Review Tour: Murderous Means (A Southern California Mystery) by Lida Sideris with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

Murderous Means

by Lida Sideris

GENRE:   Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

Corrie Locke may not be the best rookie lawyer in Southern California, but when it comes to catching a killer, she’s got the skills to bring a band of shifty-eyed suspects to their knees.

When the wealthy matriarch of the dysfunctional Means family dies in her sleep, the family is convinced her death was anything but peaceful. They hire Corrie to prove it, but the only evidence they have to go on is a psychic’s half-baked vision that it was murder. To put the matter to rest, Corrie sets her sights on proving the psychic is a fraud. After all, everyone knows psychics are crack-pots, don’t they?

But what should be a simple investigation morphs into something deadly. The deeper Corrie digs, the more bizarre clues are revealed, and a possible witness is found dead. As tempers rise, it is up to Corrie to catch a killer…who’s about to strike again.

EXCERPT:

Most people think the worst when they spot a shadowy figure lurking outside in the middle of the night. But there’s often a perfectly reasonable explanation. Take tonight, for instance. I was previewing my next job at a time carefully selected to avoid interruptions. 

It was the quiet hour, halfway between sunset and sunrise. Although breaking and entering was one of my favorite past-times, I carried a key for tonight’s visit, provided by a prospective client. Except she wasn’t expecting me till much later, like in twelve hours. I was checking out the place to determine if the job was worth taking. 

The house was one of four structures on twenty-nine acres at the end of Old Canyon Road in Los Ranchos, population 1300. The tiny town was nestled between two powerhouse communities with small town vibes of their own: Calabasas and Malibu. Just far enough away from Los Angeles to make residents forget the worries and bustle of city life. Los Ranchos was a hidden pocket of relief in the massive overcoat of L.A.

I entered a sturdy Victorian home sitting dead center of fenced-in pastures. The antique furnishings were the real deal, fashioned by expert craftsmen. From Windsor chairs to walnut corner pieces, it was like stepping back in time, circa 1900, except ladies back then didn’t dress in black sweats or don suede ankle boots. Nor did they stash pistols in their crossbody bags and Japanese throwing stars in their belt buckles. Well, maybe the pistols.

Oriental rugs scattered around tongue and groove floors, quieting my footsteps. Not that anyone would hear me. The house sat unoccupied ever since…I dove behind a small settee and froze. A floorboard creaked on the porch, a weighty creaking that lasted a tad too long. Was somebody out there?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lida Sideris is the author of the Southern California Mysteries. Slightly edgier than the usual cozy mystery, the series is loosely based on the author’s former life, working as an entertainment attorney for a movie studio…kind of like her heroine, Corrie Locke... except without the homicides. Lida is a recipient of the Helen McCloy Mystery Writers of America Scholarship Award and a 2x Killer Nashville, Silver Falchion Award finalist. She lives in the northern tip of Southern California with her family, rescue dogs, and a flock of uppity chickens. To learn more, please visit www.LidaSideris.com

Links:

www.lidasideris.com

https://www.facebook.com/lidasideris

Twitter: @lidasideris

Instagram: @lida_sideris

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GIVEAWAY:

Lida Sideris will be awarding $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4786/

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

Full of twists and turns, friends and suspects, half truths and more. Corrie was asked to prove a death was murder based on a "psychic" comment. She found more than she bargained for, struggled through the clues, and worked a way to the solution. I enjoyed the witty conversations, friendly companionship, and sleuthing. The story was a little long, but overall, this was a good story.

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

January 31: Kit 'n Kabookle
January 31: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
February 7: The Avid Reader
February 7: Gina Rae Mitchell
February 14: The Reading Addict
February 14: Our Town Book Reviews
February 21: Sandra's Book Club
February 21: Literary Gold