The Pumpkin Butter Mystery

The Pumpkin Butter Murder

by Meg Benjamin

 

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GENRE: Cozy Mystery 

 

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BLURB:

 

Their gourmet dinner turned deadly. And now the murderer is after her. Roxy Constantine is looking for a way to spend her winter down time. Her true love Nate Robicheaux has a suggestion: she can serve as his sous chef when he prepares a dinner party for possible investors. But when several guests become ill and the hostess herself dies after eating their food, Roxy and Nate could be in deep trouble. Now they need to find out what really happened, and who wanted their hostess dead, before their culinary reputations go down in flames and the murderer turns his attention to Roxy herself.

 

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EXCERPT

I had almost reached the point where the hall turned toward the gym when a hand fastened onto my shoulder from behind. And the next thing I knew, I was slammed up against the lockers.

 

For a moment, I was so shocked I didn’t respond. The person who’d pushed me seemed to be wearing a hoodie pulled up over his head and something across his face. I didn’t recognize him. 

 

As soon as I got over my shock, I blurted, “What the hell are you doing?” as I tried to pull away. I pushed hard against his chest, but I was off balance. 

 

And then his hands moved quickly from my shoulders to my throat. 

 

That, of course, got all my attention. Thank God, my flash of terror expressed itself as a need to fight with everything I could. I grabbed at his hands, trying to pry them loose as they tightened. I was having a hard time breathing, but by then adrenaline had kicked in.

 

I kicked out at him, trying to aim at his crotch as I dug my fingernails into his hands to force him to let go. I heard him curse, and then he let go long enough to slap me hard across my face. I saw stars, but I didn’t stop. I turned my head enough to bite down on the thumb near my face. 

 

“Bitch,” he growled and slapped me again, but at last one of my feet connected with his knee.

 

He stepped away then, fumbling in his pocket, and I staggered away from him toward the gym, trying to run. My legs weren’t working the way they should, and I was coughing from the pressure he’d put on my throat. He grabbed hold of one of my feet, pulling me to my knees. I looked back and saw something flash in his hand. And I knew I couldn’t let him drag me into the darkness.

 

I yelled  “Help” as loud as I could, yanking my foot free and scrambling toward the turn in the hall. I kept yelling, trying to get to my feet, to get away, to find someone. My voice was hoarse and my throat felt raw, but I made as much noise as possible.

 

“Roxy?” someone said.

 

I looked up and saw Susa standing at the turn in the hall, staring down at me.

 

“Get help,” I yelled or tried to. My throat felt ragged and my yells were more like croaks. “Call the cops. He’s trying to kill me.”

 

“Who?” Susa asked.

 

I turned, but the man in the hoodie was gone. Footsteps echoed down the hall, but it was too late to go after him.

 

Not that I had any intention of doing that.

 

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance. Meg’s Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Her new cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Along with contemporary romance, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Soul Mate. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England  Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers. 

 

Meg’s Web site is http://www.MegBenjamin.com. 

You can follow her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/megbenjamin/),Instagram (meg_benjamin) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/megbenj1). 

Meg loves to hear from readers—contact her at meg@megbenjamin.com.

 

The buy links for The Pumpkin Butter Murder are: 

 

https://shorturl.at/LTVZ0

 

And  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143832530?ean=9781509250592

 

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway