Today I'm participating in the Death on a Deadline Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. And be sure to enter the giveaway below.
About the book . . .
Death on a Deadline (A Homefront News Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Crooked Lane Books (November 8, 2022)
Hardcover : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 1639101152
ISBN-13 : 978-1639101153
Digital ASIN : B09S3GBPM4
Synopsis . . . Editor-in-chief Irene Ingram pencils in her newest mystery in Joyce St. Anthony’s second captivating Homefront News mystery, perfect for fans of Anne Perry and Rhys Bowen.
As World War II rages in Europe and the Pacific, the small town of Progress is doing its part for the soldiers in the field with a war bond drive at the annual county fair. Town gossip Ava Dempsey rumors that Clark Gable will be among the participating stars. Instead of Gable, the headliner is Freddie Harrison, a B-movie star. When Freddie turns up dead in the dunk tank, Irene Ingram, editor-in-chief of The Progress Herald, starts chasing the real headline.
There are plenty of suspects and little evidence. Ava’s sister Angel, who was married to the dead actor, is the most obvious. The couple had argued about his affair with the young starlet Belinda Fox, and Angel was the last person to see Freddie alive.
Irene discovers there’s more than one person who might have wanted Freddie dead. As Irene draws on her well-honed reporter’s instincts to find the killer—nothing is what it seems in Progress, and now her own deadline could be right around the corner.
My review . . . Patriotic fervor is strong in the small town of Progress, Pennsylvania, where a war bond drive is underway at the annual county fair. A group of lesser-known actors from the Hollywood Victory Committee descend on Progress with their entourage, boosting bond sales and creating unexpected drama. Among them is heart throb Freddie Harrison, traveling with both his wife Angel, daughter of the local diner proprietor and sister of the beauty salon owner, and his girlfriend Belinda, a fellow actor.
When Freddie's lifeless body is found floating in the dunk tank at the fairgrounds, the women in his life are the obvious suspects. But are either Angel or Belinda capable of murder? The police open an investigation, as does Irene Ingram, the editor-in-chief of The Progress Herald, who puts her journalistic skills and curiosity to the test. Ultimately, Irene uncovers unseemly behavior on Freddie's part that widens the list of suspects dramatically. And time is of the essence to identify the culprit after a second victim is discovered. Can Irene solve the crime before the killer strikes a third time?
At its heart, Death on a Deadline is an engaging story that captures life on the home front during the second world war. Readers get a realistic sense of the importance of women in keeping businesses and families intact in the face of uncertainty. Scandal and murder brought to the small town by outsiders add to the story's appeal. After all, Progress is a sleepy place where people know each other and live in relative harmony. Unlike most cozy mysteries where law enforcement is at odds with the amateur sleuth, a close bond between the protagonist and the police chief allows them to work cooperatively, sharing clues and developments that help crack the case.
While there are references to the first book in the series within its pages, Death by Deadline can be read as a standalone. In fact, snippets from the previous book actually whet the appetite, beckoning readers to reach for it—if they haven't already—as they await the next book in this captivating historical series. Joyce St. Anthony has created a setting and characters that successful cozy series are noted for, and one that readers will enjoy returning to again and again.
Giveaway . . . Enter the contest for a chance to win a copy of Death by Deadline by clicking here.
About the author . . . Joyce St. Anthony was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers, but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail.
In addition to the Homefront News Mysteries, she is the author of the Brewing Trouble Mysteries and the upcoming Cider House Mysteries written under her own name, Joyce Tremel. She lives in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania with her husband.
Author links . . .
Website: http://www.joycetremel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyceTremel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyceTremel
Purchase links . . . Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Penguin Random House
Tour participants . . .
November 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
November 9 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 10 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 10 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 11 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
November 11 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 12 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
November 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 14 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 14 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
November 14 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 15 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
November 16 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
November 18 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
November 18 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
November 19 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
November 19 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
November 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 20 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – AUTHOR GUEST POST
