Savannah was hot as a basted turkey and just as humid as I drove the Lexus to my house. The smell of fine leather and the feel of an electronically cooled seat chilling my derriere made me realize just how much I’d missed this car my ex took in the divorce. Right now I missed any car.
I killed the engine by my gnarled cherry tree in full bloom that gave the house its name. The aroma was incredible, the tree a bouquet of pink and white and half the reason I persuaded Hollis to buy Cherry House years ago.
The other half was that I loved the place since I was a kid, riding my bike by it when visiting Auntie KiKi. I watched it deteriorate bit by bit and I knew I could save it. The fact that I’d never hammered or screwed or sawed a thing in my life didn’t deter my enthusiasm. It should have.
Auntie KiKi scurried out the front door waving her hands in the air. “Where in the world have you been?” she panted, leaning in through the open car window. “When I got home, there were three people waiting on your porch ready to shop! They said they got one of those tweets.”
She tsked, the universal sound of exasperated Southern women everywhere. “Whatever happened to the days when you got a nice phone call from a friend telling you what was what?” she lamented. “You have customers in your dining room looking for consignment shop bargains, and I have a waltz lesson with Bernard in ten minutes.” She heaved a weary sigh.
Bernard Thayer was seventy, had no rhythm, less coordination, been Mr. Weather on Savannah TV for thirty years and he was determined to wind up on Dancing with the Stars.
KiKi thrust a wad of bills at me. “I went and got stuff from my own closet to sell to spruce up your inventory and what in the world are you doing with the Lexus?”
“I sold that fountain in the back yard to Raylene Carter for a small fortune. Now I have to deliver it as well as get the car back before Hollis knows I took it. I sort of didn’t tell him.”
“Oh, honey, Grand Theft Auto, your mamma will be so proud.”
I ignored the possibility that my scum-bucket ex would call the cops and I popped the trunk. “Take a look-see at how much room we have. Hollis stores his real estate junk in there.”
“We?”
I grabbed my purse and rummaged for keys to the shed as I headed for the back yard. “I’ve got a cart. We can haul the fountain and–”
“Sweet Jesus in heaven! Uh, Reagan, honey,” KiKi called, her finger crooked at me in a come-here gesture. “We have junk, a great big pile of it.”
“Dump it on the lawn,” I said hurrying back to the car to help unload. “If I have to hire movers I won’t make any money and I have an electric bill due and– Holy mother of God!” My gaze landed on Cupcake, eyes wide open, and dead as Lincoln right there in Hollis’s trunk.
KiKi and I stared, neither of us breathing. KiKi finally whispered, “She doesn’t look nearly as good in the pink chiffon as you do.”
“Maybe because she has blood in her hair and is rolled up in plastic like a hotdog in a bun.” I made the sign of the cross for disrespecting the dead.
“There is that.” KiKi sounded faint and slowly slumped to the curb. “You wouldn’t happen to have a martini in that purse of yours, would you?”
You can read more about Reagan Summerside in Iced Chiffon, the first book in the new “Consignment Shop” mystery series.
** Thanks to the publisher, I have one (1) copy of ICED CHIFFON to give away. Contest open to US residents only. Contest ends October 5. Leave a comment if you want to be included in the giveaway. The book will be shipped directly from the publisher. **
Bonus: Duffy is also giving away goodie-filled totes to four lucky winners.
Meet the author
Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Iced Chiffon, out October, 2012, is the first in the “Consignment Shop Mystery” series. Killer in Crinolines is scheduled May, 2013. Duffy writes romance as Dianne Castell and is a USA Today bestselling author. Visit Duffy at www.duffybrown.com or on Facebook.
Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
I would love to win a copy of Iced Chiffon looks like a great new series.
Sounds like a good new cozy mystery series. Hope it can help me get out of this awful reading slump.
I love the cover on this book…looking forward to trying out this series.
Thank you for the chance to win this book. I look forward to reading it.
Sign me up – not to be greedy, or anything ;). I loved the line about being rolled up in plastic like a hotdog bun. dz87507 at gmail dot com.
What a fun idea for a new series.
Sounds like a fun read! I would love to read it.
Wonderful being here, Dru Ann! Nothing more fun than chatting about books, esp cosy mysteries.
It’s murder and mayhem at the consignment shop for the ex, his Cupcake and the badass attorney.
This sounds really good! I’d love to read it! Thank you for the giveaway!
Iced Chiffon sounds like a wonderful start to what will be a great series! 🙂 I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy to read! Congratulations on the new release! 🙂
Thanks for an awesome giveaway! 🙂
Another book to place on my t-b-r list!!! I’d love to win.
grammyd01 (at) comcast (dot) net
Oh I can’t wait for this one!
Thanks Duffy and Reagan for stopping by.
Love being here, Dru Ann. What wonderful readers you have. Thanks everyone for taking part. Makes release day all the more fun.
I am reading it now. What a Hoot!!!!!!!!
Great post. This sounds like a great read. My grandfather was from Savannah. Thanks for the chance to win.
Lori, bet your grandfather was a Southern gentleman. How nice.
On the topic of consignment shops, I’m in. Love the colorful cover and happy for the intro to a new series. Thanks. judydee22002@yahoo dot com
I love the title, it is perfect for autumn in Texas, where it can ge blazing hot almost all year round. Love that Southern talk!
I would love to win! sarah2323 at gmail dot com
Consignment shopping is a blast. I work at a consignment shop…have for 15 years now. I’d be naked without it. Who can afford mall prices. Lordy!
I would love to win this for my daughter, she loves cozy’s.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Email DuffyBrown@DuffyBrown.com and I’ll send along a packet of Iced Chiffon goodies.
this sounds like a great start to a new series. I’m always looking for my next read.
kfranklin11(at)att(dot)net
Looks like another to add to the list…. Looking forward to reading it!
afarage(at)earthlink(dot)net
Thanks, Kathy and Alicia. Always fun to share good news with friends.
I can’t wait to read your new book. Looks like a great series. I love consignment shopping. 🙂 elisanabby at gmail dot com
I really want to meet Aunt Kiki. Sounds like a fun book.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I have been waiting for this book to come out. I can’t wait to read it!!
I work at a consignment shop, Snooty Fox. I’d be running around naked if I didn’t. Such good deals here and the malls are soooo expensive. Reagan’s consignment is on the first floor of her Victorian house in Savannah. I love Savannah. A great city to eat your way across.Just ask Paula Deen. LOL
I preordered the book for my kindle. But I would love to win a tote bag.
I just got in from work and am going to post a review on amazon first thing tomorrow. I LOVED this book…can’t wait for the rest of the series. Write fast, Duffy!!!
It sounds like a great book to start off a series. Love the title!
Sounds like another great book.
I would like to be included in the drawing for Iced Chiffon. I love cozys.
6186pep(at0msn(dot)com
Posted my email wrong.
6186pep(at)msn(dot)com
I cannot wait to read this book.
I have been waiting a long time for this Series. I visited Savannah this summer and LOVED it. Can’t wait to start reading the book. Please incude me in the drawing…
fla_redhead(at)hotmail(dot)com
This book has been on my wish list since I first read about it. The title is intriguing. 90% of my clothes come from consignment shops which makes this book extra appealing.
lynettek51(at)yahoo(dot)com
I’ve been looking forward to this series since I first heard about it. I love consignment & thrift shops. Duffy seems to have a great sense of humor and style. I can’t wait to read this one. Thanks for the giveaway. Fingers crossed 🙂
Scouts579(at)aol(dot)com
Sounds like a cool book! Would love the chance to read it! (:
s h a k e s p e a r e a n l o v e r 1215 AT yahoo DOT com
Looks like a fun series!
recipes579(at)gmail(dot)com
Looks like a good book – I have been wanting to read it since I saw it was coming out.
kayswederski at yahoo dot com
contest is closed.