Let's Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

November heralds the approach of Thanksgiving followed by the mad shopping rush for the holidays. As we gather over turkey dinners with family and/or friends, tensions may rise depending on how everyone gets along. It’s always a good practice to put aside any squabbles for the sake of peace during these holiday events. Any murderous impulses should be left for our fictional worlds. Especially at Thanksgiving, we can express gratitude for our bounty and for the companions who grace our table.

In DEAD ROOTS, book #7 in the Bad Hair Day mysteries, hairstylist and sleuth Marla Shore isn’t so lucky when she introduces her fiancé to her extended family over Thanksgiving weekend. They’ve all gathered together at Sugar Crest Plantation Resort, situated on Florida’s west coast. This extensive property houses its own residential ghosts.

But it wasn’t a ghost who murdered poor Aunt Polly in her hotel room. Soon Marla is deep into her own lineage, tracing her roots to the original resort owners and following a trail of treasure dating back to the Russian Revolution. Secret passages, hidden gemstones, and paranormal investigators pepper this story with history, humor, and suspense as Marla and her family grow increasingly suspicious of each other. It’s a Thanksgiving dinner you won’t forget!

Here’s an excerpt from this story:

“Where did grandfather get the money to buy the place?” Marla queried, interested in her family history. “Did he bring riches from the old country?”

“Papa paid cash for the property, but I don’t believe he had a stitch when he immigrated. His source of wealth remains a mystery to this day. Polly may have more answers. My sister took care of Mama until she died.”

“So Andrew established the resort,” Marla summarized. “Was he successful?”

“You’d better believe it.” Uncle Moishe scratched his jaw. “They didn’t even have to advertise. People came on the recommendations of their friends. But then the tragedy happened. Andrew died in 1943, and after that, everything changed.”

Cynthia raised her hand as though they were in class. “Didn’t Andrew receive two visitors right before he croaked?”

Moishe gave her a disapproving glare. “That’s true. I was only thirteen at the time, but I remember them. They were very somber, dressed in black, wearing Cossack hats like you see in old Russian movies. They spoke with heavy accents. Andrew met with them in Oleander Hall. One of his favorite rooms there was a parlor overlooking the gardens.”

A distant look entered his eyes as he continued. “He summoned Mulch to bring his humidor, then gave orders he was not to be disturbed. According to one of the maids, Andrew looked visibly shaken when he emerged more than two hours later to go straight to his penthouse suite at the top of the tower. The maid peeked inside the parlor and was startled to find an empty room. My father died alone of an apoplectic attack that same evening.”

“It’s awfully strange that Andrew died right after those two visitors came. Didn’t anyone question them?” Cynthia persisted.

“They vanished, never to be seen again. If you ask me, I think my father’s past came back to haunt him. We never heard much about his childhood, or how he got out of Poland. Or where he got the money to buy the plantation. Maybe he stole it, and those two guys traced him to Florida to recover their loot.”

“If Andrew’s spirit inhabits the hotel, he’s guarding his secrets well,” Marla said.

Do you like tales that mingle history with mystery and include a few happy haunts? Have you ever participated in a ghost tour yourself?

Leave a comment and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a free e-book copy of Dead Roots. Meanwhile, check it out at your local bookstore or library.

Want to know more about our author Nancy J Cohen? Visit her WEBSITE.

While you’re here, check out our November contest which runs from Nov 1-22. CONTEST PAGE