Wednesday, September 5, 2012

"From Mangie to Murder" Promotion

It's Five Days Free for book one of Caroline Mickelson's, Sophia Mancini Mysteries!







The Book
Little
Italy, 1946 - Sophia Mancini would have enjoyed the grand opening celebration
of her family’s private detective agency if the volatile chef at Vincenzo’s
Ristorante had actually survived the meal. But before Sophia’s chilled spoon
hit the spumoni, someone plunged a knife into Vincenzo’s back and the word on
everyone’s lips went from mangia to murder.


Sophia soon finds herself trailing crime boss Frankie Vidoni, chatting with his
mouthy mistress Maria, and dodging henchman Mooch DiMuccio. She’s suspicious of
Vincenzo’s widow, Stella, and his assistant chef, Eugene, because they don’t
appear the least bit dismayed by Vincenzo’s passing. There is no conversation Sophia
won’t eavesdrop on, no question she won’t ask, and no danger she won’t face to
find the killer.

An Excerpt




“Murder
looks like our best option.” Sophia Mancini pushed her plate of cold uneaten
pasta away. Murder was on her mind, not marinara. “I’ve been over this in my
mind a million times, Angelo. We definitely need to add murder to our list.”


      Her older brother let out a
slow sigh and rubbed his eyes. “Murder is so complicated, sis. There are so
many details to keep track of and you know it’s going to trip me up.”


     “I’ll be right there with you.”
Sophia reached over and squeezed his hand. “I can handle the details and no one
will be the wiser.”


     “So you’ll be the brains of the
operation? And what does that make me? Just a pretty face?” He pushed away from
the table, frustration etched on his.


      Sophia poured more Chianti
into her glass and then refilled her brother’s glass. “Don’t sell yourself
short. Before the war you were a fine police officer and everyone here in
Little Italy knows that.” She took a sip and quickly replaced the glass on the
table. The wine tasted bitter but she knew it was just her own gnawing worry
that was ruining an otherwise fine bottle of vino. “The Nazis are to blame for
your injuries, not you. But you’ll be to blame if you don’t sit down, get
serious and help find a way out of the mess we’re in.”


     She waited while her brother settled
himself across from her once again. He drained his wine glass and poured
another, a sure sign that he was as worried as she was. Her brother wasn’t a
drinker.


     “Remind me what we’ve got so far,
Sophia.”


     “Theft, burglary, blackmail - the
usual. But if we throw murder in I think it will really boost our reputation.”
She met her brother’s gaze and winked. “It will give everyone something to talk
about anyway.”


     Angelo didn’t respond to her attempt
at humor. This serious, sad man across from her was altogether different from
the young, happy, confident man who’d shipped out to fight with the Allied
forces three years ago. Home four months now, he was struggling with a head
injury that had obliterated his short term memory and ability to retain
details. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d shipped out a married man with a
beautiful young pregnant wife he loved beyond reason. He’d come home a widower
to find that Luciano, his toddler son, didn’t know him from the milk man. Added
to the pile of worry and stress, Angelo’s memory problems made returning to
work as a police officer impossible. In turn prompted his in-laws, who had
never approved of their daughter marrying an Italian-American beat cop, sued
for custody of little Luciano.


What little Angelo hadn’t already lost, he now stood to lose.
The judge granted them thirty days to prove they could start a viable business.


     “Face it, Sophia, the Burkwaites
have more power and more money than we’ll ever have.”


     Tears pooled in Angelo’s eyes.

     Anger burned in Sophia’s heart.

     She grabbed her brother’s arm and
shook him, desperate to snap him out of his sad state. His helplessness scared
her more than her own rage did.


     “Listen to me, Angelo, Charlotte’s
family has all the money and power they need to threaten us. But we can give
Luciano all of the love and devotion he needs. He’s your son, Angelo. He needs
you to fight for him.”


She held her breath and waited for an answer. A single tear
slid down his cheek. The only sound in the room was her brother’s heart
breaking.


     “Okay, Sophia, you win.” Angelo squared
his shoulders. “I’ll do anything to keep Luciano at home with us.”


He refilled his glass and raised it.

     Sophia grinned and raised hers.

     “A la famigilia,” they toasted in
unison. To the family. 


     “You’ll be with me every step of the
way, Sophia?”


     She nodded. “Just like always,
Angelo. I’ll be right next to you or-” her spirits restored, she couldn’t
resist teasing him, “a step ahead.”


    “And with your plan the Burkwaites will
never get custody of my son?”


    “If they do, it will be over my dead
body.”


    “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” He
flashed her a smile that reminded her of the carefree pre-war brother she’d
always counted as her best friend. “Now let me hear your plan again from start
to end.” He reached for a notebook and pencil. “You talk, I’ll write.”


    Sophia smiled. “You know, Angelo, this
murder business could actually be kind of fun if we do it right.”


The Author


Caroline Mickelson loves her family
and loves to write. She also loves a good adventure, among her favorites thus
far were attending graduate school in a Scottish castle, riding a camel around
the Pyramids in Giza, and taking a best-in-a-lifetime road trip to Graceland.
Caroline lives in the American southwest with her husband and their four
children, affectionately known as The Miracles.





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