Spotlight & Giveaway: Death by Deception by Tracy Gardner

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Tracy Gardner to HJ!

Hi Tracy and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Death by Deception!

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

Savanna Shepherd is back in her Lake Michigan hometown after her fiancé leaves her to find himself. She’s thrilled to reunite with her two sisters and her close-knit family and is enjoying teaching elementary school art. But when someone tries to kill the beloved town matriarch Caroline Carson, Savanna’s talent for spotting secrets hiding in plain sight as a former art authenticator is put to the test. Caroline and her collection of multi-million dollar paintings are at risk due to escalating dangerous incidents. With a little help from her sisters, a gruff but kind town detective, and Aidan, the intriguing town doctor, can Savanna catch a killer before she becomes the next target?
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

This is a snippet from the moment when Savanna finds the town doctor playing piano at
his daughter’s school even and realizes her tiny crush isn’t so tiny anymore:

“You play beautifully. I had no idea,” she said quietly, looking at his left temple.
Oh, jeez, this was bad. She always had trouble making eye contact with anyone she was
attracted to. It was an infallible sign. And once she was aware of it, it just got worse.
Aidan gave her a sheepish half smile. “I was kind of hoping you’d show up here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were part of the entertainment?” Where to focus
her gaze? Her eyes rested for a moment on the white V of cotton at his neck, under the
collar of his sweater.
“Oh, I’m not. It’s only background music… The kids don’t care about it. I just
enjoy playing.”
“You’re really good. I mean, like, really good.”
“Like, really, really good?”
She met his eyes. He was teasing her. Okay, she could overcome this. Maintain
eye contact; don’t make it weird. “You keep too many secrets. Or maybe I just don’t ask
enough questions.”
“Ask away. I’m all yours.”

What inspired this book?

I’m a lifelong Michigander and we love our Great Lakes, so I had to set the story on the shores of Lake Michigan. I am a huge fan of Charlie’s Angels, the original series and the fantastic newer movies—who doesn’t love a trio of friends (or sister-friends, in the Shepherd sisters case) who always have each other’s backs, have a knack for getting into tricky situations together, and love each other like crazy even when they want to kill each other? My love of all the incarnations of the Charlie’s Angels trio and my own amazing friends and sister-friend was a huge inspiration for this series.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

I’d been thinking about a sister sleuthing story for a while, and one day main character Savanna appeared in my head, the middle sister between goofball younger sister Sydney (loosely inspired by my own little sister) and their too-serious older sister Skylar (loosely inspired by yours truly). Savanna is the best of both sisters, and we meet her after the hardest month of her life—she’s been dumped by her fiancé and fired from his snooty, prestigious family business in the same terrible day and has just moved back to her hometown to find her footing and heal. To get to know my main and supporting characters, I complete a character development exercise, answering a series of questions about each of them. This gives me a great idea of their strengths, weaknesses, quirks, appearance, and backstory. Much of a character’s past remains in the past, but what they’ve been through drives their current behavior and choices and it helps me to have that information to write them.

The questions I complete for each character are:
APPEARANCE – age, what are their physical traits, personal style, actors or real people they remind me of
CURRENT PROBLEM – what are they struggling with? What’s keeping them up at night worrying or stewing or wishing over?
SOLUTION / GOAL – What’s the fix for the problem?
CONFLICT – Why can’t they just do it? What’s stopping them?
COMPLICATIONS / LIMITATIONS – What external factors could interfere with them reaching that goal? What internal/personal issues must they address before the goal can be achieved?
GREATEST FEAR – what are they most afraid of? What happened in their past to make them afraid of this?

What was your favorite scene to write?

I love writing any scene between the sisters. Their sassy rapport makes me smile. The three sisters meet weekly for lunch at Sydney’s dog-centric bakery, Fancy Tails and Treats. In this scene, Savanna’s eldest sister Skylar, an attorney, has an update regarding a character’s death:

“So,” Skylar said, setting her sandwich down. “You guys were such freaks about Eleanor Pietila’s death, I decided to see what I could find out. You know, to prove you wrong.”
“What did you find? How did you even get any information? Did you use super secret lawyer resources?” Savanna leaned forward, elbows on the little round table. “I have ways. Listen, I’m not ever going to do anything shady based on one of your hunches, you know that, right? You aren’t Nancy Drew.”
Savanna sat back, crossing her arms and glaring at her older sister. “Very funny. I’m not a kid anymore, even if you still want to treat me like one, Skylar. I wouldn’t have said a word about how she died, but it was strange. Even Caroline’s doctor thought so.”
Skylar put her hands up defensively. “I know! That’s why I kept thinking about it. Sheesh.” She looked at Sydney, as if for help. “I’m trying to say, I think maybe you were right. Something is weird about the way she died.”
Savanna was still pouting. Just because she’d grown up devouring every mystery she could get her hands on, just because she was always fascinated with what wasn’t easily seen, just because she’d made a living off of looking for hidden signs that could betray the truth in works of art, didn’t mean she was irrational. Sometimes Skylar could be her greatest ally, but sometimes she could be an annoyingly arrogant big sister. Sydney intervened. “Knock it off, both of you. Thank you, Skylar, for checking into it. You’re seriously awesome. What did you find?”
“Suck-up,” Savanna muttered. Sydney kicked Savanna’s foot under the table, making her jump. “What did you find? And be nice.”

What was the most difficult scene to write?

This book required me to learn all about the process of art authentication and how forgeries may be detected. It’s probably the most research I’ve done since college. And I wanted to make sure I understood it well enough to get it right in the story—what if an a real life art authenticator decided to read the book? In this scene, Savanna is showing her sister what’s involved in determining whether a painting is genuine or a good fake, and her older sister gains a newfound respect for the skills Savanna is proficient in:

Skylar turned around in a circle. “Amazing. I never thought about the scientific side of the art world.” The Lansing museum’s lab was large, clean, and rather dimly lit, due to the special lighting required when handling and authenticating sometimes centuries-old pieces. A track ran across the ceiling, holding the bulky, heavy radiograph equipment for the X-ray, confined to one end of the room, an L-shaped partition around it. A long countertop ran the length of one wall, with optical microscopes, cameras, a mass spectrometer, and long wavelength UVA lamps among the work spaces. Two large square desks took up the center of the room, and on one was a disassembled frame being restored.
Savanna set to work. Skylar maintained a respectful distance, asking questions as Savanna set up the X-ray and handled the imaging. She then took both the paintings they’d brought to the UV lamp, jotting notes on a pad and snapping photos as she went. “Very high-tech, Savanna. This is what you did at Kenilworth?”
“A lot of the time, yes.”
“Do you miss it?”
Savanna looked sideways at Skylar, from her position peering through a lens at the piece. “I miss parts of it.”
Skylar nodded, quiet.
“I was right.” Savanna straightened up suddenly. “I was right!” She clapped her hands, looking at Skylar, and then her heart sank. Despite being fairly certain after checking the painting with her handheld Firefly microscope, this wasn’t something she wanted to find. “Oh, no, I was right. Look at this.”
Skylar looked through the microscope. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to see?”

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

This book is my cozy mystery writing style, for sure. I also write women’s fiction under pen name Jess Sinclair, and that tends to be bit darker and the language more colorful. But for cozies I try hard to create clean, wholesome reads.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

I’d love for readers to find something of themselves in some part of this book, whether in a storyline that hits home or in one of the characters who resonates as someone they’d connect with in real life.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I am wrapping up the manuscript for book 5 in this series, which takes place on the snowy shores of Lake Michigan during Christmastime and the town’s Frosty Fest winter carnival. There are 5 Shepherd sisters book publishing this year! Murder On Display is book 2 and releases April 16th .

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An ebook copy of DEATH BY DECEPTION + one additional Tule ebook of the winner’s choice

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Excerpt from Death by Deception:

Chapter One

Savanna Shepherd breathed deeply, closing her eyes for a moment to savor the crisp fall air that was somehow sweeter on this side of Lake Michigan. Those vast blue waves with beautiful whitecaps made it seem more like an ocean than a lake; she’d never tire of it. It was good to be home.

Savanna let the poodles lead her down the sandy sidewalk. They were tiny and well-mannered and knew the way by heart. Even though she’d grown up here, Savanna was still acclimating to her little beach town after over a decade spent in Chicago. At the age of thirty, it was strange to think about her old life, due west across the lake. Her twelfth-floor apartment, her job as art authenticator for a prestigious gallery, and her fiancé, Rob, had been replaced with a small pink room at her sister’s house in Carson, an elementary art teacher job, and her Boston terrier, Fonzie, as her most constant companion.

Despite the whiplash feeling from so many changes in such a short time, Savanna was grateful. She’d been lucky to fall into a teaching position just as the school year was starting. Younger sister Sydney happily offered up her spare bedroom while she figured things out. She’d missed her sisters. In the middle, with Skylar two years older and Sydney two years younger, Savanna was surprised to realize how much she’d missed their close-knit little trio the last several years.

Savanna bent to untangle the leashes; as they approached Caroline’s house, Duke pranced in circles around Princess. The poodles were primped and fluffed and smelled like a flower shop, courtesy of Sydney’s grooming salon, Fancy Tails and Treats. Along with the poodles, Savanna was delivering a little paper sack of gourmet dog biscuits Sydney had made herself. After Savanna’s very first day at Carson Elementary School, she’d stopped by the salon to bring her sister a coffee and had ended up volunteering to return the poodles to Caroline Carson.

The Shepherd sisters had grown up thinking Caroline was their grandmother. Even after they were old enough to understand that the families were just close friends, Savanna remembered spending Sunday afternoons and long summer days on Caroline’s wraparound porch and the beach beyond. Spotting the pillars of the wide front entrance, Savanna could almost smell the lemonade and sunscreen from her youth. The Carson mansion was gorgeous and stately, the rear of the house overlooking the lake and its rolling dunes.

Princess and Duke were having trouble containing their exuberance, as Savanna tried to sidestep them on the way up the wide porch steps. She hadn’t seen Caroline in almost five years. She’d wanted to come home for the funeral when Mr. Carson had passed last year, but she couldn’t get away from work. She was equally excited and nervous, and underneath that, Savanna couldn’t wait to see what had changed in the Carsons’ art collection. The beautiful pieces on the walls of this house were largely what had inspired Savanna to go into art authentication. She’d always enjoyed doodling and painting, but she’d found her niche in college, learning about world-renowned artists and their techniques, minoring in early education but majoring in studio art to earn her BFA.

The poodles scrambled wildly onto the porch, pulling Savanna smack into a tree. Well, not a tree, but an impossibly tall stranger just stepping out onto Caroline’s porch. Savanna looked up to find herself staring into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. She watched them crinkle at the corners, making her suddenly aware she was standing there, gawking, mute. He had a shock of unruly black hair, cut close but longer on top, and a few faint freckles across his cheeks.

“Hello.” His voice was deep and quiet. He placed one large hand lightly on her upper arm, steadying her as she stepped back.

After tripping over a leash, Savanna regained her balance. She looked down and found the poodles had taken the opportunity to weave themselves in and around both her and the stranger’s ankles.

She laughed, trying to extricate herself. “Here.” She finally scooped up Duke. “Would you mind?” She handed the poodle to the man and he took it, smiling at her and making her more flustered. What was she doing? Why would she assume this man would just hold a random dog? Too late now, she thought, unclipping Duke’s leash and unwrapping it from their legs while Princess sprung into the air, pawing at Duke.

“Oh, jeez,” Savanna murmured, capturing a squirming Princess and glancing up at the man again. “I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t be.” He laughed. “I love these two.”

She frowned at him without meaning to. She knew everyone in town; who was this man on Caroline’s porch, claiming to know Caroline’s poodles? And why was his smile making her all warm and stupid inside?

“I’m Aidan. And you are…not Sydney.”

Savanna shook her head, disconcerted. How did he know Sydney? Aidan who? “I’m not. I’m Savanna. Shepherd,” she added.

Understanding dawned on him. “Ah-ha! The third Shepherd sister!”

“Yes. How do you know my sisters?”

“We take our dog to Fancy Tails. And I’ve crossed paths with your sister picking up Caroline’s poodles before. And your other sister, Skylar, is my attorney. Not that I need a lawyer,” he interrupted himself. “Just, y’know, for things that come up. Nothing bad. Financial stuff. She’s great. They’re both great,” he finished awkwardly.

Savanna heard one thing in Aidan’s explanation, and it had nothing to do with him needing Skylar’s services—we. As in, “We” take our dog to Fancy Tails. This ridiculously hot man was taken—of course. How could he not be?

“Your sisters must be happy to have you back.”

“I’m thrilled to be home. I haven’t seen Caroline yet, so I offered to deliver these two.” She gestured at the little dogs, now back on their leashes.

He nodded, stepping aside and holding the door open for her. “It was nice meeting you.” The deep timbre of his voice sent a pleasant little zing through her.

Again, she wondered—Aidan who? But Savanna’s mother had raised her with good manners. There was no polite way she could ask him to define who he was to Caroline. “Nice meeting you too, Aidan.” She took his offered hand, large and warm, noting as she let go that he held on just a beat longer.

“Maybe I’ll see you around.” He turned and headed down the front steps.

Savanna stood in the doorway and watched his retreat. Okay, she’d have to sneak details out of Caroline. She was pretty sure he was married. She mentally kicked herself for not noticing if he wore a ring. And, on the heels of that, kicked herself again for even wondering. After everything Rob had put her through, she’d sworn she was done with men—for a good while anyway.

Savanna reached outside and rang the doorbell before closing the door and unclipping the poodles. She didn’t want to just walk in and startle an old woman. “Hello? Caroline?”

“Hello, dear. In here,” the familiar voice called.

Savanna peeked into each room as she made her way to the back of the enormous house, knowing she’d find Caroline in the parlor. The best room in the mansion, it spanned the entire west wing and had more windows than Sydney’s whole house. Sunset on Lake Michigan was breathtaking, just as Savanna remembered it. She stood for a moment in the doorway, basking in the orange and pink light spilling over Caroline’s wingback chair. If she lived here, she’d never leave this room.

Caroline rose, reaching for her cane as she spoke. “Now, Sydney, you must take this. You do such good work with my babies.” She turned toward Savanna with cash in hand, registering happy surprise.

“Not Sydney,” Savanna said for the second time today, smiling and wrapping Caroline in a warm hug.

“Oh, my! I’d heard whispers… I’m so glad to see you, Savanna!” Caroline carried her age well. She must be ninety. She was still tall, though not quite as tall as she’d been when Savanna was a child. There was a regal air about her, in her mannerisms, her gait, the way she spoke. Savanna spied The New York Times crossword on the table beside Caroline’s chair; she was obviously as sharp as ever.

“I’ve missed you so much!” Savanna gave her one extra little squeeze before letting go. “You look exactly the same, Caroline. How can that be?”

The older woman chuckled. “You always were a good fibber.” She held Savanna at arm’s length and looked her up and down. “Lovely, my dear. You look wonderful. It seems leaving the city and that idiot man has been just what you needed.”

Savanna’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Sydney told you?”

“Skylar told me. She’d like to find him and give him a piece of her mind, you know.”

Savanna laughed. “Oh, no.” She shook her head. Rob wouldn’t know what hit him. “My sisters weren’t too happy when he broke off the engagement. Well, that’s not true. I think they actually are happy it’s over; they never liked him. They weren’t great at hiding it. But I’m all right. I promise.”

“Of course you are. I think he did you a favor.” She leaned in, curling one arm loosely through the crook of Savanna’s elbow. “You belong here, with your sisters. I’m glad you’re home. Now, how about a refresher? We’ve acquired some exquisite work since I last saw you; let me show you, and you can tell me what you know from your worldly fine art pedigree. I want to hear all about Chicago.”

Caroline kept her arm linked through Savanna’s and they began in the library, Princess and Duke following closely. Dark cherrywood was everywhere Savanna looked, and stacks of books reached far over her head. An imperial staircase led up both sides of the room to a catwalk stretching across it. The whole presentation was breathtaking, even to Savanna, who’d grown up devouring the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys collections on these shelves. The railing along the catwalk above gleamed, and just below it, Savanna was stunned to see an actual Minkov hung on the wall. She gasped.

Caroline followed her gaze up to the painting.

“Is that a Sergei Minkov?” Savanna already knew the answer, but she had to ask. She’d only ever seen his work in books. It was so beautiful in person.

“It is. Everett fell in love instantly, the same as you. He had to have it.” She chuckled and lowered her voice in a poor imitation of her late husband. “‘I don’t care what it costs, Caroline. That piece belongs in our library.’”

“Wow,” Savanna breathed. “I’ve never actually seen one. May I take a closer look?”

“Of course.”

Savanna left Caroline to rest a moment at a reading table, a few books scattered across the top. She moved as close as she could to the painting, a good size even in the huge library. It was exquisite. Most Minkovs were valued in the hundreds of thousands or higher, and that wasn’t taking into consideration the year, the period, the size, or the individual piece. Even for collectors such as Everett and Caroline, even in a town known for its long history of an esteemed art community, this was an incredible acquisition. She doubted if any of her peers in Chicago had ever seen a real-life Minkov in person.

“There’s another in the dining room,” Caroline said. “Come, I’ll show you.”

Savanna was seriously impressed. Another? She listened as they passed through the living room and Caroline pointed out two paintings Savanna recognized, one a Monet and the other by an early nineteenth-century artist, Francois Laurant. The Minkov in the dining room was smaller than the painting in the library, but no less amazing.

“I hope these are well insured, Caroline,” Savanna murmured. “I’m not sure you realize what you have here.”

Caroline gave Savanna’s arm a little squeeze. “Absolutely, don’t worry. Your sister handles all of that for me—insurance, copies of paperwork, everything. Everett was always so smart about finances and legal things, and Skylar has been a big help in recent years.”

They circled around back toward the parlor, passing the grand staircase, and Savanna noticed three faded rectangular outlines, bare spots, on the wall on the way up the stairs. “What was there?”

“Ah! That was a…Matisse, I believe, and a Rothman, and an early Laurant—a painting of the Roman canals. I have trouble keeping them all straight. There are too many.” She glanced at Savanna. “I’ve begun some cleaning since losing Everett. We found a new home for the Rothman that was there and moved the other two for now while the stairway is redone. My neighbor Maggie has her husband helping with construction.” She gestured in the direction of the house next door.

Back in the parlor, Savanna shook her head. “You’re busier now than when I left ten years ago.” She smiled at Caroline. “Why are you renovating? Your house is gorgeous.”

Caroline clapped her hands suddenly, excited. “Oh, my, I just realized. You don’t even know, do you? You have to come. We’re planning a grand party here for my ninetieth birthday next month!”

Savanna’s face lit up. “Really? I came home just in time then, didn’t I?”

Back in the parlor, Caroline leaned forward in her chair. “Savanna. I wonder if you might consider doing me a favor? At least think about it.”

“Anything.”

“A mural. Might I commission you to paint me a mural? That wall.” She nodded toward the north end of the room. “Everett and I always felt it should have a seascape. After all the years here, it almost seems I can see it. It would complement our view.” She glanced out at Lake Michigan. “And you have the talent—I remember your artwork. Would you do it?”

Savanna was taken aback. She hadn’t painted—not seriously—in years. She’d messed around a little, but Rob had made her feel as if it were a waste of time, and she’d stopped making the time to do it. She’d dabbled a little since coming back to Carson, but…the idea of a mural was both exciting and daunting. “Caroline, I’m flattered. But—you haven’t seen my work in ten years. I’m not sure I can meet your expectations. Why not just hire it out?”

“Because I want you to do it.”

Savanna wasn’t sure what to say. The quiet, firm demeanor of the woman sitting across from her was exactly what had made Caroline Carson such a shrewd businesswoman through the course of her life. Savanna wasn’t about to tell her no. “How about if I bring my portfolio for you to look at? I have some pieces from school, and one I started recently when I came home. Then you can tell me if you’re still sure.”

“Perfect,” Caroline agreed.

Savanna was walking into the grooming salon before she realized she’d forgotten to ask about that handsome stranger on Caroline’s porch. Well, she’d see the woman tomorrow. If she was even still curious, she firmly told herself.

She handed Sydney two crisp hundred-dollar bills, flouncing down onto the comfy aqua couch her sister kept in a little seating area for customers. The shop was split into two sides, the smaller nook with only a desk, laptop, and file cabinet that held each of Sydney’s grooming customers’ specifics: dog’s name, breed, color, preferred services, style of grooming, allergies, and medical issues. The doorway behind the desk led to a large soundproofed horseshoe with six holding areas, the bathing and grooming facilities in the center. The larger opposite end of the shop, through a wide daisy-decorated archway, housed a long glass display case, filled with an assortment of gourmet pet treats. On first glance, the goodies in the case could be assumed to be delicious concoctions for people; they were all so pretty and unique. A second smaller shelving unit displayed animal-themed collars, bows, leashes, sweaters, booties, and a small selection of cruelty-free hygiene and grooming products that smelled delightful. The front corner of the shop was dedicated to making her patrons feel at home while they shopped or waited for a quick canine trim: an overstuffed couch and chair, a red and chrome retro round table with vintage matching chairs, a mini-fridge with complimentary drinks, and a huge basket of dog toys. Fancy Tails and Treats sat at the end of Main Street, with Sydney’s house in the back. She’d bought the place specifically so Harlan could turn the defunct beauty salon in the front into Fancy Tails. Savanna loved that she was already just as comfortable in the shop as she was in the guest bedroom at Sydney’s.

Sydney rolled her eyes. “You’re not supposed to take her money. I told you!”

Savanna laughed. “Right, like she listens when you tell her no?”

“Never,” Sydney agreed. “I’ve told her over and over not to do that. This is twice what the fee would be for her poodles. She’s so stubborn.”

“Are you almost finished? I can help you close up.”

Sydney moved behind the gourmet treat counter. “Just about. Here, you can sweep.” She handed Savanna a broom. Sydney’s red hair fell in a loose braid down her back, beads interwoven here and there catching the light. Savanna’s own hair was darker, more auburn; she’d never have the nerve to dress it up the way her sister wore hers, but it looked natural on Syd.

Sydney moved to the bulletin board near the entrance, swapping out last week’s yoga schedule for this week’s. She taught a class twice a week for her friend Kate, who owned the studio across the street. She glanced over her shoulder at Savanna. “Are you going to come tomorrow? Even Skylar finds time now and then. What are you afraid of?”

Savanna smiled sweetly at her persistent sister. “I have a date with Caroline, or I definitely would. I swear!”

“Uh-huh.”

It was no secret that Syd was the athletic one in their family. Savanna knew she’d eventually have to make an appearance in her sister’s class, but she was not nearly as bendy as the rest of the yogis. She much preferred the walks she’d started taking along the beach since coming home to Carson. Lake Michigan might as well be an ocean, for its beauty and size. There was just something calming about being close to the sand, water, and sky.

Savanna was certain Skylar benefitted from attending a class now and then. Her older sister hadn’t slowed down after having her son three years ago. She was now full partner in the largest law firm in western Michigan, running the Carson office and commuting to Lansing twice a week. She’d always been super-stress-Skylar when it came to school or work; yoga was probably great for keeping her balanced.

Savanna was reaching for the light switch when the bell over the door jingled. Her little nephew burst into the shop, singing and skipping, Skylar close behind him. Nolan threw himself at Sydney and she caught him, swinging him around. He kissed his aunt on the cheek and peeked out from around her shoulder at Savanna. She was still new, and he was shy.

Sydney carried him over to Savanna, dipping him a bit toward her and then pulling him back, making the toddler giggle. “What about Auntie Savanna?”

Nolan gave her the cutest, most dimpled grin ever, and then buried his face in Sydney’s neck.

Savanna poked him lightly in the ribs. “Auntie Savanna still sees you, silly boy!”

He turned his face, peering at her with one eye, and then whipped around, arms out, and she grabbed him from Sydney. He squeezed his chubby arms around her neck in a hug, his white-blond hair tickling her nose. His mother’s hair was the exact same shade, cut into a no-nonsense bob.

“He’s had dinner, and dessert.” Skylar raised one well-shaped brow at her son. “So don’t let him tell you any sob stories. Travis will pick him up before nine tomorrow morning.” Skylar shifted her briefcase, weighed down with that plus a messenger bag, purse, and overnight bag. She handed Sydney Nolan’s Pokémon backpack.

Savanna was thrilled to now be a part of the Wednesday-night routine; Nolan slept over at Sydney’s house once a week or so, when Skylar had early court mornings in Lansing. It helped both Skylar and her husband, Travis, and Nolan was so much fun to spoil.

“How was your first day of school?” Skylar turned to Savanna.

“It was awesome. Seriously,” she added when Skylar looked at her skeptically. “I loved it. Everyone is so nice. Oh, and Caroline’s grandson Jack is the school librarian. And the kids…they were amazing.” Elementary art was a hard left turn in her career path, but Savanna hoped it was the right choice.

“You started school, Auntie? I just started too!”

“Then we’re both lucky!”

They parted ways outside, Skylar leaning in to kiss each sister’s cheek and give Nolan one more hug.

Savanna jostled Nolan on her hip, winking at Sydney beside her. “So, Nolan, did you know that where I used to live, we have second dessert? Are you in?”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Join the Shepherd sisters in solving a mystery…before it’s too late! This artful cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Krista Davis and Joanne Fluke.

Savanna Shepherd is a former art authenticator―someone who can tell a forgery from the real thing. She’s got a talent for spotting secrets hiding in plain sight.

After being fired and dumped in the same terrible day, Savanna moves back to her idyllic hometown on the banks of Lake Michigan. At least she’s close to her sisters again, and she’s enjoying her new job as a grade school art teacher.

Savanna even rediscovers her creative soul when an old family friend hires her to paint a mural. But when a cozy book club meeting ends with a possible murder, and then dangerous incidents occur in and around the friend’s mansion, Savanna’s sharp eye is put to the test. With a little help from her sisters―and from Aidan, the intriguing town doctor―will she be able to figure out what’s wrong with this picture?

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Meet the Author:

Tracy Gardner is an Edgar Award nominated author of two cozy mystery series, one recent novel earning a spot on New York Public Library’s Best 100 Books list. Tracy also writes book club fiction with heart and grit under pen name Jess Sinclair. A Detroit native with one foot in the sand of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tracy is a mother of three, the daughter of two teachers, and works as a nurse when not writing. She lives with her husband and a menagerie of spoiled rescue dogs and cats who inspire every fictional pet she writes.
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