Overview

It's 1934. PROHIBITION IS OVER! Champagne corks are popping and guns are blazing! When Broadway's hot new female playwright crosses paths with a handsome (and mysterious) private eye, there will be drama (and comedy too.) ""It occurred to me that if I hadn't tried to do a good deed and return the gold watch Mr. Scavullo left at the lunch counter, a strange man wouldn't be holding me at gunpoint. That was the problem with good deeds. Unintended consequences."" Comedy, mystery, and romance intertwine in a frothy mix in CROOK TALES FOR TWO, a caper set in New York City in 1934 with an Art Deco verve. Prohibition is over and those with money pop the bubbly, dance the nights away, and attend the latest plays. Mere days before her first Broadway opening, playwright Esmé de LaForet discovers what happens when good deeds go awry: murder, mobsters, reporters, dangerous dames from high and low society, and nerve-wracking opening nights. Esmé has enough on her plate. She doesn't need the complications that come when she tries to return a lost watch to its owner, a man she's seen at church. There's a lot about this Scavullo guy she doesn't know. She follows him with the watch and sees him duck into an empty school, so she does the same. That's when shots ring out and she seeks safety in a supply closet, only to be discovered by a stranger--with a pistol in his hand. He claims to be one of the good guys, but he's dressed like a flashy mobster. Scavullo's murder kicks off their first meeting with a bang, and Esmé finds herself playing cat-and-mouse with this secretive stranger, private investigator Graydon Chase, while coping with gold-digging debutantes, mothers and butlers, lurking mobsters, and a major dose of romantic chemistry. This detecting duo dig, clash, crash, and match wits, while juggling temperamental-yet-dramatic actors, unpredictable gangsters, and a deadly virus sweeping the city. Oh, and with Esme's life at risk from an unknown killer, she might also be trying to dodge a case of love. CROOK TALES FOR TWO is an effervescent, fun and delightful read with a stylish Nick-and-Nora vibe.

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9781949582123

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Reviews

"""A romantic murder mystery romp that sets the stage for a fun and entertaining read. A delightful tale with wit, charm and style!"" Nancy J. Cohen, author of The Bad Hair Day Mysteries ""Ellen Byerrum's research is impeccable and the writing style is so immersive, you are transported back in time to join playwright Esme LaForet as she frets about her play's opening night on Broadway, but a series of unfortunate events cause her to become entangled in the darker side of New York with a hero that is not all that he seems! ... A really intelligent, well thought out, entertaining caper and so well put together! I was captivated from start to finish!"" Ink R. Reviewer ""This novel was a joy to read. The writer has a wonderful writing style. Multiple threads are pulled together. the reader is left guessing until the end. I strongly recommend this book for lovers of good mysteries."" Larry C. media/journalist ""This book has a little bit of everything. Mystery, romance, and comedy combined with history of the times and fabulous clothes. I could see this being adapted into a movie in the the manner of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day or Miss Phryne Fisher. Very entertaining."" Amazon reader"

Author Information

MYSTERY AND THRILLER WRITER Ellen Byerrum is aformer journalist in Washington, D.C., as well as a pro-duced and published playwright. She also received herprivate investigator's registration in the Commonwealth ofVirginia. Her latest book, Crook Tales for Two, is a depar-ture from her previous books in terms of setting and time.Yet it is still screwball noir, incorporating mystery, com-edy, and romance.

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