Mystery Writer's Mystery Books
Life Becomes Stranger than Fiction when Charlee's Latest Novel Inspires a Real Murder Mystery author Charlemagne "Charlee" Russo thinks the twisty plots and peculiar murders in her books are only the product of her imagination―until her agent is found dead exactly as described in Charlee's new, unpublished manuscript. Suspicion now swirls around her and her critique group, making her confidence drop as severely and unexpectedly as her royalty payments. The police care more about Charlee's feeble alibi and financial problems than they do her panicky claims of innocence. To clear her name and revive her career, she must figure out which of her friends is a murderer. Easier said than done, even for an author who's skilled at creating tidy endings for her mysteries. And as her sleuthing grows dangerous, Charlee's imagination starts working overtime. Is she being targeted, too? Praise: "The charming heroine and the supporting cast shine in Clark's fun and funny solo mystery debut...which doesn't take anyone too seriously in the best way possible."― Kirkus Reviews "Cozy fans should enjoy this funny and affecting view into a mystery writer's life."― Publishers Weekly "Charlee Russo is my new favorite amateur sleuth! Wickedly witty author Charlee takes us along on her wild ride to prove her innocence in the murder of her literary agent, a murder based on the plot of one of her own books! Giving readers an inside look at the writer's life, Becky Clark pens a funny, clever page turner of a mystery and I can't wait for the next one in this terrific new series!"―Jenn McKinlay, bestselling author of the Library Lover's Mysteries "Becky Clark wields a witty pen, writing about an author who is plunged into her own mystery."―Marty Wingate, author of the Potting Shed and Birds of a Feather series "Becky Clark is a hilarious new talent in mystery fiction. With a mixture of humor and plot, Fiction Can Be Murder pulls back the curtain on the creative writing process and exposes the homicidal thoughts that take place while writing a book."―Diane Vallere, national bestselling author of the Costume Shop mysteries "In Fiction Can Be Murder , Becky Clark gives us a fun and funny peek into the writers' life. Although in the case of her protagonist, the smart, likeable, and feisty Charlee Russo, that life includes the real murder of her agent. This clever mystery, first in a new series, is perfect for book lovers."―Vicki Delany, national bestselling author of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries "Fresh, fast, and furiously fun, Fiction Can Be Murder packs one surprise after the next. Becky Clark writes with wry wit, a keen eye, and no shortage of authority on this particular subject. Charlee Russo is like a lot of authors I know―except most of them only dream of killing their agents."―Brad Parks, Shamus-, Nero-, and Lefty-award-winning author of Closer Than You Know "This killer plot will take you on the literary ride of your life. In this new series, Clark has crafted an intriguing mystery that opens the door into the crazy world of literary agents, publishers, royalties, critique groups, and murder."―Cheryl Hollon, author of the Webb's Glass Shop Mysteries "A promising series debut."― Booklist
Between a kidnapping, a double booking, and a crew of hapless volunteers, Charlee worries the writing conference will go to the dogs. Mystery author Charlee Russo agrees to speak at a Portland writers' conference organized by her friend Viv Lundquist. When Viv picks her up at the airport, she frantically tells Charlee that her daughter Hanna has been kidnapped. Charlee takes over the conference preparation so Viv can search for her daughter, but the situation gets tense when the hotel double-books the event with a dog show. Despite this, Charlee is compelled to investigate after she learns shocking secrets about both Hanna and Viv. Can she find Hanna in time, or will a plot twist lead her to a ruff ending? Praise: "This humorous cozy boasts an engaging sleuth, well-drawn secondary characters and numerous plot twists."― Booklist "So good I wanted to read it twice! It has everything I love in a funny mystery: characters I care about, a plot that grabs me from page one, voice, and laughs galore. Clear your day, because this laugh-out-loud comic caper mystery is a one-sitting read!"―Jess Lourey, Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty-nominated author of the Mira James Mysteries "Clark is the queen of the subtle misdirect and the casually dropped clue. I gave myself a resounding 'I could have had a V-8' head slap when I reached the end and realized she'd given me everything I needed to solve the mystery without me ever knowing it!"―Kristi Abbott, author of the Popcorn Shop Mysteries "The backdrop for Clark's witty, engaging mystery is a writers' conference where everything that can go wrong does so, in a hilarious way. You'll both sympathize and laugh along with heroine Charlemagne 'Charlee' Russo as she balances saving the conference from total disaster with the dangerous task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter of a close friend."―Ellen Byron, Lefty-nominated author of the Cajun Country Mysteries "Another winning entry in this wonderful series, Foul Play on Words is a clever, compelling mystery. The intriguing plot will pull you in immediately, and the engaging sleuth with quips at the ready will keep you laughing all the way through. A must-read for fans of humorous cozies!"―Cynthia Kuhn, author of the Agatha Award-winning Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries " Foul Play on Words is irresistible. A perfect combination of comedy and suspense. Mystery writer Charlee Russo narrows down a long list of oddball suspects at the wildest writer's conference of all time. Every word funnier than the word before. A must read."―Gretchen Archer, bestselling author of the Davis Way Crime Capers " Foul Play on Words is hilariously quirky with a side of neurosis. The misadventures of being a mystery writer were never so much fun."―Libby Klein, author of the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series "Becky Clark is a talent to watch! Foul Play on Words is funny, quirky, and has everything cozy readers love: heart, humor, and mayhem!"―Diana Orgain, USA Today bestselling author of the Maternal Instincts Mysteries
An author’s mysterious disappearance. A pugnacious hired gun holding a pug for ransom. Charlee must find them both before the deadline expires. Charlee Russo’s career and bank account will be DOA unless her literary event with bestselling author Rodolfo Lapaglia succeeds. It’s her very last chance to revise her life. But when she goes to fetch him from the train station, he has disappeared, much like Charlee’s royalty statements. An angry mob wants their refund from the cancelled event, but Lapaglia kept the money and stuck Charlee with the bills. As she searches for him and his checkbook, her neighbor’s pug, Peter O’Drool, is dognapped with an ominous demand that Charlee deliver Lapaglia if she ever wants to see the beloved pooch again. Can Charlee solve the mystery of Lapaglia’s disappearance and close the book on this fiasco before Peter O’Drool runs out of time?
A Christmas pageant. A dead Santa. All is not calm, and it’s definitely not bright. The only thing Charlee Russo wants for Christmas are some silent nights so she can work on her mystery manuscript. Instead, she gets snowballed into writing and directing a Christmas play as a fundraiser for an elementary school to be held at the local senior center. But when the actor playing Santa drops dead at rehearsal, Charlee must deck the halls with thoughts of murder. Rehearsals continue while she is forced to contend with sabotage, assault, and actors—young and old—refusing to learn their lines. As she digs deeper into Santa’s so-called accident, she gets a frosty reception from all the suspects on the naughty list. With the school funding at stake and a potential murderer involved in the production, she needs a Christmas miracle. Can Charlee pull off the pageant without anyone else getting sleighed? Police Navidad is the fourth book in the Mystery Writer’s Mystery series. If you like fun, fast stories with warm and witty characters you want to hang out with, then you’ll love this cozy mystery from Becky Clark. Buy Police Navidad for your stocking today!