I reined the appaloosa in ending our exhilarating gallop on the beach. The Pacific Ocean sprayed us with salt water as I turned toward a path among the towering redwood trees of northern California. I stopped to let Nezi get a drink from a creek and stroked his neck, admiring the black spots on a white background.

I put him away in his stall at Redwood Cove Stable and thanked Diane Wilcox, Nezi’s owner, for the opportunity to ride him. She introduced me to Tom Brodsky who was involved in organizing the Russian Heritage Festival to be held this coming weekend. He told me about some of the events taking place including an exhibition ride by a group of Cossacks, legendary horseback riders.

I headed for Fort Peter to meet with Rudy and Ivan Dublinsky, two Russian brothers I had met on my arrival at Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, the inn I’d been hired to manage. Ivan’s loud words, “It’s murder and you know it,” had me rushing to find the source of the comment before guests were disturbed. I entered the conference room and met the Silver Sentinels, a crime-solving group of seniors, along with Deputy Sheriff Stanton.

That was a while back and now I was on my way to see Ivan and Rudy’s beloved fishing boat, Nadia. I decided to stop on the way and look at a mansion my boss, Michael Corrigan and owner of Resorts International, had recently purchased. He had a passion for restoring historic properties and this one was his current project. The elegant lines of the building showed through the peeling paint and sagging front porch. I looked forward to returning and seeing the once grand structure when the work was completed.

When I arrived at the marina, I stopped at a bait shop to get clarification on my directions. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe who spoke with a lisp due to a missing front tooth. His smile and the congeniality in his voice spoke of a friendly, personable man. Little did I know our paths would cross a lot in the next few days, and he’d dub me a police magnet.

Unaware of what was ahead, I went to the boat and called out the brothers’ names. I was early for our appointment, but I thought they might have already arrived. Hearing no answer, I decided to knock on the cabin door. I got no response, but I could clearly see into the area below. A glittering object on a table caught my eye.

I peered in and saw the sparkling hilt of a dagger.

The curved blade was covered in a dull, rust-colored material.

The color of dried blood.

I wondered what events this weapon might trigger.

You can read more about Kelly in Murder at the Marina, the fifth book in the “Kelly Jackson” cozy mystery series, released April 2, 2019.

She’s got to solve this—or her friends are sunk . . .

Kelly Jackson, manager of the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, is fond of the Doblinsky brothers, Ivan and Rudy, members of the Silver Sentinels, a crew of crime-solving senior citizens in their Northern California seaside hamlet. After she discovers a jewel-encrusted dagger—with what appears to be dried blood on the blade—on their fishing boat, they share their family history with Kelly, and she learns that the knife may be part of a set from their long-ago childhood in Russia. Its sudden reappearance is eerie, but the mystery grows much more serious when a body is found on the boat. The victim was a member of the community and part of the Russian Heritage Festival, and some of the organizers were clearly harboring some bitterness. But the story behind this murder seems as layered as a nesting doll—and Kelly’s feeling completely at sea . . .

Purchase Link
# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Janet Finsilver is the USA Today best-selling author of the Kelly Jackson mystery series. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet majored in English and earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She loves animals and has two dogs—Kylie and Ellie. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. Murder at Redwood Cove, her debut mystery, was released on October 13, 2015. This was followed by Murder at the Mansion, Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table, and Murder at the Mushroom Festival. Her fifth book, Murder at the Marina, released April 2, 2019.

To learn more about Janet, visit her website at janetfinsilver.com.

All comments are welcomed.