Do yourself a favor, never move in with your father. Especially if he’s an early bird. Because your father, if he’s anywhere near as annoying as mine, will wake you up at the crack of dawn. We’re talking every day. Drives. Me. Nuts! Dad keeps insisting we Baxters are morning people. I keep reminding him I’m forty-four and haven’t been a “morning person” since I was twelve. And once we have that daily argument out of the way, what a shocker, I’m awake.
During breakfast, Dad fills me in on Chance Dooley’s latest adventures. My father—Bobby Baxter—is a retired English teacher who’s taken up writing science fiction. The hero of Bobby’s stories is Chance Dooley, owner and operator of Dooley’s Delivery Service: The Delivery Service That Delivers Where No Delivery Service Has Ever Delivered Before. Needless to say, Chance and his trusty Spaceship Destiny get into some truly absurd situations. And given enough coffee, I can usually come up with an equally absurd solution to Chance (and my father’s) problem du jour.
Why I ever agreed to this truly absurd living arrangement with my father is a long story, but Dad and I share a big old Victorian house in Lake Elizabeth, Vermont—population 600, not including dogs, cats, and livestock. My favorite animals are our black lab Charlie, Evert Osgood’s basset hound Miss Rusty, and Oden Poquette’s goats Rose and Ruby. I’m getting to know Miss Rusty and the goats quite well this summer, since they were my only witnesses when I found, and then lost, the dead redhead. Yeah, I know—unbelievable. I was in my pajamas at the time. Yeah, I know—way unbelievable. My story’s even more unbelievable than Chance Dooley’s latest crisis.
Oh, but Dru Ann asked me to tell you about a normal day. I’m a history professor at Crabtree College, so during the school year I spend my days teaching. Crabtree’s not exactly a bastion of academic excellence, but I like it. My best friend Bambi also teaches at the college, and we usually do lunch together. Bambi and I bonded long ago because we both have trouble in the being-taken-seriously department. Me, because I’m teeny-tiny and, as everyone’s been telling me since the day I was born, “cute as a button.” Bambi’s normal-sized, but with a name like Dr. Bambi Lovely-Vixen? You get the picture.
When I’m not on campus, I’m home in Lake Bess, where my father, as mentioned, drives me nuts. But Dad’s not the only one. We have neighbors. Maxine Tibbitts, a reporter for the local newspaper, lives next door, and to say she’s a busy-body snoop is putting it mildly. Maxine thinks my every action is worth reporting in her weekly gossip column. And when I found, and then lost, the dead redhead? Let’s just say Maxine’s report was memorable.
Not to be outdone in the driving-Cassie-Baxter-nuts department is our other neighbor, Josiah Wylie. Joe’s a mad scientist who works at home with his invention, a machine he calls—don’t ask me why—the FN451z. No one but Joe has the foggiest clue as to the FN451z’s purpose. But everyone around the lake has heard the thing, since the FN beeps, burps, and chirps 24/7.
Joe, on the other hand, is annoyingly quiet. The man must have secrets, and considering he gets himself invited to dinner with Dad and me on an almost nightly basis, I intend to learn out what those secrets are. Don’t tell my father the match-maker, but Joe Wylie’s kind of sexy. A sexy mad scientist? Yeah, I know—unbelievable. But I’m here to tell you such a thing actually does exist.
Which brings us back to that dead redhead. She exists, too, and luckily I have the summer off. So, unbelievable or not, I intend to solve the mystery of the missing redhead. I may be undersized, but don’t underestimate me.
Learn more about Cassie, Joe, and the gang in Unbelievable, the first book in the new “Cassie Baxter” mystery series.
Here’s some info about Unbelievable:
Small sleuth, tiny town, unfailing fun.
Welcome to Lake Elizabeth, Vermont, where the water is blue, the mountains are green, and Cassie Baxter is going nuts. Who wouldn’t go nuts in a town this size? What possessed Cassie to move in with her father? And why do they have to live next door to a mad scientist? A sexy mad scientist. Does such a thing even exist? And speaking of existing, what happened to the dead redhead? You know, the one Cassie found, and then lost? What’s up with that? Cassie Baxter intends to find out. Read Unbelievable and you will, too.
The Cassie Baxter Mysteries: They’re not Cue Balls, but they are screw balls.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on December 26 for the chance to win a Kindle copy of UNBELIEVABLE. The giveaway is open to everyone.
Meet the Author
Cindy Blackburn spends her days sitting around in her pajamas thinking up unlikely plot twists and ironing out the quirks and kinks of lovable characters. When she’s not typing on her laptop or feeding her fat cat Betty, Cindy enjoys taking long walks with her cute hubby John. A native Vermonter who hates snow, Cindy divides her time between the south and the north. Most of the year you’ll find her in South Carolina. But come summer she’ll be on the porch of her lakeside shack in Vermont. Yep, it’s a place very similar to Lake Elizabeth. Cindy’s favorite travel destinations are all in Europe, her favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory, her favorite movie is Moonstruck, and her favorite color is orange. Cindy dislikes vacuuming, traffic, and lima beans.
Learn more about Cindy and her books at www.cbmysteries.com. Cindy can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Any chance this will be on Kobo or Smashwords?
I enjoyed the cue balls, so I look forward to reading this book by her too.
What a hoot! I love what I have read so far, and can’t wait to see what happens next. Thanks for chance to win
This article started the same way my days start, with my Mom thinking you have to get up at the crack of dawn, just like Cassie’s dad. I look forward to reading your book. Thank you
Sounds quirky! Quirky is good!
Thanks, Stephanie
Love this!!
This sounds good! i love the beginning of a new series!! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
I love the start of this series. Cassie sounds like a very interesting and funny gal to read about. I would love a copy.
This cozy sounds so enticing, and I love Vermont! I’d be thrilled if I won a copy.
thank you for the chance to win it 🙂
I’ve read this book and it is a fun read.
when my husband was alive – he was the early bird and I was the late sleeper. He was considerate and would wait for me to get up when I was ready. Sounds like it will be a good read. Merry Christmas.
Sounds like my family! Can’t wait to read it.
Always wanted to know what it was like to teach in a small college!
Sounds like a really good read. I want!
This sounds like a delightful read. I look forward to it.
Wow! I just talked to Cassie (she’s been up for hours, of course) and we’re both thrilled to see so much interest in Unbelievable! Only 1 of you can win, bu tfor those of you who haven’t read the Cue Ball Mysteries, i am putting Three Odd Balls (the 3rd in the series and the Christmas-themed one) for sale at 99 cents for the next couple of days. 12/19 and 12/20. It’s on Amazon. Happy holidays, everyone. Don’t you just love Dru Ann Love?.
Sounds cool! I love small town cozies.
This story is a riot. Cindy Blackburn is a new author to me, but I looked forward to reading her books in the New Year! Thank you, Dru, for another great giveaway!
Sounds like I may get a chuckle out of this one, I love a book that can make me laugh…even if it does have murder. Thanks for the chance to iwn.
Looks like a good read
Cant wait to read
I was smiling all the time I read this—-I think that means I’d really like to read the book. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Thanks for the chance to win.
I’m not a morning person either. This sounds like a good read to me.
Goodness. this sounds like such delightful book and series. I sure hope I win a copy of this new book.
Loved this book. I highly recommend ALL of Cindy Blackburn’s books. Looking forward to the next one.
This sounds great and must give kudos for the cover art!
Would love a copy. Thanks for the chance.
I enjoyed the cue ball mystery series. This sounds like another series I should read. I love small town series.
I would love to win a new book
I would like to give this story a try!!
Thank you for the giveaway!!!
Love all copies.
Would love to read this….thanks for the giveaway!!
Thanks for a chance.
This sounds great. Thank you for the giveaway
Hubby’s grandmother came from Vermont many, many years ago and hubby has always wanted to visit the state. Would love to think she came from somewhere with such screwballs characters — I’d love to visit Lake Elizabeth even if only through reading!!
contest is closed.