Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Murphy and the Mystery of the Outlaw Gold Mine (Alaska Williwaw Mystery, #2) by Bradford D. Smith

MURPHY AND THE MYSTERY OF THE OUTLAW GOLD MINE

by Bradford D. Smith

September 21 - October 30, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

AN ALASKA WILLIWAW MYSTERY

 

When a beautiful day suddenly turns deadly Murphy finds himself in the middle of a perilous mystery and up against the dangerous criminal, the Black-Eyed Man and his gang.

Compelled to discover the truth and expose the criminals, Murphy leads his cousin Katrina on a risky adventure through the rain slicked streets of Juneau and Douglas and into the labyrinth of tunnels and shafts inside the abandoned and sealed Alaska Juneau gold mine.

What starts as curiosity soon becomes a dangerous struggle for survival and freedom as Murphy and Katrina face a new menace at every turn. Will Katrina’s special skills and a squad of unlikely allies be enough to tip the scale in their favor, or can nothing save them this time.

Find the answers in the pages of Murphy and the Mystery of the Outlaw Gold Mine the second book in the Alaska Williwaw Mystery series.

Murphy and the Mystery of the Outlaw Gold Mine Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: YA/Middle-Grade Mystery
Published by: Fathom Publishing
Publication Date: September 20, 2026
Number of Pages: 270
ISBN: 978-1-954896949
Series: Alaska Williwaw Mystery Series, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1: Dangerous Den

Murphy recoiled in horror as the creature landed on his neck. He screamed when it flopped onto his face and omitted a high-pitched squeal next to his ear.

Frantically swatting the darkness in his panic, he twisted and lurched to get away, but his body was wedged in place. He dropped his phone and covered his face with one hand, flailing in the darkness with the other. To his relief, he was able to knock the beast off his head. He breathed heavily. He could hear his assailant flopping and scuffling nearby and he feared another attack. His body shivered involuntarily.

It’s just a bat . . . calm down, breathe.

Inhaling deeply, he counted to three as he drew air into his lungs, then he slowly exhaled to the count of three and repeated it. It was a technique Coach Troutman taught him in Junior wrestling class. It helped calm his panic when he was caught in a tight hold.

He wasn’t afraid of bats per se, but alone in the dark in a tight space was a whole other thing.

What if it’s a vampire bat? They don’t live in Alaska. But what if?

Tentatively running his hands over the ground in search of his phone, he still was not completely convinced the bat didn’t want to suck his blood.

Where’s my phone? Did the light go off? I hope I didn’t drop it down the . . .

At that moment the bat flapped its wings. Murphy shrunk away as a leathery appendage brushed his cheek. He listened as it gained flight. The sound grew fainter and he realized the bat had flown straight down into the chasm.

He gazed after it and noticed a faint glow of light. Pushing closer to the edge he peered over the rim. What he saw gave him hope. His cell phone was sitting upside down on a small ledge about an arm’s length away.

He dug the toes of his boots into the hard-packed earth and inched closer. Juniper branches dug into his back as protruding rocks pushed into his ribs. He stretched toward his phone. His fingers clutched at the air a few inches from it. With his free hand, he blindly searched for something to hold onto. His finger found a thick branch of the Juniper bush and he grasped it tightly.

He shoved with his feet and pulled with one hand, holding tightly to the juniper with his other. His body gained a few inches of progress so he tried for his phone again. His fingers touched it, but he couldn’t grasp it. He pushed and strained with all his might, only needing another inch.

Suddenly his brain registered a loud cracking sound, like you hear when a limb is torn from a tree. Murphy’s body suddenly jolted forward.

“No!”

The juniper branch tore loose in his hand. His body lurched again, his shoulders hung over the chasm. He was slowly slipping over the edge and there didn’t seem to be anything he could do to stop it.

His hands desperately sought purchase on the smooth rock at the top of the opening. His fingers worked feverishly at every small bump and crack, but they couldn’t find a safe purchase.

Gravity steadily pulled his body into the black void while he tried desperately to dig his toes into the hard earth.

Abruptly, he fell headfirst into the abyss. For a brief moment his boots hooked the rim but immediately slipped off. He plummeted into the unknown.

“Nooooooooooooo . . . ”

* * *

An hour earlier, Murphy and Katrina had stepped from the Mount Roberts tram at its terminus nearly two thousand feet above the historic streets of Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. With the sun high in a cloudless sky it was a rare and perfect day to launch the season.

It was fast becoming a tradition for the locals to take advantage of the first week of tram operation before the multitude of cruise ship visitors overwhelmed the tiny city and the tram itself. Many came to hike the trails, some came to photograph the spectacular scenery and wildlife, others came only to admire the astounding panorama and to enjoy a picnic lunch.

Hogan pulled hard at his leash. Murphy leaned back to slow him down but was forced into a slow jog to keep up.

“Slow down, Hoge, we just got here. We have all day.”

Hogan wanted to sniff everywhere at once. His pushed-up black nose worked feverishly as his bulging eyes darted in every direction and his white feet pranced impatiently.

Murphy pulled on the leash and raised his voice. “Hogan, calm down.”

At the mention of his name, Hogan wagged his stubby tail and circled back to lick Murphy’s hand.

“Do you smell the flowers?” Katrina called as she began skipping to keep up.

“Yeah, it’s awesome up here in the spring and the tram is always cool anytime. A bit scary, but worth it.”

“It is a pretty good adrenalin rush for six minutes. I always imagine the floor dropping away.” She adjusted her round-lensed, red-tinted sunglasses and smiled.

Murphy gulped. “Great, thanks for that thought, we still have to go down.” He had managed to slow Hogan down to a walk. They walked side by side for a moment, neither talking until he said, “I like it.”

“Like what?”

“Your hair.”

“Oh, okay, um, thanks.”

“What do you call it?”

“What?”

“The color.”

“Indigo.” Katrina’s hair was tied high in a single ponytail that seemed to erupt from the top of her head. The sun glinted off the luxurious deep blue color.

Modern Pebbles chic.

Murphy smirked.

“Can I ask you something?”

She was silent for an uncomfortable pause. “I guess.”

He smiled before asking, “Where did you find neon green hiking boots to match your neon green leggings, or was it the other way around?” He snickered and stepped away quickly.

“At least I don’t order my clothes from Outdoor Nerds are Us.”

“Mean.” He couldn’t help looking down at his tan cargo shorts, plain brown hiking boots, and navy T-shirt.

She smiled and batted her eye lashes.

He grimaced.

I should have known better.

Changing the subject, Katrina said, “Sorry your mom has the flu and couldn’t come. It was nice of her to send us anyway, but I am feeling a bit guilty. Maybe we should have stayed home and helped her out.”

Murphy was surprised it made him happy that she had referred to his home as her home. She stayed with them so often people thought they were siblings. The two of them found it easier to say they were cousins. It was basically true as their fathers were lifelong friends and the families were extremely close.

“My dad’s coming in this afternoon,” he told her. “He said he will nurse her back to health.”

“Your dad sure travels a lot.”

“What about your dad? He’s out crabbing all season.”

“Not the same, but I guess.” She stopped skipping.

Murphy glanced at her and noticed a distant look in her eyes.

They made their way to an observation deck close to the tram’s terminal. From there Murphy could see his home across Gastineau Channel in Douglas, Alaska. He could see most of Douglas Island and the snowy tops of the Chilkat Mountains in the distance to the west. They enjoyed the vast and beautiful scenery in silent reverie. Even Hogan seemed taken with the amazing vista. He sat quietly beside Murphy. The pink tip of his tongue protruded from his mouth and wiggled slightly as he breathed.

They eventually tore themselves away from the spectacular view and began walking. They passed a gaggle of first graders coming down the path. They were all holding onto a rope and were led by a harried Mrs. Harper. Murphy knew she was new to the Grade School, and this may have been her first field trip. Mr. Able, Murphy’s friend Mikey’s dad, was at the tail end of the rope. Daisey, Mikey’s little sister, was second from the end. As they passed Murphy waved at Daisey and smiled at Mr. Able who rolled his eyes and slumped his shoulders. Mr. Able was a building inspector during the day and he coached a men’s boxing club after work. From his gestures, it was apparent he’d met his match with a half dozen six-year-olds.

They passed the gift shop, the theater, and the bar and grill. The tram had delivered them approximately halfway up the nearly four-thousand-foot-high mountain.

They stopped to read the large sign mapping the hiking trail routes. Mount Roberts has a number of trails from easy to difficult. They chose a moderate three-mile trek that would take them through spruce forests, boulder-strewn alpine pastures, moss-covered rock glaciers and ending at a small glacier-fed lake in a picturesque mountain valley. They would wind their way back by a different route, one that followed the bubbly brook that drained from the lake.

After choosing their route, they set out. Strolling leisurely they following the wide gravel pathway through an alpine meadow. Small streams and waterfalls dotted the landscape. Murphy had a permanent smile plastered on his face.

Hogan stopped suddenly, woofed and stood erect. “What is it, boy?” Murphy reached down and scratched his ears.

A blur of red fur exploded across the trail a few feet in front of them. Hogan bolted, jerking Murphy from his feet and ripping the leash from his grasp. Murphy landed on his shoulder and his face at the side of the path but immediately sprang to his feet and brushed himself off. His cheeks exploded with a red bloom in his anger and embarrassment. He glanced about frantically and was just in time to see Hogan’s bouncing rear end and stubby tail disappear around a tall rock outcropping in the middle of a nearby meadow.

“Hogan, come.” Murphy called but Hogan didn’t come. Murphy repeated his command again and again but there was no Hogan.

“Wow.” Katrina appeared to be in awe and somewhat amused by the madcap spectacle she had just witnessed. She repeated herself. “Wow!”

As Murphy inspected a small cut on his knee, she plucked a chunk of fuzzy green moss from his hair.

He glanced at her and said, “Don’t start.”

“I know not of what you speak, oh graceful one.” She smiled demurely and took a step back.

“Very funny,” he sneered. “Just help me find the jerk.”

“I thought he always did what he was told,” she questioned. “Like, come when he’s called.”

“He usually does, but maybe he can’t hear me. Wait here. I’ll go get him.”

He didn’t look back and began jogging toward the stone obelisk where he had last seen Hogan’s white rear end disappear from sight.

He ran across a grassy meadow strewn with boulders and crumbling spires of decaying rock. At first, he tried not to step on the wildflowers, but there were too many and he cringed as he trampled through a patch of mountain crocus. The meadows were covered in a vibrant blanket that represented a kaleidoscope of color.

Murphy rounded the outcropping where Hogan had disappeared and was immediately confused. Stretched before him was a small sloping valley covered in nothing but moss-covered rocks and a vibrant carpet of flowers. There was absolutely nothing for a dog of Hogan’s size to hide behind.

“Hogan! Come, boy! Come now.” He called repeatedly but still there was no response. Murphy wandered the tiny valley calling Hogan’s name. Eventually he retraced his steps and arrived back at the last place he had seen his dog.

Murphy examined the craggy monolith. It was three times the size of his dad’s big SUV and twice as high as the monkey bars at school. The surface was cracked and porous, but he didn’t see any caves or fissures big enough for a full-grown Boxer to enter. As he circled it, he ran his hands along its surface as though searching for a hidden door. Low Mountain Juniper bushes grew along the base of the north side. He lay down on his stomach and peered under the lowest branches. There he saw an overhang and a space big enough for a fox or a dog. Far back under the shelf, he saw a black hole in the ground.

Could this be the fox’s den? Did Hogan follow it down there?

He peeled off his backpack, set it against the rock and squeezed his head and shoulders under the pungent branches. He inched toward the dark opening. It was a tight fit and he inched forward, struggling as the low branches dug into his back and tugged at his T-shirt. Grabbing the base of the bush he pulled while pushing with the toes of his boots. Slowly he neared the hole in the ground.

Repeatedly calling for Hogan he eventually got close to the darkened void. It was a struggle to retrieve his phone from his back pocket and turn on the light, but when he did, he was faced with a steep-sided deep opening about the size of a bicycle tire.

No way a fox went down there. How would it get out?

There was another recess on the other side of the hole. It was a wide crack in the rock that immediately turned a corner that he couldn’t see around, but he spotted a small tuft of reddish fur caught in a tiny crevasse where the opening disappeared around the corner. Both openings were small, but he realized Hogan could have fit in either.

Did he follow the fox? Did he fall?

“Hogan!”

He yelled into the breach. Then he yelled into the cavity across from him. He held his breath and listened. Nothing.

***

Excerpt from Murphy and the Mystery of the Outlaw Gold Mine by Bradford D. Smith. Copyright 2026 by Bradford D. Smith. Reproduced with permission from Bradford D. Smith. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Bradford D. Smith grew up as an only child amongst a household of Huskies and Malamutes. At times, he thought they were his siblings. From the age of two, he lived in Atlin, British Columbia, a historic gold mining town nestled deep in the wilderness just south of the Yukon Border and connected to Alaska by the Juneau ice field. Brad grew up without radio or television in a time before video machines and home computers were common. Books and reading were important entertainment and in the dark, subzero winter months, they became paramount to the sound mental survival of many. Brad's mom read to him before he was born and throughout his childhood. This instilled an intense curiosity deep within him and an insatiable appetite to satisfy it. Brad read everything he could find and at a young age, he was reading books his mother enjoyed about arctic explorers, prospectors, trappers and first nations people. His latest book, a young adult mystery, Murphy and the Mystery of the Black Skull, was shaped by his own fascination with the mystery genre as a young adult. Updated to fit today's times, he leans heavily on the style of writing he himself enjoyed as a young teen. This book is sprinkled with real world places and the author's love of history is quickly exposed in this fast-paced adventure. Brad has lived and worked in many places across Alaska over the years including Juneau. He still works in Arctic Alaska seasonally and lives with his wife in central BC, Canada with their pack of dogs.

Catch Up With Bradford D. Smith:

BradfordSmithAuthor.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @bradforddsmith
Facebook - @emokotz132
BlueSky - @bdsmithauthor65.bsky.social

 

Review:

4 stars!

A fun middle-grade mystery set in the historic gold-mining region near Juneau, Alaska. 

Murphy and the Mystery of the Outlaw Gold Mine is the second book in author Bradford D. Smith’s fun, informative, and adventure-filled middle-grade Alaska Williwaw mystery series, set principally on Douglas Island near Juneau, Alaska. While out hiking the trails of Mount Roberts on the mainland, Murphy Delgado accidentally falls into part of the old underground mining tunnels that honeycomb the mountainside. But before his close friend, Katrina, can help extricate him, he sees two men in a lower tunnel who shoot at him rather than offer aid. Glimpsing the men’s mysterious machinery and covered in the ubiquitous red mud in the tunnels, Katrina pulls Murphy to the surface and safety, and straight into their next exciting adventure. 

Murphy and Katrina are a fun pair of protagonists who give young readers relatable main characters to root for as they problem-solve their way through a variety of hazardous situations. They work things out on their own, using the adults in their lives as safe havens and sources of information, never telling them exactly what they’re up to. Some of the scrapes they get into, though, stem directly from ill-thought-out decisions and their failure to tell an adult the important things they’ve uncovered. 

Mentions of characters and events presumably from the previous book dot the narrative and conversations but were unexplained. I assume the encounters and inclusion tied the story to the characters’ history with each other and the others but from a newcomer’s viewpoint, these side stories slowed the current one down. Other than that, the story works okay as a standalone, but I do wish I’d started the series with the first book as the unexplained sorties into the past left me feeling a little confused and left out. The resolution came with its own fast-paced excitement as they outdo the bad guys. 

I recommend MURPHY AND THE MYSTERY OF THE OUTLAW GOLD MINE to readers of middle-grade mysteries and fiction, but especially for those who have read the previous book in the series.

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Book Blitz: One Grey Night It Happened by Michael Fields

One Grey Night It Happened
by
Michael Fields

Young adult / Mystery / Thriller

Publisher: Xlibris

Publication Date: May 4, 2020

Page count: 212 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Falsely accused and pursued by the local police, Lucas Bradshaw, a gifted black athlete, escapes Virginia, and with the help of a friend he enrolls in the predominately white Bloomington High School in Central Pennsylvania.

Set in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania, “One Grey Night It Happened” recognizes the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of Pennsylvania’s wilderness region.

Running from a notorious mountain clan, a young and defiant Jeremiah Willis departs Arrowhead Mountain and enrolls in Bloomington High School. A black transfer student and gifted athlete, Lucas Bradshaw, enrolls that same morning.

The day before he enrolled, Lucas witnessed a school massacre in his Virginia school, Robert E Lee Academy, and now is the target of a massive manhunt.

Sparks fly when Jeremiah and Lucas meet. They form an unlikely alliance and become allies in the fight against bullies, racists, and corrupt officials. The boys share a deep reverence for nature. When developers plan a million-dollar Dream House on Arrowhead Mountain, Jeremiah and Lucas work together to protect the forests. Suspense mounts at a torrid pace. Either tragedy or triumph awaits Jeremiah and Lucas.

 CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Michael Fields, now retired, taught and coached in both public and private high schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, New York, and Southeast Asia for thirty years. He has drawn on this experience to portray a "realistic and sometimes explosive" school environment. In 1967 the author met John Steinbeck in Northeast Thailand. John Steinbeck told him, "If you're going to do this, write about things you know, write about things you really care about. And don't quit your regular job." Following Steinbeck's advice, the author did both.

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Book Review: Murder by Milkshake (Sweet Dreams Mystery, #1) by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fine debut for this young adult cozy mystery series!

Murder by Milkshake is the great debut novel in author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo's young adult cozy mystery series, Sweet Dreams Mysteries, and with its likable main characters and multiple mysteries, it proved to be a highlight of my reading week. Not only did I really like the young protagonist, who gave me young Nancy Drew vibes, but the cute shop and the talk about the ice cream concoctions really painted a vivid picture for me. I was glad I was reading in the evening when it was too late for me to go out and satisfy the immediate need for an ice cream fix!

When a popular teacher at her school goes missing, Genevieve has reason to believe a crabby substitute knows more about the disappearance than she’s telling. But when she can’t get those in charge to look into her suspicions, she takes matters into her own hands.

Genevieve is a clever and compassionate girl with a nice group of friends. She and Brandon made a fun pair, and I enjoyed their back-and-forth whenever they were together. I also liked how Brandon's mother had welcomed Genevieve into their family after her mother had left for Las Vegas. Jill Summers was definitely attuned to her feelings, and I liked how she texted her son early in the book to find out what had Genevieve feeling down that morning!

As the first book in a new series, the author must establish the world in which the stories will take place, and Naranjo does a splendid job crafting the small Arizona mountain community of Pinewood, especially the high school, without bogging down the action or interrupting the main character's development. I enjoyed the introductions to the people, places, and, of course, to Butterscotch, a sweet homeless dog.

While the plot involves a murder, a secondary storyline explores Genevieve's future. Should she stay home to eventually take over her father's ice cream business (her childhood dream) or step out of her comfort zone, spread her wings, and open herself up to new experiences and ideas at a university farther away from home? Her worries about the unknown ahead added such a relatable aspect to the young protagonist and the plot.

With its engaging main character and well-plotted mystery, I recommend MURDER BY MILKSHAKE to young adult mystery readers looking for a clever and fresh new heroine.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.


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Book Review: The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven

The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hooked by the premise and mesmerized by the author's storytelling.

The Society for Soulless Girls, by veteran author Laura Steven, had me spellbound from page one, with two strong female, young adult protagonists, a setting that fairly oozed Gothic ambiance and heart-poundingly horrific paranormal elements. I was hooked by the premise and compelled to keep turning pages by the author's mesmerizing storytelling.

The story unfolds from the alternating viewpoints of two first-year students and roommates at the newly reopened Carvell Academy. At first glance, Lottie and Alice couldn't be any less alike or incompatible, but their similarities begin to show as the story progresses. Both question their personal value and their right to even be at the prestigious school, and both lack confidence in their abilities and future success while outwardly displaying strong façades. There is a great deal of misunderstanding between the two because their feelings of not being good enough have made them defensive. At eighteen, they have well-established ways of dealing with what they perceive as danger/hurt/embarrassment; one strikes out in quick anger while the other maintains an unshakably sunny demeanor. They suffer strange and eerie happenings alone for much of the book until they eventually reveal what is going on to each other.

The mysterious incidents at the school are not limited to just the two roommates, though. There is suicide, and another first-year student is experiencing her own living hell with barely contained feelings of rage. This student is somewhat isolated from others because she is living in a single-occupant dorm room. Are these girls targeted for being on the edges of the student body community and easier to access by whoever or whatever affects them, or are they more susceptible because they lack emotional support?

The plot surges ahead as Alice and Hafsah's episodes occur more frequently. While suspecting the involvement of the faculty, or at least their undisclosed knowledge of what was going on, I kept wanting the girls to approach the dean with their problems. The male professors all gave off weird vibes, and I would never have said anything to any one of them. As for vibes, though, one of my favorite characters has to be the librarian Kate Feathering, with her distinctive look, attitude, and overall vibe. The author crafted natural, authentic dialogue with humor and occasional literary quotes. As the girls are students of English literature or philosophy, many intriguing books are mentioned that readers may want to note and add to their TBR piles.

The story addresses the very real issue and history of women's suppression startlingly and uniquely. A long-dead nun suppressed in life, but with the power to reach out from the grave, brings home the story with unparalleled clarity and transferability to modern circumstances. The realization was eye-opening, to put it mildly.

To top off a mesmerizing storyline, the author has created a darkly atmospheric setting at the Carvell Academy. The ancient buildings of a former convent with a tragic history serve as the perfect backdrop for the creepy and malevolent tale. However, some excursions from campus highlight the sights of Northumbria and may pique the interest of readers who enjoy traveling.

With its unique plot, characters, and setting, I recommend THE SOCIETY FOR SOULLESS GIRLS to young adult fiction, mystery, or horror readers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.


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Book Review: More Than Ivory by Gina Augustini Best

More Than Ivory by Gina Augustini Best
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Riveting young adult thriller!

More Than Ivory by Gina Augustini Best is an absolutely riveting young adult thriller about a teenager whose mother, a well-loved local teacher, is forcibly abducted by two ski-masked men as she withdrew money from an ATM one morning before school. With its wonderful characters and the unrelenting tension of time running out for this single mother’s safe return, once I started reading, I couldn’t put this book down.

Mireya Torres is the relatable young main character, the only child of Ana María, the woman who has been taken, and at 17 years of age, she is beginning to build a life separate from her mother. She likes a boy on her debate team at school and, naturally, wants to spend some free time hanging out with her friends and, hopefully, get to know and develop a closer relationship with Luke, the object of her affections. However, her mother is unnaturally protective and, predictably, would squelch any such plans, so Mireya has been lying about where she is going and what she’s doing after school. While her afterschool pursuits are innocent enough, the last words she will have said to her mother will turn out to be lies, and this knowledge haunts her for the entirety of the look.

Mireya’s Uncle Angel, Ana María’s brother, is a DEA agent, and he takes an active role in the investigation, but she knows he’s hiding critical information from both her and the police. She is wracked by suspicions that this man, who has always cared for her and her mom, may have had a hand in her abduction. As the police appear to be dragging their feet and going off in the wrong directions, and Uncle Angel refuses her help in finding her mother, Mireya takes matters into her own hands. Helping her in her hour of need is her best friend, Cici, and a more “ride or die” partner would be difficult to find.

The author’s storytelling is mesmerizing, totally captivating me from the first scene, and completely immersing me in her narrative. I couldn’t delay seeing this story through to its resolution and stayed up almost all night to do so. The mysterious plot takes some shocking twists and turns as family secret after family secret comes to light, and the suspense mounts as Ana María’s abduction shifts from being a random act of opportunity to a targeted operation. The plot addresses tough, realistic issues that readers sensitive to these topics may find difficult to read. Others, however, may gain valuable knowledge and take heed. The action swiftly moves from Mireya’s quiet north Dallas suburban community to the prairie farmland west of Fort Worth to the Pineywoods of East Texas to the eerie, otherworldly deserts of West Texas as the author uses the ecological diversity of the state to her spectacular advantage.

I recommend MORE THAN IVORY to readers of young adult mysteries, thrillers, and family dramas.

Content warning: Discussion of sex trafficking, sexual abuse, missing children, abduction, murder, cartels and gangs

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway - Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter by Valerie Biel

BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE

The Secret Keeper's Daughter

by Valerie Biel

March 3 - 28, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s life as a cemetery caretaker masked a web of family secrets that quite possibly led to his death—and are now putting her in mortal danger.

Needing freedom to investigate, Chloe pretends that her only surviving relative, a famous war correspondent, has returned from an overseas assignment to be her guardian. But living alone in the caretaker’s house in the middle of the cemetery, mere feet from the crime scene, puts Chloe’s nerves on edge even before she unearths clues about the shadowy side of her small town. Help comes from unlikely and surprising allies: the colorful owner of the local retro diner, the quiet new classmate with his near-perfect memory, and a spirit who visits in her moments of greatest need.

But as Chloe gets closer to the truth, someone else is getting closer to Chloe, watching her every move. And when her aunt turns up on international news reporting from a war zone, Chloe’s cover is blown. Now the race is on to reveal her dad’s killer—but perhaps—Chloe isn’t as alone as she thought.

Praise for Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter:

Recently voted Notable 100 Best Indie Book of 2024 (from Shelf Unbound) and a Semi-Finalist for the CIBA YA Fiction Book Award (Chanticleer International Book Awards)

"A stand-out mystery...offering readers an unforgettable journey." ★★★★★ 5-Stars
~ Readers' Favorite

"This taut, suspenseful mystery goes beyond the cemetery gate and settles, creaking, into our very bones."
~ Silvia Acevedo, author of the award-winning God Awful series

"A gripping mystery that succeeds due to a headstrong protagonist who's unwilling to fail."
~ Kirkus Reviews

"... a must-read and recommended for fans of mysteries looking for a gripping and compelling story."
~ 5-Stars - Reader Views Kids

"A haunting YA mystery. Touching on everything from police ineptitude and community solidarity to the endless frustration of being patronized as a young person, this paranormal thriller confidently combines timely and relatable themes within a page-turning storyline."
~ Self-Publishing Review

"Not all secrets are buried in the grave. Beyond the Cemetery Gate is a nonstop read through a dark, twisting plot and the dangerous world of shadows and sinister people that 16-year-old Chloe must outrun and outsmart."
~ Patricia Skalka, Author of the Dave Cubiak Door County Mysteries

Book Details:

Genre: Young Adult Mystery Suspense
Published by: Lost Lake Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2024
Number of Pages: 342
ISBN: 9780998173641 (ISBN10: 0998173649)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

CHLOE

In the space between sleep and wakefulness, a sound seeped into my consciousness. The sense that something wasn’t quite right pulled me fully awake. I listened beyond my own breathing for it to come again.

A wail pierced the silence. An animal in pain? Only it wasn’t. I knew it was human. I slipped from bed to stare out into the cemetery. The tombstones always made for fascinating or eerie shadows, depending on how you felt about graveyards. I never minded, which was a good thing, considering my house was smack dab in the middle of one.

The sound came again, more of a moan this time, followed by a murmur of voices. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but people were definitely in the cemetery. One of them was scared or maybe hurt. Dad wasn’t going to like this. He locked the gate tight every night. The only way in was to scale the tall, spiked iron fence or pick the lock. Either one was going to piss him off.

In the distance, a pinpoint of light moved away from where I perched. It was too small to be a flashlight . . . maybe a cell phone?

I padded down the hall to Dad’s bedroom, calling for him. His door was ajar, and the hall light was enough to show his empty bed, the covers rumpled and thrown back as though he’d gotten up quickly. He must have heard the same thing.

His boots weren’t in their usual spot by the back door, so I knew for sure he’d gone to investigate. I had to help because Dad and I were a team, small and mighty, he said. We always made it through everything together.

In my hurry I forgot to stop the screen door from slamming behind me when I stepped out onto the porch, cringing when the sound echoed through the night.

I waited a moment and then whispered, “Dad,” as loudly as I dared.

No answer.

I angled toward the part of the cemetery where the small light had been, thinking I’d find him corralling some kids from high school pulling a prank. It happened once in a while but usually in a few weeks—closer to Halloween. I knew more than a handful of idiots my age who would think this was funny.

I hadn’t heard the wailing or voices since I left the house. Maybe whoever it was had left? That hopeful thought disappeared as a weird combination of worry and fear crawled up the base of my spine. Just in case it was something more menacing than kids, I hid my approach behind the cemetery’s largest and oldest tombstones. Maxwell, Bell, Ludington . . . I touched their cold granite and the mossy green lichen growing up their sides as I slid between them. I expected to find Dad by now. Where was he?

A terrible thought pushed me into full fear mode. What if the person making that horrible scream was Dad? It hadn’t sounded like him, but … what if he was out here somewhere and hurt? I had to find him!

My breath quickened and a damp sheen of sweat prickled my skin.

I sped up, more concerned with finding him than being seen. The cemetery was big, but I had to be close to where I’d spotted the light. I calmed myself long enough to pivot in a slow circle, my bare feet sliding on the dewy grass. The main gate was open, obviously where the trespassers came in—and hopefully where they’d gone out.

It was quiet and dark.

The cemetery had no lights of its own, and the glow of streetlights reached only to the second row of graves. Here and there, solar decorations shimmered for dead loved ones as cheerfully as possible but didn’t shine far enough to be helpful. The darkness didn’t hinder me. The cemetery had been my playground since preschool, so even in the dark I was able to avoid every tree root, odd stone, or divot that might trip me up.

I decided to be systematic and jogged a grid pattern, snaking through the rows. I stopped short and gasped at the next turn. A body was slumped against the base of my favorite statue, a white marble angel holding a sword and shield.

“Dad!”

He didn’t move. In two quick strides, I was at his side. “Dad!”

I gave his shoulder a gentle shake, and his head tipped sideways.

“Oh my god! Wake up!”

I needed a better look and found the light on my phone. What I saw scared me even more. Dad’s face was pale, his eyes unfocused. I needed help—fast!

Dialing 911 seemed impossibly slow for three simple numbers.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“It’s – it’s my dad. He won’t wake up.”

“What’s your location?”

“I’m in the city cemetery. My dad is the caretaker here.”

“What’s your name?”

“C-Chloe Cowyn.”

“Okay, Chloe, can you check whether your dad’s breathing?”

I bent low and placed my face close to Dad’s mouth. “I don’t think so. Please hurry!”

This didn’t make sense. Had someone hit him? I didn’t see any blood. I swept my eyes over his legs and arms—stopping abruptly at what I saw.

“Nooooo.”

At first, I thought the wailing had returned, until I realized that I was the one making the sound eerily like what woke me.

“Chloe, are you okay? I have help on the way. Stay on the line with me until they arrive.”

“No. No. No.” My cell phone dropped from my hand as I backed away.

Tears blurred my view until I could no longer see the needle stuck in my dad’s arm.

***

Excerpt from BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE: The Secret Keeper's Daughter by Valerie Biel. Copyright 2024 by Valerie Biel. Reproduced with permission from Valerie Biel. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Valerie Biel writes books for middle grade to adult audiences--stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her award-winning, young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland's ancient stone circles. She's also the author of Haven, a contemporary middle grade novel, and Beyond the Cemetery Gate, a YA mystery suspense story. She helps other authors with their book promotion and marketing and frequently teaches writing workshops to students of all ages. When Valerie's away from the computer, you might find her wrangling her overgrown garden, traveling the world, and reading everything she can get her hands on. Once upon a time, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with degrees in journalism and political science. She lives with her husband on a (tiny) portion of her family's century-old farm in rural Wisconsin, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.

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Review:

5 stars!!!

Fantastic dual-timeline murder mystery with hints of the paranormal. 

Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper’s Daughter is the first book in author Valerie Biel’s fantastic new young adult/adult cross-over Chloe and Maggie Mystery series and features a clever dual timeline with just a hint of paranormal elements. Chloe Cowyn, who lives with her father in a house nestled with the city cemetery where he works as the caretaker, is awakened one night to screams, shouting, and flickering lights among the headstones. Thinking it is kids who have snuck in for a scary prank, she goes to wake her father so he can shoo the trespassers away. Finding his bed empty and assuming he’s already up and outside doing just that, she heads out as well in case he needs any help, only to find him dead, propped up against a monument with a needle in his arm. When the police declare his death an accidental overdose, Chloe urges them to look closer as she’s certain her father was and never had been an addict and that she had heard multiple voices in the cemetery at the time of his death. The police appear to close the case without further investigation, so Chloe decides to pursue the truth on her own. 

The story cleverly unfolds through the viewpoints of father and daughter, with his narrative providing the backdrop for her account of the events of the present. Unbeknownst to Chloe, Dean Cowyn had been keeping a lot of secrets from her regarding their past, and those secrets were just about to come out into the open in a very dangerous way. 

Chloe is a strong and determined 16-year-old, and she never wavers in her belief that her father’s death was caused by someone else in the cemetery that night. During times of stress, which is practically the entire book, Chloe figuratively turns to her guardian angel, Leb, for comfort, which is promptly given. Described as a loving presence and a warm, comforting hug, the invisible Leb has been a part of Chloe’s life for as long as she can remember. While they do not communicate per se, he is always there when she needs him and ready to provide mental and emotional support. As for Dean, he’s a dedicated father, trying to keep his daughter safe, which also means oblivious to what really happened the night of the house fire that took a life and caused the terrible scars on the lower half of her body. But while Dean kept those secrets from his daughter out of love, her ignorance of the truth puts her at a terrible disadvantage and her life in jeopardy. 

A third narrator, The Watcher, provides stalkerish commentary about Chloe’s movements, and this adds to the tense and creepy atmosphere of the entire story. The Watcher’s identity is kept hidden, and I speculated throughout the book about who it was, thinking it was first one person and then another until, in one of many surprising plot twists, they and their motives are finally revealed. 

The plot is fast-paced and compelling, and I was completely consumed by the story from the moment I began reading it. I could feel Chloe’s frustration with the lack of police action and her rising panic when she was unable to contact Maggie, her only other relative, forcing her to lie to and dodge the county’s social worker. The pressure increases when she realizes her sources of ready cash are gone and the city has given her a quickly approaching deadline to pack and vacate the cemetery house to accommodate the newly hired caretaker. While readers will be fairly certain they know who the killer is, it is the reason why and what comes next that drives the story. 

I recommend BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE: THE SECRET KEEPER’S DAUGHTER to readers of young adult/adult mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy a little paranormal element in their stories.

 

 

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Book Review: Pralines and Creamed (Sweet Dreams Mystery, #2) by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nancy Drew meets Mystery, Inc.!

Pralines and Creamed is the second book in author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s fun and cozy teen/young adult Sweet Dreams Mystery series featuring high school senior Genevieve Winterland, her best friend, Brandon Summers, and her canine sidekick, Butterscotch. When Brandon’s family-owned bookstore hosts a book signing on Halloween for well-known mystery/horror writer and serial womanizer Jack Kelley, there’s friction between his parents due to some unpleasant history with the man. But when he’s murdered in the signing line, Brandon’s father quickly becomes the police’s number one suspect. Genevieve is compelled to investigate and clear Mr. Summers’s name.

Genevieve has her hands full, splitting her time between her senior year classes and working at her family’s ice cream shop; however, she is determined to solve the murder at the bookstore. When her mother arrives for an unannounced week-long visit, she’s caught off guard and soon realizes she’s doing everything she can to avoid spending time with her. Up until now, her long-distance relationship with her mother has seemed to work for both of them: occasional calls and short visits two or three times a year kept them in touch with each other. But her mother’s sudden desire for more upsets the balance they’ve established, and Genevieve finds herself backing away. Genevieve does some soul-searching to process her reaction, and young readers may be able to relate to their relationship with a distant parent.

Genevieve and Brandon make a good team and are especially kind to his younger sister, Charlotte, even dressing up as Velma and Fred from her favorite cartoon show, Scooby-Doo. However, during this case, Genevieve often prefers to pursue her ideas alone, even misleading her friend about her plans to avoid being slowed down or having to wait for him to become available to join in. Consequently, she makes some mistakes and takes some obvious risks, meeting solo with potential suspects and people she already believes may be a murderer. In the end, the resolution makes sense, and there is an exciting confrontation where the author works, “And I would have gotten away with it too…” into the beaten villain’s dialogue.

I recommend PRALINES AND CREAMED to readers of teen and young adult cozy mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author.

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Book Tour: Heaven's Ghosts (Heaven, Maine Mysteries, #1) by Anneke Barnard

Heaven Maine Mysteries, Book One

 

YA Mystery; Coming of age; YA fiction

Date Published: August 21, 2021

 

 

A young boy's apparent accidental drowning, a mysterious drifter, the town recluse, a deaf boy who can hear the voices of spirits, and the mystery that connects them all.

Samson Roe comes from a family of fake psychics his mother being the most recent perpetrator of the con. However, Sam has a secret that he has not revealed to anyone, he can speak with ghosts. The only problem is that Sam is deaf, so though he can hear the voices of the dead the living are silent to him. When a boy named Kip Green drowns in the picturesque town of Heaven Maine nobody suspects anything sinister; that is until Kip makes a visit to Samson and reveals that he believes his death to be anything but an accident. Together they begin to investigate what really happened and in the process begin to unravel a thirty-seven year old mystery.

 

About the Author

Anneke Barnard was born and raised in Portland, Maine. She graduated from Portland High School in 2017 and the University of Southern Maine in 2021. She lives with her three brothers, mom and dad, and dog Fenway. For updates on her writing follow her on twitter @barnard_anneke.

 

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Shadowed Seats (Oliana Mercer, #1) by Marguerite Ashton

Shadowed Seats
Marguerite Ashton
(Oliana Mercer, #1)
Publication date: August 21st 2017
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult

Oliana knows that every family has a secret, but she never expected hers to come from the grave.

High school senior Oliana Mercer dreams of attending the prestigious Reyersen Drama Academy and pursuing her acting career. But when tragedy strikes, Oliana discovers secrets hidden from her by her adopted parents, dimming the lights on her perfect world. As the sins of the past surface, Oliana finds herself caught up in a tug-of-war between two families while the love for her boyfriend is tested. Determined to find some form of happiness in life, Oliana becomes student director in the high school’s senior play. When her best friend, Devin Worthy, dies during dress rehearsal, Oliana is re-cast as the lead. Everyone thinks the death was a suicide, except Oliana, whose search for clues may be enough motive for the killer to murder again.

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Review:

4 stars!

Gripping, complex, and entertaining contemporary young adult murder mystery. 

Shadowed Seats is the first book in the Oliana Mercer young adult mystery series and is an immediate attention grabber. The two main characters, Oliana and Devin, are undergoing a lot of stress yet are still giving the high school play their all. Even after Devin’s murder, Oliana is able to keep her composure enough to start asking questions and putting crucial pieces of information together that the police have overlooked. 

I liked that several storylines opened and progressed simultaneously, and they meshed together into an absorbing whole, so I didn’t want to put this book down until the very end. Some are not resolved and, hopefully, are held over to be explored further in future books, and I will be waiting anxiously for what comes next. 

Wrapped up in this intriguing murder mystery, the author has also taken on some difficult and important topics, such as alcoholism, blended families, teen pregnancy, and bullying. With relatable teen characters discussing these serious and relevant issues, young readers may be motivated or inspired to speak out if similar situations arise in their lives. 

I recommend SHADOWED SEATS to readers who enjoy young adult mysteries that entertain but weave in topics relevant to life today.

Author Bio:

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer!

Her blog, Criminal Lines: Settled Writer Past 40 is her outlet while building dollhouses and plotting out her next book.

Marguerite lives in Wisconsin and enjoys RVing.

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Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne

Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A sharply-paced YA thriller that will quickly get your heart pounding!

When Cecelia Ellis's mother succumbs to cancer, leaving her orphaned, Cecelia goes to live with her estranged grandmother, Maura Weston, the New York Times bestselling mystery author and Seaview'ss wealthiest and most famous resident. Cecelia was six years old the last time she saw her grandmother, and she has no idea what caused the rift with her mother, just that they have had no contact since then.

Seaview is the typical small town where everyone knows everyone else and all their business. Cecelia's mother had always told her that she'd hated the place growing up and got out of there as fast as possible. But now Seaview was going to be her home, and Maura seemed to be a pretty cool grandma.

The town and the high school have an infamous history. Back in 1970, when Maura was a student, the homecoming queen had been found murdered in the high school's pool only minutes after she'd been crowned. The killer was quickly identified and convicted, and the story became the foundation for Maura Weston's debut bestseller, Killer Queen. The book's success had, figuratively, put Seaview on the map, a mecca for Weston fans from all over. As homecoming and the anniversary of Caroline Quinn's death approached, the town was filling up with tourists attending the annual Westoncon scheduled the same weekend.

Cecelia is relieved to be accepted into a group of friends on her first day of class at Seaview High School. She even meets a boy that has definite boyfriend potential. But when the girl who is a shoo-in for homecoming is found floating facedown in the high school pool the night of the homecoming game, everyone, including Cecelia, fears a copycat killer is on the loose. And when Cecelia launches her own investigation into the murder, she begins to believe the police got it wrong all those years ago and they're really dealing with a serial killer.

Pretty Dead Queens is not your typical high school drama, though there is plenty of that to satisfy. It's a sharply-paced thriller that will quickly get your heart pounding! There are many engaging characters, a realistic high school setting, and a good murder mystery to unravel.

Cecelia Ellis is a likable and sympathetic heroine. She's just lost her mother, reunited with her intimidating and somewhat off-putting grandmother, left behind the only home she's ever known, and now faces being the new girl during her senior year at a school where everyone else grew up together. She has no emotional support system, so it's pretty remarkable how well she handles everything thrown at her. It also makes her reactions later in the story so much more understandable. The cast of supporting characters is an interesting mix of personalities and problems, with all the teenage angst one could expect in a high-school-based story. The friends all have their secrets, and you suspect from the start that one of them is going to die. But who?

The story builds slowly and steadily. Cecelia does a pretty decent investigation on her own, with help from the friends' group at times. But the story picks up at a blazing pace when she realizes the shocking truth about why the homecoming queen was murdered. The resolution is riveting!

With its engaging heroine, realistic setting, and pulse-pounding action, I recommend PRETTY DEAD QUEENS to readers of YA mysteries and thrillers who would enjoy a plot involving a cold case murder, a possible copycat killer, a high school setting, or a northern California coastal setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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