Hope. Dreams. Life... Love: Gone Before

Gone Before

by Terry Korth Fischer

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GENRE: Mystery

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BLURB:

Small-town detective, Rory Naysmith, thought he’d seen it all, but a young woman’s brutal murder is especially hard to stomach. Doubly so, when he recognizes the murder’s MO is identical to that of Tobias Snearl—the killer he put behind bars a decade before. His frustration grows after a series of senseless accidents plague those dearest to him, and a second woman dies—this one too close to home. Searching for answers, Rory races against time, plunging deep into the murder investigations, drawing ever closer to becoming a casualty of the dark, angry deeds himself, until he finds no one is who they pretend to be—and none are beyond evil’s reach.

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EXCERPT

“I think my guardian angel is off for the Fourth.” The detective studied the cloudless sky and tried not to think about his foot. It didn’t work. “Just use the crowbar to break one of these frickin’ stones loose.”

The jack handle didn’t do the trick. Opening the trenching tool and using the pick end, Thacker swung it against the largest stone. It bounced off the surface.

Rory suppressed a scream as pain shot from his knee down his encased leg. “Easy!”

“Sorry, boss.”

“Try removing one of the outer stones. Loosen them, and maybe we’ll be able to budge these. I’ll hold the light, and you make room for these damn jaws to unclasp. Try finding the cornerstone.”

A fine layer of perspiration covered Rory’s face. He felt defeated and a little nauseous. He leaned back on his elbows and looked at the sky. “Thacker,” he said, “this is damn unlucky.”

The rookie moved down the mound to the edge of the pile. Using the crowbar and a lot of muscle, he attacked. Finally, he was able to roll one stone out of position. Then another. He was still three feet from Rory’s crevice, working his way toward the more enormous boulders and Rory’s ultimate freedom, when the rock he was prying loose rolled out of place. He hesitated. “There is something funny here, boss.”

“I could use a good laugh.”

“Not ha-ha funny, peculiar funny.” “Tell me anyway.”

“There’s someone else in this rock pile.”

A Word With the Author

What are four things you can’t live without?

Four things that I wouldn’t want to live without are stout coffee, good friends, quiet time, and fresh air. Not necessarily in that order and welcomed at any time.

What is your favorite television show?

Now that streaming is widely available, and my cable provider offers “view on demand," I have the opportunity to watch many shows, movies, and documentaries I missed because I don’t do prime-time viewing. I love a good British mystery series, including Midsomer Murders and Father Brown. Murder She, Wrote, Castle, and the original CSI-Las Vegas are on my list of favorites.

If you could be any character from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum wins my nomination. She’s spunky, always willing to dig deeper to get “it” done, and is surrounded by an eclectic group of friends. Stephanie does things I dream of doing, but never would have the nerve to do.

What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?

Fingers crossed; a beach-read novella titled Double Dip will be available this summer. And now that the first two books of the Rory Naysmith Mysteries are out, I’m working on a third book. This story is set around Valentine’s Day and the death of Winterset’s Poet Laureate. Oh, the things that happen in that small-town!

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

I do a lot of reading, and it’s hard not to be influenced by other authors. For example, Sara Paretsky’s genius at setting and character, Dick Francis’ ability to explain complicated situations, Agatha Christie’s skill at misdirection, and Harlan Coben's incorporation of twists and surprises. Their craft inspires me.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Terry Korth Fischer writes mystery and memoir. Her memoir, Omaha to Ogallala, was released in 2019. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies in print and online. Terry is a member of Sisters in Crime, Pennwriters, Inc, and Clear Lake Area Writers. Transplanted from the Midwest, Terry lives in Houston with her husband and their two guard cats. She enjoys a good mystery, heat and humidity, and long summer days. Visit her website at https://terrykorthfischer.com

Social media contacts:

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Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/TerryKorthFischer

Amazon Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Before-Rory-Naysmith-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09KQVCM6M/ref=sr_1_1?