Author Genre: Mystery, Romance, Romantic Suspense
Website: Aaron Paul Lazar
Author's Blog: Murder by 4
Aaron Paul Lazar
Twitter: @aplazar
E-Mail: author@lazarbooks.com
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Aaron Paul Lazar is obsessed with writing. He's completed twenty-seven books to date, and has earned twenty literary book awards. He writes mysteries, suspense, love stories, and more. You'll usually find him writing his heart out in the early hours of the day - preferably in the dark, quiet hours when no one else is awake in his bustling household. Visit his website at www.lazarbooks.com to sign up for a free book and to learn about future deals.
Aaron Paul Lazar wasn't always a mystery writer. It wasn't until eight members of his family and friends died within five years that the urge to write became overwhelming. "When my father died, I lost it. I needed an outlet, and writing provided the kind of solace I couldn't find elsewhere."
Lazar created the Gus LeGarde mystery series, with the founding novel, DOUBLE FORTÉ, a chilling winter mystery set in the Genesee Valley of upstate New York. Like Lazar's father, protagonist Gus LeGarde is a classical music professor. Gus, a grandfather, gardener, chef, and nature lover, plays Chopin etudes to feed his soul and thinks of himself as a "Renaissance man caught in the 21st century." There are twelve books to date in this series.
The creation of the series lent Lazar the comfort he sought, yet in the process, a new passion was unleashed. Obsessed with his parallel universe, he now lives, breathes, and dreams about his characters, and has written TWELVE LeGarde mysteries in addition to four other series.
One day while rototilling his gardens, Lazar unearthed a green cat's eye marble, which prompted the paranormal mystery series featuring Sam Moore, retired country doctor and passionate gardener. The green marble, a powerful talisman, connects all three of the books in the series, whisking Sam back in time to uncover his brother's dreadful fate fifty years earlier. (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE, TERROR COMES KNOCKING, and FOR KEEPS)
Lazar's books feature breathless chase scenes, nasty villains, and taut suspense, but are also intensely human stories, replete with kids, dogs, horses, food, romance, and humor. The author calls them, "country mysteries," although reviewers have dubbed them "literary mysteries."
"It seems as though every image ever impressed upon my brain finds its way into my work. Whether it's the light dancing through stained-glass windows in a Parisian chapel, curly slate-green lichen covering a boulder at the edge of a pond in Maine, or hoarfrost dangling from a cherry tree branch in mid-winter, these images burrow into my memory cells. In time they bubble back, persistently itching, until they are poured out on the page."
In 2009, Kodak laid him off after 28 years of service, and during the year he had off (before he landed in his job with KB America) he had time to explore and reconnect with his environment. Little did he know that several trips to the Adirondack Mountains would reawaken his passion for that part of the country. A new romantic mystery series was started entitled Tall Pines Mysteries: FOR THE BIRDS, ESSENTIALLY YOURS, SANCTUARY, and BETRAYAL.
In between all the novels, Lazar published three short writing guides based on his many years of writing advice blogs, entitled WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volumes 1-3. These are available in eBook and audio book formats.
In his twenty-first book, Lazar has jumped genre. THE SEACREST: a love story, now winner of many literary awards, is poised to capture hearts across the globe. Book 1 in the Paines Creek Beach novels (set on Cape Cod), this also launched a series, and is followed by THE SEACROFT and THE SEADOG.
When the news was filled with stories about the girls captured for ten years by that monster in Cleveland (you know who he was...), Lazar was compelled to write a book to honor the women involved. Thus was born the Bittersweet Hollow romantic suspense series, featuring award-winning DEVIL'S LAKE, DEVIL'S CREEK, and DEVIL'S SPRING.
The author lives on a ridge overlooking the Genesee Valley in upstate New York with his wife, daughter Allison, two little grandsons, two dogs, and four cats. With a total of six grandkids now, he finds grandfathering to be one of the most precious and important times of life, and spends as much time as possible with Julian, Gordon, Isabella, Christopher, Luke, and Joey.
Lazar has been featured in many magazines and newspapers and has given dozens of radio interviews over the years.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: Murder on the Brewster Flats. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
Thanks so much, James! Next up is The Asylum, a romantic suspense that’s part of the bestselling, 21 author boxed set, Love Under Fire. The set will be released November 13th, but you can preorder it for 99 cents right now on Amazon, Nook, iTunes, etc. If you do order it, you will be helping Pets for Vets, where we’re donating 50% of the profits on this boxed set. ;o) Here’s a bit about it:
Carmen has a secret, and his name is Dr. Micah Worthy.
Affairs aren’t permitted between staff members at St. Michael’s Asylum, but Carmen and her handsome young psychiatrist find a way to sneak in a kiss or two in empty storerooms when no one’s looking. It doesn’t take long for her suspicions to rise, however, as she gets to know some of the patients. Why are some kept locked in their rooms, doped to the gills? And where are the two-dozen patients whose names appear on the med lists, but whom she’s never met? Moreover, what’s so forbidden about the ancient passages snaking beneath the two-hundred-year old monastery?
Something’s off in the asylum, and when nothing seems to add up, Carmen and Micah unite to uncover the truth.
When staff members learn she’s on to them, the threats begin. Can Carmen report her findings before she ends up in the icy Atlantic?
Set on the rugged Maine coast in the dead of winter, The Asylum is an intriguing story of romance and danger, filled with characters you’ll love and breathless action that’ll keep you up way past your bedtime.
You have a good following on twitter. Since you started before the social media buzz, what impact has social media relationships had on your current success? How did you build your following in your niche? How much has it changed your book launch process?
James, to tell you the truth, I’ve built my readership one person at a time. Many have been met during Facebook events or groups, some through our blog at www.murderby4.blogspot.com , and others through mutual friends, etc. Folks often sign up for my newsletter when they “meet” me online or at book signings, and if they are interested, they can receive a free eBook (Devil’s Lake) by signing up at https://www.lazarbooks.com/sign-up-form . The one thing that has changed the most, I’d say, is the ability to send out email lists automatically to thousands of fans. I still try really hard to make my message personal, as if I am still writing to each and every reader individually. I also make it a point to personally answer every single reply I receive. It’s important, because these folks are integral to my writing career and they are due a personal reply!
Do you do any book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?
Yes, I love to meet with my readers in person. I’ll be next appearing at the Heron Hill Winery on Keuka Lake, NY on Saturday, October 13th, 2018 from 11-4. And to keep up with me, here are my social media contacts. I welcome email, as well, and you can write to me at author@lazarbooks.com.
Bookbub and LinkedIn
See more contact links in author profile.
You have great covers. They carry a theme and your brand with them. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?
James, I work with Kellie Dennis of BookCoversbyDesign in the UK. She is a wonderful designer and we work hand in hand to develop our covers. Sometimes she finds the images for us to work with, and sometimes I do, after pouring over thousands of photos to find “just the right” face or scene. Then we go back and forth on placement, colors, fonts, etc. until we are both satisfied. It’s my book, but her reputation, so we both have to be happy with the final product. I love that part of the writing process and to tell the truth, wanted to be an artist in my youth. So it fills a need inside me. ;o)
Many of your novels have been converted into audio books. What has been the impact on your regular sales? Has the audio books gained a new audience for you?
The audiobook experience has been fantastic. I absolutely love working with the actors (narrators) who take on my characters and stories. So far I have co-produced 23 novels via ACX, a company owned by Audible. It’s a great opportunity for authors and actors alike.
It appears that there is a distinct audience for listeners vs. readers, at least as far as I can see. Those who love audiobooks, LOVE to listen while they drive, work, do laundry, or relax. They appear to be unequaled in passion for this form of “reading.” I love to listen, myself, because the books can totally come alive with the right narrators! I’m not sure if this format has increased the eBook numbers, but it definitely increases the income earned.
I like the idea of bundling a series of novels. You have put together a couple of sets of your novels. What was the impact on your other sales? What was your main objective in bundling your novels?
I have five series so far, James. I decided to bundle some of the books in boxed sets as a favor for my readers because the price is much better that way. But also, it’s good for me, because if they read directly from book 1 to book 4, for example, it’s more likely they’ll be invested in the story or characters and want to read the follow on books. It’s just one more option for readers. ;o)
What is your primary genre? What has been your best marketing approach to this group?
I started out as purely a mystery writer (LeGarde Mysteries, Green Marble Mysteries, Tall Pines Mysteries). Then my wife begged me to write some love stories, which I did (Paines Creek Beach love stories). After that, I got into romantic suspense with the Devil’s Lake series (Bittersweet Hollow). Now I bounce back and forth between them and find each equally enjoyable. Marketing is so hard – it takes up more time than writing! But I guess my best approach regardless of genre has been through email lists and Facebook interactions.
Do you maintain a reader list? What are the methods you use to find your readers and create the list and the relationship? Do you use social media, forums, newsletters and/or support groups to build your list?
Yes, as mentioned above I have a very nice list of devoted readers. They sign up on their own when they happen to read my books, or they can get a free book to sign up as well. (https://www.lazarbooks.com/sign-up-form) I use all methods possible to find and attract readers. Communicating with them is one of my favorite parts of being a writer.
You have a great blog. You do a great job keeping readers informed, marketing your books and helping other writers gain exposure. What is your primary goal? And where in the world do you find the time to create great novels, take care of the social media and maintain your blog?
Thank you, James. The primary goal of the blog (murderby4.blogspot.com) is to share information with writers and readers alike. We started out as purely a mystery writer’s blog, but we’ve morphed into a place that welcomes readers and writers of all genres. We do welcome guest bloggers, so if you have fans who are interested in sharing stories about their writing journey, tips, advice, etc. we will take a look at them and consider them for Murderby4. I also keep a personal author’s blog at www.aaronlazar.blogspot.com.
I like the idea of Author bundles. You are a part of a novel collection called Love Under Fire with twenty other authors. What a great group of outstanding people. (Many have been interviewed on this blog). What was your main objective in bundling your works with other authors? How do you communicate? How did you get involved with this group?
I was invited into the Love Under Fire group by a fellow author with whom I’ve worked a lot over the years. It was something new for me, and I welcomed the opportunity. The ladies in the group are outstanding writers and marketers from whom I’ve learned a great deal. We work out of a private Facebook group and email. To do it right, you really have to devote most of your promotion time to multiple tasks every single day. It’s a lot of work. But it’s for a wonderful cause (I love animals and am so thankful for our military, so Pets for Vets is a perfect place for our profits!) It’s also been a tremendous experience getting to know the authors individually and continually being amazed at their collective skills!
Here is a list of the awards Aaron Paul Lazar has won:
Devil’s Lake
• 2015 Finalist Readers’ Favorites Awards
• 2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards
The Seacrest
• 2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards
• 2014 Best Beach Book Festival WINNER, Romance category
• 2013 ForeWord Book Awards, Romance, FINALIST
The Seadog
• 2016 Best Indie Book Awards, Romance, WINNER
Double Forté
• 2012 ForeWord BOTYA, Mystery, FINALIST
Tremolo: cry of the loon
• 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Grand Prize Short List
• 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Honorable Mention, Eric Hoffer Legacy Fiction
• 2011 Global eBook Award Finalist in Historical Fiction Contemporary
• 2011 Preditors & Editors Readers Choice Award – 2nd place Mystery
• 2008 Yolanda Renée's Top Ten Books
• 2008 MYSHELF Top Ten Reads
For the Birds
• 2011 ForeWord Book Awards, FINALIST in Mystery
• 2012 Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Top 10 Reads
Essentially Yours
• 2013 EPIC Book Awards, FINALIST in Suspense
• 2013 Eric Hoffer Da Vinci Eye Award Finalist
The Disappearance of Billy Moore (formerly titled Healey’s Cave)
• 2012 EPIC Book Awards WINNER Best Paranormal
• 2011 Eric Hoffer Book Award, WINNER Best Book in Commercial Fiction
• 2011 Finalist for Allbooks Review Editor's Choice
• 2011 Winner of Carolyn Howard Johnson's 9th Annual Noble (not Nobel!) Prize for Literature
• 2011 Finalists for Global EBook Awards
Terror Comes Knocking
• 2013 Global Ebook Awards, Paranormal – Bronze
For Keeps
• 2013 Semi Finalist in Kindle Book Review Book Awards, Mystery Category
Spirit Me Away
• 2014 AuthorsdB book cover contest, Silver medal.
Under the Ice
• 2015 AuthorsdB “Bronze” Cover Award
Congrats Aaron.
Author's Book List
Terror Comes Knocking
- Green Marble Mysteries Book 2Just before the American President is scheduled to appear in Sam Moore’s hometown, Sam’s retirement plans are pushed back when his daughter, Beth, goes missing. In his search for Beth, Sam is guided by an unusual talisman—a small green marble—that reveals a perplexing link between Beth and her mysterious roommate, Zafina Azziz.
Who is the real Zafina? Med student, loving friend, Egyptian royal—or a keeper of deadly secrets? Is she involved with a group of suspicious students from the Middle East?
More importantly, does Zafina know where Beth is?
Meanwhile, Sam’s friend Senator MacDonald is tapped for the Presidential nomination, and his small town goes berserk, both with the news and in preparation for a Presidential appearance at the new arts center gala. That’s when Sam discovers that someone is out to destroy the President—and that someone is hiding in East Goodland.
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The Disappearance of Billy Moore
- Green Marble Mysteries Book 1Fifty years ago, Sam Moore’s little brother Billy vanished without a trace—leaving Sam with guilt that haunts him to this day.
Fifty years with no body, no leads, and no answers. Until now.
When Sam unearths a mysterious green marble buried in his garden, he’s shocked to find himself transported back in time—to Billy. Whisked between past and present with no warning, and receiving only glimpses of their childhood, he struggles to unlock the secret of his brother’s fate.
But the marble isn’t the only secret the ground holds. Further digging uncovers human remains—the legacy of a serial killer who’s been targeting one boy every five years since Billy vanished. The next five-year mark is coming up fast. And now, Sam’s grandson may be in the killer’s sights.
Can Sam tie the past with the present and unravel the mystery of his brother’s disappearance—before the killer strikes again?
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For Keeps
- Sam Moore MysteryWhen retired family doctor Sam Moore gets a call from the coroner to come to The Twin Sisters Inn to consult on a murder victim, he's puzzled. Why would Lou call him? He's retired now, and just wants to spend time with his beloved Rachel, his grandsons, and to work in his gardens.
Within days, the body count increases and Sam is a prime suspect, so he calls on a peculiar talisman—his brother Billy's glowing green marble—to whisk him back in time in search of clues before the killer strikes again. Book 3 in the Moore mystery series.
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Murder on the Brewster Flats
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 12Some family secrets shouldn’t stay buried…
Music professor Gus LeGarde and his wife Camille are looking forward to a relaxing vacation on Paines Creek Beach in beautiful Cape Cod. But Gus barely has a chance to feel the sand between his toes before a near-miss car accident drags him right into the middle of a local family feud — and a centuries-old mystery that’s begging to be solved.
As Gus is drawn further into the conflict between the Cooks and the McNabbs — two families with a grudge going all the way back to Colonial times — he and Camille keep uncovering more questions than answers. Where is the long-lost Cook family treasure? What’s really wrong with Beckett, the McNabb-side member who’s the father of young Jane Cook’s son? And who’s telling the truth about Beckett and Jane’s clandestine relationship: Jane’s grandfather, surly patriarch Albert Cook; or Beckett’s slightly odd parents?
Before long, mounting tension gives way to true danger as people start vanishing. And in the middle of a fast-brewing hurricane, Gus discovers the real secret at the heart of the feud: someone who will stop at nothing to make sure their side wins. Including murder.
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Voodoo Summer
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 11Every family has its secrets…
Summer, 1966: For thirteen-year-old Gus LeGarde, summertime always means Loon Harbor, his grandparents’ idyllic fishing resort on Great Pond. The season is a grand tradition of swimming, boating, and new adventures with his best friends, twins Siegfried and Elsbeth. But this summer, everything changes when a new lodge down the shore threatens the resort—and triggers a chain of events that will transform Gus and his friends forever.
Customers are leaving Loon Harbor in droves for The Seven Whistles, owned by the wealthy LaFontaines. The Baton Rouge family arrives with better amenities and a much larger staff—among them Wilhelmina “Willy” DuPont, a young black girl whose family works for the LaFontaines. Gus and the twins immediately bring Willy into their circle…but their friendship is soon challenged when events at The Seven Whistles take a terrifying turn.
A mysterious figure haunts the windows of women and young ladies at both camps, escalating from peeper to dangerous stalker. Then the LaFontaines’ spoiled and demanding daughter goes missing—and Willy’s innocent older brother is arrested.
Gus soon discovers that dark secrets lurk beneath the surface of the LaFontaine family, and the stakes are higher than ever imagined as they race to exonerate Willy’s brother and find the real perpetrator—before he finds them.
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Lady Blues: forget-me-not
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 10Past and present collide when an Alzheimer’s patient’s fragile memory holds the key to solving mysteries dating back to World War II—including a long lost secret love affair.
Music professor Gus LeGarde is just doing a favor for a friend when he agrees to play piano for church services at a local nursing home. He doesn’t expect to be drawn into a new friendship with an elderly Alzheimer’s patient dubbed “the music man” or to stumble across a decades-old mystery locked inside the man’s mind.
Octogenarian Kip Sterling doesn’t know his own name—but he speaks Gus’s language, spouting jazz terms like “cadence” and “interlude” and “riff.” He’s also obsessed with “his Bella,” but nobody knows who she is.
When Kip is given a new drug called Memorphyl, he starts to remember bits and pieces of his life. Gus learns Bella was Kip’s first and only love, but their relationship was shrouded in scandal. Intrigued, Gus agrees to help search for her. Could she still be alive?
Horrified when the miracle drug suddenly stops working and patients begin to backslide, Gus panics. Can he help Kip find his beloved Bella before all the memories disappear?
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Under The Ice
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 9What do you do when your past comes back to kill you?
After escaping her abusive husband, life is finally good for Camille LeGarde and her daughter, Shelby. She has a great relationship with her new husband, Gus, who also loves Shelby like his own child. But the LeGarde family’s fragile oasis is shattered when the man of Camille’s nightmares is released from prison.
Greg Robinson never wanted to be a father. But he’s playing the biological card for all it’s worth to get close to Shelby, so he can realize his true goal—revenge against Gus LeGarde, the man who “stole” his wife and daughter.
Lured by the promise of connecting with her real dad, Shelby vanishes, sending Gus and Camille on a desperate race through the worst ice storm of the century to find her before Robinson can act on his chilling threat…
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Spirit Me Away
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 8Boston, Massachusetts: It’s the summer of ’69—the parks are flooded with flower children and a hot new band called Led Zeppelin is set to appear at the Boston Tea Party. But for one newlywed couple just beginning their lives together, there will be no peace.
In the cradle of sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll, Gus and Elsbeth LeGarde are music students attending the New England Conservatory of Music, after a wedding kept secret from their families. When they discover a bruised and sobbing teenage girl on the Boston Commons who can’t remember who she is, or how she got there, the couple decides to “adopt” her to help find her identity.
But Gus and Elsbeth aren’t prepared to be plunged into a violent world of rape, abuse, and a ring of white slave traders who’ll stop at nothing to take back their property—or to acquire new flesh in the form of Gus’s beautiful young bride.
At times nostalgic, heart-stopping, and breathlessly dramatic, Spirit Me Away is a thrilling romantic mystery set against the colorful backdrop of the sixties—with an unforgettable conclusion at the greatest rock festival of all time.
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The Liar's Gallery
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 7The last place Gus LeGarde expects to find his old friend Byron Cunningham is in a plane that crashes in a field near his farmhouse. But that’s just the first surprise in a series of shocking events beginning with the discovery of a Monet painting crammed into the plane’s fuselage. Is it real? Or fake? The trail leads Gus into a twisting trio of dangerous art world conspiracies.
Gus fends off some very pushy collectors and soon realizes he may have crossed paths with treacherous criminals, putting his family at risk. As if that isn’t enough, he must also contend with a problem that’s close to his heart: his daughter, Shelby, is growing up too fast. She’s determined to sing professionally and is now under the spell of a wolf in tenor’s clothing, handsome Greek student, Dmitri. When she vanishes with the family car, her frantic parents desperately chase the fading trail.
A slew of Facebook messages on Shelby’s computer lead them to The Eastman School of Music, where both Shelby’s new flame and Gus’s old friend have been hiding secrets linked to the art scandal. There’s a real Monet out there somewhere, and nothing—including murder—will stop the desperate man who wants it.
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Don't Let the Wind Catch You
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 6When young Gus LeGarde befriends Tully, a cranky old hermit in the woods who speaks to an Indian spirit, he wonders if the man is nuts. But when the spirit rattles tin cups, draws on dusty mirrors, and flips book pages, pestering him to find evidence to avenge her past, things change fast. What Gus doesn’t understand is why his mother hates Tully and forbids him to see the old man. What could Tully have possibly done to earn this distrust?
Faced with long-buried family secrets and danger, Gus summons courage beyond his years in this poignant and powerful telling of the sultry summer of 1965.
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Tremolo
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 5Summer, 1964: Beatlemania hits the States, and the world mourns the loss of JFK. For eleven-year-old Gus LeGarde, the powerful events that rocked the nation serve as a backdrop for the most challenging summer of his life.
After Gus and his best friends capsize their boat at his grandparents’ lakeside camp, they witness a drunk chasing a girl through the foggy Maine woods. She’s scared. She’s hurt. And she disappears.
The camp is thrown into turmoil as the frantic search for Sharon begins. Reports of stolen relics arise, including a church bell cast by Paul Revere. When Gus stumbles on a scepter that may be part of the spoils, he becomes a target for the evil lurking around the lake. Will he find Sharon before the villain does? And how can Gus--armed only with a big heart, a motorboat, and a nosy beagle--survive the menacing attacks on his life?
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FireSong
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 4The Genesee Valley is in chaos. Strangers drive panel vans through the countryside at weird hours of the night. A new batch of drugs is on the street, endangering students. The local salt mine collapses due to illegal mining practices. Gas fires burn in water wells. Watering holes turn to brine. Crops are dying. Tempers are short. Forest fires threaten. To top it off, the new mine lies directly over ancient Indian burial grounds, bringing anguish to local tribes and inciting riots at the mine site.
As if that weren’t enough, Gus LeGarde’s country church is hit by a rogue tornado, revealing the bones of a missing parishioner and devastating the dead man’s wife. Days later, heroin is found in Gus’s elderly minister’s bloodstream after his car crashes into a tree in the dead of night.
When Gus is thrown into the middle of the madness, he knows life has finally gone berserk in East Goodland, New York.
Join Gus as he’s lured into a bizarre network of underground tunnels to expose the most shocking discovery ever to rock the Genesee Valley.
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Mazurka
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 3Music professor Gus LeGarde is about to embark on a European honeymoon with his new wife, Camille, when his socially challenged brother-in-law receives a mysterious invitation to visit an ailing relative in Germany. Siegfried can’t travel alone, but the newlyweds have no qualms over bringing him along.
Unfortunately, their idyllic vacation takes a dark turn at the first stop in Paris, when Gus and Siegfried are caught in a bloody street brawl with a group of neo-Nazis -- and a flawed news report frames Siegfried for the murder of one of their leaders, thrusting him into the deadly group’s crosshairs.
After a narrow escape, Gus manages to bring his brother-in-law safely to Germany, where he hopes to both salvage the rest of the honeymoon and explore the shocking family secret that awaits there. But the events they’ve set in motion have far-reaching consequences, and the ruthless leader of the terrorist faction has lethal plans in store for Gus, Camille, and Siegfried -- and ultimately, the world.
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Upstaged
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 2When Gus LeGarde agrees to play piano for the high school drama club’s production of “Spirit Me Away,” a sixties-style musical he wrote in college, he doesn’t expect to face a series of menacing pranks played on his fiancée Camille and the drama club. Who’s sabotaging the show? And what do they have against Camille?
Is it sex-crazed Armand, the Latino teen infatuated with her? Something happened last year that Camille won’t talk about, and it has to do with Armand. Gus wants to know what happened, but she’s not talking.
Could it be Superintendent Marshall, whose past holds horrific secrets related to one of the worst crimes of the 20th century? And why did someone break into Camille’s home to steal her intimate undergarments and her beloved mini-dachshund, Boris?
Gus must unravel the mystery before the backstage saboteur stakes his final, deadly claim.
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Double Forté
- LeGarde Mysteries Book 1Gus LeGarde's life essentially ended four years ago, when his beloved wife, Elsbeth, leapt from the Letchworth Gorge cliffs. These days, the music professor plays endless Chopin etudes on his antique piano and lavishes love on his family and dog--but nothing buries the pain or answers his burning questions.
What made her jump? Why didn't she say goodbye? And how will he be able to live without her?
Trouble comes to Gus and his daughter, Freddie, when her arrogant husband, Harold, is caught in several love affairs, and begins to verbally abuse her. To protect his daughter and two-year-old grandson, Gus threatens to throw Harold out himself the next time he messes up.
But when Harold's law partner goes missing, a police search in the woods on Gus's property reveals a shocking find. The mystery deepens as Gus's innocent friend is set up to take the fall. In the deep cold of winter, threats erupt from the dark woods, spinning events out of hand--and Gus braces for the fight of his life.
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Betrayal
- Tall Pines Mysteries Book 4Marcella Hollister realized a lifetime of hopes and dreams when she was given custody of a child. A cousin of her half-Seneca husband, Quinn, the baby’s mother was murdered in a political plot—and Marcella, who’s never been able to have children of her own, formed an instant bond with little Kimi.
Then a distant relative comes forward to claim Kimi—and Quinn, who Marcella thought understood her pain better than anyone, allows them to take the baby without a fight.
Confused and deeply wounded, Marcella takes off for Tall Pines, their secluded Adirondack cabin. She hopes the peace and natural beauty of the mountains will help clear her head and decide whether to forgive Quinn…or leave him.
But the situation at Tall Pines is anything but peaceful. Her high school lover, Sky, arrives to help out—and Marcella discovers her old feelings may not be as distant as she thought. Worse, a serial killer is stalking young women in the area. And when a teen girl whose mother works with Sky goes missing, Marcella and everyone she cares for wind up dead center in the killer’s sights.
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Sanctuary
- Tall Pines Mysteries Book 3The safest place they know is about to become the most dangerous…
Marcella’s husband, Quinn “Black Eagle” Hollister, severed ties to his family and friends on the Seneca reservation years ago. He rarely mentions his past—until his young cousin Kitty collapses on the couple’s doorstep in the dead of a rainswept night.
After two Seneca men break into their home with intent to kill, the Hollisters flee with the mute and injured girl to Tall Pines, their cabin in the Adirondacks. Marcella, unable to bear a child of her own, unleashes her motherly instincts caring for Kitty. As the girl slowly recovers, they start to piece together who wants them dead, and why.
But their pursuers are canny and relentless. The next attack drives the trio from the sanctuary of Tall Pines, deep into the mountain wilderness.
In spite of their best efforts, the unthinkable happens and Kitty is kidnapped. Marcella and Quinn track her back to Tall Pines--where they find themselves facing an army of murderous Seneca who'll stop at nothing to protect their dark secret.
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Essentially Yours
- Tall Pines Mysteries Book 2Marcella Hollister’s first love, Sky, has been missing for eighteen years. When he sends her a box with precious essential oils, a memory stick loaded with medical and scientific data, and a velvet bag of emeralds, she’s bowled over. What does it mean? After all these years, is Sky still alive?
Her husband Quinn—a beautiful Native American man who adores her and hates the idea of Sky coming back into her life—is wary about the whole thing. But there’s no time to waste, because drug company goons break into their home to demand the memory stick. Links to a newly discovered essential oil with a promising leukemia cure are revealed, and if there’s a cure, the greedy company can’t sell their lucrative cancer meds. Their goal: to silence everyone involved, including every doctor and patient who took part in the studies.
Chased by ruthless thugs through the woods and lakes of the six million acre Adirondack wilderness, Marcella and Quinn must summon courage they never knew they had to fight to save the proof that could change the world.
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For the Birds
- Tall Pines Mysteries Book 1No one could accuse Marcella Hollister’s family of being normal. Her gorgeous Native American husband, Quinn, has a compulsive cleaning problem—which works for her, since she gets a pass on housework. Her mother, who insists on being called Thelma, lives to irritate her husband. And then, there’s Ruby. Sometimes Marcella’s not sure who Quinn loves more…his wife, or his prize parakeet.
After Marcella’s beloved stepfather passes away, leaving a sizable inheritance, the family heads to the scenic Adirondacks for a much-needed vacation at the prestigious Adirondack National Bird Show. But things soon take a strange turn—a bizarre accident involving Thelma, Ruby, and an electrified hotel pool has Thelma asking for crackers and Ruby suddenly spouting Thelma’s favorite phrases.
Then Thelma is kidnapped—and Marcella learns that the inheritance her stepfather left may be connected to the largest unsolved bank heist in U.S. history.
Now Marcella and Quinn must contend with an eccentric bird psychic, mysterious white vans, aggressive FBI agents, and a dangerous chase through the mountains as they rush to find her mother, with only Ruby’s newly acquired “Thelma-vision” to guide them. Can they uncover the secrets buried with her stepfather before it’s too late?
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Devil's Spring
- Bittersweet Hollow Book 3How far would you go for your family?
Financial struggles have forced Grace Rockwell, along with her husband and their baby daughter, back to the family homestead. Luckily, the move to the Morgan Horse Farm isn’t all bad. Her sister Portia is there with her toddler son, and Grace soon finds a way to improve their finances—by entering riding competitions with her family’s gorgeous horses.
But the homecoming takes a horrific turn when the babies are abducted, sending both new mothers on a frantic search with few leads.
Lollie Belvedere didn’t plan to kill her husband. Nor did she know her adopted children would turn out to be kidnapping victims. But something in her snaps the day she’s forced to return the babies to their mothers—and now she’ll do whatever it takes to get them back.
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Devil's Creek
- Bittersweet Hollow Book 2sassy, spicy, and slightly unfaithful wife. A recovered heroin addict who’s now struggling with sex addiction, Grace tries her best to control her inner demons. She’s relapsing less often. And when she does, she always calls, always comes home. Until this time.
The man calls himself Chandler. He found Grace on Facebook under a false name, and lured her away with promises of excitement, danger, and plenty of steam. But when Grace gives in to temptation and follows the trail, she finds herself at the mercy of a monster who knows who she really is, and whose sole obsession is revenge—on Anderson.
Time is running out for Anderson to rescue Grace from deadly danger that’s beyond imagination, before the past drowns them both for good. Because this time, it’s personal.
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Devil's Lake
- Bittersweet Hollow Book 1After two years of brutal captivity, Portia Lamont has escaped and returned to her family’s Vermont horse farm—only to find her parents gone to New York to try an experimental treatment for her mother’s cancer, and her childhood friend Boone Hawke running the farm.
Like the rest of her family, Boone has never given up hope that Portia would return. But when she turns up battered, skinny as a twelve-year-old boy, afraid of everything and unable to talk about what happened, he does the only thing he can—try to help her heal. He summons the town doctor and Portia’s parents, and sets out to put this beautiful, broken woman back together again.
Through her family's love and Boone's gentle affection, Portia gradually comes back to herself, and starts to fall for her old friend in a whole new way. But one thing threatens her fragile hope for recovery: The man who took her promised that if she ever escaped, he'd kill her. Slowly. And someone is definitely watching her…waiting to make his next deadly move.
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The Seadog
- Paines Creek Beach Book 3A mysterious man with no past, a troubled young woman running from hers…and a powerful love that may heal them both.
Scout Vanderhorn has lost her mother, her home, and all hope of security. In a desperate bid to escape her abusive stepfather, she travels to a seaside mansion on Cape Cod in search of the real father she never knew—and finds a secret sister who welcomes her into the family, troubles and all. But it’s not long before trouble comes looking for Scout.
Unaware of his past, or even his own name, Jack Remington is lost. He spends his days scavenging for survival and compulsively searching the seas in his battered old kayak. At night, alone in his beach cave, he’s haunted by nightmares. But from the moment he glimpses Scout, a powerful connection is forged that begins to bring him back from the brink.
Neither expects to fall for the other, but Scout and Jack can’t deny their explosive mutual attraction. Can this love remake a broken man and save a woman with nothing to lose…before the past drowns them in the oncoming storm?
Set on beautiful Cape Cod, The Seadog is a story of trauma and redemption, of mysteries and revelations -- and above all, the incredible power of love.
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The Seacroft
- Paines Creek Beach Book 2Falling for the wrong guy can be hazardous to your heart.
Vivian Wood is desperate. After her beloved brother dies of a sudden aneurysm and her mother develops Alzheimer’s, she needs a good job and a place to stay. She finds it at The Seacroft, a Cape Cod seaside mansion ruled by a mysterious and demanding woman looking for a personal assistant.
Vivian soon discovers that being broke and having to deal with her cranky new boss are not her only problems. The gardener at The Seacroft, Cody McGraw, is young, gorgeous, and the bane of her existence—until she starts falling for him.
But Vivian isn’t the only one captivated by Cody’s charms. Their sultry employer quickly takes an interest in him—and the developing relationship between Cody and Vivian is threatened by the loss of their jobs and more, should they upset The Seacroft’s exotic mistress.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Cape, The Seacroft is a steamy story of difficult choices, heart-wrenching sacrifice, and the ultimate salvation of love.
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The Seacrest
- Paines Creek Beach Book 1They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
Finn McGraw disagrees.
He was just seventeen when he had a torrid summer affair with the girl who stole his heart—and then inexplicably turned on him. Finn may have moved on with his life, but he’s never forgotten her.
Now, ten years later, he’s got more than his lost love to worry about. A horrific accident turns his life upside down, resurrecting the ghosts of his long-dead family and taking the lives of the few people he has left.
Finn always believed his estranged brother was responsible for the fire that killed their family—but an unexpected inheritance with a mystery attached throws everything he knows into doubt.
And on top of that, the beguiling daughter of his wealthy employer has secrets of her own. But the closer he gets, the harder she pushes him away.
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The Asylum
- A Carmen Garcia romantic suspense novelCarmen has a secret, and his name is Dr. Micah Worthy.
Affairs aren’t permitted between staff members at St. Michael’s Asylum, but Carmen and her handsome young psychiatrist find a way to sneak in a kiss or two in empty storerooms when no one’s looking. It doesn’t take long for her suspicions to rise, however, as she gets to know some of the patients. Why are some kept locked in their rooms, doped to the gills? And where are the two-dozen patients whose names appear on the med lists, but whom she’s never met? Moreover, what’s so forbidden about the ancient passages snaking beneath the two-hundred-year old monastery?
Something’s off in the asylum, and when nothing seems to add up, Carmen and Micah unite to uncover the truth.
When staff members learn she’s on to them, the threats begin. Can Carmen report her findings before she ends up in the icy Atlantic?
Set on the rugged Maine coast in the dead of winter, The Asylum is an intriguing story of romance and danger, filled with characters you’ll love and breathless action that’ll keep you up way past your bedtime.
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Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
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Great interview Aaron!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview--I enjoyed it very much! Thanks for the post, James!
ReplyDeleteWow. Great interview and wonderful display of books
ReplyDelete