Today's post is a Virtual Blurb Blitz for The Madness of Mercury, a mystery by Connie di Marco for Midnight Ink. The book will be released on June 8, and the tour will run from May 9 - June 3. As a Blurb Blitz there is no author interview or blog post, but there is a blurb, excerpt and author bio. Connie di Marco will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to one winner drawn via Rafflecopter.
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 links for
The Madness of Mercury:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Q3yZXs
Barnes &
Noble: bit.ly/1UapU0B
Indie Bound:
bit.ly/1SBPKeq
Goodreads:
bit.ly/1ou4EXV
Blurb for The Madness of Mercury
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.
Excerpt from The Madness of Mercury
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.”
Participating Blogs
May 9: Straight from the Library
May 10: BooksChatter
May 11: Long and Short Reviews
May 12: Nana Prah's Blog
May 13: jbiggarblog
May 16: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
May 17:
May 18: Author B. L. Blair
May 19: Rogue's Angels
May 20: T's Stuff
May 23:
May 24:
May 25:
May 26:
May 27: My Odd Little World
May 30;
May 31:
June 1: The Avid Reader
June 2:
June 3: Stormy Vixen Book Reviews
May 10: BooksChatter
May 11: Long and Short Reviews
May 12: Nana Prah's Blog
May 13: jbiggarblog
May 16: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
May 17:
May 18: Author B. L. Blair
May 19: Rogue's Angels
May 20: T's Stuff
May 23:
May 24:
May 25:
May 26:
May 27: My Odd Little World
May 30;
May 31:
June 1: The Avid Reader
June 2:
June 3: Stormy Vixen Book Reviews
