AUTUMN EMBERS
by Tina deBellegarde
October 14 - November 8, 2024 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
A Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery
Bianca St. Denis travels to Kyoto to return a priceless artifact recovered in Batavia-on-Hudson during last summer’s flood. It’s late October and the city of 2,000 shrines is in full autumn splendor. While she’s in Japan’s ancient capital, Bianca visits with her son, a student at Kyoto University. Ian shows her the sights and introduces her to his circle of friends—his chosen family.
On the night of her welcome party, Bianca thinks she witnesses a struggle in the garden, perhaps even a murder. When the police investigate and find no body, she is stumped yet alarm bells won’t stop ringing. She knows she’s witnessed something.
When a dead body surfaces and suspicion falls on her son, Bianca’s maternal instincts spring to action to protect Ian and clear his name. Meanwhile, things in Batavia-on-Hudson are tense. Sheriff Mike Riley is losing his re-election while tackling devastating news about his dead partner, and wavering about his troubled marriage.
Autumn Embers explores the malleable nature of our identities and reminds us that chosen families can be stronger than we think, and that true friendship can bridge any distance.
Praise for AUTUMN EMBERS:
"A beautiful novel that seamlessly embraces past and present, east and west, mystery and resolution, all the contradictions that make us human. This is the rare book that leaves its reader feeling balanced and whole."
~ Carol Goodman, two-time winner of the Mary Higgins Clark prize and author of Return to Wyldecliff Heights
"Tina deBellegarde expertly captures the details of two very disparate worlds, reminding us that at the heart of these experiences is our shared humanity. I’ve become a new fan!"
~ Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai mystery series and the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning Clark and Division
"Get ready for another thrilling ride with Tina deBellegarde's mystery series, this time in our own Kyoto backyard."
~ Amy Chavez, Author of The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter
"Fans of Louise Penny and Crazy Rich Asians will adore Autumn Embers...Heartful and human, an intriguing mystery, and filled to the brim with rich descriptions, this love letter to Japan is Tina de Bellegarde at her finest."
~ Jen Collin Moore, Author of the captivating Roman Holiday Mysteries
'This is a scrumptious book...Autumn Embers will have you reaching for your passport and booking a ticket to "the land of the rising sun."'
~ Carol Pouliot, Author of the Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries
"Like a richly woven tapestry, this immersive tale has it all...With vivid descriptions and an unhurried writing style, Autumn Embers is thoroughly engrossing!"
~ Lida Sideris, Author of the Southern California Mysteries
Book Details:
Genre: Female Amateur Sleuth
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 17, 2024
Number of Pages: 321
Series: A Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery, 3
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER SEVEN
Bianca removed her shoes and found a pair of slippers approximately her size. She tucked her shoes in a cubby and followed Ian up the stairs of the ramen house. They settled into a spot at the counter in the far corner. She looked at the menu out of habit, but knew she couldn’t read it, nor did she need to. This was her favorite ramen place, and she knew exactly what she wanted. In fact, tired or not, this place had been on her mind all day. If she couldn’t sleep, she could at least have her black sesame ramen.
Across the counter, the server brought them each a small beer and took their orders. Bianca looked around and realized that nothing had changed at all. It was as if she had never left. She wondered what it must be like to live in a world where the movement of change could be at once imperceptible and monumental. Kyoto was remarkable in its ability to modernize dramatically while remaining steadfastly traditional.
Bianca’s mouth watered as a steaming bowl was placed before her. The handmade noodles beckoned, submerged in a rich dark broth of spicy black sesame.
“Itadakimasu,” they said before they started their meal.
She took a slurp of broth first, the spice clearing her sinuses immediately, then with her chopsticks she gathered up some long strands of ramen and did her best not to make a mess.
They barely spoke as they ate. The food was too delicious and demanding of their attention, and they had talked for hours already. They were content in the sounds of their eating and the sounds of the fellow diners having a fun night out.
When Ian excused himself to find the men’s room, Bianca continued spooning the last of her broth then was surprised by a nudge. She opened her eyes and slowly realized that she had nodded off to sleep at the counter with her spoon still resting in her hands. The last strands of noodles had never made it to her mouth.
“Time to go, Mom.”
Bianca used all her energy to stand up with some dignity and followed him back to the shoe cubby and then out the door, but not before they called out to the ramen chefs to thank them for the meal.
“Gochisousamadeshita!”
Once outside, they lingered briefly at the window watching as the chefs rolled and cut the fresh noodles. Bianca was mesmerized by their actions. They worked so effortlessly as if they had no need to think about these motions.
Bianca leaned on Ian as they made their way through the alley known as Ponto-chō, the traditional bar district. Too small for cars, the cobble- stone walkways were lined with tiny restaurants and clubs, their entrances illuminated by glowing paper lanterns. A different aroma escaped each establishment. Some scents Bianca could identify—ginger, garlic, grilling meats. Other delectable fragrances she couldn’t. Despite having eaten enough, her appetite was reawakened.
They walked slowly, enjoying the cool autumn night. Just as they were leaving the quiet street, they saw a geisha walking beside a businessman. The rich fabric of her amber kimono shimmered in the light of the lanterns and her hair was perfectly coiffed with a burgundy hairpin. As the lovely girl passed them, Bianca turned to catch a better look. She admired the elaborate knot of the brocade obi belt and the delicate end points of the white makeup on the young woman’s neck.
Bianca considered it a good omen to spot a geisha on her first day in Kyoto. They were a rare sight. Some tourists could spend their entire vacation in Kyoto and never see one.
Arriving at the apartment close to 9:30, Ian unlocked the gate and led her to the front door of the guest house. As he opened the door to the darkened room he whispered, “Tadaima.” I’m home.
He showed Bianca to her room where Jiro had already deposited her bags. She hugged Ian, turned to her futon, and crawled into it without changing into pajamas. Ian turned to close the door.
“Ian, wait.”
He turned back.
“You’re happy here.”
He nodded.
“You feel at home, don’t you?”
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. He nodded again.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
***
Excerpt from Autumn Embers by Tina deBellegarde. Copyright 2024 by Tina deBellegarde. Reproduced with permission from Tina deBellegarde. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Tina deBellegarde’s debut novel, Winter Witness, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dead Man’s Leap, her second book in the Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery series, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel. Reviewers have called Tina “the Louise Penny of the Catskills.” Tina also writes short stories and flash fiction. Her story “Tokyo Stranger,” nominated for a Derringer Award, appears in the Mystery Writers of America anthology When a Stranger Comes to Town edited by Michael Koryta. Tina co-chairs the Murderous March Conference and is a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks, where she blogs, tours virtually, and teaches writing workshops. She is a member of Writers in Kyoto and reviews books for BooksOnAsia.net. She lives in Catskill, New York with her husband Denis and their cat Shelby. She travels frequently to Japan to visit her son and daughter-in-law and to do research. Tina is currently working on a collection of interconnected short stories based in Japan.
Catch Up With Tina deBellegarde:
www.TinadeBellegarde.com
www.SleuthsAndSidekicks.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @tinadebellegarde
Instagram - @tdb_writes
Threads - @tdb_writes
Twitter/X - @tdbwrites
Facebook - @tinadebellegardeauthor
Review:
Autumn Embers is the third book in author Tina deBellegarde’s cozy Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery series; however, readers new to the books should have no trouble slipping right into the storyline. Sympathetic main characters and a plethora of interesting secondary ones, two excellent, simultaneous storylines, and vibrant settings half a world apart made this a distinctive and entertaining tale.
The story is told from multiple points of view coming from two very different parts of the world: Sheriff Mike Riley in the series’ home base of Batavia-on-Hudson in upstate New York and Kyoto, Japan, where the series’ main character, Brianca St. Denis has traveled to be honored for her role in returning an antique netsuke to its original owners. As her only son, Ian Grant, is currently living in Kyoto, Bianca is taking the opportunity to visit him for an extended time. The author does an amazing job with both settings, making you feel like you are there in person. I particularly enjoyed the almost travelogue presentation of the sights and sounds Bianca encounters in Kyoto.
Bianca is a recent transplant to Batavia-on-Hudson and a new widow as well, having lost her husband soon after they relocated to the small town. Before she departs for Japan, she discovers she’s achieved an important milestone in her life. She realizes that her new friends and neighbors consider her one of their own and no longer outside. She is smart and controlled as an amateur sleuth. While she has had success in the past in solving murders, in Kyoto, she lets the officials do their job. She inadvertently witnessed the crime, and as Ian is a suspect, she quietly questions some sources on her own but doesn’t push herself into a main role, except when she becomes a target of the killer herself.
Back in Batavia, Mike is having difficulty settling into a second bachelorhood after his separation from his wife, Maggie. Partnering with Bianca in the previous books to solve a couple of local murders had helped him somewhat in his new life as a single man and as an outsider in the small town. He’s currently in a bid for re-election as sheriff when he discovers his righthand deputy is one of his opponents and has also learned that the death of his former NYPD partner was not the suicide everyone thought. All his guilt, doubts, and insecurities play havoc with his health and emotions as he decides whether to fight for his job or hang up his handcuffs.
A lovely yet poignant part of Bianca’s storyline is her reunion with Ian, whom she hasn’t seen in two years. She’s relieved and pleased to see Ian thriving there, a mother’s ultimate desire, but also sad, realizing his happiness there is going to keep them separated from easy and frequent contact.
The storytelling is smooth and absorbing, with just enough backstory woven in to give readers new to the series context without slowing current events down. I started reading this book with the intention of enjoying just a couple of chapters, but I was quickly hooked and read through to the finish.
I recommend AUTUMN EMBER to cozy mystery fans, especially
those who would enjoy a vivid Kyoto setting.
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