Halloween is Murder
McKinley Mysteries,
#11
by Carolyn Arnold
Release
Date: October 3rd 2017
Published
by: Hibbert and Stiles
Genre:
Cozy Mystery
BLURB
Beware of all that goes bump in
the night…
Sean and Sara McKinley are
excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a Halloween charity
fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the reporter covering their
story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about how she died, Sara’s
curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the investigation
through their PI firm.
But this case is not without its
challenges. The police are actively investigating it, as well, and it’s not
even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take a little cloak-and-dagger,
dress-up, and finesse for the McKinley’s to get to the bottom of it, but they
aren’t the kind to give up.
As they troll for leads and work
through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet, they unearth a few suspects,
but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if they’re going to find her
killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even be time for a little
trick-or-treating.
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Excerpt
Chapter 5
GRIM
REAPER CLAIMS A VICTIM
“THERE SURE IS A LOT of
secrecy surrounding Chloe’s death,” Sara said. “And they’ve all been ordered to
keep quiet?” She looked over at Sean, who was behind the wheel, and arched an
eyebrow. “That seems suspicious to me.”
“The
station could be protecting their image. She could have had a drug overdose,
something else…” he pointed out as he took a left turn, as directed by the GPS.
She
wished she could run with that theory, but given their background as homicide
detectives, her mind had to rule out murder first. “No, Sean, I don’t think so.”
“Well,
before we get carried away, let’s talk to Jackson.” Sean steered the car into
an apartment building parking lot.
She’d
been working to quiet the voices in her head speculating about how Chloe had
died, but speaking with Allison had only ratcheted up their chatter. She needed
answers to quell her mind. She also felt a personal obligation to ensure
justice was found, probably because she’d known Chloe—even if only for a brief
time. Of course, that was assuming she’d been killed.
“And that
poor man discovering his coworker,” Sara began. “I wonder where he found her
and if he knows how she died.”
“Hopefully
we’ll find out.” Sean got out of the car, came around, and opened her door. He
held out a hand to her. “Keep in mind that Jackson might not be too happy to
see us.”
“I know,”
she said, taking his hand. “But if nothing else comes of this, maybe we’ll find
out what happened to our segment.”
“Yeah,
but will you be satisfied if that’s the only question we get answered?” He
looked over at her as he held the front door of the building open for her. The
glint in his eyes told her he doubted she’d let the matter of Chloe’s death go
until she had all the boxes checkmarked and found out what had happened.
“I’d be
lying if I said otherwise, and you know it. But please—” she took his hand
“—just keep an open mind.”
Sean
nodded. Sara often ran with her feelings, her hunches, her higher knowing,
and did so on a whim. In contrast, Sean was compelled by reason, logic, and
solid evidence.
They
walked up to Jackson’s apartment on the third floor and knocked. Sean was about
to knock again when footsteps padded toward the door. Then all went quiet for a
bit. She imagined Jackson looking at them through the peephole.
“Jackson?”
Sara called out. “It’s the McKinleys.” When he didn’t say anything, she added,
“From the haunted house.” Maybe he needed a little more of a reminder.
Sean was
shaking his head, and if she was reading his mind properly, he was thinking
their coming here had been a bad idea.
“We’d
like to talk to you about Chloe,” she said, certain to articulate in such way
that he’d sense concern, not suspicion.
The chain
rattled as it was being undone, and the handle turned. The door opened slowly.
Jackson
was standing there in tattered jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes looked weary, and
they were wet with unshed tears. Based on his complexion, she guessed that they
had interrupted him crying.
“She’s
dead.” He spat out the words in a cool manner, as if trying to separate reality
from emotion, but it only made his pain that much more tangible.
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What to
Expect from the McKinley Mysteries
Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a
murder mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something
that you can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward?
How about a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and
Sara McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer
have to work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving
murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the
bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.
Author Info
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling
and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational
mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight,
Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has
written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything
from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler
series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and
entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys
spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded
by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that
she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her
books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with
her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters
in Crime.
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