Halloween is Murder
McKinley Mysteries
Book 11
Carolyn Arnold
Published by: Hibbert and Stiles
Publishing Inc.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 154
Word Count: 38,534
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Book Description:
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.
Excerpt from chapter 5 of Halloween
is Murder (McKinley Mysteries)
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.
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.
About the Author:
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.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:
Website - http://carolynarnold.net/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters .
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