Sonata
Blair
McDowell
Genre:
Romantic mystery
Publisher:
Rebel Ink Press
ISBN: 9781937265670
Number
of pages: 130
Word
Count: 56,500
Book
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVAhOqelyEE
Purchase
Link: http://www.blairmcdowell.com/Sonata.html
Book
Description:
A
jewel heist…
When
renowned concert artist, Sayuri McAllister, returns to the west coast
of Canada after an absence of five years, she discovers her family
home has been a broken into and jewelry worth two million dollars is
missing. Michael Donovan, Sayuri’s old high school flame, now a
detective with the Vancouver Police Department, is the officer in
charge of the case.
What
chance can he have…
Michael
takes one look at Sayuri and falls in love with her all over again.
But they parted in anger years ago and Sayuri is no longer the
innocent girl he once knew. What chance can there be for a Vancouver
cop with someone as famous as Sayuri McAllister? Especially when
that cop is investigating her family and friends?
An
unexpected marriage…
Then
Sayuri’s widowed father, Sean, marries Alyssa James, a woman Sayuri
has never even met. The three live uneasily together in the Point
Grey mansion until the unexpected arrival of Alyssa’s brother, Hugh
James, a devastatingly handsome, charming Irishman who immediately
begins a campaign to bed and wed the delicious and wealthy Sayuri.
Things
take a dangerous turn…
Accidents
begin to happen. Or are they accidents? Nothing is as it seems.
Michael distrusts Hugh James and fears that Sayuri’s life may be in
danger.
Short
Excerpt:
The
following excerpt takes place the first time that Sayuri goes to
Michael’s apartment.
As
they went down in the elevator and across to the park, Michael spoke
to the dog, “So far so good. We’ve got her in my apartment. I
expect your full cooperation tonight. Whatever happens you are not to
climb on the bed, should I get so lucky, or slobber all over Sayuri.
If there’s any slobbering to be done, I’ll do it. Got it, buddy?”
Buttercup wagged her
tail furiously, nearly knocking over a passing pedestrian.
“Sorry,
mam.”
Michael
thought about how Sayuri had looked when she answered the door. So
cool and composed. Delectable. Good enough to eat. Down boy, he
reminded himself. Don’t blow it now. You’ve got her this far.
Taking
a deep breath he muttered, “Keep it cool.” Then he looked at his
dog. “Okay, Buttercup, do your thing so we can get back up there.”
****
She
heard the key in the lock and a moment later man and dog were back in
the room. Buttercup trotted over to Sayuri and leaned against her,
looking up at her adoringly with one blue and one brown eye.
“That
was quick,” Sayuri commented as she scratched the dog behind her
ears.
“She
was anxious to get back to you. We don’t often have visitors.
Actually, I’m surprised at her reaction to you. She usually hides
under the bed when there’s anyone she doesn’t know in the
apartment.”
“Under
the bed? I can’t believe she can get all that bulk under a bed.
Just what kind of dog is she? I’ve never seen anything like her.
She’s huge. And those eyes are amazing.”
Sayuri
moved to the armchair and sat down. Buttercup followed her and put
her massive head in Sayuri’s lap.
“Clearly
she’s fallen in love with you. The vet thought she was probably
half Malamute and half Newfoundland, but I’m pretty sure there’s
some wolf in the mixture. And the two different color eyes are
unusual, but they do happen, particularly in those breeds.”
“Did
you say wolf?”
“Watch.”
Michael came over to the dog, knelt down beside her and put his arm
around her. He lifted his head back and started to howl. The dog
threw her head straight back and joined him. The sound was at one and
the same time musical and eerie.
“Wow.”
Sayuri stared at the dog. “I haven’t heard anything like that
since I was twelve years old and went on a canoeing trip up
Desolation Sound with my father. We could hear the wolves from our
campsite every night. I loved the sound.”
“Don’t
let her howl give you any ideas about Buttercup’s personality. Her
wolf genes begin and end with her howl. She’s a complete wimp.”
“She’s
a big dog for an apartment dweller.”
“Yes,
well, I didn’t exactly choose her. She just sort of happened.”
Michael paused. You see, I’m in the R.A.A. Unit.”
“R.A.A.?”
“Robbery,
Assault, Arson. We got an anonymous call that there was a break and
enter in progress at an apartment house on the east side. When my
partner and I answered the call, we didn’t find a robbery in
progress. What we found was found a room full of people cutting and
bagging cocaine. We called immediately for backup, but before it
could come, gun fire was exchanged and people got hurt. It wasn’t
supposed to have happened that way.”
Michael
paused and frowned. Sayuri wondered if he was going to say anything
more.
Then
he sighed. “When it was all sorted out, as we were to leaving the
scene I heard whimpering. I pulled this small scrawny shivering mass
of matted fur out from under the bed. I was supposed to take her to
the SPCA, but I didn’t. I took her home with me. She couldn’t
have been more than two months old and she was half starved and
filthy. I fed her and bathed her and the next day I took her to the
vet for a checkup. He said there was nothing wrong with her that food
and love wouldn’t cure.”
“So
you had a dog.”
“I
had a dog. I had no idea at the time she was going to grow into a
giant hairy mammoth.” This was spoken with obvious affection as he
ruffled the dog’s head.
“But
her name?”
“Just
look at her.”
Sayuri
studied the dog. She had fur as thick as a bear’s, only longer. Her
underbelly was white and everywhere else she was brown and black and
white in large splotches. “I don’t get it.”
“Look
under her chin.”
Sayuri
laughed. “Of course.” There was a large spot of bright yellow
there.
The
dog, tired of being the object of so much attention, moved to the
fireplace, circled three times and plopped down in front of it.
About
the Author:
I
started to write soon after I found my first pencil. But I began to
write for publication about 30 years ago -- professional books. I
wrote six of them, all still in print and still in use. Only lately
have I turned to fiction. I'd have done it a lot sooner if I'd had
any idea how much fun it was!
I’ve
lived in many different places. The US -- Certain cities call to me.
I love San Francisco and Seattle and the wonderful Oregon Coast.
Australia -- among the most open welcoming people in the world, and a
wide open young country with incredible land and sea scapes, with
amazing animal and bird life right out of science fiction. Canada --
HOME. The place where I belong.
I
travel a lot. I usually spend the month of October in Europe, Greece
or Italy, and the winter in a little house I built many years ago on
a small non-touristy Caribbean Island. I have worked and studied in
many places -- Hungary, Australia the US and Canada, and have spoken
in most of the States and Provinces as well as Taiwan and various
cities in Europe. I enjoy being surrounded by cultures other than my
own. I enjoy my own as well -- but variety is indeed the spice of my
life.
I
keep busy -- and I love my life. I love meeting the people who come
here to the west coast of Canada and stay in my B&B. I love
traveling after the tourist season is over. And I love writing. My
interests?? Music, especially opera, reading everything in print, and
Writing. And walking on the beach and swimming. At one point I had
hoped to swim in every major sea and ocean. I've realized that may
not be possible in one lifetime -- but trying has been fun!
Website:
http://www.blairmcdowell.com
This sounds interesting and I always enjoy a good mystery. I am curious as to why she left her home unattended for five years though?
ReplyDeleteI don't know! This one definitely sounds interesting. Too bad I didn't have time to squeeze it in for the tour.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds interesting! I really love that dog already!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fun read...and I love the addition of the dog.
ReplyDeleteWWait.. he step-uncle want to do the naughty with her and marry her? Am I reading that right? The excerpt sounds good, though.
ReplyDeleteCrap, I can't type tonight. You get what I'm saying in the other comment.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I think you read it right Christy! :P
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post and giveaway! This book sounds awesome :)
ReplyDeleteThis certainly sounds intriguing.
ReplyDelete