Showing posts with label Deep Creek Maryland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deep Creek Maryland. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Hey Everybody! Gnarly's Here and Sharing Today's Review of Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr!

Hi, everybody! It's great to visit Book Readers Heaven again--this time with Open Season for Murder by my friend Lauren Carr... She writes a series called "A Mac Faraday Mystery" that has become favorite books for thousands and thousands of people... Normally, I play a bit part bringing fun to all the other people at Deep Creek Lake (except when I have a little relapse...) but this time, I don't mean to brag,  I play a starring role! It's the tenth book in the series so I've worked my way into being at the right place at the right time.  You see, I've been trained to protect and serve...so you might say
that I was just doing my job... 

Actually, I learned a lot more than in this one video, not meaning to brag, but I once served in the Unites States Army... Carr always adds that they refuse to talk about my time there, but I'd be happy to share with anybody who is interested--after all, what's wrong with taking a few things that I'd thought might be  fun to play with... I was just borrowing them, not really stealing, you know...








Open Season for Murder:
A Mac Faraday Mystery

By Lauren Carr

Ok everybody, here's what happened... I was out on a routine run but got a little muddy, so, of course, I ran up to Mac and promptly left muddy paw prints on the front of his shirt...Geesh, I just don't understand why he doesn't like getting dirty like I do... But that's minor compared to what I had really done! I had found it!

David reached the grave first. Gnarly
had dug away enough to expose the leg
\and pelvis. "It's a body all right."
He grabbed his radio to put in the
call.
~~~
"What do you have there?" Up close, Mac saw that the object was not made of wood. Even from a distance, its dark color gave it the appearance of a stick. May realized that it was in fact, covered with dirt and discolored after having been buried for years. Wrestling it out of Gnarly's mouth, Mac wiped it off.
"David!" Mac turned around to hold up Gnarly's find to the police chief to see.
David trotted up the doct to get a closer look. Carlisle was directly behind him. "What is it?" he asked Mac.
"I think it's a femur." Before Mac could turn to ask Gnarly, the dog was racing back into the woods. "Follow that dog!"
The three of them chased Gnarly down the path, where halfway to Ashton's home, he darted off the path and up an incline. Over the hill, Gnarly zigzagged through a grove of trees until he came to a small clearing where they found that he had begun digging through rotted leaves and twigs, and a tarp that had been recently torn by a determined German Shepherd...
~~~

Well, I had done the important part so I moved away several feet and sat down to watch. I have learned that people get very concerned when a bunch of bones has been found--of course, I had known right away by the smell that it was human, so I still stood erect, watching while the police chief examined the grave--I never know when I might be called upon to do something else, you know!

Personally, I hate rules!
Now the woman that was there with Mac and the police chief immediately started yelling that it was "Ashton--But it has to be Ashton!" She even dropped to her knees and starting digging! Well I knew she would have to stop...those bones were now what they call...evidence... Well, I admit I continue to think of them as just plain bones. Once something major happens, however, I've learned that, suddenly, everything becomes official and there are a bunch of rules that must be followed.

For instance, this body was now part of what you would call a "cold case..." And then that woman said something that I thought was kind of funny--she told Mac to find the killer, even if it was...her! I admit I was confused--wouldn't she remembered if she had killed somebody?!

Ahwoof? You got anything I could crunch on, and some cool water? I could use a break before continuing...

While I'm on this tiny break, I'll give you a great scoop about the book! There's planning for another wedding! No, it's not me, but a certain young lady and I will soon become members, through marriage, of the same wonderful family... of the great family that Mac and I head up--at least that's how I like to think of how I fit into the Faraday family...

Oh, by the way, I got some extra snacks for adding the next plus for Book 
Readers Heaven in about now...but don't tell anybody, will you?! I'm always a sucker for sweet treats...


Now you know how complicated mysteries can become when humans get involved! Mac and the Sheriff obviously immediately began to  investigate all the people that were involved at the time of the original murder decades ago. In the meantime, there's going to be a ball at the Inn! Yes, it had originally been started by my former mother, (and Mac's) so since Mac is now married, his wife has been planning to renew hosting of the Diablo Ball, which is really a disguise for charging rich people large sums of money for a dinner dance...and then have the opportunity to again be begged for more money during the evening! Such fun these humans have! But, even then, some unsavory characters made it more complicated but sending out phony invitations to the Ball and some real troublemakers started rolling into town!

And soon, we'll be setting up for my next big scene! Hope you don't mind I'm using one of my publicity shots with the sheriff's badge I received once for heroism...I get that type of recognition a lot. Anyway, let me tell you about the take down at the Ball!

Keeping hold of Gnarly's leash, Mac jogged to the other end of the corridor, which opened up into the reception and lounge area where a painting of Robin Spencer (my and Mac's Mom) hung above the mantel of a stone fireplace. Beyond Bogie...His hand flew up to point at their suspect. "Zernborg! Stop! Police!
It was only when Gnarly barked and charged, yanking Mac's arm out of its socket, that Mac remembered he still had the hundred pount German shepherd on his leads.
How Gnarly knew they were pursuing the man..., Mac didn't know. He was too busy trying to get back up onto his feet or release Gnarly from his leash in order to stop being dragged down the carpeted hallway...Bogie and Gnarly, barking up a storm, disappeared around the corner at the end of the hallway...Mac heard Gnarly's barking closing in as the German shepherd followed the scene...Mac reached the door and held it open in time for Gnarly to charge through....
There were three ways out of the kitchen--the back door to the loading dock where food supplies arrived, backup the stairwell, which Mac was blocking, and through the banquet room door into the ballroom filled with over two hundred guests...
Mac made his way passed a collection of cooks and servers frozen in fear and gazing pleadingly for him to help them. On the other side of the counter where they prepared the plates of hot foo, Gnarly was barking and snarling while a man yelled above the barking and a woman sobbing---"Call off the dog! Now! Or I'm going to kill her--I swear--I'll blow a hold right through her head!"
...Gnarly had him backed into a corner..."Gnarly! Stand down!" Bogie ordered. Instantly, Gnarly stopped barking and backed up. He didn't sit. Instead, he stood ready to poounce when Bogie or someone gave him the word...
!!!

"Grrrr! I still get excited thinking about that guy! He had grabbed hold of one of the servers and was using her as a hostage between me and him...Such a coward! Didn't he realize that I would work even harder to save her than if I was just going to bring him down! But, readers, you got to admit that it was a great scene--one of my best in all of the great books written by Lauren Carr. You know, she has some really amazing stories being published and I'm just proud that she took this tenth book to let me shine a little in the limelight! I must admit that I like playing this fantastic part in the greatest of adventures for the mystery series, according to my host's writer here at Book Readers Heaven. We've been going over every scene in which I appear, you know, since I am being spotlighted today! It's so wonderful to be fully appreciated for all that I do to help add writing canine adventure to the many talents of the series author!

Before Mac could return fire, a snarling bark came
from the woods followed by a series of gunshots and
a scream...
~~~
In fact, without giving anything more away, I'm even getting a chance to close with just a few minutes of the last scene where I catch the killer! Yahoo!

Gnarly's barking had stopped.
"Do you see him?" David called to Mac.
Mac shook his head. He couldn't see any movement in the trees and Gnarly was quiet. Experience had told him that when Gnarly was quiet, be afraid. Be very afraid!
~~~





Oh, I'm delighted to leave readers hanging! In fact, there are lots of scenes and trails you'll be following in this fantastic cliffhanger on to the ending! You'll never guess who the "main" killer is, 'cause there's so many other bad guys, like that crazy lady that had brought a gun--which I immediately confiscated--to the Inn to kill her cheating husband and her lover... Oops, I'd better shut up before I give away too much!

By the way, I've been told to tell you that this book comes very highly recommended by Book Readers Heaven and add that this was the most fun she's had since the last book Gnarly starred in...adding that I add so much to the flow of the mystery, while playing my part as a protector from all evil! 


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Cool, right?! Just need to say thanks for having me before we close..., ah..., cause it's party time right now! Friends come on in for the goodies! Let's Part!





Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Latest Mac Faraday Mystery by Lauren Carr Provides Outrageous Hostages, A Jealous Dog, A Ring...and Murder!

People are more what they hide than what they show. --Unknown

Stillman Mansion on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

"Austin is back this year," Olivia said in rhythm with the pace she had set for her power walk.
Two paces behind his wife, Roland took note of the white stone mansion along the chilly lake shore. The mansion looked closed up. All was quiet, as it was with many of the estates along the lake in the early spring. With each passing day, the quiet was giving way to the snowbirds coming in to roost at their summer homes in the resort town of Spencer, located in the corner of Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland...
I wonder if Janice will be throwing her week-long Fourth of July bash with all her has-been clients this year?" Roland asked.
"I can tell you right now that I'm not going if that loser Lenny is there." Feeling her heartbeat slowing down, she picked up her pace.
"Come on," her husband said with a laugh, "Lenny Frost isn't that bad. He's really kind of funny."
"He's crude," she shot at him from over her shoulder...
The couple continued on their way. They had only made it to the other end of the property when Derrick's screams stopped them. The
young man was running out the front door and dropped to his knees in the yard when they made it back to the driveway.
Olivia rushed over to Derrick, who had his face buried in his hands. "What's wrong?"
Shrieking, he pointed to the door. Roland ran inside. Olivia's heartbeat was racing. "Roland..."
"They're dead," he said in a panicked tone while taking his cell phone out of his pocket. "Both of them. Janice and Austin...Janice wrote something in her blood," Roland said before turning his attention to the cell phone. "I'd like to report two murders."
"Her killer," Derrick spat out. "I saw it, too. Lenny. Why else would Mom have written out his name in her blood while she was dying? Lenny Frost did it. He killed my parents."
~~~

Twelve To Murder: 
A Mac Faraday Mystery
By Lauren Carr

By the time Mac trotted up the steps
to the living room, Molly had ambushed
Gnarly from behind, chomped on his
tail, and pulled him back down onto the
floor when he had jumped up on the
front door to check out the visitors.
With a yelp, Gnarly whirled around
to get an earful from the white German
Shepherd...
His ears laying on the side of his head,
Gnarly slumped and gazed with big
brown eyes at the other dog who
returned to the kitchen with her
mistress...
~~~ 
Lenny whipped up the gun and
aimed it to Mac's forehead.
Edith, the barmaid, screamed.
With a growl, Gnarly jumped
to his feet...
~~~
I loved the title and cover of Lauren Carr's latest novel. Simple, but yet a portent of what is to come--Murder! And there are so many involved that the bodies are falling fast--faster than Mac is able to put the whole shebang together! Of course, there are many who are working with Mac, including Gnarly, who is called upon to use his former military training to help Mac! But still has time to get in trouble with his new girlfriend when he greets her after having been loaned out for...LOL

The two important reasons I enjoy reading this author is that her mysteries are complex. Readers need to be paying attention and looking for any clue she slides in, because you could very well miss them! The second is that there is an underlying feeling of humor that provides both a relief from the twists and turns as well as providing a love diversion. In this book, there is a very interesting exchange about marriage and then some internal soul-searching by Mac about the woman that sleeps in his bed...

And, of course, Gnarly... who, by the way, did "NOT" have a say in whether or not he was taken somewhere else just to be with another girl dog!


...he stepped inside to hear a baritone voice say, "Not
only do I feel violated, but I feel--these monsters stole
something from me that I'll never get back. I spent
four days handcuffed to a bed. I couldn't go anywhere.
They didn't just take away my freedom, but they made
me realize the true meaning of a word I had heard
uttered so many times without realizing what it really
meant. Victim. And I swear, with God as my witness,
that I will never again be a victim...
"Speaking in a manner that sounded eerily like
Andrew, the role in the first Mickey Forsythe movie
that had won him an Academy Award, Lenny Frost
told Barbara Walters about being kidnapped and
held for a million-dollar ransom...
"Seems the media has already identified their
prime suspect..."
~~~
Then, there are the hostages, which takes us back to the beginning, when Mac is called to a local bar by Lenny Frost who calls him by a name from a movie in which Lenny had played while in his teens! He was on top at the time but since then he had moved into drugs and alcohol as his daily acquaintances. He even claimed that the only way he could do his comedy club act was while using...

Lenny had been at the bar when the announcement came on the TV that the police had found the bodies of the Stillmans and that Lenny was named! This set Lenny into a frenzy and he immediately took everybody in the club as hostages, demanding to see Mickey Forsythe. Fortunately, the Sheriff called David, who, some of you may know, is Mac's half brother... They had both already been looking for Lenny due to the murders...

Just a word about the hostage "event." It's hilarious! And the police have no idea what to do when the hostages vote to have Mac leave and send in dinner for all from his resort!

But the medical examiner had already confirmed Mac's belief that Mrs. Stillman couldn't have used blood to write Lenny since she would have died too fast. But Lenny now taking hostages and seeking help from somebody who had played a role during the years he'd been kidnapped, confused everybody! Maybe...

So, while trying to solve the deaths of the Stillman family, which obviously placed their son as someone with a motive, and others who would have had a connection [Mrs. Stillman had been a talent agent for young actors], the cold case that had never been solved--that of who had kidnapped Lenny when he was a young star, and where was the money--all had to come back out for another examination!

..."Can I bother you for an autograph, Mac?"
Stunned, Mac stared at her with his mouth
hanging open. "Autograph? Mine? Why?"
"You're Robin Spencer's son," she gushed
while extracting a marker from hr bag. "You
are the offspring of a literary legacy. No one
in my book group will ever believe I met you
if I didn't get your autograph." She held out
the marker to him...
"You can sign it on my chest." To their dismay
she unbuttoned the top of her blouse and held
it open to expose the top of her left breast.
"Just sign your name right here over my heart."
~~~
By that time, bodies have started to appear, some of them likely part of the criminal activities. Can the entire set of mystery issues be solved? Why, of course, Mac wouldn't let something hanging when he's involved. After all, he's the son of the most famous mystery writer of all time! LOL

Hey, I think I was wowed more by the humor (which reminds me of another scene I loved!) than the mystery in this one... But then, again, I had to wait until the end to know whodunit...Tough mystery case, so be prepared... and, most of all, Enjoy!


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