Announcing the Arrival of Family Matters

I've been a mystery fan since I began reading my dad's boyhood favorites, the Sugar Creek Gang mystery books way back when. With a mystery, you have to put on your thinking cap to discover the murderer and really get to know the characters. One of them is the bad apple, but he or she is not always easy to find. The scare factor is part of the thrill, too. Spooky old houses, storms, cryptic letters, hidden rooms, creepy suspects...all great fun.

Writing about what I know, Family Matters is set in my hometown area of Western New York. It's a wonderful place to live, except for the winter part. The people are friendly and care about each other. When bad stuff happens, people show up to help. You can relate if you grew up in small town America. The local restaurant is the hub of information and the church is the other.

Family Matters introduces you to the fictional village of Deer Creek, located somewhere in Wyoming County. Gracie is a recent widow, reinventing her life by starting a new business with her late husband's dairy farm partner. As a lover of dogs, she's now running a boarding kennel. Her aunt's death precipitates spiraling events that put her life in danger. Perhaps she should have let "sleeping dogs lie," but Gracie isn't built that way. She's a determined redhead with a rather interesting family. Then to top it off, the kennel seems headed straight for bankruptcy after a successful start.

I hope you enjoy a little murder, some mayhem, and a few laughs as you get to know the folks of Deer Creek. Gracie and Haley, her goofy black Lab are waiting to get to know you.

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