COUNTDOWN DEAL!!!! November 20-24!

Each year, the hype for Black Friday and holiday shopping seems to move earlier and earlier. Did you notice the Christmas decorations before Halloween this year?  When I was growing up Thanksgiving marked the beginning of the holiday season.  It was when the family got together for Thanksgiving - sometimes traveling to be there - and all could participate in the decorating.  Back then, the retail stores stayed closed until normal hours on Friday morning.  I worked part-time in retail, and Black Friday was a boom for business but hell for the sales personnel!  That part hasn't changed.  Having worked a few Black Fridays in my life, I tend to avoid the whole scene. The crowds are too big, the deals not quite as good as they sound, and no, standing in line for hours to get the "limited quantity" of the one item I might want just doesn't thrill me.

My preference?  Take it easy, relax, and bake cookies!  And, of course, curl up with a good book against the backdrop of the Thanksgiving weekend football games and holiday specials.   Care to join me?


November 20th - 24th, MURDER IN THE ARBORETUM will be on sale for $0.99!  Grab it and when you need to wind down after the holiday stress, curl up and follow Sheridan as she tries to solve the murder of Justin Blake.  He's not a student. He's not a faculty member. He doesn't live in Cold Creek.  Why is he in the Arboretum and why did someone kill him? As tensions rise, Sheridan takes a lead and becomes a target herself.

One more thing:  I avoided it as long as possible, but I now have a twitter account!  @ChristaN7777  

MURDER IN THE ARBORETUM : What Reviewers Are Saying

Quotes from reviews on Amazon as of 10/29/2014 - Average rating of 4.8!

"I was surprised when I found out who the murderer is, in fact that person was last on my list of suspects. Christa does a great job of keeping us guessing. I hope to be able to read and review more books from Christa."

"I read a lot of cozy mysteries and although I do enjoy the antics of many "ditsy" heroines, Sheridan is definitely not ditsy. She is a college professor with her head on her shoulders, who wants to make sure that the guilty person is the one charged with murder - and manages to put herself in danger in the process. The story line was not predicable, taking a few unexpected turns as the mystery unfolded. Definitely worth reading."

"I really enjoy the extra detail Christa puts into her books. She also makes sure to include plenty of humor. I found myself laughing out loud more than once at some of the thoughts that the characters had along the way. I am glad we were shown another side of him. I just couldn't put this one down I was hooked from the first chapter."

"The twists and turns keep you guessing as to who the murderer is. The characters are well written and the book keeps you turning pages."

"A strong female character is always a plus, and I consider Sheridan strong, intelligent, and intriguing."

"A solid plot development and well rounded characters - so that you could recognize them by their traits rather than by name - helped make the story an easy to read, enjoyable escape for a couple of hours."

"I love the small town life and the characters are painted so perfectly that I feel I know them. Trouble ensues and we are treated to drama & mystery with a bit of humor and romance thrown in."

"Dr. Hendley uses her observations of human behavior to notice those around her and their relationships to each other. She does show concern for her students and friends. She is smart and brave and you like spending time with her in her scholarly world."

Thank you kind readers for reading and writing the reviews!

RELEASE DAY: MURDER IN THE ARBORETUM (Cold Creek #2)

MURDER IN THE ARBORETUM (Cold Creek #2)

Synopsis:

Another murder in small town Cold Creek has tensions rising. Clive Johnson, the groundskeeper at Cold Creek College, is a convenient scapegoat for a police chief who seeks an easy solution. Convinced Chief Pfeiffe has it all wrong, professor and psychologist Sheridan Hendley sets out to help prove Clive's innocence. But not everyone is pleased by her enthusiastic search for the truth. Just as her life is looking up personally, it looks like she might be the next victim. 

Excerpt:

    As we rounded the curve, I first spotted an older man in work clothes. He was black, balding and sported a beer gut not quite camouflaged by the support wrap to protect his back. Some gardening and lawn tools were on the ground by his feet. His gaze was down and his arms just hung by his side. He didn’t look up as we came into view. I assumed that he was Johnson.
   A few feet away, a young man sat on the bench. His body doubled over with his head between his knees. Even from a distance, I could see his body shaking. A man in uniform crouched by his side and talked to him. I left Hirsch’s side and walked over to the two of them. I introduced myself and in my calmest voice, I asked, “How are we doing over here?”
   “Ma’am, this here is Nick Davidson. He’s still pretty upset, but doing better minute by minute,” the paramedic commented, also in a quiet voice. “Isn’t that right, Nick?”
    Nick’s head bobbed as if in agreement, but he didn’t say a word. “Do you still feel dizzy, Nick?” asked the paramedic. Nick shook his head and raised his eyes to look at me. His face communicated a lot. Emotions, from fear to shock to dismay to embarrassment, flitted across his face.
   “Nick, can you tell me what happened here this morning?” I asked when I had eye contact. He hesitated, then mixed with deep breaths and tears, Nick told me he had been working with Johnson. He moved in between a cluster of azaleas to get a piece of trash he saw. As he talked about the body and how he tripped over it, he broke down again. I placed my hand on his shoulder and waited for him to gain control. He started to hyperventilate.
   The paramedic stepped in and directed him to monitor his breathing. When he was breathing normally, I asked him whom we could notify to come get him. Many of the students at Cold Creek College had family locally. I was hoping he was one of them. He answered and managed to get out his cell phone and hand it to me. He was shaking too badly to make the call himself.
   I was able to find the number, call, and advise his mother that there had been an incident on campus. I reassured them that Nick was okay but in shock. He would be transported to the Physician’s Center. They agreed to meet him at the small local hospital. A second paramedic showed up and the two managed to get Nick to stand and walked him toward the cart. The cart took him to the quad and a waiting ambulance.
   I turned toward Johnson and hesitated. He looked at me with something akin to hostility. Hirsch must have caught the glare. He took a step closer, looked at me, and waited for my next move. I took another step and Johnson’s glare faded. Again I introduced myself and asked what had happened. He related that he and Nick were cleaning out the beds. He explained that Nick was in the azaleas to pick up what looked like trash. One minute he was standing and the next he was on the ground and screaming and kicking.
   Johnson shook his head. He explained he was afraid Nick was hurt, maybe bit by a snake. When he got in there, looking out for a snake, he saw the leg and then body. The shirt sleeve was what they had seen from the path.
   He shook his head again and just looked away. After a minute or two, he looked back at me. He said he grabbed Nick and shook him, but Nick was just hysterical. Nick fainted. Johnson pulled him out and radioed it in to dispatch.

AMAZON

This is the second in the Cold Creek series.  Missed the first one?  Click here for MURDER AT COLD CREEK COLLEGE  

(stay tuned for more excerpts!)

Cover Release: MURDER IN THE ARBORETUM

Convinced Chief Pfeiffe has it all wrong, Sheridan Hendley sets out to help solve Cold Creek's latest murder. Clive Johnson, the groundskeeper at Cold Creek College is an easy scapegoat for a police chief who seeks an easy solution. When Sheridan searches for information to prove Clive's innocence, she starts receiving threats. Just as her life is looking up personally, it looks like she might be the next victim.

This is the second in the Cold Creek Series with an anticipated release date of 9/15/2014.