Hi book readers, lovers of a cozy mystery. By chance are any of you vacationing on Orcas Island this summer or any season for that matter? Orcas Island is one of several islands in the chain of San Jan Islands of Washington State, and one of my favorite places to visit. My mystery All Fired Up is set on Orcas.
A fun way to explore the island is to take my book along. Follow the characters Marianne and Jack as they meet on the ferry to Orcas thinking that they’re just two ships passing in the night. But they’re not. Something mysterious is going on out at Deer Harbor where Marianne has received a threatening note at her gate accusing her of having traitor in her blood. When Jack stops at the local tavern in Eastsound to enjoy a bowl of clam chowder, he discovers that his grandfather wasn’t who he said he was and had ties to island folklore of stolen jewels. As Jack learns more, it leads him to Marianne’s doorstep to find that her troubles are linked to his own. As the clues build, the folklore of stolen jewels and promises not kept begins to sound too real, and too close to home, for them both. With a growing attraction between them, Marianne tries to remain focused on the mystery, knowing that Jack's intentions are not to stay on the island.
You’ll get to know the other characters in the book, the Sheriff, family members, an unpredictable orange tabby, and a homeless teenager, all who add their own flavor to the story. The notes become more threatening and clues will lead you around the island to some places that exist and some that do not. But have fun all the same reading the book and experiencing the sights and sounds of the island just as Jack and Marianne did as they raced against the clock to stop the faceless threat who will go to great lengths to get a piece of the past that they feel rightfully belongs to them.
Does a romance develop after the danger is past? You'll need to read the book to find out. Enjoy! Carmine