Emma Love never thought she’d return to her hometown after years away from her estranged family.
Welcome to one of the Decemebr 4th stops on the blog tour for The Mystery at Love’s Manor by D.W. Thompson with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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Author Guest Post
Why is your book a “must read”?
As a reader, I consider a book worth reading if it draws me in and connects with me on some level. It should expose me to something new and move me emotionally. The most important of the many ways to achieve this is by having well-developed characters the reader can relate to. Emma Stone is such a character. Her foibles, insecurities, empathy, and what I call her “fire when required” tenacity earn her a place in the reader’s heart. She is a strong, intelligent female lead who can be vulnerable yet fierce when her loved ones are involved.
The interplay between Emma and her old friend (and one-time love interest) Sam Mattingley embodies a near-universal human experience that most readers can relate to. How do you go from lovers to friends? How do you (and should you) try to go back? When do you know it’s too late? Can a past betrayal ever be forgiven?
A great read should touch on issues that are pertinent to many readers. The relationship between Emma and her brother highlights the struggles familiar to many families and how misunderstandings in any relationship fester with time and inattention. How can such a wound be healed? Or can it?
The setting is a vital part of any good read. In “The Mystery at Love’s Manor,” we find ourselves in the rural environs of Southern Maryland, among the Old Order Mennonites and family names that harken back for generations to colonial days. It is a land of mystery. History lives here. There is little wonder that a bit of paranormal spice might creep in. Is it real? Emma’s imagination, or…? Wait until you meet Mays, then decide.
Minor characters can play significant roles, and they must be three-dimensional. Maya and Nana add some subplot intrigue and mystery. Nurse Jackie is one of a kind, and Johnnie Walker is a work in progress, but young Josh “Crab” Grimes is my favorite. There are plenty of twists and turns, some red herrings, wild goose chases, and the possible beginning of a long-denied romance between the pages.
In conclusion, when you pick up your copy of “The Mystery at Love’s Manor,” you’ll see why it’s the must-read mystery of the year.
About the Book
The Mystery at Love’s Manor
An Emma Love Mystery
by D.W. Thompson
Published 4 December 2024
Wild Rose Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Page Count: 292
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
Emma Love never thought she’d return to her hometown after years away from her estranged family. But when her sister-in-law is kidnapped, Emma puts her life on hold to help an old flame, Deputy Sam Mattingley, solve the case and bring Gwen home. With a degree in Criminal Justice and part-time experience working at a detective agency, Emma’s skills are tested. As the layers of secrecy are peeled back, Emma realizes the mystery shrouding Love’s Manor and her brother’s marriage is more intricate than anyone could have fathomed. Can she navigate the convoluted trail of clues and locate Gwen before it’s too late? And what of her long-suppressed feelings for Sam Mattingley…are they merely a product of nostalgia…or something more?
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Excerpt
“Nana, you are home. This is your room. See? There’s the window you love looking out of.”
“I do love my window, and they don’t like me seeing everything that I see, but it’s still not my room. It just looks like my room. Somebody’s trying to trick me, Sarah. There are all these people outside day and night. This isn’t my home.”
“We did have a lot of company today, Nana.”
“At least I don’t hear all the voices at night like I used to. Maybe the ghosts are too old to be wandering about.”
“I didn’t know you believed in ghosts, Nana.”
“Well, I talk to my husband Frank all the time, don’t I? And there’s an old woman too, old as me. Sometimes I hear Maya scrambling around. Do you remember her, Sarah?”
“I sure do. I talk to her sometimes in my dreams.”
Nana turned in her chair and clutched my arm until it hurt. She stared at me with a disturbing intensity.
“You saw something, didn’t you…that day?”
“When Nana?”
“When what? Did I tell you about the potatoes? We had a good crop this year. We won’t go hungry this winter.”
Maria came in with coffee for Nana then, and I said my goodbyes.
About the Author
D.W. Thompson is the mystery genre pen name for award-winning author David W. Thompson. As a multi-genre author, he’s been awarded membership in the Horror Writer’s Association, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. David lives in picturesque Southern Maryland with nearby family and dear old friends.
When he isn’t writing, Dave enjoys time with his family, kayaking (flat water, please), fishing, hiking, archery, gardening, winemaking, and pursuing his other “creative passion”- woodcarving.
He’d love to hear your thoughts on his tales that he describes as occasionally twisted, but always honest and original!
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Giveaway Alert!
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
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Thank you for featuring THE MYSTERY AT LOVE’S MANOR today.
Thank you for featuring The Mystery at Love’s Manor. It was an enjoyable book to write, and I really got into the characters. I’ll check in often. Keep those comments coming!
This looks like a great read.