Cherri's Books
Released December 2007
Announcing my debut novel, an American Service Searchers Mystery Series...
THE SCENT OF MONEY
Four church ladies stumble into the home of the Piper’s mansion for their monthly meeting, finding the town’s bank president and his wife sitting in their easy chairs with slashed throats. To help the community from seeing such an atrocity, they decide to lay their Bibles down and clean the crime scene. Didn’t want anyone to see the mess. Then, they called the police.
Chief McAllen and Spike’s finest have little to go on, thanks to the cleanliness of the Mount Pleasant Baptist’s church ladies. It isn’t until Becky, the chief’s wife, and her unusual involvement diving into the Piper’s lives, that the clues to the identity of the murderer trickles in like tiny rain drops.
Carmen Garza falls prey to the clutches of a deceitful web, finding out too late the mistake she has made, leaving the citizens of Spike, Texas pointing fingers at one another.
Becky McAllen worked with Search Dogs in her past and the opportunity arises again after inheriting the Piper’s German shepherd puppy, Tasha…with conditions.
Reviewed by Christy Tillery-French for Midwest Book Review on March 3, 2008
Matt and Becca McAllen live in the small town of Spike Texas, where Matt is Chief of Police. When their town's bank president and his wife are murdered, the only witness is their red German shepherd,Tasha. Becca rescues the dog from a woman who is abusing her and becomes her caretaker. Tasha reminds Becca of a beloved dog she recently lost and Becca is determined to keep her, despite the fact that the bank president's wife's brother may stand to inherit her belongings. Matt senses that Tasha can lead them to the murderer, but the murderer quickly targets Becca and Tasha, and Matt is beside himself trying to keep them safe while tracking the killer.
This is an intriguing mystery, filled with twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing throughout. Galbiati's small-town descriptive draws the reader into the story with a sense of actually being there. Becca has a feisty nature and is a delightful character, a woman who has no problem standing up for herself and who loves her husband very much. The relationship between Matt and Becca is at the center of the story and offers a sweet touch against the dark premise of murder. Tasha, the German shepherd, is an added bonus among a cast of lovable characters. The Scent of Money easily meets the criteria for a guaranteed good read: engaging characters, realistic dialogue, a galvanizing plot, and action-packed suspense.
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| THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN MIST |
A DEATH IN TEXAS |
THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN MIST features "The Scent of Blood"
A DEATH IN TEXAS (coming Fall 2008)
Publisher: L & L Dreamspell