are many great amateur detectives out there these days, but (IMHO) too many are thirty-something, inheriting a bakery or something from a relative. I wanted my detective to stand out. Sally Witherspoon was born in Savannah, Georgia, one of my favorite places on the planet, and moved to Atlanta for college. She met and married her husband there and had a long career in finance.

At some point in her early 40s, she decided she needed a change so she divorced her husband and left her job in finance. She decided to move to the Arkansas Ozarks, where she had been once with her now ex-husband and where a good friend of hers was from. To top it all off, she decided to do something completely different, so she bought an old bakery outside the town of Berry Springs and turned it into a biker bar.

Life is fairly quiet until she finds a dead body behind the bar one Saturday night. Thus starts her amateur detective side hustle, which she discovers she loves.

The setting of the Arkansas Ozarks was inspired by a trip there back in September 2015. I just loved the atmosphere, the small-town feel, the people and altogether the remote location fit well to a small-town mystery.

Find out more about Sally in book 1: Death in the Ozarks and book 2: Murder on the Mississippi. Both were published by Level Best Books, with an audio version of book 1 published by Blackstone Publishing.

I hope you enjoy reading the books!

If you are interested in more on me and my writing, check out my author website.

 

Also, Don't Miss...

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

DEATH IN THE OZARKS

A cross between Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and a Cheers bartender, Sally Witherspoon, a 50-something accountant turned biker-bar owner, loves solving puzzles. Up to now, she has focused on helping neighbors and friends find lost jewelry, lost pets, and lost loves.

But when she finds her best friend and business partner, Bill Arnold, dead in a dumpster behind her bar on a Saturday night, she needs all her wits and grit to find out who did it.

And she won't stop until she does.

Author Bio:

Currently in Austria, Erik S. Meyers is an American abroad for years and years who has lived or worked in six countries on three continents, the longest in Germany. He is an award-winning author and communications professional with over twenty-five years of expertise in a variety of corporate roles. Reading and writing are his passions, when he is not hiking one of the amazing trails in Austria or elsewhere.

Catch Up With Erik S. Meyers:

www.ErikMey.com
Medium - @erikmey
Goodreads - @erikmey
Instagram - @erikmeyauthor
Facebook - @ErikSMeyersAuthor

 

 

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Book BZlitz of Intimate Secret by D.C. Stone (#contests- Enter to win An Amazon Gift )

Intimate Secret
D.C. Stone
(Empire Blue, #6)
Publication date: April 17th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

A murder was captured on satellite and multiple law enforcement agencies are trying to solve it. One of the detectives on the case, Jake Gonzalez, is led right to the front door of a local author, Francesca Conti. Sparks fly as Jake realizes he’s insanely attracted to his primary suspect, and her father is one of the most ruthless mafia bosses in the city, and someone he’s been investigating for years.

Francesca wants to escape this life her father has set for her and has been putting money away, looking for her opportunity to disappear. And much to her dismay, lately her father has been pushing her toward marrying his right-hand man, someone no woman has ever been able to say no to.

Just when she thinks she’s getting closer to escaping, Detective Gonzalez lands on her doorstep asking alarming questions, and making her heart race unlike ever before.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords

—

EXCERPT:

There’s only so many times one could say they’d been shot by the woman they loved.

Jake stared at Francesca’s shaking hands wrapped around the butt of a SIG .229. She held the gun with as much confidence as one would expect with someone who had little to no experience with such a weapon. Like a toddler taking their first wobbling, unsteady steps. Or a young child holding a chicken’s egg for the first time and being toldthey could break it if they weren’t careful.

Under the full moon, silver tears trickled down her face. A moderate wind teased at hair that had escaped the messy bun held low at the back of her head. Russet tendrils brushed along her neck and cheeks like phantom fingers. She ignored those things. But he saw it all, as if the world moved in slow motion, tracking the shifting of her eyes and hands from one person to another. Saw the way her finger tightened ever so slightly over the trigger.

The safety was off, so if she applied a touch of pressure to that metal hook, approximately ten pounds for the first shot to go off, the gun would fire the bullet waiting within.

“Frankie,” he called in a soothing yet firm voice, using the

nickname he’d started saying a few nights ago. One he’d discovered she liked when he whispered it in her ear as he sank slowly inside the heat between her legs. Her attention shifted to him for only a fraction of a second before she refocused on Dante, her father’s right-hand man. A man many did not want to fuck with. One who’d killed his fair share of folks both in and out of the city. A man who was known to be one of the most ruthless enforcers around. Dante did things in the most violent way to set examples or make a point.

 It was the only way he communicated. And it was the way he got into the position he did, leading one of the most ruthless organizations in New York City.And lucky, lucky Jake was currently in a three-way face-off, like something from the Wild Wild West, with a woman he loved and a man he’d been hunting for years.

And as if his luck couldn’t get any worse, the two had a serious

history he hadn’t been able to wrap his mind completely around.

He quickly glanced around, wishing for that backup he’d called for about ten minutes ago to show up. But with how deep they were in Central Park, that wish would never come to fruition in time. The dull light coming off the yellow haze of a streetlamp reflected dark shadows of trees in the standing puddles leftover from the rainstorm earlier. The only sound outside the passing cars on the streets lining the park and Frankie’s harsh breathing was that of leaves hitting the ground, the season of fall in full swing.

“Frankie, listen to me,” he tried again, his chest growing tight with unease. “Put the gun down. Let’s talk about this.”

“I don’t want to be a woman you love,” she said, lips trembling.

Her arms shook with either fear or adrenaline, both equally dangerous when holding a weapon.

Jake Gonzalez’s heart clenched at the words, but he pushed them away. He had to stay focused, had to sort through this mess and prevent any additional loss of life. As it was, there’d already been too much.

And if she pulled that trigger, there was nothing he could do. He

wouldn’t be able to protect her. As frustrating as it was, he had an oath to uphold. Even against a woman he loved.

Francesca Conti looked broken, disheveled, and cornered. The first two had him angry and concerned. The last…frightened.

Author Bio:

D.C. “Desi” Stone is a best-selling romance author and full-time fraud investigator. She lives in the northeast with her incredibly supporting husband, two kids, a cat, and the ever-growing family of dogs.

After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of financial crimes and became a lead investigator for many years.

Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance is one of her favorite past times. She soon after discovered her own love for writing and recreating stories and characters in her head. Her writing concentrates on romantic with specifics in paranormal, suspense, and erotica.

Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hudson Valley Romance Writers, New Jersey Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She served as the 2014 NJRW Vice President and Conference Chair. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter, or her website and say hello!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

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Guest Post by Jack Luellen Author of Someone Had To Lie- A James Butler Mystery (#contests- Enter to Win An Amazon Gift Card)

 

I want to welcome Jack Luellen to Books R Us. Jack is the author of the the novel "Someone Had To Lie." He has provided us with a guest post just for my readers. Do not forget to enter the giveaway below. You could win an Amazon gift card. Thanks for stopping by.

 

SOMEONE HAD TO LIE

by Jack Luellen

March 31 - April 25, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

THE JAMES BUTLER MYSTERIES

 

Some cases never let you go.

Reeling from the sudden death of a close friend, James Butler and Erica Walsh are pulled back into the shadow world of Mexican cartels and the CIA. Seeking to avenge the murder of their friend with only his haphazard notes to guide them, they puzzle through the possible connections searching for anything concrete. As they investigate his murder, and his notes, they find unsettling links between drug trafficking, American gangs, the CIA, and the opioid epidemic.

Determined to find the truth hidden among cases they thought were long closed, Butler and Walsh call on friends and colleagues to help them survive the crosshairs that got their friend killed. With the threat spreading across more of their contacts, they must uncover the truth before they are buried in lies.

The James Butler mysteries from Jack Luellen seamlessly weave fact with fiction, introducing nonfiction material in the midst of fast-paced murder mysteries.

Praise for Someone Had to Lie:

"Jack Luellen crafts an intriguing tale, interwoven with proven facts about the deadliest drug in our society, Fentanyl. Someone Had to Lie takes the reader on an educational journey into the biggest cartels and Narcos in the world and provides a behind the scenes glimpse of cartel operations through his lead character James Butler. Gripping storytelling! A must read!"
~ Leo Silva, Author of Reign of Terror, Former DEA Supervisory Special Agent

Book Details:

Genre: Crime; Mystery
Published by: Torchflame Books
Publication Date: March 11, 2025
Number of Pages: 294
ISBN: 9781611533705 (ISBN10: 1611533708)
Series: The James Butler Mysteries, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Torchflame Books

GUEST POST: 

I have spent most of my legal career writing nearly every day and I believe I’ve become a skilled and effective legal writer. I also am an excellent editor, and thoroughly enjoy editing the writing of other lawyers, with an eye to maintaining their style while improving the final product.

It was only about 5 years ago that I gave any serious thought to creative writing, and I was clueless when I started the process. I found, as a felt my way through the process, that my legal training and legal writing had both positive and negative impacts on my creative writing.

On the negative side of the ledger, legal writing preaches brevity and a dearth of description. Most often, legal writing follows the Joe Friday mantra of “Just the facts ma’am.”

In my legal career, I generally am writing to a narrow audience, and I usually know what the audience knows about my case or situation. I rarely need to “overexplain.” In creative writing, however, I have to be certain to explain enough so all of the audience understands, without being either boring or insulting.

In legal writing, I am much more of a slave to an outline and a process. There is a process to writing a motion or a brief, and there is a point to be made. In creative writing, I have learned to relish the moments when the characters or the scenes surprise me. Ideas or connections often come unexpectedly without apparent forethought or analysis. Often these are the portions of the novels I like the best.

The legal mind and legal process has provided positive influences in my creative writing as well. Organization is key to most, if not all, good legal writing, and, I’ve learned, organization is key to telling a good story, especially a mystery.

Legal writing often is persuasive. The writer is trying to bring the reader along to a conclusion. When I’m writing my novels, I’m not trying to be persuasive but I want the reader to follow the characters as they unravel the conundrum facing them. Attracting the reader’s attention and keeping it throughout is key in both writing styles.

Finally, ruthless editing is a hallmark of a good legal writing process. An argument or phrase that does not advance the theme should be deleted no matter how articulate. The same is true in writing novels. A great scene that does not advance

the plot or the characters should be deleted just like the misplaced but well-written argument.

Overall, what I’ve learned, or at least experienced, is that both types of writing can be exhilarating and rewarding, and each helps the other. But after 35 years of legal writing, I’m finding the freedom that comes with creative writing to be extremely gratifying, and I hope I have as much time with that art as I have had with the law.

Read an excerpt:

“Is that music playing in your office? You never listen to music at work?”

“I do on rare occasions.”

“That’s Alice Merton. How are you even aware of her music?” Erica asks, gobsmacked.

“I’m not, but I met Detective Torres at a Starbucks this morning and it was playing, and I liked it. I asked a Gen Z barista who the artist was and played it when I got in,” James says.

“I’m in shock.”

“I’m evolving,” James says, his words interrupted by the playing of the Johnny Rivers hit “Secret Agent Man” from his cell phone. “Alexa, off. Tim, hi, thanks for calling back. Erica is here with some information to share.”

“Hi, Erica. What’s going on?” Tim says.

“After we left the jail today, I went back to the office to work, and a few minutes ago, Belmonte called me to tell me that the DEA had been quote, ‘Requested,’ end quote to refrain from investigating or prosecuting Javier and that Javier was being moved to a different facility. Belmonte said the directive apparently came from the DNI. He called me from a burner phone and suggested we keep the circle of information as small as possible,” Erica explains.

“Holy crap,” Tim says.

“Any idea who could have that kind of juice?” James asks.

“None in particular,” Tim says.

“You didn’t tell anyone about meeting Javier?” Erica asks.

“Of course not,” Tim replies.

“Then how did anyone—” Erica begins.

“I have no idea,” Tim interrupts.

“One thing seems certain,” James says. “Aguilar was spot on. It is bigger than we knew.”

***

Excerpt from Chapter 24 of Someone Had to Lie by Jack Luellen. Copyright 2025 by Jack Luellen. Reproduced with permission from Jack Luellen. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Jack Luellen is a Denver, Colorado, attorney with more than 30 years of experience. In practice, Jack has tried cases to courts and juries, and has written hundreds of briefs, motions, and memoranda, to state and federal courts, including federal courts of appeal and the United States Supreme Court.

In 1990, Jack first started working on cases related to the 1985 kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena and has investigated the case in the years since that time. Jack's investigations have taken him to foreign countries and included interviews with witnesses both notorious and infamous. This work has been the background to Jack's upcoming novel Someone Had to Die.

Jack is the proud parent of an amazing daughter and is a weekend warrior on the tennis courts.

Catch Up With Jack Luellen:

LuellenWriting.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @luellen_writing
Threads - @luellen_writing
X - @jack_luellen
Facebook - @Luellen Writing

 

 

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Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

JOIN IN ON THE GIVEAWAY!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Jack Luellen. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

@partnersincr1me

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