First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Seeing Red by Dana Dratch. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

 

Chapter 1

Lightning split the sky as I dashed up the sidewalk.  Not the smartest time to be carrying a metal-framed umbrella.  Not the smartest time to be wearing my best navy-blue dressy dress and three-inch slingbacks, either.  But if I didn't want to arrive at Ian's cocktail party looking like an extra from Titanic, I needed the bumbershoot.  And a sponge.

Mother Nature was venting some serious rage.  My neighbor's elegant mixer was supposed to have been held outside, weather permitting.  But this weather was definitely not permitting.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

This is Dana Dratch's second Red Herring Mystery book.  The series features a cast of amusing characters and many laugh-out-loud moments.  It's a highly entertaining read.

You can see my full review of Seeing Red and enter a contest to win a copy of the book by clicking this link. 

My review of the first book, Confessions of a Red Herring is here.

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Seeing Red by Dana Dratch

 

Today I'm participating in the Seeing Red Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And don't forget to enter the giveaway via the link in this post.

About the book . . .

 

Seeing Red (A Red Herring Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (May 28, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1496716582
ISBN-13: 978-1496716583
Digital ASIN: B07H1VFL64

 

Synopsis . . .  If it wasn’t for art thieves, spies and killers, Alex Vlodnachek’s life would be bliss. 

Her freelance career is catching fire. Her relationship with B&B owner Ian Sterling is flirty and fun. She’s even attending a glittering cocktail party at his sprawling Victorian inn.

But, to this ex-reporter, something seems “off.” And it’s not the canapés. When Ian’s father vanishes, the enigmatic innkeeper asks for her discretion. And her assistance.

Meanwhile, Alex is having the opposite problem at her tiny bungalow: People keep piling in uninvited. Including a mysterious intruder found sleeping in her kitchen. Her grandmother, Baba, who shows up “to help”—with Alex’s own mother hot on her heels.

When the intrepid redhead discovers a body in the B&B’s basement and a “reproduction” Renoir in the library, she begins to suspect that Ian is more than just a simple hotel owner.

With editor pal Trip, brother Nick, and rescue-pup Lucy riding shotgun, Alex scrambles to stay one step ahead of disaster—and some very nasty characters.

Can she find the missing man before it’s too late? Or will Alex be the next one to disappear?

My review . . . In Seeing Red, the second book in the Red Herring mystery series, Alex has her hands full dealing with the strange events occurring at The Cotswolds Inn, the bed and breakfast run by her neighbor, Ian Sterling.  Acts of sabotage threaten the viability of the inn, mysterious visitors appear and disappear, and as if that isn’t concerning enough, a corpse or two are found, and Ian’s father Harkins, the inn’s co-owner, goes missing.  Alex is determined to get to the bottom of it all, and also identify and care for the baby she unexpectedly finds in her kitchen.

These unusual developments draw the Voldnachek clan back to Alex’s doorstep to provide assistance—whether she wants it or not.  As the story unfolds, readers become fully immersed in the larger-than-life, amusing personalities and quirks of Alex’s mother, brother Nick, and grandmother Baba. Family friends and eccentric neighbors add additional flavor to the antics.  

Will Alex unravel the puzzling activities at The Cotswolds Inn, find Ian's dad, juggle her new career and possible love interest, and keep her sanity and family intact?  One thing is for sure, readers will have an enjoyable time finding out.  Filled with high jinx and hilarity, this series is an entertaining escape into a fictional Virginia suburb.  

Giveaway . . . Enter the Seeing Red contest to win an advanced reader print copy by clicking on this link.   

About the author . . .  Dana Dratch is a personal finance writer and the author of CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING and SEEING RED. She’s currently working on the third Alex Vlodnachek mystery adventure, RED HOT. Get updates at ConfessionsofaRedHerring.com.

Purchase links . . .
Amazon    B&N   Kobo   Google Play

  

Tour Participants . . . 

May 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
May 27 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
May 28 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
May 28 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST  
May 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 31 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 31 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 1 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
June 1 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 2 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 2 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 3 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
June 4 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
June 4 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 5 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 5 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Seeing Red from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.