My name is Lou Shoemaker. To keep tuna in their bowls and the roof over the heads of my two cats, Sherlock and Watson, I had to learn to drive my deceased husband’s refuse disposal truck, the Pooper Scooper, when he was killed by a hit and run driver. This has led me into a number of back yards, sometimes exposing surprising situations my clients most likely would prefer to keep secret.

Over time, I’ve become engaged to Deputy Nate Darling. He and Sheriff Peabody work diligently to curb the small town crime in our rural community. But, no one expected that our small town crime could escalate to murder, stolen drugs and worse.

One of our local citizens, Joe Walling, won the lottery last week, but his brother, Cyrus, claimed he really owned the winning ticket. What a shock a few days later, when I found Cyrus’s mutilated body in the woods, half-eaten by wild animals! Was it murder or an accident with dreadful results? Not three days later, stolen drugs from the local VA hospital were found in the dead man’s closet! Murder became a more likely conclusion and Joe became a person of interest.

It came as no surprise that such shenanigans prompted sightings of a woman in the woods with a mountain lion. Local folklore claims she is the legendary Native American Spirit Woman and her companion, come to set things right whenever extreme trouble affects our community.

I guess, truthfully, Nate and I have seen the mountain lion and wisps of something that might be the Spirit Woman’s green dress. Whether she is real or imaginary is left to everyone’s personal opinion. In truth, their presence has always resulted in a more positive outcome to whatever problematic situation preceded their appearance.

The lottery win also prompted an influx of visitors, some bent on making trouble, others taking advantage of the crowds in an effort to promote their cause. One such visitor was Rosita, a homeless woman who came to sell homemade tamales, living in her derelict motorhome with her two children.

I befriended Rosita and found her a job at the local diner. Several days later, we heard malicious gossip about her and the local pastor. Despite the absurdity of the accusations, the church deacons are determined to expel the pastor if the sheriff can’t disprove the lies and find the perpetrator.

Nate gave me a beautiful engagement ring, but we haven’t set a wedding date yet. With his reluctance to discuss it, I’m beginning to wonder if he really wants a wife or a girlfriend.

I’ll continue to do everything possible to help Rosita, Joe, and the pastor. But, this is what worries me most. With the current troubles we have in Lockleer Mountain, if the sheriff and Nate can’t solve the crimes, how on earth can we hope the Spirit Woman and her companion, real, imaginary, or the result of mass hysteria, can bring about a resolution to this troubled community?

Spirit Woman Legends and Lies, A Spirit Woman Mystery Adventures Book #2
Genre: Cozy Mystery with a Paranormal Twist
Release: December 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

The legendary Native American Spirit Woman and her mountain lion companion, said to appear in times of trouble, are once again sighted near Lockleer Mountain. And there is trouble aplenty.

Twenty-four hours after Joe and his brother, Cyrus, quarrel over the ownership of a winning million dollar lottery ticket, Cyrus’s mutilated body is found in the mountains, ravaged by the local wildlife. Sheriff Peabody and Deputy Nate Darling are soon puzzled by stolen VA hospital drugs found in Cyrus’s bedroom. It seems likely the suspected homicide is either connected to the contested lottery ticket or the drugs.

Hearing of the crowds that inevitably follow such a disturbing event, Rosita Ramirez, a transient with two children, comes to Lockleer Mountain to sell homemade tamales. She is befriended by Nate’s fiancé, Lou Shoemaker, owner of the Pooper Scooper sewer disposal truck. Rosita parks her old motorhome at the First Baptist Church and Lou aids her in acquiring employment at the local diner.

Soon, malicious gossip erupts about Rosita and the pastor. The church deacons are divided between ignoring unproven gossip, versus concern the gossip will divide the congregation and affect the future of the church.

In addition to finding a killer, Sheriff Peabody and his deputies are now tasked with exposing the perpetrator of the gossip, or the pastor will be forced to leave. How can the Spirit Woman and her companions bring about a solution to the troubles that plague the rural community?

About the author
Elaine Faber, an award-winning author, lives in Elk Grove, CA with her husband her cat, Truffie. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Northern CA Publishers and Authors, and Elk Grove Writers Guild. She has published ten cozy mystery/adventure novels, an anthology of cat stories, and twenty-one independent anthologies include her short stories.