Some secrets should stay hidden. If they come to light, darkness could weaken even the strongest of families.
Real estate agent Charlotte O'Donohue never looks forward to Mondays. Usually, a couple cups of coffee will fix her mood, but today an unexpected voice directs her to a dead body. She's going to need a bigger cup, and it better be caffeinated!
When the dead body happens to be your client, the scandal could jeopardize her brother's business, but Charlotte is more worried about a mysterious stranger who decides she's the number one suspect. He seems familiar and dangerous. He knows she has a secret, and Charlotte will do anything to keep the truth from him. How could he possibly understand that she can hear the dead?
Ghostly whispers from a spirit who haunts the large Kansas City mansion warns of more danger to come for Charlotte, her family, and for the stranger. But as Charlotte discovers a key to one mystery, another one appears...one that could reveal more than a murderer but a long-forbidden love.
The haunted and the living seem to be conspiring against the spunky real estate agent, throwing her into a love of her own that shakes her to the core.
When long hidden secrets expose lost loves, two intertwined families are placed in jeopardy in Charlotte's Voices of Mystery.
Publication Date: March 17, 2023
ASIN: B0BSVM9H5T
ISBN:
Language: English
Length: 252 pages
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery/Romance
Buy Link: https://mybook.to/HauntedLostRose
Other Stores: https://books2read.com/u/3Joj5E/
Excerpt:
“Oh no.” As I rushed in, I saw Mr. Martin’s body stretched out on the cold floor. He was face down and too big to turn him over. I crouched down to touch him, but he was cold to the touch. I only knew how to do what I saw on television. Grabbing his arm, I felt nothing. I touched his neck. There was no beating or pulsing of any kind.
“I said he was here. He’s departed.”
I looked around, but saw no one. Of course. I was listening to someone who was part of this house.
“I can see that.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and hit 9-1-1. “Do you know what happened to him?” I yelled out the question but received only silence once more.
“Hello, I’m at the old Taylor Club, and I’ve found a dead man, my client. I’m a realtor. Yes, the old Taylor Club. I’ll be waiting.”
I looked around the body. Nothing was out of place. Nothing seemed to be disrupted in the room. No window was broken, no table overturned. I stood up and moved away from his body. The tremors began to take over, shaking me to my core. I leaned up against the brick wall of the room beneath a framed painting.
Needing a distraction, I turned to look up at the piece of art. It featured a lovely woman seated in a Queen Anne chair as she held a small dog and a book in her lap. The woman was sitting in this very room. Her dress was white with a small red and coral bloom print. At her neck, the dress tied with a red bow to the left. Her eyes were a piercing color of green. Her hair was sunshine blond. The painting was unfinished at the bottom, her lower figure was only outlined.
“Is this you?” I asked out loud.
“Once.” I heard the voice fainter than before, or perhaps it was another voice. If walls could talk! Perhaps they could in this old house.
“Thank you for being here with me. I haven’t been with a dead body before, well not since...” I stopped muttering. I was shaking from the cold, my fear, and my memories.
I heard a soft laugh. “Dead. Only another time, another place.”
I walked back to the hallway to wait for the police. “Maybe for you, but for me this is not a normal day in Kansas City.” I glanced back at the red rose on the mantle. “And who left that?”
“Be careful.” Those two words shook me to my core. I heard the sirens. I rushed to open the door.
“Charlie?” My brother, the police sergeant, stood in front of me. His face was distorted in a mixture of shock and fear. “They said some real estate person was here, but I didn’t realize it was you. Tom is going to have a heart attack. Where’s the body?”
“Nice to see you too, Sean. He’s in the sitting room. I’ll show you.” I led him to Mr. Martin’s body. I stood back watching the oncoming swarm of officers and emergency workers do their jobs. But my client was still dead.
Want to delve into more of Ms. Bauer's work? Check out her completed Lily List Mystery Series, or sign-up for her newsletter here.
Want to keep up to date on what C.L. Bauer is doing? Follow her on Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
“I said he was here. He’s departed.”
I looked around, but saw no one. Of course. I was listening to someone who was part of this house.
“I can see that.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and hit 9-1-1. “Do you know what happened to him?” I yelled out the question but received only silence once more.
“Hello, I’m at the old Taylor Club, and I’ve found a dead man, my client. I’m a realtor. Yes, the old Taylor Club. I’ll be waiting.”
I looked around the body. Nothing was out of place. Nothing seemed to be disrupted in the room. No window was broken, no table overturned. I stood up and moved away from his body. The tremors began to take over, shaking me to my core. I leaned up against the brick wall of the room beneath a framed painting.
Needing a distraction, I turned to look up at the piece of art. It featured a lovely woman seated in a Queen Anne chair as she held a small dog and a book in her lap. The woman was sitting in this very room. Her dress was white with a small red and coral bloom print. At her neck, the dress tied with a red bow to the left. Her eyes were a piercing color of green. Her hair was sunshine blond. The painting was unfinished at the bottom, her lower figure was only outlined.
“Is this you?” I asked out loud.
“Once.” I heard the voice fainter than before, or perhaps it was another voice. If walls could talk! Perhaps they could in this old house.
“Thank you for being here with me. I haven’t been with a dead body before, well not since...” I stopped muttering. I was shaking from the cold, my fear, and my memories.
I heard a soft laugh. “Dead. Only another time, another place.”
I walked back to the hallway to wait for the police. “Maybe for you, but for me this is not a normal day in Kansas City.” I glanced back at the red rose on the mantle. “And who left that?”
“Be careful.” Those two words shook me to my core. I heard the sirens. I rushed to open the door.
“Charlie?” My brother, the police sergeant, stood in front of me. His face was distorted in a mixture of shock and fear. “They said some real estate person was here, but I didn’t realize it was you. Tom is going to have a heart attack. Where’s the body?”
“Nice to see you too, Sean. He’s in the sitting room. I’ll show you.” I led him to Mr. Martin’s body. I stood back watching the oncoming swarm of officers and emergency workers do their jobs. But my client was still dead.
Want to delve into more of Ms. Bauer's work? Check out her completed Lily List Mystery Series, or sign-up for her newsletter here.
Want to keep up to date on what C.L. Bauer is doing? Follow her on Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author:
Kansas City, Missouri native C.L. Bauer is the author of three series in mystery genres. Originally a reporter, Bauer worked through jobs in marketing and advertising, to eventually take over the reins of her family’s century old business, Clara’s Flowers. Many of the stories used in her books are based on true events from years in the wedding and event flower world.
You can reach C.L. Bauer on all social mediums, Goodreads, and through her website, www.clbauer.com. You can check out her flower designs at www.clarasflowers.com
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