Thirty-seven-year-old
painter Cassandra Mitchell is fourth-generation to live in the
majestic Battersea Bluffs, a brooding Queen Anne home originally
built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and
still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations.
Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the
house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it's by
malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter―but now
she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the
machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband.
Salvation
seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property
with the promise of companionship and much-needed help―until they
vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities.
Cassie is devastated, but determined to discover what's happened to
the young couple...even as digging into their disappearance starts to
uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her
childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police―as well as an FBI
agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism―Cassie can't
help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old
house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her
family's dark curse destroys everything in its path?
Excerpt
Eighty
years ago ~ Whale Rock, Massachusetts ~ Cape Cod Bay
Friday,
December 13th
The
fire bell was ringing, and someone yelled in through the tavern door,
“There’s a fire up on the north end! Battersea Bluffs. We need
all the hands we can get!”
“No,
it can’t be,” Percy whispered. The Bluffs was his home. He leapt
from the barstool and ran for the street, bumping into a stranger as
he passed through the tavern door. The man’s eyes were ominously
familiar to him, but with more pressing concerns, there was no time
to bring to memory why. He had to get home to Celeste.
It
sickened him to see the flames as his Ford pickup rounded the top of
Lavender Hill. How hard he and Celeste had worked to build this
house, a grand Victorian with a widow’s walk and a proud front
porch facing out to sea. Fire trucks were already there, and men he’d
known these many years were working hard to contain the blaze.
As
he ran toward the house, it came to him who the stranger in the
tavern had been, and later one of the firefighters would recount that
Percy had screamed: “Damn that lighterman’s curse. Damn you to
hell, Robert Toomey!” Nobody was quick enough to keep Percy
Mitchell from entering the inferno. Moments later he emerged, his
clothing and hair afire, carrying a charred human form. Any man would
have been delirious from the pain, but as the firefighters looked on
in shocked disbelief, Percy walked with a purposeful bearing and a
swift gait toward the bluffs. A few men chased after their friend,
but before anyone could stop him, Percy reached the ledge and cried
out, “I am not finished!”
And
then, with his already dead wife in his arms, he hurled them both
into Cape Cod Bay.
About
the Author
A
true bibliophile, Loretta Marion's affection for the written word
began in childhood and followed her like a shadow throughout her life
as she crafted award winning marketing and advertising copy and
educational brochures. She then applied her writing skills as a
volunteer, establishing a Legacy Story program for hospice patients,
which inspired her to create her own fictional stories. Her debut
novel, The Fool's Truth, was a twisty mystery with whispers of
romance. Her newest novel, HOUSE OF ASHES – A Haunted Bluffs
Mystery, is the first in a series published by Crooked Lane Books.
When
not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying
outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book. Loretta
lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their beloved
Mr. Peabody, a sweet, devoted and amusing “Corgador”.
Website:
https://www.LorettaMarion.com
Barnes&Noble:
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781683318439
Loretta
Marion will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn
winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
10 comments:
As a former New England resident I find your cover, and your theme, very evocative, Loretta.
I hope your tour brings you many new readers.
Thank you, Lisabet! I'm curious to know - where in New England? So glad you are taking part in the Book Blast for HOUSE OF ASHES! The cover artist did a wonderful job capturing the essence of the book. I appreciate the good wishes!
I will be checking back later in the day to answer questions.
I'm a bookaholic and started my book reading journey being read to by my mother Loretta so your name caught my attention. I love a great mystery & loved your blurb on the House of Ashes definitely to be added to my TBR pile...purrpurrkoshkamb (at)aol(dot)com
Thank you for sharing the special memory, Michelle. There are not that many Lorettas out there! I hope you enjoy your time in Whale Rock!
Chilling excerpt! Thanks for sharing and good luck with the tour!
Thank you for the good wishes!
Happy Blog Tour! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you all! It's been a fun stop on the tour!
Wow!! That sounds awesome!! I have to read this and see what the curse is!
I hope you enjoy your time in Whale Rock, Ashley!
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