Sleigh Bells and Sleuthing

934 Pages·2018·1.67 MB·english

by  Carolyn Ridder Aspenson & Larissa Reinhart & Ritter Ames & Sam Cheever & Ava Mallory & Clare Kauter & Loraine J. Hudson & Mona Marple & Morgana Best & S.E. Babin & Tara Meyers & Tricia L. Sanders

SLEIGH BELLS AND
SLEUTHING
16 COZY MYSTERY HOLIDAY NOVELLAS FEATURING
FEMALE SLEUTHS
CAROLYN RIDDER ASPENSON RITTER AMES
S.E. BABIN MORGANA BEST SAM CHEEVER
STEPHANIE DAMORE LORAINE J HUDSON
CLARE KAUTER AVA MALLORY MONA MARPLE
TARA MEYERS K. E. O’CONNOR LARISSA REINHART
TRICIA L SANDERS JENNA ST. JAMES LAINA TURNER
GOOD FORTUNE FARM REFUGE
CONTENTS
Foreword
CAROLYN RIDDER ASPENSON
THE CLAUS KILLING
RITTER AMES
ORGANIZED FOR CHRISTMAS WISHES
S.E. BABIN
THE CANINE CONUNDRUM
MORGANA BEST
A CHEMISTREE OF WITCHES
SAM CHEEVER
FAMILIAR HIJINKS
STEPHANIE DAMORE
DECADENT DEMISE
LORAINE J. HUDSON
THE CHRISTMAS BUTTON
CLARE KAUTER
STRANGLE ALL THE WAY
AVA MALLORY
MISFITS & MISTLETOES
MONA MARPLE
THE ROBBERY OF MYSTIC SPRINGS
TARA MEYERS
A ONE HORSE OPEN SLAY
K. E. O’CONNOR
GHOSTLY FOWL
LARISSA REINHART
A CHRISTMAS QUICK SKETCH
TRICIA L. SANDERS
HARK! A HOMICIDE
JENNA ST. JAMES
CHRISTMAS TREES & FELONIES
LAINA TURNER
HOLIDAY LIGHTS OUT
A BONUS NOVELLA!
AVA MALLORY
WITCHES & WINTER MIRACLES
COPYRIGHT
THE CLAUS KILLING
A Lily Sprayberry Realtor Cozy Mystery Christmas Novella
Copyright © 2018 by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
ORGANIZED FOR CHRISTMAS WISHES
An Organized Mystery Novelette
Copyright © 2018 by Ritter Ames
THE CANINE CONUNDRUM
Copyright © 2018 by Sheryl Babin
A CHEMISTREE OF WITCHES
The Kitchen Witch series
Copyright © 2018 by Morgana Best
FAMILIAR HIJINKS
Copyright © 2018 by Sam Cheever
DECADENT DEMISE
Copyright © 2018 by Stephanie Damore
THE CHRISTMAS BUTTON
Copyright © 2018 by Loraine J. Hudson
STRANGLE ALL THE WAY
Copyright © 2018 by Clare Kauter
MISFITS & MISTLETOES
A Missy Rae Mystery Short
Copyright © 2018 by Ava Mallory
WITCHES & WINTER MIRACLES
A Missy Rae Mysteries Spin-off Series Novella
Copyright © 2017 by Ava Mallory
THE ROBBERY OF MYSTIC SPRINGS
Copyright © 2018 by Mona Marple
A ONE HORSE OPEN SLAY
Copyright © 2018 by Tara Meyers
GHOSTLY FOWL
Copyright © 2018 by K. E. O’Connor
A CHRISTMAS QUICK SKETCH
A Cherry Tucker Mystery prequel
Copyright © 2018 by Larissa Reinhart
Original Copyright © 2013 by Larissa Reinhart
First Edition: December 10, 2013, Heartache Motel, Three Interconnected Mystery
Novellas, published by Henery Press.
Author photograph by Scott Asano
HARK! A HOMICIDE
Copyright © 2018 by Tricia L. Sanders
C�������� T���� � F�������
Copyright © 2018 by Jenna St. James.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS OUT
A Thief River Falls mystery
Copyright © 2018 by Laina Turner
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of
this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other
means, now known or hereinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden
without the written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the
products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is
purely coincidental.
Printed in the USA
FOREWORD
CAROLYN HAINES, GOOD FORTUNE FARM
REFUGE FOUNDER
ANIMALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE—AND
RESCUING AND HELPING ANIMALS IS MY “MISSION.”
As a child, I picked up stray animals and took them home to care for
them. I was such a “character” in my little town of Lucedale that the
local veterinarian would neuter cats that I caught for $5. That was a
good thing—as a twelve-year-old I didn’t have a big spay/neuter
budget.
The years passed and in 2010 I helped start Good Fortune Farm
Refuge. Along with a few dedicated friends, we’ve run this shoe-
string budget rescue for over eight years.
WHEN THE AUTHORS OF SLEUTHING WOMEN OFFERED TO
CREATE A CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY WITH PROCEEDS GOING
TO GFFR, I WAS FLOORED AND HUMBLED.
GFFR is located in Mobile County, Alabama and we serve a largely
rural area where spay/neuter is too expensive for a lot of pet owners.
There are no laws to truly protect animals or enforce responsible
ownership. A lot of animals suffer. GFFR takes in dogs, cats, and
horses—we are at maximum capacity now—but through networks
and friends, we continue to work to place horses, donkeys, burrows,
pigs, cats, and dogs in safe and loving homes. And we work with
local veterinarians to find affordable spay and neuter solutions for
low-income families. We’ve also helped with basic vet care thanks to
several Banfield Charitable Trust Grants.
Until attitudes about animals change—and laws are passed to
make cruelty and neglect a serious and punishable offense—animal
rescue is going to be an uphill battle. The good news is that people
like Sleuthing Authors are always stepping up, unexpectedly, to help.
The GFFR board of directors accepts no pay and every penny goes
to the animals.
AND YOU CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE TOO.
Whenever there is an election—local, state, regional, national—be
sure to ask the candidates running how they stand on animal
legislation and enforcement of anti-cruelty laws. From city council to
US Congress, animal lovers need to be represented. When life is
better for animals, it is also better for humans.
We authors are good at creating a different reality—a place
where our characters solve the mystery and win the day. We can do
that in real life. These 16 generous authors who tell such wonderful
and enjoyable stories are proof. Through their generosity, life will be
better for animals and humans.
Carolyn Haines
Founder, Good Fortune Farm Refuge
Delena Datillo
President, Good Fortune Farm Refuge
Aleta Boudreaux
Treasurer, Good Fortune Farm Refuge