Take a stress-relief break with a new paranormal mystery! #books #paranormal #mystery

The Reluctant Psychic Mysteries Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, is out now! 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. 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 … 

Early 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.

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.

Meet the Reluctant Psychic in a new #mystery series launching soon! You'll love relaxing with these exciting #books set in smalltown New Mexico.

I got my start in writing for adults with romantic suspense (after writing for children for 15 years). I moved into sweet romance and mystery. Many of my books are set in the southwest. I live in New Mexico, which means that when I meet people at conferences, they say, “I love Santa Fe/Taos!” I explain that I live a couple of hours south of there in an entirely different landscape and cultural atmosphere, in a town of 8000 people with a science and engineering school. Then the next time they see me, they say, “Oh, you’re the writer from Arizona, right?” 

After publishing six books in The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series (actually set in Arizona), I’m writing a new series. In the Reluctant Psychic Mysteries, 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 smalltown New Mexico. 

The weeks before a new release can be nerve-wracking for an author. Will people like it? Will they get what you were trying to do? Fortunately, I've had some excellent reviews from readers who got an advance copy!

“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

“I’ve never read a psychic protagonist who felt this real... The murder mystery itself is brilliantly layered. Reggie Heap’s death seems straightforward—until Petra picks up that fluorite crystal and feels his murder. The way Bock slowly unravels the truth—through missing keys, a hidden laptop, and a wanted criminal lurking in the museum—had me flipping pages like a madwoman. 

“And the small-town dynamics? Perfection. Everyone knows everyone, secrets simmer beneath polite smiles, and Petra’s outsider status makes every interaction deliciously tense. Kris Bock, you’ve created something special here. The prose is sharp, the mystery is addictive, and Petra’s journey is one I won’t forget. If you love atmospheric thrillers with a deeply human core, you need this book.” – Lauren M. on GoodReads

“Kris Bock has crafted a story that’s equal parts murder mystery, psychological deep-dive, and small-town gothic horror (in the best way). And the murder plot? So clever. Reggie’s death is ruled an accident, but Petra’s ability tells her otherwise. The way she pieces together clues—through objects, through hesitant conversations with coworkers, through that creepy hidden laptop—is masterful. And the fact that the killer might still be in the museum? I was looking over my shoulder while reading.” – Lesa R. on GoodReads

The Reluctant Psychic Mysteries Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, comes out April 28 and is up for preorder now. 

She hates her gift – but it just might save her…

Geologist Petra Cloch can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it. It’s a miserable way to live. She studied rocks because they rarely ‘talk’ to her and she’s dodged friendships so she won’t need to explain her gift or feel like a voyeur. But when she takes a job as the rock and mineral curator at an unusual western history museum and picks up a jagged crystal in her new office, flashes of rage, fear and death hit hard.

Everyone says her predecessor died in a car crash, but what if he was murdered? Under normal circumstances, Petra would never become involved, but what if the previous curator died because of something he did on the job? She could be next. Petra knows she’ll need evidence, not her psychic sense she hides. Can she trust her chatty colleagues who invite her to lunch and to join a book club? And what about the far too watchful Sheriff who keeps showing up unexpectedly…

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

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. Sign up for the romantic comedy newsletter to get a short story preview, or find the books at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

New Mexico small towns filled with eccentric characters (in fiction and in real life) and a new paranormal mystery #books #mystery

After publishing six books in The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, I’m writing a new series. In the Reluctant Psychic Mysteries, 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. Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, comes out April 28.

Reviews are coming in, and several mention the setting:

“The depiction of the small-town environment is so vivid that I could almost sense the dust in the museum and feel the heat of the desert. The mystery itself is exceptionally well-crafted.”

“The murder mystery is fantastic. The idea that a museum curator was killed with a rock (how chillingly ironic) and that Petra is the only one who knows? Genius. And the small-town setting? So atmospheric. The Banditt Museum feels like a character itself, full of hidden corners and whispered history.”

The museum, town, and characters in the novels are fictional, but New Mexico has plenty of similar small towns – ones filled with eccentric characters.

In some parts of the West, the Old West is alive and well – at least for a day or two each year. Magdalena is a small town in central NM. Magdalena was known as Trails End, because cowboys used to drive thousands of cattle and sheep there to meet the railroad spur that would take the livestock onward.

Today Magdalena features small shops with artists and plenty of historic buildings. It sponsors the Old Timers' Festival, which typically includes a mini-cattle drive, a rodeo, western dance and song, a fiddlers contest, and sometimes a mock battle between lawmen and gunslingers.  

 
Kelly, a few minutes away, was once home to around 3,000 people. Now all that's left is a small church, still in use, and ruins of the old Kelly mine.

 
One reason I like setting novels in the southwest is that it gives me a chance to get out hiking and exploring!

The Reluctant Psychic Mysteries: 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. 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 …

Learn more The Reluctant Psychic Mystery series or preorder Book 1, A Stone Cold Murder, for delivery April 28. Available in ebook and print at all major retailers.

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. Sign up for the romantic comedy newsletter to get a short story preview, or find the books at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.