It’s true. I don’t have as much common sense as Dru does. And my gene for caution is a recessive one. But I still think some of you readers might have done the same thing I did.
It was late Friday night, the end of an extra-long day at the office. I needed something to do to unwind. Anything. Well, almost anything. It’s not easy being a newly minted lawyer working in a Hollywood movie studio, you know. So I thought I’d take some time to brush up on skills I hadn’t utilized in a while. Skills I’d picked up from my private investigator father. Months had gone by since I did anything remotely resembling PI work. . .until now. I didn’t want to get rusty. So I paid a visit to a neighborhood I knew pretty well.
It was the perfect place to practice. Dark, foggy, and not a streetlamp in sight. Only five homes on the quiet cul de sac. I went into stealth mode and tiptoed to the side of the house I was targeting. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to disappear into the night. I’d dash in and out, and no one would be the wiser. The occupant took her beauty sleep seriously. How did I know? Let’s just say, she played a large part in making me who I am today.
I climbed up to a side balcony and started to work the sliding glass door. It had never locked quite right since I’d graduated high school a decade ago. I’d nearly opened it when I realized I wasn’t alone. Footsteps padded nearby. I crouched down low and held my breath. The footsteps grew louder. Closer. What were the odds a burglar would strike tonight of all nights?
The footsteps stopped. All was quiet again. I waited, and just as I started to rise, I heard whispering. I froze and turned toward the voice. A man held up a smart phone in one hand. Was he calling a cohort? The light from the phone made his profile glow. I knew that profile. It was my best friend, Michael.
It turned out his workday had been worse than mine. He’d gone from being associate dean at the private college where he worked, to junior faculty advisor that very afternoon. The bully of a college president had taken pleasure in personally demoting Michael. Without explanation. Michael had been trying to reach me all night, but I’d left my phone on mute since this morning. He’d searched everywhere and eventually found me in my old stomping grounds.
I never did get to unwind because Michael dropped another bombshell on me. He’d stormed off after the demotion and written a letter of resignation, pouring out all his feelings. Then he went back to the president’s office to deliver it. But he couldn’t. The president was dead. And not from natural causes.
No, Dru. Michael didn’t call the police. Neither did I. Because there’s more. His resignation letter didn’t just say he quit. I can’t tell you anything else, Dru, because I don’t want you to become an accessory to murder. Who would run this award-winning blog if you landed in jail? I’ll just say, Michael and I had to hightail it to the President’s office to retrieve the letter, or my innocent best friend would become the prime suspect. Wouldn’t you have done the same thing?
You can read more about Corrie in Murder Gone Missing, the second book in the “Southern California” mystery series. The first book in the series is Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters.
Newly minted lawyer Corrie Locke has taken a vow of abstinence. From PI work, that is. Until her best friend Michael finds his bully of a boss stabbed in the back after confronting him earlier that day. Michael panics, accidentally tampering with the crime scene…which could lead the cops to Michael instead of the real culprit. He turns to Corrie to track down the killer. She doesn’t need much coaxing. Her late great PI dad taught her the ropes…and left her his cache of illegal weaponry.
The return to the scene of the crime, but the body’s missing. Racing against time, Corrie dredges a prestigious Los Angeles college in pursuit of clues. All she finds are false leads. Armed with attitude and romantic feelings toward Michael, Corrie dives into a school of suspects to find the slippery fugitive. Will she clear Michael’s name before he’s arrested for murder?
Purchase Link
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Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Murder Gone Missing. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends April 30, 2018. Good luck everyone!
About the author
Lida Sideris is an author, lawyer and all around book enthusiast. She writes soft-boiled mysteries and was one of two national winners of the Helen McCloy Mystery Writers of America scholarship award for her first novel, Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters. Murder Gone Missing is #2 in the Corrie Locke series. Like her heroine, Lida worked as an entertainment attorney in a movie studio. Unlike her heroine, she keeps her distance from homicides, alien encounters, and legal. . .or illegal. . .weaponry. To learn more about Lida, please visit her website at LidaSideris.com.
All comments are welcomed.
This is a new author to me and I would love to win and read this book!
Hello Linda,
Thanks so much for stopping by! Good luck to you!
I’d love to win a copy of this book. Thank you.
Hi Cheryl,
I appreciate the visit! Good luck!
Sounds like an interesting cozy! Thanks!
Hi Donna,
Thank you! I had a lot of fun writing it!
Sounds like an interesting series. Thank you for introducing me to this author & her books.
Hello Doward,
Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment! Really appreciated!
Sounds like another fun series. Thanks.
Thank you, Gram! I had fun writing it. Hope readers have fun reading my books!
Sounds like a very exciting and new series to me. I’m always interested in reading books by different authors. Winning this book would give me that chance. Thanks for this opportunity.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and for your very nice remarks!
I haven’t heard of this series before
Hi Sandy,
This series takes place in and around So California and follows the misadventures of Corrie and her mostly reliable friends! 🙂
That is a tough spot Michael has found himself in. Good thing his best friend sounds able to help. Sounds like a fun read!
Thank you GB! You’re right. It’s going to be rough going for Michael. Corrie’s going to be very busy!
Thanks for this intriguing and unique mystery. I would enjoy this book greatly.
Hi Anne! Thank you for stopping by! I had fun writing. Hope readers have fun too!
Have to admit this is a different plot twist – has me wanting to check it out.
Hi Susan, thank you for the visit!! I had fun with the twists and turns!
I am always looking for new authors to read. This series sounds really good.
I have added it to my TBR list.
Thank you so very much, Joye!😊
I enjoyed the first book in this series. I’m so glad to hear a second book has been released. I’m looking forward to reading about Corrie’s latest adventure. Thanks for the opportunity to win a print copy of Murder Gone Missing!
Linda, thank you, thank you! You made my day!
Darn those rude bodies who can’t stay put!
I am intrigued.
Exactly, Libby. What’s with disappearing bodies? Thanks for stopping by!
This is a new author to me. I really enjoyed the description of the book, it sounds like a great read. Adding to my TBR list.
Thank you so much, Dianne! I’m so glad you liked the description! 🙂
I am not sure how I missed this series, but as soon as I send this off, I am going to remedy that situation and read the first book! I would love to win the second book! Either way it goes, I will be reading and following what is sure to be a fun series! Thank you for the great introduction and the chance to win a copy!
Hi Barbara, Thank you, thank you! I truly hope you enjoy reading – I really appreciated your stopping by and commenting!
Lida I just wanted you+to know I am half-way through Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters, and LOVING it! Can’t wait to hear what really happened with Druby’s “suicide” as well as Veera (& Billy?), Michael, and of course Corrie when Mom comes home and finds the closet has been raided! Thanks for a fun book and another one to look forward to reading!
Oh Barbara! You are so wonderful to take the time to tell me. I’m SO happy to know you are enjoying! Thank you 😊 very much!
Lawyer/PI — surely sounds intriguing! Please!
Hi Amy! Thanks very much for the visit!
I enjoyed the description of Lida Sideris’s writing, soft-boiled mysteries. It describes a cozy to a tee. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway of her book. My fingers are crossed.
Thank you, Robin, for taking the time to visit and comment! Good luck!
New author and new series to me. Interested. Thanks for the chance to win. Love your blogs too
Thanks, Kay! Good luck to you!
I need to know what happened to the body!
Hi Mary, I’m so glad you’re intrigued. Thanks for stopping by!
This is a new author for me. It does sound interesting
I’d love to read it.
Hi Polly, I appreciate your taking the time to visit and comment! 🙂
This rea
Lily sounds like a good book! Thanks for the chance to win!
Hi Renee, That’s so nice – thank you very much!
I want to read Michael’s letter. I can guess what he wrote.
Hi Jana, I wonder if you’re guess is right? 🙂 Thank you for the visit!
new to me author & series…
thank you for the giveaway…
Thank you for the visit!!
The first one was great, Lida! I’m looking forward to this one too!
How very nice of you to stop by Tina! Thank you for your kind words!
I loved the first book and am looking forward to the second–nothing like murder and mayhem in Southern California.
I am so glad you enjoyed Rochelle! Thank you very much!!!
oh wow! A new to me author and series. Sounds right up my alley. Great review Dru!
Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment, Johnna!😊
**** WINNER ****
Murder Gone Missing is Linda MH
Congratulations!