High school reunions can be murder.
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, to have one murder as a result of your reunion may be regarded as a misfortune; to have two looks like carelessness. I wonder what Mr. Wilde would have said about three? Or four?
Speaking of numbers, I had a hundred reasons to avoid my high school reunion, but oddly enough, homicide – and multiple homicides at that– was not anywhere on that list. However, a plethora of murders was the end result of that fateful evening, which was otherwise (for such a hyped event), uneventful.
I’ll be honest. I went into the reunion with all the common trepidations. As the youthful bartender pointed out to me, by the fifteenth reunion, the women have finally learned how to apply make-up but still don’t know how to walk in heels. And the men have mostly just put on weight and started to lose their hair.
The key piece of advice the bartender gave me was to forget that I went to school with any of these people. Our histories give them too much power. “Pretend that you just met them on the street,” she said. “Reset the counter to zero.”
Good advice if you can take it, but it turns out my high school crush is still a knockout who consistently reduces me to a gibbering idiot. And my high school buddy who is now a TV star? People flocked to him, trampling over me like I was the red carpet, as they pushed past each other in order to shake his hand and kiss his … well, you get the idea.
As cool as he was and is, my buddy confided in me that he’s sure he’ll be dead by the time they finish shooting the movie he’s working on in town … and he asked me to help keep him alive until he boards a plane back to sunny Los Angeles. And as soon as I started to calm down around my old high school crush, her husband went and got himself killed. Was it a mugging? Or a murder staged to look like a mugging? Being the lovesick puppy I am, I began to look into the matter and before I knew it, multiple bodies started to pile up.
All because I filled out a form and sent in $35 bucks to hobnob with people who didn’t have the time of day for me when I was a teenager. And to add insult to injury, I became a suspect in multiple murders and nearly ended up as a victim myself.
This much I know for certain: When my 20th reunion rolls around, I’m going to give it a pass.
You can read more about Eli in The Bullet Catch, the second book in the “Eli Marks” mystery series, published by Henery Press. The first book in the series is The Ambitious Card.
The Bullet Catch Synopsis
Newly-single magician Eli Marks reluctantly attends his high school reunion against his better judgment, only to become entangled in two deadly encounters with his former classmates. The first is the fatal mugging of an old crush’s husband, followed by the suspicious deaths of the victim’s business associates.
At the same time, Eli also comes to the aid of a classmate-turned-movie-star who fears that attempting The Bullet Catch in an upcoming movie may be his last performance. As the bodies begin to pile up, Eli comes to the realization that juggling these murderous situations — while saving his own neck — may be the greatest trick he’s ever performed.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on November 17 for the chance to win a copy of THE BULLET CATCH. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
About the author
In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He’s also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films. His blog, “Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts” has been named “One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers” and “One of The 100 Best Blogs For Film and Theater Students.” He’s also written for TV and the stage. John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.
Sounds like an interesting mystery. I never had any desire to attend my high school reunion. servedogmom@yahoo.com
No reunion for me either. I enjoyed the first one. Congrats
We had a great time at our last reunion 🙂
I’ve never been to a reunion and never will go lol, this sounds like a great book
Sounds like a fun read. I never went to the reunions so i don’t know how they go.
Sounds intriguing. I just went to a reunion and it didn’t have as much excitement. Oh well, putting it on my TBR list. Thanks
This sounds good. I don’t think I will be going to my reunion next year. It just doesn’t interest me.
About ten years ago I went to my 50th and I did enjoy it . This does sound like a good read and I would love a copy.
I knew there was a reason I’ve avoided all my high school reunions!
We’ve been discussing the first in this series on my blog. So I’d better go ahead and enter for a copy of book 2!!!
(This wouldn’t let me use my wordpress normal account to leave a comment. Because that would make life too easy!)
Maria
I now consider myself lucky that I didn’t attend my class reunion. LOL!!! Great write up about this book. Would love to get the chance to read it.
The last reunion I went to was my 10th high school class reunion. I live out of state and it’s too expensive to make the trip to see people I haven’t seen for 40 years!
If this is what my recent reunion would have been like. I would have gone!
I had a class reunion a few years ago but I live in a different city now so I wasn’t tempted to attend. Saw a few photos though, that was interesting. Thanks for the chance to win Bullet Catch.
I like the sound of that bartender. Good advice.
Sounds Great!
What an interesting sounding book.
What a great name!
My 50th reunion was held too far away for someone no longer driving. Why are they held so remote from the school? The 40th was in another county but reachable. It was the first one I heard about – from a stranger (waitress) in a local restaurant! So we all have our stories. But yours I’d like to read more about.
I went to only one of my reunions and can’t say that it was fun. But this books sounds like a good read.
BIG fan of the AMBITIOUS CARD – looking forward to catching the bullet.
Always up for a new book adventure! I want it.
Now I know why I instinctively have avoided all my reunions. But I certainly don’t want to avoid this book. I’d love to win it. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Love your giv a ways thanks
I just never understood the reason for reunions. But…I enjoyed meeting Eli (and John) and would love to win a copy of The Bullet Catch. I love being introduced to new-to-me authors. Thanks for the opportunity.
High school was murder. Why relive it? No pun intended.
Looks like another outstanding novel by an up and coming author from Henery Press. I can hardly keep up with all of these wonderful books, but love trying to do just that. I would very much like to receive this book as I know both my husband and I would enjoy it.
Thank you.
Cynthia
My high school reunions never pan out. We would have a meeting and old rivals and ugly incidents come up and the old cliches start again and it never happens. Sounds like a great read.
High school reunions ARE murder!
Sounds like a great book and it makes me happy to know that my resolution to never attend a high school reunion is definitely the right one for me!
Giveaway is closed.