Hey, y’all, you may remember me from Heard It Through The Grapevine, the first book in the Dead Sister Talking Mystery Series. I’m Madelyn Castillo, and I’m a rookie cop in Vineyard, Texas. On Thanksgiving night, I switched shifts with a divorced fellow officer who had an unexpected opportunity to be with his daughter an extra night.
Having a soft spot in my heart for daddies and their daughters, I volunteered to take his shift. My own ten-year-old has never met her father, having been born soon after he was killed in Afghanistan. Life has been hard without him, but I have the support of my sisters who would do just about anything for me.
And I do mean anything.
Oh boy, did I need their help on this night. Two good old boys were locked in the slammer, basically to sleep it off after trading punches over a woman at a local bar. This wasn’t the first time Gino Bernardi had landed in the pokey, but usually, his high dollar lawyer had him back at home even before the ink dried on the paperwork. Unfortunately, for me, said lawyer was relaxing by the pool somewhere in the Caribbean, and I was stuck babysitting the two drunks.
What should have been an uneventful night turned out to be anything but when my sister Tessa showed up at the police station. Ordinarily, one of my siblings stopping by to keep me company wouldn’t have been a big deal.
Did I mention that Tessa was killed the year before?
Her ghost had appeared to my sister Lainey beside the coffin at her funeral and wanted us to find her killer. We fought the notion that Tessa had really come back from the dead, but she made believers out of all of us, including her ex-husband, who was the sheriff and my boss.
After the mystery of her death was solved, we all assumed Tessa would go off into the light — or wherever dead people go — to enjoy eternal happiness.
Now a lot of people would argue that Tessa probably hadn’t gone north after she died—that more than likely she’d ended up in a place where the temperatures were hotter than Texas in August. I love my sister, but she had always had a smart mouth and used it to claw her way up the social ladder, making more than her share of enemies along the way. Much to our amazement, however, she managed to get through the Pearly Gates and was back because she said I needed help.
Seems she has anointed herself the Garcia girls’ own personal guardian angel, which should make you laugh right there. Tessa was a lot of things when she was alive — angel would never be considered one of them.
Anyway, no sooner did she show up that a phone in the drawer began to ring. Assuming one of the guys had left it, I answered, intending to razz him about getting old and forgetful. But it wasn’t one of the other cops on the line, and I still shiver thinking about it. The voice, enhanced by a computer, instructed me to look at the text message where there was a picture of a masked man holding a gun to my ten-year-old’s head while she slept at her grandmother’s house. The man said if I ever wanted to see her alive again, I was to put that phone, along with my own cell phone, the keys to the jail cells, and my Glock on the desk. Then I was to lock myself in the bathroom.
I assumed whoever it was intended to free Gino Bernardi, who would have been out of jail long before I came on duty had it not been for his lawyer sipping pina coladas in St. Kitts. So for me, it was a no-brainer, and I did what they asked. When I heard two shots, I ran out of the bathroom to find Gino dead in his cell with my Glock lying beside him. Although the other prisoner was also shot, he was alive and taken to the hospital where he positively identified me as the shooter.
Long story short, every indication pointed to me as the killer, including a money transfer to my bank account. My sisters rallied around me, and despite warnings from my brother-in-law, the sheriff, we began our own investigation to clear my name. Over the next few weeks, several newcomers descended on Vineyard, and not all of them were what they seemed. It didn’t take long to figure out that my sisters and I, along with our other-worldly advisor Tessa, were way out of our league on this one, and we were caught off guard when we discovered where this mystery would lead us.
You can read more about Maddy and her sisters in Jailhouse Glock, the second book in the “Dead Sister Talking” mystery series, published by Midnight Ink. The first book in the series is Heard It Through The Grapevine. Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
GIVEAWAY
Comment on this post by 6 p.m. EST on May 14, and you will be entered for a chance to win a copy of either the print OR digital version of JAILHOUSE GLOCK; winner’s choice. One winner will be chosen at random. Print copy open to U.S. and Canadian entries or digital copy open to all.
Meet the author
Lizbeth Lipperman started writing many years ago, even before she retired from the medical profession. Wasting many years thinking she was a romance writer but always having to deal with the pesky villains who kept popping up in all her stories, she finally gave up and decided since she read mysteries and obviously wrote them, why fight it? She now calls what she writes Romantic Mystery (RM) since there is always a little romance involved.
She writes the Clueless Cook Mystery Series for Berkley Prime Crime, the Dead Sister Talking Mysteries for Midnight Ink and her romantic suspense/mysteries are available on Amazon.
Follow dru’s book musing on Facebook for book giveaways, contests, posting about discounted books and some of my reading musings.
I would love a copy of this book. It sounds fun and interesting.
Fingers crossed for you, Nancy.
Great concept makes me want to find out whodunit!
That’s what I like to hear, lilli.
Interesting concept. Thanks.
I would love to read it, thank you for the chance.
I would love to read/win the great sounding book
Thank you for the chance to win this looks like a fun book
Wish all of you could win a copy. Thanks for commenting.
This sounds good! Thank you for the giveaway!
I’ve read the Clueless Cook series but I haven’t tried this one yet, and since I love the clueless cook, I’m sure I’ll love this one. Thanks for the chance to win.
I don’t think I ever would have come up with a concept like the Dead Sister Talking series but judging from the reviews it seems to be working very well. Thanks for the chance to get started on just the second book.
I didn’t know about this series. Sounds great! Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the chance to win.
Now might be a good time to explain that I write G rated cozies as Liz Lipperman and R rated grittier mysteries and thrillers as Lizbeth Lipperman. This is a Lizbeth series and although the first book, HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, has sex and language, this one only has language. My ghost is basically a smart mouth who says the most outrageous things. When I was at a mystery conference last weekend, a sweet little old lady brought GLOCK for me to sign. Worried because of the sex and bad language, I asked, “Did you read GRAPEVINE?” to which she replied, “Loved it. That’s why I’m buying this one.” So you never know.
I want to meet this dead sister—I think I’ll like her because I have a smart mouth, too. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Dead sister that is not so angelic—something different from the norm for sure. Please send it my way !!
Somehow I missed the first book in this series, but it sounds so good I am going to order book 1 today. I would so enjoy the print book for Liz’s second book. Having to be in bed for all but one hour a day makes books/reading a big big blessing. Thank you for the opportunity to win what sounds like a real unique concept for a series. Can’t wait to read it. I have read a book in the Clueless cook series and really enjoyed it. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone.
Cynthia
New to me series, by talented author I know can write well. What’s not to like.
Wow Not a good return on doing someone a favor!
I really liked Heard it Through the Grapevine. Loved Tessa
kaye.killgore@comcast.net
Another new to me series I should start.
Thanks
Sounds like a good read, I have put it on my list of books to read.
You all have been so great. I want to thank you all and Dru for having me today. Hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day. My kids and grandkids are coming over to help me celebrate.
Have a great Mother’s Day !! I would love to win a copy of the book
Love this series!
oh yeah another series to start reading. looking forward to many many more. thanks!!
I haven’t read any books by this author, but this one sounds so good. I would love to try one of her books.
contest is closed.