#Mystery #Giveaway! Check out new authors w/free stories when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time). #BookGiveaway #murdermystery

Mystery Giveaway! Check out new authors through free stories - each novel, novella, short story or prequel is free when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time). Options include:

• The Accidental Detective tracks down a missing monkey in a nursing home.
• A secret club murders for fun. Gianna knows she's been nominated but not who did it.
• Students at a police academy are dying, so a struggling recruit investigates the murders.
• A woman visits her grandmother in an historic Nevada mining town and find the dead body (with a tuxedo cat and adorable pup as her sidekicks).
• A Chicago detective goes undercover in Alabama, joining forces with a group of retirees who are amateur sleuths.
• A spy team of women must protect their king from a new threat.
• A trio of detectives work to solve a murder spree based on the Fibonacci series
• And many more!

See them all here and grab any you like!

The Case of the Missing Monkey and other short mystery stories

An Accidental Detective short story plus bonus material

Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for my newsletter. This collection includes a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series, information about the series, and the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children. 

#WinterRead - a Treasure Hunting Legend Inspires #Romance & #Suspense #BookBuzz #AmReading

I love the Southwest, and I love the romance and mystery behind tales of buried treasure. When researching lost treasures of the American Southwest, I came across the story of the Victorio Peak treasure, which has it all – a heretic Spanish priest, bandits, an Apache raider, and of course lots of gold. Desert Gold was inspired by this tale.

Treasure Hunting Law

Many people are fascinated by tales of lost treasures. Some people even devote their lives to tracking down one or more historical mysteries, while others dabble in treasure hunting as a hobby. But who actually owns the treasure if someone does find it?

The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that on public land (BLM lands, national parks, etc.), archaeological finds belong to the government. Qualified archaeologists can put in permits for excavation, and the finds can go to universities or museums, but the objects still belong to the government. On private land, a treasure would typically belong to the finder, if they are excavating with the land owner’s permission. However, state rules vary. Also, “treasure trove,” paper money or objects of gold or silver, must have been lost for at least a few decades, so it is unlikely that the original owner would come to reclaim it.

Of course, not everyone follows the law. I did some volunteer training with the BLM for people interested in monitoring archaeological sites. We were warned to never approach strangers digging in the desert, as they might be illegal treasure hunters and might be violent. Life can be just as exciting as fiction!

Inspired by Legend

In writing fiction, I took liberties with the Victorio Peak Treasure, which is still considered an unsolved mystery. According to the stories, the most likely location for the treasure is now within the restricted area of the White Sands Missile Range. I moved the treasure to public land, so my characters could actually find it. Not that the adventure is easy!

In Desert Gold, quiet history professor Erin uncovers a clue to a lost treasure cave, but minutes after her discovery, a hit and run driver leaves her for dead. Is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?

Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight. She and her best friend Camie head into the New Mexico wilderness to track the treasure. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to even wilder weather. The pair races to find the treasure as sinister men hunt them. Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?

“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”

Excerpt:

Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.

She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.

The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?

Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?

Kris Bock lives in New Mexico, where she enjoys hiking, watching the sunset from her patio, and hanging out with her husband and their ferrets. Her home office looks out on nature, complete with distracting wildlife such as roadrunners and foxes.

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Get An Accidental Detective short story and bonus material free when you sign up for Kris Bock's newsletter. #mystery #bookbuzz #amreading

The Case of the Missing Monkey and other short mystery stories

An Accidental Detective short story plus bonus material

Get a free short story and bonus material when you sign up for Kris Bock's newsletter.

This free collection starts with a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series, followed by information about the first books in the series, Something Shady at Sunshine Haven and Something Deadly on Desert Drive, plus the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children. 

The Accidental Detective series: War correspondent Kate Tessler has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Book 1: Something Shady at Sunshine Haven - out April 7

Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she's starting to feel her age (49), even though she's living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still think of her as Kitty.

Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer's unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed "Angel of Mercy" killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won't fit.

If Kate can't uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer's list.

Praise for Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

“I just LOVE your protagonist and the cast of characters that you built.” – Sinclair Jayne, author

“A really fun read and the perfect set up for a great series.” – Lisa Honeycutt, author/illustrator

“Book one was a good read, and I’m looking forward to a series with Kate Tessler.” – Teresa Fannin, writer

“So much fun! Her wry notes always make me laugh. The mystery seems so impossible to solve. You have so many details and such a limited ability for the heroine to get answers, which makes the story even more engaging. I love her dry sense of humor.” –  Emma J. Wallace, author

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. She has lived in ten states and one foreign country but is now firmly planted in the Southwest, where many of her books are set. Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Kris writes for children under the names Chris Eboch and M. M. Eboch. She has published over 100 books for young people, including ghostwriting for two children's mystery series.

Kris Bock

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Whispers in the Dark is action-packed #RomanticSuspense, now only #99cents or free in #KindleUnlimited! #Romance #Suspense #romsuspense #RomanticSuspense

“Whispers in the Dark has a hefty dose of adventure and mystery, as well as a strong main character. There were plenty of plot twists, and the ending was not at all what I anticipated! I highly recommend this author!”

Whispers in the Dark is action-packed romantic suspense, now only 99 cents or free in Kindle Unlimited! Visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)

"The glimpses of life in the southwest and the ruins of the Ancient Ones were fascinating. The main character’s emotional journey is well-drawn and satisfying. A quick read that should please plenty of readers!"

Young archeologist Kylie Hafford heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Her first exploration of the crumbling ruins ends in a confrontation with a gorgeous, angry man who looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past. If only Danesh weren’t so aggravating… and fascinating. Then she literally stumbles across Sean, a charming, playful tourist. His attentions feel safer, until she glimpses secrets he’d rather keep hidden.

The summer heats up as two sexy men pursue her. She finds mysteries – and surprising friendships – among the other campground residents. Could the wide-eyed woman and her silent children be in the kind of danger all too familiar to Kylie?

Mysterious lights, murmuring voices, and equipment gone missing plague her dig. A midnight encounter sends Kylie plummeting into a deep canyon. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive. Everything becomes clear – if she wants to save the man she’s come to love and see the villains brought to justice, she must face her demons and fight.

Whispers in the Dark, romantic suspense set in the Four Corners region of the Southwest, will appeal to fans of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, Nora Roberts, and Terry Odell. This title stands alone and is not part of a series.

“The southwest setting and attention to authentic details will make the reader feel like he/she knows the place once the book is finished. This story has a few twists and turns that catch you off-guard and provide a satisfying finish.”

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance, many involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes.  Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.) Get a free 25-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter.