New cozy mystery on Audible!

My latest recording -- a cozy mystery -- is now for sale on Audible.

The Dame's Demise is by Donna Muse.  It's the first book in the new series, A Macey & Mugsy Mystery.  The was a fun book to narrate.

"Macey Spade has always loved mysteries. As a girl, she read every crime novel in the school library, and memorized the plots of her favorite British detective shows. A brainy, awkward girl with few friends and a knack for getting into trouble, she dreamed of becoming a sleuth like the heroes of her beloved Agatha Christie novels. But when her mother is murdered in a seemingly random shooting and Macey is no longer guaranteed shelter or food, she’s forced to put away her childish dreams.

That is, until 13 years later, when a string of killings reunites her with her best friend from high school, Christa Bailey—a ditzy, vivacious woman. Whaler’s Bay is still reeling from the murder of Betty Bunkle, who ran pottery classes out of her tourist shop by the sea. There are any number of people who had reason to kill her—the hunky young art student who had taken a fancy to the lady, the online therapist whose advice she routinely ignored, and the piano teacher who blames Betty for a failed marriage.

When a second person is murdered, Macey, Christa, and Macey's beloved beagle Mugsy must face the likelihood they’re dealing with a serial murderer—and find the man or woman responsible before they kill again."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

Book 2 in The Realtor Mystery series is now on Audible!

 

The second book in the Realtor Mystery series is finally on Audible -- Double Duplicity by Kathleen Walls.

Casey’s in trouble again. It’s bad when you have a bad tenant renting one side of a duplex and dying in a suspicious fire. When her twin sister shows up, and the police start investigating your motives, you've got double duplicity.

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.  

Next in the queue are a couple of nonfiction books and a part in a play from Voices of Today.

New cozy mystery!

I have a new cozy mystery now available on Audible.  This is the first in a new series, The Realtor Mystery Series, from Kathleen Walls and is called The Tenant from Hell.  This was a lot of fun to narrate.

"It's usually just routine for Casey Clark, property manager at Peller Realty. When a tenant refuses to pay rent, just evict and move on. Not so with the tenant from Hell. He draws Casey into murder, drug rings, ghosts, Indians, and a hectic trip to Hell in Georgia.

Her worst problem of having to deal with her psychic cat Dixie not getting along with Casey's pirate boyfriend's parrot changes into scrambling to stay alive. 

Excerpt:

You might think a property manager at a large real estate firm might have a dull job. Let me tell you, it's not. Tenants can be some weird characters and owners not much better. I had a feeling today would not be like any other. I had just gotten off the phone with a slightly hysterical lady who wanted Peller to manage her property.

"Right now," she insisted. "You need to get over here quick before Mike kills him." 

The “kills him” part warned me I should not touch this one. The business side screamed, “Go get it before she calls Sunny Side Realty or one of your other rivals.” 

Naturally, I wanted that 20 percent commission. Actually I only get half of it; my broker, Lisa Lee Loren, claims the other half between her and the company owner, J. M. Peller. 

Among us agents, we thought the J. M. stood for “Jesus” and “Mary” as he played the religious card to the hilt. He was a deacon in his church in Jacksonville, and wanted to give the impression he would never do anything evil. 

He didn’t. He had a hatchet man, Dwight Kickum, who did the dirty work."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here. 

 

My latest recording -- a classic mystery -- now on Audible!

My latest solo just went up for sale on Audible.  I recorded The Circular Study by Anna Katharine Green as a member of Voices of Today.  Publication is via Spoken Realms. 


"A man is found dead in the study of his New York City house and Detective Gryce is called upon to deduce the how and why of his murder - if it is indeed a murder.

With the assistance of Miss Amelia Butterworth, Gryce must investigate the meaning of the meager clues, including the cries of a talking bird, in order to uncover what happened to the victim.  Solving this crime will involve several generations of two families.

Author Anna Katharine Green was often referred to as 'the mother of the detective novel' and was an early influence on Agatha Christie."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

New classic recordings now on Audible!

My two latest recordings went on sale on Audible today.  The first one is a three narrator production of A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle.  I performed the voices of the American characters.  Very happy to be a part of Voices of Today.

From Audible:

"A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Narrated by Linda Barrans, Cate Barratt, and Lee Ann Howlett.

Consulting detective Sherlock Holmes is first introduced to the reading and listening public in A Study in Scarlet, along with his soon-to-be fellow sleuth Dr. John Watson. First published in 1887, the novel is one of only four full-length works by the author in his original canon of Holmes cases. The murders in question are committed in London, but the actions leading up to them were perpetrated in America, calling for a transcontinental narration of this most interesting story."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

Next up is a full-cast production from The Online Stage.   I play the narrator in Little Men by Louisa May Alcott.  This is our second production in the beloved series by Alcott.  It follows book one  --  Little Women.


"Published in 1871, Little Men is a sequel to the novel, Little Women. It tells the continuing story of Jo March, who has married Professor Bhaer, with whom she now runs a small school.   
Cast
Narrator: Lee Ann Howlett
Ragged Boy/Nat/Uncle Teddy: Andy Harrington
John/Emil/Comodore/Silas/Peter: Jeff Moon
Servant maid/Mary Ann/Nan: Leanne Yau 
Tommy Bangs/Dick/Nursey/Asia/Meg: P J Morgan
Demi/Kitty Mouse: Arielle Lipshaw
Daisy/Sally/Adolphus/Dolly: Tiffany Halla Colonna
Jo/Rob: Amanda Friday
Mr Bhaer: Ben Lindsey-Clark
Franz/Jack: Ted Wenskus
Stuffy/George: Tomas Peter
Ned: Anastasia Durning
Teddy/Amy: Becca Maggie
Dan/Billy: Maureen Boutilier
Little Bess: Miranda Hodges
Dr Firth/Mr Roberts/Grandpa/Mr Hyde: Ben Stevens 

Audio edited by Libby Stephenson."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here. 


 

My latest recording -- a cozy mystery -- is for sale on Audible!

I've been busy recording several books in the past two months.  One of them went on sale a couple of days ago.  It's a cozy mystery set in New Orleans and it was a lot of fun to record.  It's called Imogene in New Orleans by Hunter Murphy. 

At the ripe age of 73, Imogene Deal McGregor has a penchant for following her own instincts, as well as more grit and spunk than her hypochondriac son, Billy McGregor, and Billy's impulsive partner Jackson can handle. The boys take Imogene to New Orleans with their devilishly handsome English bulldog Goose, hoping to visit friends and attend a second line parade, but moments after arriving in the French Quarter, they find their friend Glenway Gilbert murdered in his art gallery. Immediately, Imogene and the boys run into a temperamental and ethically-challenged lieutenant who appears hell-bent on neglecting the crime, compelling them to seek answers themselves. As they delve into Glenway Gilbert's murder, Imogene and the boys realize the deceased artist was surrounded by suspicious friends and lovers. With Goose the bulldog by their side, Jackson and Billy seek answers among old friends and new enemies, while Imogene follows her own ideas on the case. But the sooner they solve the murder, the sooner they can get back to catching beads and eating pralines. 

To listen to a sample or to purchase, head to Audible here.

My latest recording --- an old-fashioned mystery!

My latest recording just went live on Audible this week.  It's called The Woman in the Alcove by Anna Katharine Green.  I love an old-fashioned detective mystery and this was a fun one to record.

During a high society party set in New York City in the early 1900s, a beautiful woman is murdered and her precious diamond stolen. A young woman attending the party had just accepted a marriage proposal from a handsome young man. Unfortunately, the young man is the prime suspect in the murder due to circumstantial evidence. From there, the story takes many twists and turns before the identity of the killer is finally revealed.


Anna Katharine Green was one of the first writers of detective fiction in the US and was known for the legal accuracy of her stories.  She's probably one of the best mystery writers that too few people know about.

To listen to a sample/and or purchase the book, click here.

**P.S.** This book was Whispersync'd very quickly.  If you buy the Kindle version (which is free on Amazon) you can add my audiobook for only $2.99.  Click here for this deal! 

"Petey Vanished!" is now live on Audible

My recording of Petey Vanished! A Novel of Southern Proportions by Laurie Byrne Smith is now for sale on Audible.  I enjoyed recording this book and found the murder mystery chilling.  

From Audible:

"An old mystery lingers in the neighborhood. No one ever forgets the forever loss of a child. JoBeth has come back to her hometown to close up the family home place and get it ready for the new owners. Mama and Grandma have left behind an old travel trunk filled with obscure memorabilia, but no answers to that single most important question. Growing up in a small southern town in a tight-knit post-war neighborhood was nearly idyllic for JoBeth and Billy, until Petey Vanished! Hot and steamy evenings of Capture the Flag and neighborhood hide and seek, all the moms at home and dads working to make life better, the children of Governor's Road neighborhood feel safe and secure, until the day Petey Shiner never came home from school. The parents spare their children the truth of the horror of Petey's fate without realizing the lifelong uncertainties that would be created. Insecurity, sensitive to being alone, bothered those kids, and most of them moved to other places to pursue adult lives. Years later, JoBeth and Billy find themselves attracted to each other and reconnect over the mystery of what happened when Petey Vanished! Following the threads of the story, they find those little threads of attraction and connection. Enjoy your trip back in time and discover the joys and horrors of a southern childhood."


To listen to the sample and/or purchase, head to Audible here. 
 

Drawing for free copy of The Red Shoelace Killer

Author Susan Sundwall is having a drawing on her blog for three copies (downloads) of the audio version (voiced by moi) of her cozy mystery The Red Shoelace Killer.  To refresh your memory on the story:

Minnie Markwood can out-sleuth Miss Marple any day of the week - in her imagination. But when a real killer begins to target Minnie and her young sidekicks, reality trumps imagination big time. Who's buying up all the red shoelaces at the mall and stalking a cashier? Is it the killer who terrorized Minnie on the highway and kidnapped her coworker? It soon becomes frighteningly clear that Minnie's onto something, and The Red Shoelace Killer's days are numbered.

All you have to do to enter is just leave a comment -- even if it's just 'Hi' -- on Susan's blog page for the contest which can be found here.  The drawing will be held on Friday, May 9th, 2014.  This book is a fun read so take a chance and good luck!  

My newest recording on sale at Audible today!

My latest audiobook recording is another mystery from Kathleen Walls. This one is called Last Step and went on sale at Audible today.  Set in the drug-infested slum section of Jacksonville, Florida, it's the story of a mother, Vicki, and her search to discover who is responsible for her daughter Karen's death.  Although Karen had been a crack addict, she was desperately trying to break her addiction.  The circumstances of her death don't add up to Vicki so she sets out to investigate on her own.  She does have sympathetic help from two police officers but can she trust the wealthy but aloof man, Joe, who owns the drug-ridden hotel where Karen was found dead?  Vicki also must figure out how to handle the handsome drug counselor and former addict, Hank, who also becomes a part of Vicki's search for answers to Karen's death.  How will Hank fit into her life?

Settle in for the holiday tomorrow with a good listen (after the food, parades and fireworks, of course)!  You can hear a sample and purchase Last Step here. 

New release on Audible today!

My latest audiobook recording was released on Audible today.  Kudzu by Kathleen Walls is a set in a small mountain town in North Georgia.  Thanks to Linda for proof-listening on this one!

After a nasty divorce, Casey returns to the haven of her childhood, great grandmother Weesie's tiny log cabin. She meets her new (and very handsome) neighbor but soon finds herself the victim of a series of life-threatening events. Casey becomes engrossed in a mission of discovery regarding a long held family secret.

Kudzu is available for purchase here on Audible.

My latest recording -- a new mystery available on Audible

My latest recording has just been published on Audible.   Edited for Death by Michele Drier is a mystery told mainly through the eyes of the narrator, Amy Hobbes.  Amy is the managing editor for a local newspaper in a small town in Southern California.  She and her best reporter, Clarice, are covering the death of a U.S. Senator and World War II hero when a couple of other deaths in the area appear to be linked in some way to the Senator.  All of the victims had ties to the local hotel that the Senator's family owns.  Pretty soon, Amy, who is also aided by a Holocaust survivor and her old friend (and, now, new boyfriend) Phil, gets in pretty deep as things begin to heat up.

It was an enjoyable experience 'playing' Amy for this book.  She's smart, savvy, and independent but finds herself involved in a dangerous situation.  I believe that Michele Drier has a sequel planned for Amy which has an approximate due date of Spring, 2013.  In the mean time, you can get to know Amy Hobbes by purchasing Edited for Death here on Audible.  

Shame on PBS

I'm so annoyed with PBS after discovering that they cut 35 minutes from the recent premiere of season one of Downton Abbey.  Apparently, some newspapers in the UK were insinuating that the program had to be 'dumbed down' for an American audience. Long-time Masterpiece Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton is quoted in this week's TV Guide  admitting that the 35 minute cut was made in order to fit the series into the PBS format over four weeks because that was all the time they had available for it.

Considering the unending pledge drives that PBS stations hold, I would expect to be given the courtesy of viewing the entire program. The DVD for Downton Abbey advertised on the PBS website even states that the DVD is the 'original U.K. version.'

This is certainly not the first time that cuts have been made to Masterpiece and Mystery programs. Several years ago when I missed an episode of the excellent Foyle's War, I purchased the DVD in order to see it. That's when I discovered that the Foyle's War episode ran 1 hour and 40 minutes. However, the episode had been cut to 90 minutes to 'fit' into the PBS time slot. I've reached the point where I'd rather purchase the DVD for a program or series that I really want to see. At least this way I can view the entire episode(s) uncut and uncensored AND I don't have to worry about a local change in viewing time due to another interminable pledge drive.