The HBS Author's Spotlight SHOWCASES Carolyn Arnold's New Book: Vacation is Murder
Vacation is Murder
McKinley Mysteries
Author: Carolyn Arnold
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There's only so much relaxation two former detectives can handle—even if they're on their honeymoon. With their recent fall into money, Sean and Sara McKinley should be living it up, enjoying the sun and beaches of Cancun. But heading into their third week they've had just about enough lying around.
When the husband of a couple they've befriended is kidnapped and held for ransom, it has the McKinleys putting their experience to use. As they set out in the unfamiliar landscape of paradise, the investigation will have them risking their lives to stop a killer.
Excerpt from Chapter 8: Honeymoon Ransom
Sara pressed her body against his and kissed him, her passion quickly bursting into flame. She savored the taste of him, the touch of his tongue against hers, and rode the quiver of carnal hunger that needed satisfying. Now.
The phone rang.
“Don’t.” Her word carried on an exhale.
“What if—”
She went after him with more fervor, the need for him blooming within her.
He put a hand to her cheek and tapped a few quick kisses to her lips.
“I’m sorry, darling, but it could be important.”
She let out a sigh and rolled to her back.
Sean reached for the receiver. “Mr. McKinley.”
Sara could hear the caller was a woman and that she was excited. She sat up, tucking her legs beneath her. “Who is—”
Sean held up a finger and spoke into the phone. “We’ll be right there.”
“Sean?” Her heart was racing. She felt the energy in the room—something terrible had happened.
Sean took her hand. “That was Catherine. Earl’s missing.”
Her undying urge to make love to her husband muted to the background. “We better get going.”
***** Catherine paced the floor of her room. Her hand snapped to her mouth and then lowered. “He’s nowhere to be found. I’ve been all over the resort. I’ve called his cell phone.”
“Did you call the police?” Sara guided her back to the sofa.
“What are they going to do?”
“Sara,” Sean said.
“Yes, dear.”
“Why don’t you see if you can round up some tea for Mrs. Spencer?”
Sara patted Catherine’s knee and got on the phone. She cupped the mouthpiece. “They don’t typically do this, Sean.”
“Tell them I’ll pay whatever they like.”
She spoke to the resort employee. “Yes, I know it’s an all-inclusive resort. Please, just bring up some tea…we will pay cash. Yes, gracias.”
Sara sat beside Catherine again.
“You two are the sweetest people.” Catherine reached for Sara’s hand.
“Please, Catherine, tell us everything that happened. When did you last see him?”
“Last night. You two went on your way. We stayed in the lobby and had a few more drinks.”
“Then what?”
Catherine shared looks between them. “You were cops before, weren’t you? That was your day job? Earl said that’s what he thought.”
Sara glanced at Sean.
He nodded, his protective guard chipping away. “Yes, we were. We’d like to help, but you should call the police.”
Catherine cast a deadpan stare in his direction. “You are both telling me to do that, but until we know that something truly happened to him, aren’t we acting prematurely? It can’t be easy reporting things like that down here, and I don’t know the language very well.”
The phone rang and Sean answered, prepared to argue with the front desk over tea. Instead, the caller had a different message. Sean pointed to the receiver and both women went quiet.
He spoke to the caller, but his eyes were on Catherine. “She is, but you will speak to me…who I am doesn’t matter. What is your message?” Sean was certain his face was pale, mirroring that of the women.
“Sean?” Sara went over to him. “What is it?”
He replaced the receiver to the cradle. “They used a voice distorter, so I can’t tell if it’s a man or woman.” He heard defeat mark his words. “But you have your proof, Mrs. Spencer. Someone has Earl.”
“Oh my God.” Catherine let out a wail and bent over in sobbing convulsions.
“What do they want, Sean?” Sara asked.
“They requested fifty thousand dollars by Thursday. They’ll give more details then.”
“Thursday? That’s tomorrow.”
Catherine looked up. “Or? There’s always an or.”
Sean latched eyes with Sara.
Sara squeezed Catherine’s shoulder. “In situations like this it’s best we keep a level head.
They’ve made their demand and now we just have to meet it. We’ll help get your husband back.”
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Romance
Author's Blog: Carolyn Arnold
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Twitter: @Carolyn_Arnold
E-Mail: carolyn@carolynarnold.net
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Author Description: Carolyn Arnold had a love for writing back in her teen years, but her passion was reignited in 2006 when a fellow employee said, "tell me a story". Since then, Carolyn has written 9 novels, 2 short stories, 1 novella, and has plans for many more.
Her Madison Knight series has become an international Kindle best-seller, with all three hitting the top 100 in Police Procedurals in the US. Set in the fictional city of Stiles, the series is designed as a standalone, which means you can read these books out of order and still pick up on the series' characters and the storyline. The series follows Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight who is fueled by determination to find justice for the victims. She is a strong, independent female amidst a career dominated by men. If you love a female protagonist lead, she invites you to meet Madison for yourself. Three novels in the series are currently available: Ties that Bind, Justified, and Sacrifice.
Carolyn has also written Eleven, an FBI thriller, which follows a team of four while they try to stop a serial killer from reaching his eleventh victim. Eleven was noted as a recommended read on The Examiner's "Top 12 Fiction Books of 2011". She is also pleased to announce that the characters of Eleven will be back! Silent Graves is slated for release 2013.
Carolyn was born in 1976 in a rural town of Ontario, Canada. She currently lives with her husband, and two beagles in a city near the well-known Canadian center Toronto.
Author's Book List
Found Innocent
- A Madison Knight NovelThere's one code when it comes to the wall of blue…and Madison Knight may have to cross it.
Any good cop knows you never report a brother for mishandling a case or accuse him of misconduct, but in order to find justice, Madison may not have a choice.
Lacy Rose had one goal for her twentieth birthday—to be found innocent of past sins—but her life is cut short.
When Lacy's remains are found in a garden and the investigation becomes connected to a closed case, Madison must face her past. The lead detective on that case was Madison's ex-fiancé. At the risk of jeopardizing departmental relationships, and churning up the attention of an old flame at the same time, Madison must push hard before the guilty are found innocent.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Life Sentence
- A Madison Knight NovelPLEASE NOTE: Life Sentence is the prequel to the Madison Knight Series but is a romantic suspense. Madison Knight of the best-selling series has a cameo role, and while it was the inspiration for the series, it is not a police procedural.
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"If I pay with my life, you will pay with yours."
Defense Attorney Bryan Lexan may have just taken on the case which will cost him his life. When his client, a Russian mafia boss, is convicted of first-degree murder, he vows to make Bryan pay.
Meanwhile, Jessica Pratt has always prided herself on being a modern woman–you know, the kind who doesn't need a man to make her feel complete. So when she finds herself torn between two, she realizes that not all decisions are based on facts. If they were, her boyfriend, Bryan, would be the logical choice. He has the family name, wealth, and a stake in a successful law firm. Only thing is, when she meets Mason Freeman, the chemistry between them is irrefutable and he won't take no for an answer.
With both of them caught up in a struggle for survival, and a powerful enemy on their heels, they'll need to decide where their loyalties lie.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Sacrifice
- A Madison Knight NovelWhen the son of business tycoon Marcus Randall washes up on the shore of the Bradshaw River, Detective Madison Knight must sacrifice everything--including her career--to find justice for the "perfect murder".
With Randall already on the radar of the Secret Service for fraud and counterfeiting, the investigation sheds new light and they require the full cooperation of the Stiles PD. But with power and money to back him, Marcus has a reach that extends right inside the police department.
If Madison's going to find out the truth, she'll have to sort through the lies and balance diplomacy with politics.
Book Trailer: Sacrifice
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Order the Book From: Amazon
Justified
- A Madison Knight NovelThis Christmas, murder doesn't take a holiday.
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing...blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic's personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn't all that's on Madison's mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
Praise for Madison Knight
"I feel like I know Madison well enough to call her Maddy... she could be a less klutzy sister to Evanovich's famous Stephanie Plum."
--Betty Dravis, Award-winning Author and Journalist
"Her sharp, insightful protagonist, Madison Knight, comes to life to kick some ass and take some names."
--Rosa St.Claire, Book Critic, The Examiner
Book Trailer: Justified
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Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Ties That Bind
- A Madison Knight NovelDetective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman's body is found in a park killed with the same line of neckties, she realizes they're dealing with something more serious.
Despite mounting pressure from the Sergeant and Chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if there's not going to be another victim.
Ties that Bind is the 1st in the best-selling police procedural Madison Knight Series.
Please note: Ties that Bind was professionally edited and re-uploaded the end of October 2012.
What reviewers are saying
"Arnold's writing style is very close to JD Robb's "In Death" series..."
--Karen DeLabar, Blogger and Book Reviewer
"Here's one new fan of Madison Knight who recommends you meet her in Ties That Bind...Fantastic Suspense!"
--GA Bixler Reviews
"A fast paced crime novel with surprising twists and turns....This detective series has a Law and Order feel to it and the suspense keeps the novel flying."
--The Kindle Book Review
Praise for Madison Knight
"I feel like I know Madison well enough to call her Maddy... she could be a less klutzy sister to Evanovich's famous Stephanie Plum."
--Betty Dravis, Award-winning Author and Journalist
"Her sharp, insightful protagonist, Madison Knight, comes to life -- to kick some ass and take some names."
--Rosa St.Claire, Book Critic, The Examiner
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Assassination of a Dignitary
The bad guy you root for.
Raymond Hunter's dark past has returned and demands one final favor. Now fifteen years later, settled as an accountant and family man, he assumed life would be calm. He thought wrong. The Italian Mafia wants him back.
The directions were simple: Kill Governor Behler and be out for good.
In order to protect his family and guard them from the truth, he has no choice but to accept the job. He picks the date and location--Niagara Falls, New York--two hundred and forty miles away. But by the time he returns home, he finds out the assassination attempt failed, his family has been kidnapped, and he has twenty-four hours to set things right if he wants to see them again.
With time running out, Raymond discovers the real reason they wanted Behler dead and finds out he's placed himself and his family right in the middle of a mafia power struggle. What he doesn't realize is that law enforcement is also closing in.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Eleven
- Brandon Fisher FBI Series"Arnold's imagination and attention to detail do not leave any loose ends. Exciting."
--MIAMI BOOKS EXAMINER'S "Top 12 Fiction Books of 2011" list.
Book Overview:
Eleven Rooms. Ten Bodies. One Empty Grave.
Brandon Fisher never expected this when he signed up as a Special Agent for the FBI. Working in the shadow of Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper of the Behavioral Analysis Unit his career seemed set. But when the team is called to a small rural town where the remains of ten victims are found in an underground bunker, buried in an unusual way, Brandon knows he'll never return to his normal life.
With one empty grave, and the case touching close to home, he fears he's become the target of a psychotic serial killer who wants to make him number eleven. Only thing is, everything Brandon thinks he knows is far from the truth.
Book Trailer: Eleven
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Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
eBook Author’s Corner
Mystery Reader’s Circle
Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.
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