Book three in Jackie Layton’s Low Country Dog Walker series releases on Oct. 30th, and I couldn’t wait to share a bit of the mystery Andi Grace and her friends get tangled in this time.

Does one good turn deserve a murder?

Despite all her good intentions to focus on a healthy lifestyle and leave crime solving to the professionals, Andi Grace Scott has run right smack into another investigation—literally. Who’d have thought caring for stray cats and a healthy morning beach run could lead to murder?

Andi Grace has found another body and a young woman who needs help. Solving this puzzle will come with a cost. This time, catching the killer will require Andi Grace to confront her past relationships and truths about her deceased mother.

Excerpt:

The sheriff dug a little notepad out of his shirt pocket. “Consider
this a preliminary interview, but I need to speak to each of you
separately. I may have more questions later. Who first?”

“Andi Grace, you go ahead.” Marc reached for Sunny’s leash and
attached it to her harness. Our hands touched, and tingles danced up my
arm.

Every day I made decisions about my life and business. For years
I’d stood on my own two feet, but when it came to the law, I appreciated
Marc’s support. The sheriff had grown up in the area and even attended
high school with me. Still, I didn’t want to give him a reason to arrest
me—again.

Wade clicked his pen. “Andi Grace, tell me what happened.”

I took a deep breath and silently counted to ten in French as I
exhaled. What details could I report? “There’s not a lot to tell. Marc and
I were running with the dogs, and we found Tabby’s body. End of story.
Where’s your Toughbook?” After two murders in Heyward Beach, I’d
learned the sheriff liked to use his small computer when solving crimes.

“At the office. It’s too sandy out here to risk destroying the thing. Is
there anything else you remember?”

“We passed a few other runners, but they were dressed in athletic
gear. Nobody looked suspicious. There was a boat out on the water.” I
crossed my arms. “I feel like Tabby might have been killed on the beach.
I’ve been watching crime shows, and her body isn’t bloated. Dirty, yes,
but not ruined by the salt water. Although I do think the tide reached her
body.”

Wade shook his head. “You’re not investigating Tabby’s death, but
for kicks, explain your theory to me.”

“I didn’t spot blood on the stones, and one shoe is missing.” I
pointed to the structure designed to protect the shore from erosion and
to trap sand. Not to ensnare dead bodies. “It’d be easy to imagine she
slipped and struck her head on the boulders, but maybe she was killed in
the sand. It’s possible her body drifted to the groin and stopped there, or
she could’ve been dragged so we’d believe she’d fallen. Depending on
when she was killed, the tide would wash away the drag marks and
footprints.”

“Duly noted. Do you need to tell me anything else?”

I racked my brain but came up empty. “No, that’s all.”

“Good. I want to make sure we’re on the same page. We’ll
investigate and determine if Tabby Malkin’s death was an accident or
murder.” He pointed his pencil at me. “Are we clear?”

“Yes.” I wouldn’t argue and try to defend my past actions. “You’re
the sheriff, and your department plans to solve the murder.”

“First, we’ll determine how she died.”

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Meet Jackie Layton:

Former Kentucky pharmacist Jackie Layton loves her new life in the Low Country. When she’s not writing, Jackie enjoys walks on the beach, bike rides and collecting shells. The first two books in Jackie’s Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series are Bite the Dust and Dog-Gone Dead. Jackie always enjoys hearing from readers. 

I asked Jackie to tell us a little about her hobbies and this is her response:

Rhonda, when I go on vacation or even leave town, I always want to check out the local bookstores. I enjoy discovering the local authors in the area I’m visiting, and I always buy something before leaving the store. If I go to an estate sale, I also look for books. Finding an autographed book is even more exciting. I also love to find Bibles that have been written in by the owner. I had a huge book collection before we moved from Kentucky to South Carolina. Downsizing meant I had to give away some of my beloved books, but you’d probably laugh if you could see my bookshelves now.

That sounds like my kind of fun, Jackie!

Find Jackie at the Following Places on Social Media:

https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/
http://jackiesbackporch.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Joyfulje
https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel
https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor
https://amzn.to/2Z8VsMp

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Theresa Hall and share with you her debut Love Inspired Suspense novel which released this month.

Accidental Target

On an icy road in the dead of night what she sees might get her killed.

Allison Moore can’t deny what she sees—a lifeless hand sticking out of a tarp in the back of a crashed pickup truck. Seconds later, she’s on the run with a murderer on her heels. Nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted…except police sergeant Jackson Archer. But with someone set on silencing her, can Jackson keep his promise of protection?

Excerpt from Accidental Target:

“These guys won’t stop till you’re dead.”

He regretted telling her but there was no denying the facts. Facts he had to keep to himself. The dead woman she’d seen was a DEA agent, and the man in the truck was a cartel member, a cold-blooded killer. Now that Allison could ID him, she had a hit on her.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Allison. I promise.”

“Jackson, I’m terrified.”

Before he could reply, headlights closed in on them. An oncoming vehicle on their side of the highway. Jackson veered onto a side road and watched the car make a U-turn.

“Get down!”

He floored the accelerator but the vehicle followed them. A gunshot hit the car. Allison screamed.

He had to get her away. But this road led to a dead end—in more ways than one.

“Can you shoot?”

“No.” Her eyes widened with fear.

“Tomorrow I’ll show you how. For now, you’re getting the crash course.”

“What if we don’t make it till tomorrow?”

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Meet Theresa

Theresa Hall is an award-winning author of Christian fiction whose stories include military, law enforcement, and first responder heroes. As a native Texan, she loves to write suspenseful stories that happen in small Texas towns with old fashioned Southern values. She’s also a first grade teacher who loves to cook, read a good suspense, and binge-watch episodes of Dateline and Discovery ID. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

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Readers, the weather is hot and we are wishing for the cooler weather of….CHRISTMAS! So we are helping to fulfill that wish with a HUGE giveaway!

Don’t miss your chance to enter to win a $350 Amazon gift card or 45+ books (see list below) in our Celebrate Lit Multi-Author Giveaway. 

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/fc18/2nd-annual-christmas-in-july

The event and giveaway is going on now through July 26! Open to US residents only.

The 48 books included in the books giveaway are as follows:

1. On a Coastal Breeze by Suzanne Woods Fisher
2. A Christmas to Remember by Linda Brooks Davis
3. Love, Laughter, and Luminarias by Jaycee Weaver
4. A Christmas Without Bells by Jan Lis
5. Strike Force by Mary Alford
6. The Rescue by Tanya Eavenson
7. All I Want for Christian is Johnny Rocker…Dead by Lillian Duncan
8. A Very Austen Christmas by Robin Helm
9. A Caffeine Conundrum by Angela Ruth Strong
10. Maui Christmas by Courtney Lyman
11. Northern Hearts by Laurie Wood
12. Dreamwalker by Carrie Cotten
13.  Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel
14. Refresh Your Faith by Lori Hatcher
15. Living a Life of Obedience by Cheri Swalwell
16. Solve by Christmas by Amber Schamel
17. King Here by Trish Porter Topmiller
18. July’s Jubilant Christmas Jumble by Danni Roan
19. Christmas with the Enemy by Mary Vee
20. Amber Alert by Linda K. Rodante
21. The Mystery of Christmas Inn, Colorado by Donna Schlachter
22. Missing You for Christmas by Dionne Grace
23. The Portal by Cynthia Hickey
24. The Christmas Table by Marilyn Turk
25. Sleeping Through Christmas by Sherri Stewart
26. Love at Christmas by Anne Grenne
27. Falling for the Petticoat Physician by Clari Dees
28. Weighed Down by Laurie Boulden
29. Pigtails and a Toolbelt by Janetta Fudge-Messmer
30. Yorkshire Lass by J. Carol Nemeth
31. Impossible Fate by Diane Yates
32. Ready to Trust by Tina Radcliffe
33. Cupcakes and Valor by Linda Siebold
34. No Room in His Heart by Bonita Y. McCoy
35. Rocky Mountain Revenge by Rhonda Starnes
36. The Revisionary by Kristen Hogrefe
37. Untraceable Evidence by Sharee Stover
38. Justice Undercover by Connie Queen
39. When I Meet You by Olivia Newport
40. Escaping Reality by Rachel Skatvold
41. Wish Upon a Star by Tabitha Bouldin
42. Winter in Wonderland by Kari Trumbo
43. A Christmas Wedding by Melissa Wardwell
44. Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller
45. Once Upon a Christmas by Toni Shiloh
46. A Flute in the Willows by Carole Brown
47. Seeking Life by Brianna Holifield
48. Christmas on Breakers Point By Chautona Havig

In my opinion, one of the best things about being a writer is the friends you make along the way. I first met Jackie in 2016 at the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference. It was the night of the Gala, and everyone was standing around in the large hall waiting for the doors to open. Jackie and I had interacted on occasion on various blogs and other social media outlets. When I saw her I felt like I already knew her, so I just kind of barged right up to her and said hello. I’m not quite sure what she thought of me at the time. My personality can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. (Did I mention that I was wearing shiny silver Converse with my knee length cocktail dress? No? Well, I was.🤣)

Over the course of the next year, Jackie and I got to know each other and now she is one of my very dear friends. We’ve also been critique partners off and on for the past two years. I feel very blessed to have her in my life. She is such a positive person with the sweetest personality. She’s also a very talented cozy mystery writer.

Jackie’s Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series features heroine Andi Grace Scott. Dog-Gone Dead, book 2 of the series, was released in June.

Jackie had this to say about Andi Grace’s character: “Andi Grace Scott and I have a few things in common, but she’s spunkier than I am. We both love our families and would do just about anything we can for them. Sacrificial love. We both love dogs, and we love to read. I have a Westie. Our daughter-in-law, Bill’s wife, teamed up with our youngest son, Scott, in 2006 and found Westies available for adoption. I have so many allergies, and Westies are hypoallergenic. Amanda and Bill adopted Chloe, and we adopted Heinz.

Andi Grace doesn’t have allergy issues which is good since she’s a dog walker. She never met a dog she didn’t like.

I’ve never had to defend a family member who was accused of murder. The closest thing I’ve done was get my passport when Scott did. He was heading to Spain for a semester, and I wanted a passport in case he was kidnapped or hurt. If something had happened to him, I would’ve done everything possible to get him back. Thank goodness he had a great semester, and I didn’t have to go to Europe and cause a ruckus.

In Dog-Gone Dead, Andi Grace’s brother is a suspect in the latest murder. She dives into solving another murder to prove her brother is innocent.”

Back Cover Blurb:

Who’d have thought mulch could cause such a stink?

Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott is happy to score some free mulch from one of her brother’s landscaping jobs—until she discovers the dead body buried beneath the bark.

Worse, her brother’s landscaping tools were used to commit the murder. Once the police arrest her brother and seem happy to have “caught their man,” Andi Grace has no choice but to track down the real killer. She’ll risk everything to prove her brother’s innocence. Even if it means turning over every rock in town.

If you love small-town coastal life, dogs, and strong heroines, you’ll love Dog-Gone Dead.

Available for purchase online at these fine retailers:

Former Kentucky pharmacist Jackie Layton loves her new life in the Low Country. When she’s not writing, Jackie enjoys walks on the beach, bike rides and collecting shells. The first two books in Jackie’s Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series are Bite the Dust and Dog-Gone Dead. Jackie always enjoys hearing from readers. 

Jackie loves time on the beach despite one trip that ended with cracked ribs from riding her boogie board with the kids and another trip that ended up with a trip to the emergency room. There’s nothing like time at the beach, although she tends to be a bit more cautious these days.

Social media links:
https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/
http://jackiesbackporch.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Joyfulje
https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel
https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor
https://amzn.to/2Z8VsMp

Also, be sure to look for Low Country Dog Walker Mystery book 1, Bite the Dust

When I first started my writing journey seven years ago, I was completely lost and had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I joined an online writer’s group and fumbled along for about six months. Then one day I received a message from Connie Queen asking if I’d like to be critique partners. She would read my manuscript and offer advice and tips, and I’d read hers and do the same. I had attempted critiquing as part of a small group with three other writers, but it hadn’t really worked out very well. I was hesitant to try again, but I needed someone to look at my writing who could be objective and honest. So, I agreed to give it a go, and boy am I glad I did.

Connie and I just seemed to click. We discovered that we had a lot in common, and neither one of us minded if the other was a bit…how shall I say…um…blunt when there was something about the other’s manuscript that we weren’t one-hundred percent sold on. I’ve never been a fan of “tiptoeing around” and neither was Connie. This suited me just fine. The number one goal reason to have a critique partner is to have someone help you figure out how to polish your manuscript so it will sell. I wanted someone who wouldn’t just put smiley faces on the cute parts of a story but would be honest with me, even if they didn’t think I’d like what they had to say. Connie was the perfect fit. I had found my first real, honest to goodness, wanted-to-help-me-get-published critique partner. Fortunately for me, Connie wasn’t my last “good-fit-for-me” critique partner, but she was my first.

Over the next five years we both had ups and downs in our publishing pursuits. Revision requests and rejections became the norm. I’ll admit it, two years ago I hit a slump and wasn’t sure if could keep writing just to receive rejections, but Connie stayed strong and kept saying “If they [editors] don’t like this story, I’ll just write another one.” Her example taught me not to take rejections so personally.

Fast forward to 2019. Our dream publisher (Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense) was doing another author search. We’d entered the last three, so of course we had to enter this time, too. When I told Mountain Man that we were entering the contest, he said he was praying Connie and I would both sell this time. He said it only seemed fitting since we’d worked so hard through the years critiquing for each other.

I couldn’t have agreed more. And I was beyond thrilled when, at the end of the contest, Connie and I had both sold our manuscripts!

Let me introduce you to Connie’s debut novel, Justice Undercover, which released this month!

Keeping her true identity a secret is the only way to stay alive.

Going undercover as a nanny brings presumed-dead ex-US Marshal Kylie Stone closer to catching the man who murdered the witness in her protection—and also killed Texas Ranger Luke Dryden’s sister. When someone tries to kidnap the twins in her care, Kylie must tell their uncle the truth…and convince Luke to help her. But will revealing her identity put all their lives at stake?

Don’t you just love that cover!?! And let me tell you, if you want to read a book full of suspense and romance, you really need to read Justice Undercover. I mean, you can’t go wrong when there’s a handsome Texas Ranger and two adorable twins…right?

Connie Queen spent her life in Texas where she met and married her high-school sweetheart. Married for 34 years, they’ve raised eight children and are enjoying their grandchildren. As a child, Connie remembers her mom and sisters reading, but she preferred to be outside. It wasn’t until later, she found the joy of being whisked away into another world. Today she resides in Nebraska with her husband, and Nash, her Great Dane, where she’s working on her next suspense.