Something Prowling in Paradise Park is out now! It's the perfect blend of cozy #mystery, female sleuth suspense, and found-family crime solving. #books

Three cases. One body. Zero chance of staying out of trouble.

Something Prowling in Paradise Park is out now!

Former international war correspondent Kate Tessler never imagined she’d become an amateur sleuth, much less be pursuing her PI license with her sister. But now that she’s home in Arizona, she can’t resist employing her investigative skills to untangle the next small-town mystery with an unusual cast of friends.

This time, her senior pals introduce her to the Standishes, snowbirds who came home early only to find strangers living in their house—with forged lease papers and a lot to hide. With legal eviction requiring months and money, Kate and her found family start digging into the squatters’ pasts to find any dirt they can use.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend’s teenage sons bring her a case of their own: a rash of dog thefts sweeping the neighborhood. Then a late-night stakeout ends in a shocking discovery—a dead body. Was it a freak accident… or a murder?

Filled with twists, humor, and heart, Something Prowling in Paradise Park delivers the perfect blend of cozy mystery, female sleuth suspense, and found-family crime solving. Fans of J.A. Jance, Elly Griffiths, and Ann Cleeves will love this page-turner set against Arizona’s sunbaked secrets.

In The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. These quirky, cozy mysteries with a women sleuth are perfect for fans of suspenseful whodunit murder mysteries with high stakes and humor. Book 1 has a 4.2-star rating on Goodreads with over 600 ratings.

Readers say: “If you like the show Castle then I think you’ll enjoy this book. I don’t diminish the seriousness of the suspected crime but the tenor of the book and the banter of the characters is both wonderful and really amusing. It’s a ragtag bunch of accidental detectives but it works and makes for a great read! Part heist movie, part three stooges one hundred percent must read!” 

“The characters in this book remind me of those in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I love their quirks and I was fooled until the very end.” 

Quick Excerpt:

The doorbell rang as I headed downstairs, and the door immediately opened. Clarence and Arnold came in.

“Kate!” Clarence waved the folder he used to collect weird crimes in hopes of persuading me to investigate them. “I have a doozy for you.”

“Sorry, I’m on my way out.” I grabbed a cane from the big ceramic vase by the door. The leg damaged in a bombing had improved, but I might walk fine for a dozen paces and then lurch sideways with no warning. I didn’t expect to need the cane that night, but I’d faced lots of things I hadn’t expected.

Clarence’s expression looked like a scolded puppy. “But this one’s really interesting. And we know the people! They want your help.”

Arnold nodded. “Leslie and Bob Standish. They retired a few years ago and only spend their winters in Arizona.”

“So they’re not here?” Most snowbirds don’t return until October, and it was late August.

Clarence waved both arms like an orchestra conductor. “They came back early because their electric and water bills were unusually high! They thought maybe they had a water leak. But they have squatters!”

I winced. “That must’ve been a shock.”

“They’re pretty upset,” Arnold said. “Imagine coming home and finding strangers living in your house.”

“Did they call the police?” I asked.

“Yeah, but apparently it’s not that easy,” Clarence said. “The squatters have a rental contract—forged, of course—so the police said it has to go through the courts. It could take months.”

The door was still open, letting in the heat. Marty and Joe Washington came up the sidewalk. Dad appeared in the archway into the kitchen, and Jen was listening from the living room.

“They’re desperate,” Arnold said. “We want to help.”

“Okay, but I really do have to go. You guys can get started, figure out the laws covering squatting and recommended responses.”

“We thought we could move in and be really annoying until they move out!” Clarence said.

“That doesn’t sound entirely safe.” I waved them out of the way so Marty and Joe could enter. “Don’t do anything drastic yet. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Clarence and Arnold beamed. So did Jen. Marty and Joe just looked confused, and I’d call Dad’s expression resigned.

Get The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series at all retailers

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her spouse and playing with their ferrets.

In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Kris’s romantic suspense novels include treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.” She is also the author of the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series and the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series.

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Find Kris:

Website
Blog
BlueSky
Instagram
Facebook
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US page or Amazon UK page

The Accidental Detective Book 5: Someone Murderous at The Midnight Motel is FREE! Grab this female sleuth #mystery filled with twists, humor, and heart now. 🕵️‍♀️ #books

Someone Murderous at The Midnight Motel (The Accidental Detective Book 5) is FREE at all ebook retailers.

No one warned her hot flashes could lead to death…

Forced to leave her celebrated career as an international war correspondent after an injury, Kate Tessler now dabbles in detective work in her Arizona hometown along with her sister, Jen. When Jen's old college friend asks them to investigate suspicious activity at a motel he inherited, it sounds like a free vacation with a little surveillance thrown in. 

But when Kate's hot flashes wake her in the middle of the night, she wanders outside to cool off and stumbles into a crime scene. 

Kate and Jen can’t trust anyone at the motel or the local police force they suspect of corruption. The lies pile up, the villains multiply, and the motel is hiding more secrets than they ever imagined. Good thing they have their eclectic senior sidekicks to share the undercover work.

In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. 

Readers say: “A page turning read... I have enjoyed this series so much.” 

“What’s great about this series is the easy, affectionate relationship between the amateur investigators, ranging from very young to senior people. I love that everyone has something to do and to contribute to the general investigation goals. The humor and teasing are also stupendous.”

“This book was really entertaining. This is such a fun series to read. I like the characters as they are all so quirky, yet genuine... I highly recommend this book and the whole series. Another 5 star book by Kris Bock!”

Quick Peek:

Something rustled in the bushes. I heard footsteps—or was that the pounding of my heart? I turned and ran for my room, my shoes smacking the pavement. Silence wouldn’t save me. If someone was watching from the shadows, they already knew I was there. In any case, I couldn’t stop myself from running as fast as my legs would let me, begging the stiff muscles in my bad leg to keep up and not send me sprawling.

My key card. Where was it? My hands were empty. I leaned my cane next to the door so I could pat my hips with the hand that wasn’t damp and sticky. My sleep shorts didn’t have pockets. Had I dropped it? I didn’t want to go back there. I didn’t want anyone else to find the key, either. A shudder racked my body at the thought.

I swung around and scanned the area. Spots danced before my eyes. I sucked in a breath. A second breath. The spots faded.

The surface of the pool sparkled from the underwater lights. Dim lights shone over most of the doors. They cast overlapping shadows, so the tables and chairs outside each room became a jumble of lines. The bushes sat like hunched figures. The patio under the awning had no lights, plunging the gruesome sight there into darkness. The entrance to the stairwell was a black pit. Shadows everywhere. So many shadows.

Find the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series at all major retailers.

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her spouse and playing with their ferrets.

In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works.

Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery. Who wouldn’t want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. 

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get a free novella set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café, a printable copy of 22 recipes from the cat café novels, and short stories in the Accidental Detective and Reluctant Psychic worlds. Then every two weeks you’ll get fun content about animals, books, and more.

Coming Soon! Something Prowling in Paradise Park releases March 2. A female sleuth #mystery filled with twists, humor, and heart 🕵️‍♀️ #books

Three cases. One body. Zero chance of staying out of trouble.

Something Prowling in Paradise Park comes out March 2.

Former international war correspondent Kate Tessler never imagined she’d become an amateur sleuth, much less be pursuing her PI license with her sister. But now that she’s home in Arizona, she can’t resist employing her investigative skills to untangle the next small-town mystery with an unusual cast of friends.

This time, her senior pals introduce her to the Standishes, snowbirds who came home early only to find strangers living in their house—with forged lease papers and a lot to hide. With legal eviction requiring months and money, Kate and her found family start digging into the squatters’ pasts to find any dirt they can use.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend’s teenage sons bring her a case of their own: a rash of dog thefts sweeping the neighborhood. Then a late-night stakeout ends in a shocking discovery—a dead body. Was it a freak accident… or a murder?

Filled with twists, humor, and heart, Something Prowling in Paradise Park delivers the perfect blend of cozy mystery, female sleuth suspense, and found-family crime solving. Fans of J.A. Jance, Elly Griffiths, and Ann Cleeves will love this page-turner set against Arizona’s sunbaked secrets.

In The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. These quirky, cozy mysteries with a women sleuth are perfect for fans of suspenseful whodunit murder mysteries with high stakes and humor. Book 1 has a 4.2-star rating on Goodreads with over 600 ratings.

Readers say: “This is a remarkably enjoyable start to a brand new cozy mystery series.” ~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

“Readers will enjoy this new cozy mystery and eagerly wait for more sleuthing with Kate and the Coffee Shop Irregulars!” ~Reading is my Superpower

“This is a fast-paced book that keeps you thinking. It’s a great jump start for this new series. I will anxiously await the second book.” ~Socrates’ Book Reviews

Chapter 1 Excerpt:

I answered the phone. Without so much as a greeting, my sister said, “Clarence wants a team meeting this evening.”

“I have plans.” At Jen’s disappointed sound, I added, “But there’s no reason you can’t get started without me.” In fact, the best thing about having enthusiastic assistants was getting them to do tedious research while I focused on other things.

“What do you have to do tonight that’s so important?” Jen asked.

“Dinner at Todd’s.” Some people called Todd Paradise “Mayor.” I occasionally called him “sweetie,” though never in front of Jen. 

“Ooh, dinner with your boyfriend tonight. Did you get permission from Dad to stay out all night? Are you packing your sexy undies?” Yeah, that’s why we kept the endearments private. She was one breath away from making kissing noises.

“I’m really looking forward to it.” I waited just long enough for her to come up with another teasing comment but not long enough for her to speak. “Because Finn and Alec invited me.”

“His boys invited you? Is that … does that mean …?”

I rarely get Jen stumbling over her words that way. I never get her speechless. I savored that for a moment, but not so long that she got her brain and mouth working again. 

“They want to consult with me.”

“Huh.” She paused. “Like, consult with you about becoming their new mom?”

“No!” I laughed. “Todd and I aren’t there yet. And even if we get there, I don’t think we’d do anything about it until the boys graduate high school.” They were fifteen and seventeen now, so it wouldn’t be too long. Well, depending on how long you considered three years. Until recently, I’d moved multiple times per year. Now three years seemed like a safe distance before having to make big decisions about our relationship. 

Jen gave a little gasp. “Like, consult with you about something mysterious and criminal?”

“I think so. They didn’t specify, but they know what I do.” 

I’d first met Finn and Alec when I was investigating an anonymous claim that Todd was taking bribes. I’d told Todd, because I’d suspected a political enemy of his was trying to make him look bad, and I was right. Alec and Finn had admitted they’d been getting bullied via email, which turned out to be related. We’d seen each other quite a few times in the five months since then, but they’d never invited me to dinner before.

I sure hoped they wanted advice on something criminal, or at least journalism help, and weren’t planning to ask about my intentions with their father. I’d much rather deal with a good crime.

Being in a real relationship was still new to me and a little unnerving. Previously, I’d traveled the world as a war correspondent, often moving every few months. Anyone I dated assumed, as I did, that it was temporary, until one or both of us headed to our next assignment. Now I was trying to embrace a new lifestyle, one with a permanent residence and family nearby. Living with my father in the house where I’d spent my childhood might not make me feel especially grown-up, but I had plenty of adult stuff to deal with, what with menopause and retirement planning. 

And now, apparently, a relationship that could actually lead somewhere. We were too busy to see each other more than a couple of times a week and had yet to talk about The Future, but things were going well, as far as I could judge with my limited experience.

Jen sighed. “Are you sure I can’t come?”

“What about Clarence? Don’t you want to know what he has for us? You even get to be in charge.”

“You just don’t want to deal with Clarence and Arnold.” She wasn’t entirely wrong. Dad’s friends might be around eighty, but they were as destructive as unsupervised toddlers on a sugar high.

“You’re just so good with them,” I said sweetly. “It must be all those years of mothering.”

She grunted. “They’re way more trouble than my teenagers though.”

She sounded a little sad. Her oldest had just graduated high school. Both her kids had summer jobs. Soon they wouldn’t need her much anymore. As a good sister, the least I could do was provide some troublesome seniors as a distraction.

“It’s exciting that we might have two cases at once,” I said. “Complain and you shall receive, I guess.” A couple of days ago, Jen had whined about being bored. I had articles to write, though I’ll admit that wasn’t quite as exciting as investigating. 

“Yeah, but don’t try to foist all of Clarence’s stuff off on me.”

“I won’t.”

Good thing I like to be busy. Some people (cough my therapist cough) might suggest that’s because I don’t want too much time to think about the future. I disagree. I don’t want too much time to think about the present. I spent thirty years chasing stories and desperately trying to get them written and filed on time. It wasn’t fun waking up in the hospital with a damaged body and nothing to do but think about how I’d gotten there and how little I was prepared for the realities of aging and injury.

Get The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series at all retailers

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her spouse and playing with their ferrets.

In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Kris’s romantic suspense novels include treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.” She is also the author of the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series and the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series.

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Find Kris:

Website
Blog
BlueSky
Instagram
Facebook
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US page or Amazon UK page

The #BookReviews are coming in for Buried in Betrayal: the Reluctantly Psychic Murder #Mystery Book 3! #paranormal #books

 

Buried in Betrayal: the Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery Book 3 is out and readers are singing its praises! 

A geologist with an unwanted psychic gift, a man on the run, a dead body and a friend accused of…murder?

Geologist Petra Cloch can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before. She always saw her paranormal powers as a burden, but they’ve helped her solve several crimes and make friends in her new southwestern small town. Then her landlord, Shelley, introduces a visiting “old friend.” Wayne wants to keep his visit a secret and has recently adopted an energetic dog “for protection.” What is he hiding?

When Petra stumbles over Wayne’s dead body, suspicions quickly turn to murder, with Shelley the prime suspect. Petra and her friends investigate and quickly uncover a slew of suspects, scams and motives. Petra’s psychic abilities alone aren’t enough to reveal the true killer. To clear Shelley, Petra will need all of her cleverness, the help of her found family, some luck, and the dog that seems to have adopted her.

Fans of cozy mysteries with supernatural twists will fall in love with this humorous and heartwarming psychic sleuth.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-Star Reviews on BookBub or GoodReads:

• “Very well written, holds you on the edge of your chair. Storyline is fantastic which keeps you guessing who done it... Would strongly recommend to everyone."
• “I’m loving this series! Buried in Betrayal is full of intrigue and suspense, keeping the story gripping from the very beginning. The characters are well developed, and the plot unfolds in a way that keeps readers thoroughly engaged and guessing.” 
• “There are lots of twists and surprises. It is quite suspenseful and exciting. The book, like all I’ve read from Kris, is well written and very compelling. The characters are eclectic and interesting, but very likable. This is a five star book I’m happy to recommend.”
• “I’ve enjoyed this series with its touch of the paranormal and a cast full of quirky characters … I found this addition to the series well-written, full of red herrings, twists, turns, and surprises.”
• “Another entertaining read with a likeable amateur sleuth and lots of pets!” 
• “Petra is a character that I have been rooting for since the first book. You will love her too.”

Opening Scene Excerpt: 

 “Bye, babies, see you this evening!” I slipped past the cats and out of my house, pausing on the stoop to check that the door had latched properly, since it had been windy enough to pop open doors that appeared closed. 

   A crashing sound came from behind me. I whipped around to see movement—someone lurking in the bushes by the fence? 

   Moments later, the lurking turned to prancing as the intruder pushed free of the bushes. A white and brown pit bull or pit bull mix bounded toward me with a silly grin, toes tip-tapping in the dry grass. 

   “Well, hello,” I said. “Aren’t you a cutie?” Its tongue lolled and its entire back end wagged. “How did you get in?” I glanced around my fenced yard. “Oh, I think I know, and I didn’t even have to use my burgeoning detective skills.” 

   A three-foot-high chain-link fence separated my yard from my landlord, Shelley’s. Part of it was now listing into my yard, suspiciously like a fifty-pound bundle of energy had rocketed over it and dragged the section out of alignment.

   Shelley had an elderly Saint Bernard, Toby, not a dog anyone would worry about jumping a three-foot fence. This wiggle monster, on the other hand, could easily clear it. Well, maybe not easily, since the dog hadn’t managed it without a certain amount of property damage, but that might have been clumsiness rather than jump height. 

   I crouched and the pittie climbed into my lap. A quick glance showed that it was in fact a male, not that he would know how I labeled him. As long as I used the right tone of voice, I could address him as Princess or Lady or Miss Sugar Cookie Fancy Pants, and he’d be delighted.

   “But how did you get into Shelley’s yard? Are you visiting? Are you lost?”

   He whined as if trying to answer my question. He had a collar, but no tags, and looked reasonably healthy. His ribs were visible under the skin, but lined with muscle, like a lean young dog rather than a gaunt starving dog.

   After indulging us both with some vigorous cuddling, I rested my hand on the collar. I was getting more comfortable with my psychometry, the ability to touch an object and read emotions left behind by the person who’d used it or held it. 

   I tried to appreciate it as a useful talent, since it wasn’t a choice. Did having the ability mean an obligation to use it sometimes, to help people? I hadn’t decided, but I’d been practicing for the last few months, in order to learn the parameters of what I could do and to get comfortable with the results. I still didn’t exactly like the experience, but I could generally tolerate it. 

   And in this case, maybe the collar would tell me something about where the dog belonged.

   With the dog collar, I got a tangled sense of sadness, hope, excitement, hunger, curiosity, and the urge to mark things by peeing. Not terribly helpful. 

   One reason I loved animals was because I generally didn’t get psychometry readings from them. They didn’t wear clothes or jewelry, and the most I’d get from, say, my ferrets’ favorite blanket was a vague sense of lazy contentment. But I was pretty sure the images from the dog’s collar were from the dog, not its owner. I got the sense he’d been in a shelter for a while. 

   “Poor boy.” Any happiness about being with a new owner was buried under other feelings, which didn’t help me figure out where he belonged. Fortunately, I had a backup plan. I pushed him back and stood up. “Come on, let’s ask Shelley.”

Praise for the Reluctantly Psychic Mystery series: 

In the Reluctantly Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works.

Readers praise the Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mysteries:

“This is a brilliant start to a new series from Kris. I found A Stone Cold Murder to be well written. The characters came to life throughout the book. The storyline was easy to follow, believable, and intrigue-and-suspense-filled... I was engaged from the start, and didn't want to put the book down.” – Elaine C. on BookBub

“A Stone Cold Murder by Kris Bock isn’t just a murder mystery—it’s a haunting, immersive experience that blends the supernatural with raw human emotion. As someone who adores crime fiction with a twist, this book grabbed me from the first page and refused to let go.” – Kora B. on GoodReads

“... another very entertaining read from Kris Bock. Death at Rock Bottom takes us to the New Mexico desert, with an interesting protagonist that I really like, and a very intriguing mystery.” ~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

“I am really enjoying this series, with its quirky characters, wonderful community, setting, and intriguing plotlines. I am looking forward to seeing what Petra and her friends get up to in the next Reluctantly Psychic story.” ~Carla Loves to Read

“5 stars! The museum crew is back in action, investigating the death of an old friend. I recommend Death at Rock Bottom to cozy mystery readers.” ~Boys' Mom Reads!

Bio: Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her husband and playing with their ferrets.

In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. 

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. 

In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery and discovers winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get short stories from the Reluctantly Psychic and Accidental Detective series plus other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

See all Kris's books on her Website
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US page or Amazon UK page

Happy 3rd Book Birthday to How to Fall for a Cowboy: The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys book 2 #Romance #ContemporaryRomance #ReadzTule #Books

Find the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series in print or ebook at Amazon US, Amazon UK, B&N/Nook or Kobo.

Who wouldn't want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves.

How to Fall for a Cowboy (formerly titled Charming the Billionaire Cowboy) is 3 years old! 

Praise for How to Fall for a Cowboy:

“A charming story of a cute couple destined for love.” 

“[It] grabbed me right away” 

“it was such good writing to have me caring about Hallie so much” 

“An intriguing whirlwind of emotions.”

“I loved this couple, the dialogue, the supporting characters, the humour, and the feels. Overall, a great romance.” 

How to Fall for a Cowboy 

For the first time, his cowboy charm seems to backfire…

With his Texas ranching family’s lottery win, TC Tomlinson is finally able to build a ranch with alternative livestock. TC has a lot to prove, starting with his new ostrich herd, so when he catches a beauty scooping up an escaped baby bird, TC chases her down, assuming she wants to meet him for his money.

When Hallie Armstrong sees the injured baby ostrich, she jumps into professional mode. A former vet tech, she’s moved to Last Stand to work at her aunt's wildlife rescue and heal from an attack. She’s skittish of the handsome cowboy, but when he starts to flirt, she decides two can play at this game—the rescue needs fundraising, and TC is an eligible bachelor.

As they brainstorm ideas for a bachelor auction and work to solve the mystery of local sheep attacks, TC finds himself falling for the feisty cowgirl. But when he learns she’s still in danger, his protective instincts threaten to drive the independent Hallie away. Can TC convince Hallie she can have her independence and him too?

Find the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series in print or ebook at Amazon US, Amazon UK, B&N/Nook or Kobo.

Excerpt:

Hallie drove down the country road between green fields. Nothing looked familiar. Was that because she was lost or because her memory was faulty? She pulled to the side of the road, got out of the car, and looked around. A sudden rustling came from the ditch beside the road. Then an odd trilling noise filled the air. A bird or frog? But the rustling sounded like a large animal.

Hallie headed for the ditch, prepared to race back and dive inside the car if she needed to escape danger.

She stared down at a fluffy ball that rustled the grasses as it moved. It looked like a giant feather duster had come to life. A tiny head bobbed on a long neck. A beak opened and chirped. What was that thing? Some kind of bird, judging by the beak. A large bird, with a body the size of a basketball.

She looked around. No one in sight. So this wasn’t a bizarre prank. She was pretty sure she wasn’t dreaming, since she had the presence of mind to wonder if she was dreaming. Her memory might be shaky, but it had yet to give her hallucinations.

DepositPhotos ID 2290279

She crouched for a closer look. The animal chirped and tried to get up, but it quickly pitched forward, flapping short wings. It must be caught or injured somehow. She could do something about that. Many animals calmed down if you covered their eyes. That made it easier to handle them. She didn’t have a towel in the car, and on this warm spring day, she hadn’t brought a jacket. Oh well. Hallie peeled off her long-sleeved T-shirt, leaving her in a sturdy sports bra in cheerful purple and turquoise.

Hallie duckwalked into the ditch and tossed her shirt over the creature. She knelt beside the bird and wrapped her shirt around its head, loosely tucking the long sleeves around the neck a few times to hold the shirt in place.

The animal gave a few last pathetic peeps and settled down. She put her arm around its body. The gray-brown feathers were downy, silky against her bare skin, so it must be young. She gently straightened at the waist, still on her knees, revealing the bird’s long legs with knobby knees and two large toes on each foot. It might be young, but it would stand about three feet high. An ostrich? She recalled hearing about an ostrich farm around here.

Well, they apparently weren’t very attentive ostrich farmers, because this little critter had escaped and was far from the herd or flock or whatever ostriches had. It also had a gash on its leg, shallow but long, still oozing blood.

“Okay, let’s get you help.” She rose to her feet with a grunt. The bird must weigh fifty pounds.

She got the squirming bird in the car, dodging its bobbing head. As she shifted toward the driver’s side door, she glanced down the road. An oversized red pickup truck was coming up fast. Hallie hadn’t noticed the truck approaching, and now it was within fifty feet. She slid into the car, yanked the door shut, and turned the ignition.

That truck was almost on top of her. She’d wait for it to pass.

She glared as the shiny red truck pulled past. It was enormous, so apparently somebody felt the need to compensate for something.

The truck swung across the road and stopped in front of her. A door slammed. A tall, lanky cowboy strode around the front of the truck, scowling.

Hallie gave a squeak worthy of the baby ostrich and hit the automatic door lock.

The man stormed up to her door. He had to lean way over to peer in at her. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

Hallie gaped at him. How was she supposed to answer that? She thought she was minding her own business. 

He rapped on the window. No way was she going to roll it down.

Hallie put the car in reverse. He was blocking the road ahead, so she’d go back the way she came. 

He tried her door handle. Thank goodness she’d locked it.

He knocked on the window again, his fierce face a foot away. “Open up!”

Hallie shook her head vigorously. She eased off the brakes so the car started rolling backward.

He skipped back from the car. Hallie let out a shaky breath and touched the gas. She couldn’t go too fast in reverse, though, or she might back into the ditch. Then she’d really be in trouble.

The angry cowboy ran after her, shouting something.

It took a moment for his words to penetrate.

“Give me back my ostrich!”

Whoops.

Find the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series in print or ebook at Amazon US, Amazon UK, B&N/Nook or Kobo.

Kris Bock writes romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 30-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels, plus fun content about cats, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty.

If you love romantic suspense by Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Learn more at www.krisbock.com.

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Find the books at all E-book retailers.

The Reluctant Psychic Mysteries Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, is on sale for 99 cents until Feb 6! #books #paranormal #mystery

Petra Cloch studied geology because rocks rarely ‘talk’ to her, and she’s dodged friendships so she won’t need to explain her gift or feel like a voyeur. Now she’s starting work at a private museum in a small New Mexico town. 

When she picks up a jagged crystal in her new office, she's flooded with flashes of rage, fear, and death. Everyone says her predecessor died in a car crash, but what if he was murdered? 

Petra normally avoids involvements, but if the previous curator died because of the job, she could be next … 

The Reluctant Psychic Mysteries Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, is on sale for 99 cents until Feb 6! 

Readers say:

“Kris Bock, you have created a novel that is both heartwarming and suspenseful. For those who appreciate mysteries that offer depth, a distinctive supernatural element, and a protagonist to cherish, A Stone Cold Murder is an essential read. Well done!” – Sarah W. on GoodReads

“This was an entertaining mystery that kept me guessing until the end... With a sympathetic main character, quirky secondary characters, and an intriguing mystery, this was a fun read. I am looking forward to Petra’s next adventure!” Robin S. on BookBub

“I’m not exaggerating when I say A Stone Cold Murder is one of the most vivid books I’ve ever read. Kris Bock doesn’t just tell a story—she immerses you in it. From the dusty, claustrophobic halls of the Banditt Museum to the eerie silence of Petra’s new home (which may or may not be haunted by a dead man’s secrets), every setting pulses with life.” Lauren M. on GoodReads

Learn more about The Reluctant Psychic Mystery series or order copies. Available in ebook and print at all major retailers.

Opening Scene Excerpt:

It’s no fun sorting through the belongings of a dead man. I assume that’s true for most people, except maybe antique dealers or historians. But I think it’s worse for me. 

That’s not because I’m a narcissist. (As far as I know. I admit I’ve never been tested.) It’s because of my psychometry. It might sound cool to pick up vibrations left behind on objects, giving me glimpses of the items’ histories. 

But I didn’t want to know more about the man who’d had my job before me. Everything so far suggested Reggie Heap was an ordinary man who had more chest pains and heart palpitations than he let on. I might have warned him to get that checked out, if he hadn’t already died of a massive heart attack that killed him even before his car ran off a mountain road.

It was my office now, and I needed to scrub away all traces of the former occupant. Does that sound harsh? Think about it like this: It might sound cool to have telepathy, if you assume you could choose when and where to use it. But imagine if you had to hear every thought of every person nearby. 

Yeah, you’d probably just stay home.

I was about as far from a people person as one could be, so I needed a job that paid well enough that I could live alone, just me and my pets (ten at the current count). Ideally, the job wouldn’t bring me into contact with a lot of other people or their stuff. I hoped I had that job now, working in a small museum in a tiny town in a state with something like twenty people per square mile. 

Get The Reluctant Psychic Mystery series.

“This story is a winner and a great start to the series. The mystery is captivating, with enough puzzlement to keep you on your toes, the characters are interesting and engaging (I love Petra and Liberty), and the worldbuilding is excellent. A must-read!” - Lavender Jade on Goodreads

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty.

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. 

In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery and find out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. 

Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue.

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Buried in Betrayal: Reluctantly Psychic Murder #Mystery Book 3 is out January 7! You can preorder it now. #books

Buried in Betrayal: the Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery Book 3 is out January 7! 

A geologist with an unwanted psychic gift, a man on the run, a dead body and a friend accused of…murder?

Geologist Petra Cloch can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before. Although her paranormal powers are a burden, they’ve helped her solve several crimes and make friends in her new southwestern small town. She’s enjoying settling into her new job when her landlord, Shelley introduces an “old friend.” Wayne seems cagey. He wants to keep his visit a secret and has recently adopted an energetic dog “for protection.”

When Petra stumbles over Wayne’s dead body, suspicions quickly turn to murder, with Shelley the prime suspect. Petra and her friends investigate and quickly uncover a slew of suspects, scams and motives. Petra’s psychic abilities alone aren’t enough to reveal the true killer. To clear Shelley, Petra will need all of her cleverness, the help of her found family, some luck, and the dog that seems to have adopted her.

Fans of cozy mysteries with supernatural twists will fall in love with this humorous and heartwarming psychic sleuth.

Snippet: 

   I was trying to convince myself to get ready for bed when I heard voices outside. Back in Seattle, where I lived in an apartment building among other apartment buildings, low-voiced conversations wouldn’t have caught my attention. Even shouting would have merely caused me to pause to determine whether it was a normal argument or an alert the police argument. Apparently in the six months I’d been in Bonneville, I’d gotten used to any late-night conversations here coming from either my own house or the coyotes.

   Shelley should be inside by that time. Even if she was on the porch, I rarely heard anything unless she laughed loudly. She might do that with her company. But this conversation sounded closer to my own house.

   The voices rose. I caught the phrase what you promised me almost at a shout. A couple using the dead-end street as an unsuccessful lovers’ lane?

   I shook myself out of my daze, shifted Amber to the back of the couch, and stood. This was probably more of not my business, but if someone believed they’d been promised sex and the other person was resisting . . . Well, maybe a light going on nearby would disrupt the situation. If not, I had the sheriff’s number.

   Another voice responded in a rumble too low to catch any words. The first voice was in that middle range that might be a male or a low-voiced female, but this one sounded male. Not that the genders made a difference if one was threatening or pressuring the other.

   I flipped on the porch light.

   The voices stopped. I rustled the curtains to let them know someone was there. I didn’t particularly want to see who was out there, but I ought to make sure the situation was under control.

   Someone spoke again, the tone urgent but the words too low for me to hear.

   I looked out. The porch light shone in a circle that didn’t quite reach the edge of my yard. No one stood within it, which was both a relief and a bit unnerving, since I didn’t know where they were.

   A car door slammed, making me jump. A car backed out from the other side of my van. Without streetlights, I could only tell that it was a light shade and an average car shape, maybe on the sporty end of the scale.

   Well, whoever had been arguing out there, they were gone now. I turned off the light but stood at the window for another minute, fatigue washing over me. Jet chittered and wound around my ankles.

   My eyes slowly adjusted to the absence of the porch light, which hadn’t been that bright to begin with. There was some moonlight, but nothing close to a full moon.

   The shadows shifted near my van. A figure stepped out from the trees there. I couldn’t see more than a dark shape, but I got the strong feeling the person was staring in my direction.

Praise for the Reluctantly Psychic Mystery series: 

In the Reluctantly Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works.

Readers say:

“A Stone Cold Murder is one of the most vivid books I’ve ever read. Kris Bock doesn’t just tell a story—she immerses you in it.”

“A Stone Cold Murder is exactly the kind of book I crave—tightly plotted, emotionally rich, and impossible to put down. Kris Bock blends murder, mystery, and psychic suspense seamlessly, and I’m obsessed.”

“…what truly resonated with me was Petra’s emotional journey. Her anxiety about being discovered, her cautious approach to forming friendships, and her affection for her pets (the cats! the ferrets! my heart!) made her character incredibly relatable. I found myself laughing, gasping, and perhaps shedding a tear or two.”

“Kris Bock has crafted a story that’s equal parts murder mystery, psychological deep-dive, and small-town gothic horror (in the best way).”

Bio: Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her husband and playing with their ferrets.

In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. 

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. 

In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery and discovers winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get short stories from the Reluctantly Psychic and Accidental Detective series plus other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

See all Kris's books on her Website
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US page or Amazon UK page