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“Murder Next Door” New Book Celebration and Giveaway!

April 22, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek 42 Comments

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with vampires.

There was a year in elementary school where I was terrified of vampires. I can’t remember what triggered it (although, knowing me, I probably read some adult vampire book I had no business reading, like Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot) but whatever it was, I was so scared that every night I wore a cross to bed. I ended up breaking three chains before that fear ran its course.

When I was in high school, the movie Fright Night came out. If you’ve ever seen this movie, you probably put it in the campy 80s flick.

Not me. For whatever reason, that movie triggered my old vampire fear that I had thought was gone, and I was back to being terrified of vampires. (I think what really got me was how the main character knew the new neighbor was a vampire but no one believed him.)

Luckily, this time it only took a few days to get over the fear (and, no, I didn’t resort to wearing a cross at night).

Also, when I was in high school, I read Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, and fell in love with the book. Alas, I can’t remember if this was before or after the Fright Night incident. Yes, I know this makes no sense. My only excuse is I was a teenager and as everyone knows, teenagers make no logical sense.

And of course, I read Twilight and watched True Blood (along with reading the Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries which is what True Blood was based off of) along with Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Bran Stoker’s Dracula and any number of vampire movies, books and shows.

Clearly my relationship with vampires is confusing and needed processing. And, since I’m a writer, the way I process is to put it in a book.

Would you join me in welcoming Murder Next Door to the world? My first vampire book but likely not my last (as I’m fairly certain I haven’t finished vampire processing yet).

Murder Next Door is Book 3 in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series, a twisty, funny cozy mystery series set in the 1990s. You should also probably know even though there’s a vampire in it, it’s not a paranormal cozy.

(Have I mentioned yet that my relationship to vampires is complicated?)

Here’s a sneak peek:

Everyone knows vampires don’t exist.

 So when Mildred Schmidt, one of Charlie’s customers, is convinced that her next-door neighbor’s house sitter is actually a vampire, Charlie of course has to step in to see what is really going on.

 What she finds is … disturbing. The house sitter DOES have some peculiar habits—like digging holes in the backyard in the middle of the night.

 Surely, they aren’t … graves.

 But then Polly, a local teenager, goes missing.

 Of course, teenagers DO run away from time to time.

 Less explainable is the dead body that then appears in the “vampire’s” yard.

 Luckily, Charlie is hot on the case, and not a moment too soon as she races to not only find Polly, but to discover the killer before the bodies start to pile up.

To celebrate Murder Next Door’s release, I’m offering 3 signed paperbacks with bonus bookmarks (US only) and a grand prize of a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway ends at midnight PST on Friday, April 29.

I’d also love to hear what you think about vampires. Love them? Hate them? Something else?

Check out Murder Next Door's book birthday and win one of 3 signed paperbacks or a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Click To Tweet

GIVEAWAY ENDED

Congrats to the winners! Please check your email.

Signed Paperback Winners

Nese Gordon

Jackie Stieghorst

Susan

$10 Amazon Gift Card Winner

Jackie Wisherd

Didn’t win? That’s okay, we have more giveaways coming up! In fact you check out other giveaways here.

Free Novella! “The Secret Diary of Helen Blackstone”

 




Related Posts

  • “The Murder of Sleepy Hollow” Cover Release & Jigsaw Puzzle
  • “The Murder of Sleepy Hollow” Sliding Puzzle
  • “Murder Next Door” Crossword Puzzle
  • What Does Charlie think about “Murder Next Door?”
  • The Story Behind the Story: “Murder Next Door”

Filed Under: Books, Games and Puzzles, Giveaways, Town of Redemption Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, Ice-Cold Murder, Murder Next Door, mystery, puzzles, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda May says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:27 am

    The book sounds great. Thanks for your great generosity.

    Reply
    • Joy Shelden says

      April 22, 2022 at 7:01 pm

      I love Dracula, but I haven’t enjoyed vampires since they started to sparkle, and they were everywhere. But I still love Dracula.

      Reply
  2. LindaG says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:35 am

    There was usually that one strange person in my neighborhood or who was your friend’s neighbor that got my imagination running wild — are they a vampire? a werewolf? or maybe a zombie? I can’t wait to read Murder Next Door!

    Reply
  3. Deborah D says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:43 am

    Can’t wait to read this books.

    Reply
  4. Kathleen Kelly says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:43 am

    Thank you for the giveaway! I can’t wait to read the book! Good luck to you for the books success!

    Reply
  5. charlene capodice says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:46 am

    thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  6. C Duncan says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:49 am

    I love your books! I hate vampires. I saw a vampire movie when I was kid and I slept with a sheet pulled up around my neck for the rest of my childhood. I’m sure that sheet was going to deter a vampire bite to the neck! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  7. Joyce says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:52 am

    This book sounds awesome!

    Reply
  8. Linda Anne Gawthrop says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:56 am

    Love the title! I’m spooked!

    Reply
    • mickey spencer says

      April 22, 2022 at 4:03 pm

      Have you watched the rebooted Fright Night with Colin Farrell as the vamp & David Tennant as the faux vampire hunter? I loved it, despite a few gross moments. But I’m a (blood)sucker for ANYTHING with David in it.

      Reply
      • Michele Pariza Wacek says

        April 22, 2022 at 4:03 pm

        I have not, I’ll have to check it out.

        Reply
  9. susan atkins says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:04 pm

    this looks like a good book- you are a new author for me-thanks

    Reply
  10. Karin says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:07 pm

    Thank you for including me!

    Reply
  11. Alucard says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:29 pm

    Wellm this sounds like it will keep you up at night?

    Reply
  12. Sue H says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:29 pm

    About vampires – I don’t think much about them one way or the other. I don’t bother them if they don’t bother me. 😁

    Reply
  13. Alucard says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:29 pm

    Well, this sounds like it will keep you up at night?

    Reply
  14. Nese says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:43 pm

    Definitely sounds like my kind of read. Thank you for the chance.

    Reply
  15. Susan Johnson says

    April 22, 2022 at 12:45 pm

    The book sounds intriguing – even though I don’t like vampires. I love a good monster story/movie but have never cared for vampires. They are just so weird but look like us – perhaps that’s why. Who knows?

    Reply
  16. Jacki Mead says

    April 22, 2022 at 1:02 pm

    I have a kindle so that is how I read books, or I also read handheld books. I love to read. Not sure how I’d get your ebook on my kindle.

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
  17. Carol Hughes says

    April 22, 2022 at 2:08 pm

    What a generous giveaway.

    Reply
  18. Sherrie Wood says

    April 22, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    Thanks for a chance to win. Your book sounds interesting and love giving honest reviews (bad or good).

    Reply
  19. Carl Fredrickson says

    April 22, 2022 at 3:54 pm

    I am NOT a fan of vampires at all. Too unbelievable and too many rules for me. Especially for a made up thing.

    Reply
  20. Sam says

    April 22, 2022 at 4:51 pm

    Thanks for the chance

    Reply
  21. Jan says

    April 22, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    Sounds good.

    Reply
  22. Terri Quick says

    April 22, 2022 at 6:12 pm

    Sounds like a great read

    Reply
  23. StuffSmart says

    April 22, 2022 at 7:24 pm

    I honestly don’t think I’ve read a book with vampires in it.

    Reply
  24. Antoinette M says

    April 22, 2022 at 7:32 pm

    Sounds like a good story!

    Reply
  25. Jackie Wisherd says

    April 22, 2022 at 7:35 pm

    Haven’t read this type of story in a long time but would like to. This book sounds like one I would enjoy reading.

    Reply
  26. Crystal Stewart says

    April 22, 2022 at 7:38 pm

    Book sounds like a great read. Would love to read & review in print format. Love books like this.
    Never can tell about the secret lives of your neighbors. Guess you never know do you?

    Reply
  27. Katrina Dehart says

    April 22, 2022 at 8:29 pm

    Sounds really good!!

    Reply
  28. K says

    April 22, 2022 at 9:02 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing! This seems like such an interesting read!

    Reply
  29. Joanie says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:42 pm

    Thanks for the free book and the chance at this awesome giveaway.

    Reply
  30. Bonnie Davis says

    April 23, 2022 at 7:55 am

    I love vampires. Especially since I saw the movie My Best Friend is a Vampire. Then, the Canadian TV show Forever Knight came out. Even Disney jumped on board with Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire. After that, they were in everything.

    Reply
  31. Kris says

    April 23, 2022 at 11:02 am

    Awesome giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity to win a great prize. Good luck everyone.

    Reply
  32. Kim Holliday says

    April 23, 2022 at 5:50 pm

    True Blood was my favorite TV series and books! Charlaine’s writing made me realize that the supernatural genre dosn’t have to be so dark and serious all the time.

    Reply
  33. Linda Herold says

    April 23, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    Thanks for offering the chance to win this book.

    Reply
  34. Jane Sprando says

    April 23, 2022 at 8:39 pm

    I like the title. It is drawing me in!

    Reply
  35. clynsg says

    April 24, 2022 at 6:17 am

    Personally, I prefer the Argeneau family–not really vampires you know, but immortals descended from survivors of Atlantis! But this might be interesting, since I am always willing to expand my knowledge!

    Reply
  36. Joy says

    April 24, 2022 at 5:07 pm

    I love to read and good mystery is just my cup of tea. Thank you.

    Reply
  37. Dianne Casey says

    April 26, 2022 at 9:18 am

    Sounds fascinating. Looking forward to reading the book.

    Reply
  38. David M Wade says

    April 26, 2022 at 10:53 am

    Love a great mystery.

    Reply
  39. Andrea says

    April 26, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    I’ve loved all the Redemption series and the Charlie Kingsley books even more. Just started Murder Next Door and can’t put it down. Keep on writing Michele.

    Reply

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