My name is Trixie Tanner and I live to run. I’ve been asked many times what I’m running from. The short answer, nothing. The long answer, everything. Running is my release, and it keeps me grounded. It’s my go-to when I need to cope with life, or when dealing with the loss of someone I loved so much I thought I’d never recover. And running is what I do when I need to examine the particulars of a case. Once I get my rhythm and the sensation of flying overtakes me, I can sort the facts of a case or any situation quickly and efficiently.

I moved to Brookville, North Carolina to get away from my past and my exes. Brookville is wonderful. The small cozy town was just what I needed. You know, a fresh place to start over. And my new condominium is perfect, the beautiful grounds are idyllic. And the wonderful hiking trails provide me with a visually pleasing place to run. Afterall, Brookville’s motto is, Brookville, your vacation destination for everyday living! Well maybe not all of it is a vacation. I mean the dead woman on the Brookville trail was completely unexpected and certainly not what I was looking for.

That morning, I had set out to run the three Brookville trails. I was hoping to break my current record. The sensation of flying had settled over me, and the pounding rhythm of Guns and Roses streamed through my earbuds urging me on. In the middle of my groove, I thought I heard a scream. At first, I considered I had imagined it. I pulled the buds from my ears and the woman screamed again shattering the forest’s silence and any doubts. I stumbled, regained my footing, and despite an intense fear that wanted to root me in place, I sprinted toward the scream.

You might think an event such as finding a dead body in the middle of an idyllic location was a horrible experience and don’t get me wrong, it was. But as they say, behind every cloud there’s a silver lining. My silver lining that day was meeting Kathleen and Martha. They have become my two best friends in the world.

The three of us are complete opposites. Kathleen is recently widowed and a retired elementary schoolteacher. Martha loves all things forensic. She’s also one of the town’s librarians and probably the smartest woman I’ve ever met. And me, well, I have my own story.

The silver lining dulled a bit when Deputy Jack Nelson showed up on the scene. For a moment, I honestly think he considered the three of us as suspects. And I’ll admit, we may have given him reason to think that. But Deputy Nelson’s wrath was nothing compared to that of Doc Stone the medical examiner.

I guess you’d consider him ruggedly handsome. He’s tall, muscular, swarthy, with shoulder length black hair, and I’ll admit he does exude a certain feral appeal. But the man is completely insufferable. When he arrived on scene, forensic techs and law enforcement cleared a path for him much like Moses’s parting of the Red Sea. It was so quiet in the forest you could hear a pin-drop. Even the birds seemed to sense the intensity of the man. I won’t get into the dirty details of his tirade. Suffice it to say, he was not happy.

The Lady Dragons of Brookville, A Lady Dragons of Brookville Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: March 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

The quaint town of Brookville was just what Trixie Tanner needed for a fresh start. The condominium brochure promised, “Your vacation destination for everyday living,” and so far, it was true. She loved her new condo, the charming town, and her new life.

But during Trixie’s early morning run, all that changed. A piercing scream shattered the morning tranquility and the illusion. When the body of a young woman is discovered murdered on the condominium trail, Brookville’s idyllic façade starts to crumble.

Despite warnings from law enforcement and the formidable medical examiner, Trixie and her new friends Martha, a quirky CSI-wannabe, and Kathleen, a prim and proper retired schoolteacher, the Lady Dragons of Brookville join forces to find the killer and become the voice for the dead.   

Meet the author
Karen lives in North Carolina with her husband, two daughters, one maniacal Doberman, and a bougie cat.