I wonder if I should put my shoes on? Do you think that would stop a murderer?

Let me explain, no wait! You’ll never believe how good things are going for TJ and me. I’m Cory Leigh Jones and he’s Trevor Lee Jones and this is our first-year anniversary. He’s just the love of my life and he fully supports my amateur sleuthing. Well, not fully supporting, but certainly helpful.

And I sure hope he investigates my murder if Maggie finds me and murders me today. Or any day for that matter. But really, I should be pretty easy to find because I’m in the same hospital as her mother-in-law. It was a surprise to me that Maggie saved Ethel. Honestly, I thought she’d knock Ethel off sooner rather than later, but glory be, it was John-Daniel, her husband of one day that was murdered!

Money? Oh yes, there’s plenty of money to inherit. All Maggie has to do is frame me. And she’s done a great job so far. Her bat-crap crazy mother-in-law freaked out and tried to ruin our camping trip so of course her image was burned in my mind. My niece makes these fantastic miniature dioramas complete with teensy-weensy people and I made a clay figurine of crazy Ethel. There was a very good reason I stuck pins in it, but the police were sure it was evidence of a hatred for Ethel and that’s why I killed her son. I didn’t you know.

So I got arrested this morning. And then naturally, the sergeant roofied me.

I’m serious. She stuck the drug in the grape juice, and I was down like a clothesline and woke up in this hospital with a police escort. Who is not here at the present, by the way. But I’ll tell you what I did find on my bedside table! A goofy little book with the most heartwarming happy first anniversary note inside from my dear Trevor.

But where is he? I just don’t know why he would drop off this gift and not stay here with me. Mind you Trevor was thrown in the cop car with me this morning for resisting arrest so maybe he’s talking to a lawyer? That was after I got to see my eldest daughter and her boyfriend. And we just got on like a house on fire. It’s so wonderful to be reconciled with both my daughters, even this at this age. And I felt Mandy’s baby bump. My grandbaby!

Then you know, the cops descended on us, and everything went to pot. They took us to the police station and the sergeant acted weird after Maggie left the station and suggested I should go undercover. At least, I think she did. Things got a bit fuzzy after that.

My thoughts are just all over the place. So I’m getting up…yikes, slowly at that and I’m going to put my shoes on. That way if my police escort doesn’t come back I can kick Maggie when she attacks me.

And I know she’s going to. She conned me big time into thinking she was a friend when she was really looking for a patsy.

Okay. I’m out of bed. Not dizzy, walking fine. At the cupboard. Yes! I can see some of my stuff. Shoes on the bottom and we’re reaching…and we’re suddenly standing up straight again and holding the side of the cupboard.

Where is that police constable and what is that smell? It’s vanilla and cherry. A very pleasant smell reminds me of something. No, that’s wrong. It reminds me of someone. Maggie Christopher. That’s who.

She’s right behind me isn’t she?

Giveaway: Free download. Here’s the link to a reader magnet called Atrocities in the Azaleas. Enjoy!


For All in TENTS & Curses, A Death in Miniature Mystery #3
Genre: Cozy
Release: January 2023
Format: Digital
Purchase Link

She’s dying for a crime to solve. Can this amateur sleuth put down her magnifying glass and enjoy her much delayed honeymoon?

Cory Jones brims with newfound confidence. After proving she has the skill to ferret out clues the cops miss, she’s ready to dive into another investigation. But after her husband surprises her with a camping trip, the last thing she expects is a fellow adventurer to drop dead.

When she trusts the wrong person with her secrets, Cory begins playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the killer. To save her family, she agrees to be framed for murder.

Will Cory rot in jail while the killer is free to strike again?

For All in TENTS & Curses is the third book in the intriguing ‘A death in Miniature’ Cozy Mystery series. If you like fast-moving suspense, twisty who-done-its and family secrets revealed, then you’ll love Shelley Dawn Siddall’s clever clue filled cozy.


Meet the author
Shelley is fulfilling her dream of writing cozy mysteries. She’s a big fan of Parker Pyne; one of Agatha Christie’s characters, as well as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. This love of most things Christie has been woven into the fabric of Shelley’s cozies.

When she’s not writing, Shelley’s hobbies reflect her belief that variety is the spice of life. She tends her little plot of vegetables and her large gardens of unruly but beautiful flowers. Full confession: she loves the yellow flowers of her one, safely contained, spurge plant. For those that don’t know the plant, it’s also called Euphorbium but mostly called a weed by all her neighbors. Oops.

She also creates gorgeous paintings of cats, dogs, and the beauty around her. She especially loves painting the lake that is a short walk from her snug and comfortable home. And she uses not just acrylic paint, but shiny nail polish. That’s right. Shelley loves sparkles. She mostly applies the nail polish with her easel set up outside because, you know, nail polish might make her higher than a kite if done indoors. And that would make for some interesting writing.

She married later in life to the love of her life who is crazy about her potato-cheese soup. He also appreciates her using the nail polish outside.

Shelley truly believes that home is not the place, but home is the people you love in your life.

All comments are welcomed.