Hi, my name is Patricia Reede, but all my friends call me Trisha. I’m a taxi driver in Savannah, Georgia, when I’m not solving mysteries for my mystery author. Both are fun jobs since I am constantly on the go and spend lots of time in and out of Savannah’s historic district.

I kinda fell into investigating crimes when one of my fares was killed. Since then, things just keep happening that require my attention. There’s also Aunt Harriett, who is newly dead and has a few earthly bound things to wrap up. So you can imagine I have my hands full. I know not everyone can see ghosts, and I don’t see too many of them. But my aunt is very special to me and I’m glad to have her around. Even though she pops in and out unexpectedly at times, I am starting to get used to her showing up.

What does my day look like? It’s always different. There are lots of tourists excited to see the historic homes and walk around the twenty-two squares that remain in place today. Some are on their way to restaurants or to see River Street where they can shop. Or I might be taking them to visit Bonaventure Cemetery, which is packed with the final resting places of the city’s most famous residents.

There are the trolley cars powered by bicycling folks on the pub hop to maneuver around and the horse-drawn carriages. At night, there’s also the ghost tour groups that walk among the fog/haze of early evening dodging the hanging Spanish moss from the live oak trees. The changing atmosphere from day to night is one of my favorite things about where I live.

Mostly, I love being out and about and not working inside all day. I’ve tried that, but directing people to just the right restaurant or somewhere in the city that they might not have thought about is right up my alley.

I never know who will open the door and climb into my taxicab, and I meet the most interesting people that way. Most are super friendly. Some are not, and that’s where my investigating comes in. I thought I knew Savannah well, but I am finding that much of my exploration takes me to places I never knew about or spent a lot of time around like some of the squares and shops. Which is terrific since I love learning new things and figuring out mysteries.

I can’t forget to tell you about my cat, Possum. She’d never forgive me if I did. She can be quite demanding when she thinks I should be awake or feeding her. If she could talk, I think she’d tell me she can see Aunt Harriett too. I make sure she gets plenty of attention each day with her favorite food and lots of petting before I go for a run each morning – careful along the cobblestone streets.

I guess you’d say, I don’t have a typical day, which I love. I am on the road a bunch, and while I don’t go looking for mysteries, they seem to be attracted to me. And as long as Aunt Harriett is around, I am sure there’ll be more ghosts who need help as well.

The Meter’s Always Running is the first book in the NEW “Haunted City” cozy mystery series, released June 9, 2020.

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, taxi driver Trisha Reede knows all the haunts and legends of the city built on the dead. After a long day of ferrying tourists, Trisha ejects a late evening out of line fare. But when he’s found murdered, she questions her decision to let him out in such a seedy neighborhood. As the police investigation steers her way, she puts on the gas to solve the crime. As if she didn’t already have enough baggage to deal with, newly dead Aunt Harriett shows up, helpful but cryptic, more dreamlike than real, warning of an enraged spirit searching for Trisha.

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Meet the author
C.A. Rowland has always loved traveling and exploring new places, from neighborhood empty houses to foreign lands that draw her. She comes by her interest in ghosts, myths and legends and the paranormal naturally, having spent hours in cemeteries with her grandmother. Ms. Rowland writes historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy and the Haunted City mystery novel series set in Savannah, Georgia. Her short fiction can also be seen in several upcoming volumes of Fiction River, Pulphouse Magazine and other short story anthologies.

Ms. Rowland is also a member of Sisters-in-Crime and the Guppies. Ms. Rowland lives in Virginia with her boyfriend, and her rescue cat, Kayla, who has also served as inspiration for a number of short stories.

You can keep up with Ms. Rowland’s upcoming fiction and travel adventures at carowland.com, or on Facebook, or on her Amazon page.

All comments are welcomed.