Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.
She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what's best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn't understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice.
Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?
About the Author
Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units (plenty of fodder for stories there!). She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her loving companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books and history at the dinner table. Her first try at writing a fully developed story was as a teen was a tale of a girl trying to nurse a fawn back to health and then release it into the wild again. She is plotting her next Resort to Murder novel and struggling over which Colorado resort should be her setting.
Series: The Long – Hair Saga, Book 2 Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
AD 454. Three years after the Roman victory over Attila the Hun at Catalaunum, Arria Felix and Garic the Frank are married and enjoying life on Garic’s farm in northern Gaul (France). Their happy life is interrupted, when a cryptic message arrives from Rome, calling Arria home to her father, the esteemed Senator Felix. At Arria’s insistence, but against Garic’s better judgment, they leave at once.
Upon their arrival at Villa Solis, they are confronted with a brutal murder and the dangerous mission that awaits them. The fate of a profound and sacred object–Christ’s Crown of Thorns–rests in their hands. They must carry the holy relic to the safety of Constantinople, away from a corrupt emperor and old enemies determined to steal it for their own gain.
But an even greater force arises to derail their quest–a secret cult willing to commit any atrocity to capture the Crown of Thorns. And all the while, the gruesome murder and the conspiracy behind it haunt Arria’s thoughts.
Arria and Garic’s marital bonds are tested but forged as they partner together to fulfill one of history’s most challenging missions, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns.
“Ripley Miller astutely brings to life a Rome teetering precariously on the brink of collapse …the combination of political and romantic drama–spiritual as well–is rousing. The reader should be glad to have read this volume and eager for a third. Intelligent and artfully crafted historical fiction…” -Kirkus Reviews
“From cover to cover a gripping read – in all senses of the word! Grips your interest and imagination, your held breath and your pounding heart! A thumping good novel!” -Helen Hollick USA Today bestselling author of the Sea Witch Voyages
“Forbidden love, a turbulent time period, and world-changing events combine to produce a real page-turner.” -India Edghill, author of Queenmaker, Wisdom’s Daughter, and Delilah.
“A passionate and intriguing take on the often overlooked clash of three brutal and powerful empires: the Romans, Franks, and Huns. A Compelling read!” -Stephanie Thornton, author of The Secret History and The Tiger Queens
“Readers will be absorbed by a setting of barbarian Gaul and the constancy of Arria’s and Garic’s destined love amid the strife of a dying Roman Empire.” -Albert Noyer, author of The Getorius and Arcadia Mysteries
“The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, is an elegant masterpiece of historical fiction. This book totally ensnared me in its clasps, and it did not release me until I had read it all. The attention to detail was exquisite The characterisation was sublime, and the romance was breathtakingly beautiful. I adored the world that Miller has created, as well as the characters in it. This is a sit-down and finish book and is one I would Highly Recommend.” -Mary Anne Yarde author of the Du Lac Chronicles
About the Author
Cynthia Ripley Miller is a first generation Italian-American writer with a love for history, languages and books. She has lived, worked, and travelled in Europe, Africa, North America and the Caribbean. As a girl, she often wondered what it would be like to journey through time (she still does), yet knew, it could only be through the imagination and words of writers and their stories. Today, she writes to bring the past to life.
She holds two degrees and has taught history and teaches English. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthology Summer Tapestry, at Orchard Press Mysteries.com and The Scriptor. A Chanticleer International Chatelaine Award finalist for her novel, On the Edge of Sunrise, she has reviewed for UNRV Roman History, and blogs at Historical Happenings and Oddities: A Distant Focus
Cynthia has four children and lives with her husband, twin cats, Romulus and Remus, and Jessie, a German Shepherd, in a suburb of Chicago.
On the Edge of Sunrise is the first in the Long-Hair Saga; a series set in late ancient Rome and France and published by Knox Robinson Publishing. The second book in the series, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, was released in June 2017.
For more information please visit Cynthia Ripley Miller’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Goodreads.
During the Blog Tour we are giving away a copy of The Quest for the Crown of Thorns to one lucky winner! To enter, please see the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to residents in the US only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. The Quest for the Crown of Thorns
How
far would you go to pursue your heart's desire?
When
Devon Phoenix, a nineteenth-century Englishman, becomes linked to his
soul mate through the discovery of a buried family secret, he must do
the impossible. His longing to pursue her demands he cross the
centuries to present day. But his world is shaken to its core when he
learns he must protect her from men he thought to be only myths.
Drawn by her lineage, these men will go to great lengths to have
her.
Out
at a nightclub, Boston artist and history buff Elz Valli has no idea
her grounded life is about to be uprooted. She encounters Devon and
realizes this striking and intellectual warrior not only looks like
the 12th Duke of Seton--he is. Consumed by the flames that engulf
them, there is no turning back as Devon's presence in today's world
ignites raging fires--both good and evil.
Though
Devon's love is one that reaches through time, it is not without
cost. Now he must decide if Elz is worth the price.
Devon's
presence in modern-day Boston has roused the enemy who now stalks
Elz.
Devon and Elz become entwined, body and soul, but secrets
still loom. Elz needs answers. Devon, imprisoned by his vow to keep
quiet, must fight his desire to give them. All he can offer is his
protection and his love. Unfortunately, the shackles of silence could
leave Elz vulnerable to the enemy.
Devon
has recruited Jarrett Phoenix, the current Marquess of Phoxdale, to
help on his mission. Though Jarrett is a good ally, he incorporates
his own agenda, and the car-racing playboy attempts to seduce Elz's
best friend, the ever-cautious Jaymi. But Jaymi longs for more than
Jarrett offers. The four spend the summer together, and tensions
climb, as Jaymi is an unwilling candidate in Jarrett's games.
Will
Jarrett's fear of love keep his heart from running the course and
winning the prize? And will Devon comprehend too late the real threat
he faces when fighting the rival who will stop at nothing to take Elz
from him?
The
future holds the answers...or...does the past?
Lovers
entwine and old friends collide as Devon and Elz begin life anew in
nineteenth-century England. Gone is the jaded man his family feared
would never love, never marry. In his place stands a man completely
enamored with and vastly protective of the captivating beauty he
keeps on his arm. Elz adapts well to life at Wedlove, relieved that
their enemy is left behind in modern-day Boston.
Danger,
however, lurks in every corner, and Devon may find his most
challenging adversary yet in the guise of a childhood friend, one who
is incredibly strong and cunning . . . one with a dark secret of his
own.
Meanwhile,
Devon's warning to Jarrett manifests when Devon's younger brother
challenges Jarrett for Jaymi's affection. Jaymi is torn between the
gallant, handsome man who would offer her the world, and the reckless
one who lingers in every waking thought. Will she seek a new life
with a new love, or will Jarrett refuse to let her go?
Devon
has laid claim to Elz--marrying her in twenty-first-century America
as well as nineteenth-century England. He hopes it will grant a
respite from others who are drawn to the flame in her eyes.
During
a trip to London, Devon's hopes are dashed as he thwarts an attempt
to kidnap Elz. While investigating who is behind the attack, he finds
himself at a crossroads and is forced to enlist the aid of his friend
turned rival, Symond Grayson, the Duke of Graburn. In an act of
compassion gone horribly wrong, Devon's marriage to Elz is threatened
and his world is turned upside down. The door is opened for Symond,
and the duke has every intention of walking through it.
With
their love in as much danger as their lives, Devon has no choice but
to send Elz far from Symond's reach while he contends with their
foes--old and new. Battered from all sides, Devon is under siege, and
the stakes are raised as Elz and the Phoenix bloodline are placed in
jeopardy. Devon could lose Elz forever if another can win her heart.
Elz,
mostly recovered from her recent ordeal, has flourished under Devon's
training and 1829 comes to a close with a double wedding on Christmas
Day.
Pris
and Kyle's excitement is unmatched, except by the anticipation shared
by Jarrett and Jaymi, while Devon and Elz eagerly await the birth of
their son, Eros.
But
three miles west, at Castle Gray, Symond Grayson has made a drastic
decision that changes his relationship with Devon and Elz
forever.
And
while the wedding celebrations continue, Reed Valli, Elz's brother,
finds himself ensnared by a lovely young lady who thrusts them both
into a compromising situation.
Modern
day history buff Elz Phoenix used to daydream of being a Southern
belle in 1850s America. Now married to a man who can give her the
world in any time, she’s doing exactly that. As their two families
travel down the east coast, a new contender is drawn to the fire in
Elz’s eyes. But no challenger could dissuade Devon from defending
his heart’s desire, not even the daunting McGrail brothers, fresh
from the Scottish Highlands.
Meanwhile,
Griffin Valli is tired of time-hopping. He may be Elz’s brother,
but history wasn’t on his list of favorites in college. After a few
failed attempts at nineteenth-century romance, he’s headed home to
the women of the twenty-first century as soon as the family vacation
is over. He’s never liked charades, and he likes the games of high
society even less. But then he crosses paths with a daring young lady
and realizes his heart is in danger. Though he’s eager for a lover,
Griffin has no intention of falling for the beautiful Mars LaFrance.
Even so, fate is going to give him a run for his money.
Married
to her high school sweetheart, Anna Albergucci lives in Texas,
surrounded by her ever-growing family and her fur babies.
As
a child, Anna had a bright imagination and entertained others with
the telling of her colorful dreams. She now weaves her stories into
fiery characters that live lives the rest of us only dream of.
Anna
is a member of several writing groups, including the Cisco Writers
Club. She is also the founder and host of a yearly writers’ retreat
held at her estate.
She
loves mornings, coffee, and cuddling with her grandkids. She’s a
sucker for organizing parties, especially historical costume parties.
And in her spare time you can find her touring old mansions, shopping
for antiques, or sitting on the porch with a good book.
