Firefighter Larry Holmes needs some time away. Out of other options, he agrees to take his cousin's place at a crime fiction convention. Larry doesn't like mystery novels, but he can enjoy the host resort's amenities and stay out of the way. That plan goes out the window, however, when he arrives at the venue with the convention's organizer, Selena Watt, and the close-knit Crime Club decides that with Holmes and Watt present, the game must be afoot.
The convention concludes with a staged murder mystery weekend at stately Rafferty House. Neglected for decades, the Victorian-era summer home built on an island in Georgian Bay has been restored and upgraded... mostly. At first, everything goes according to script. Then, shots are fired, people get hurt, and Larry suddenly finds himself in the middle of a real-life murder mystery.
Only a few people on the island could have done it. The police can't come soon enough and the Crime Clubbers are itching to practice their sleuthing skills, taking Larry along for the ride. But with a serving staff paid to lie and unexpected guests with unclear motives, who can be trusted?
Only Rafferty House knows--and it is not happy.
Born and raised in Toronto, Arlene F. Marks has been writing since the age of 6, and she has no plans to stop anytime soon. A veteran teacher of the craft, she has authored two literacy programs for the classroom, along with From First Word to Last: The Craft of Writing Popular Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in various online and print magazines, as well as in an anthology of reimagined fairy tales, Grimmer Tales Volume One (from ArtOrder). She is also the author of Sic Transit Terra, an ongoing series of space opera novels set at the turn of the 25th century (from Edge Publishing) and Adventures in Godhood, her first of several Brain Lag releases. Imaginary Friends, her debut story collection, came out earlier this year to great reviews, and The Earthborn is forthcoming in 2023. Arlene lives with her husband on the shore of beautiful Nottawasaga Bay, Ontario. She spends an inordinate amount of time in the worlds she has created but can be lured back to reality by dark chocolate or an interesting owl to add to her collection. Find her on Facebook or visit her web site: www.thewritersnest.ca