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Michele Pariza Wacek

Bestselling Novelist

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Short Stories & Fiction

Excerpt: “The Taking”

July 1, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Chapter 1 It started like any other day. My alarm woke me, dragging me out of an exhausted, unsatisfying sleep. Between my night terrors and inability to quiet my mind, it was a constant battle to get enough rest. I stumbled to the kitchen to get the first pot of coffee started—I went through at […]

Filed Under: Books, Riverview, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: mirror image, mystery, psychological thriller, psychological thrillers, Riverview Mysteries, romantic suspense, suspense, The Stolen Twin

Excerpt: “Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders”

June 3, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek 1 Comment

Note: Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders is a cozy mystery anthology I’m a part of with a Charlie Kingsley story called Loch Ness Murder. Below is an excerpt. Chapter 1 “Wait, which monster did you say you wanted to document again?” Nancy’s voice floated across the lobby as I pulled open the door to the Redemption Inn, […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, Ice-Cold Murder, Murder Among Friends, Murder Next Door, Mysteries Midsummer Sun and Murder, mystery, puzzles, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

What Does Charlie think about “Murder Next Door?”

April 29, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Author note: If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you already know that for every book I release, I do a Story Behind the Story version where I share a little bit about the inspiration and writing of each book. As Charlie always has a lot to say, I thought I’d invite her to […]

Filed Under: Books, Character Posts, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, Ice-Cold Murder, Murder Next Door, mystery, puzzles, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

Excerpt: “Murder Next Door”

April 8, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Chapter 1 “Charlie!” Mildred, my tea customer, opened her door and ushered me inside, straight into a cloud of floral perfume so strong, I could feel my eyes watering. Her blue pantsuit was clean and pressed, and her grey, permed hair looked freshly styled, like she had just returned from the hairdresser. “Oh, you didn’t […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, Ice-Cold Murder, Murder Next Door, mystery, puzzles, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

Excerpt: “Ice Cold Murder”

January 28, 2022 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Chapter 1 “Are you out of your mind?” Pat’s hand paused mid-air, chocolate chip cookie halfway to her mouth as she stared at me, eyes wide. Forsaking her cookie like that, I knew she was serious. “She asked,” I said matter-of-factly. “I’m being a good friend.” “You’re being insane,” Pat muttered as her hand finally completed […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, Ice-Cold Murder, mystery, psychological suspense, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

Excerpt: “The Murder Before Christmas”

October 29, 2021 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Chapter 1 “So, Courtney, is it?” I asked with what I hoped was a comforting and nonthreatening smile. I set the mug holding my newest tea blend I’d created for the Christmas season—a variety of fresh mint and a couple of other secret ingredients— down on the kitchen table. I called it “Candy Cane Concoctions,” […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, cozy mystery, mystery, Secrets of Redemption, The Murder Before Christmas

Short Story Excerpt: “A Grave Error”

October 1, 2021 by Michele Pariza Wacek 5 Comments

Wanna sneak peek of my new Charlie Kingsley Mystery series? Keep reading for a  a brand new Halloween short story, A Grave Error, that’s now available for MPW Virtual Book Club members. What does it take to become a member? Why it’s free! All of you have to do is create an account. The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: Charlie Kingsley, Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, Halloween, mystery, Secrets of Redemption, short story, The Murder Before Christmas

Excerpt: “The Third Nanny”

July 2, 2021 by Michele Pariza Wacek 2 Comments

Chapter 1 It all started with the letter. It was waiting for me when I arrived home after my late-afternoon class, sitting patiently under a pile of other envelopes like a fat spider hiding in the shadows until its prey appears. Of course, at the time, I had no idea how it would eventually destroy […]

Filed Under: Books, Redemption, Riverview, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: domestic thriller, Michele Pariza Wacek, psychological thriller, Secrets of Redemption, The Third Nanny

Excerpt: “Make Them Pay”

March 11, 2021 by Michele Pariza Wacek Leave a Comment

Make Them Pay is a  thriller anthology that includes 22 never-seen-before stories, including one from me called “Mine,” which takes place in Redemption. Keep reading for a sneak peek: The girl was nervous. Her head kept whipping around as she strode down the darkened street, trying to take in everything at once. The death grip […]

Filed Under: Books, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: action thriller, anthology, crime thriller, mystery, suspense, thriller

Short Story: Henry’s Last Wish, Part 3

January 29, 2021 by Michele Pariza Wacek 4 Comments

Note from Michele: This is Part 3 of a complete short story that takes place in the Secrets of Redemption universe. However, if you haven’t read the free novella, The Secret Diary of Helen Blackstone, you may want to start there as this short story builds on what was revealed there. You can also check out […]

Filed Under: Redemption, Short Stories & Fiction Tagged With: ghosts, haunted house, It Began With a Lie, mystery, psychological thriller, psychological thrillers, romantic suspense, Secrets of Redemption, The Evil That Was Done, The Reckoning, The Summoning, This Happened to Jessica

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Recent Posts

  • Excerpt: “The Taking”
  • The Story Behind the Story: “Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders”
  • June Monthly Giveaway!
  • Excerpt: “Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders”
  • An Overview of the Towns of Redemption and Riverview

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Archives

Now available for preorder! Twenty-four years ago, five-year-old Tori walked into her newborn brother’s room in the middle of the night and discovered a figure abducting him. Except his lifeless body was still in the crib. Or was it?

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Available to preorder for an Aug. 18, 2022 release! Five friends went into the woods. Only four came back. Can Charlie get to the bottom of what happened and why?

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A dead husband. A pregnant wife. A poisoned Christmas gift. Can Charlie discover the grinch who stole Christmas?

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A fresh start. That’s what Becca had hoped for. But instead she’s thrust into a past she barely remembers, one that threatens her sanity and her life.

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