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Sunday, February 15, 2015

Deadly Assets by Wendy Tyson Book Tour ,Guest Post and Giveaway


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Deadly Assets
by Wendy Tyson

This was a page turning read and I’m looking forward to reading more of Allison’s adventures…
~I Wish I Lived In a Library
The fast- paced whodunit will keep you mesmerized by the story and great characters. You will be hooked to the end.
~Shelley’s Book Case
deadly assetsDeadly Assets
(An Allison Campbell Mystery Book 2)

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Henery Press; First edition (July 22, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1940976211
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Synopsis:
An eccentric Italian heiress from the Finger Lakes. An eighteen-year-old pop star from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Allison Campbell’s latest clients seem worlds apart in every respect, except one: Both women disappear on the same day. And Allison’s colleague Vaughn is the last to have seen each.
Allison’s search for a connection uncovers an intricate web of family secrets, corporate transgressions and an age-old rivalry that crosses continents. The closer Allison gets to the truth, the deadlier her quest becomes. All paths lead back to a sinister Finger Lakes estate and the suicide of a woman thirty years earlier. Allison soon realizes the lives of her clients and the safety of those closest to her aren’t the only things at stake.



Guest Post by author

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!  would like to thank author Wendy Tyson for sharing her thoughts with us today,



Post



When is a cozy a cozy?





During a recent interview, I was asked whether DEADLY ASSETS is a cozy. Now, this is not a new question for me. The Allison Campbell series seems to straddle that line between cozy and traditional mystery (or suspense novel or psychological thriller). Last November, I participated in a panel discussion at Bouchercon (a fan convention) titled “Cute and Sweet, but with a Twist: Cozies with Attitude.” I love that name because I think “cozy with attitude” captures the Allison Campbell series (and so many other great mysteries) perfectly.



So what is a cozy?



I’ve read many definitions of the cozy mystery, but all have a few elements in common:



  • A female amateur sleuth. While cozy novels don’t have to feature a female detective, oftentimes they will. In fact, the female heroine is usually bright, educated, and has a career, occupation or lifestyle that allows her to be well networked and “in the know.” She’s not typically a police detective (although she could be), but she may know one.
  • Set in a small community. This does not necessarily mean the amateur sleuth lives in a small town (although that’s often the case), but the setting is generally tightly-woven enough to make it believable that everyone knows each other. A town or village works, but the cozy could also be set in a college campus, city neighborhood or anywhere community can develop.
  • Small pool of suspects. The ancillary to the small community is the defined group of suspects.
  • Sex and violence occur off screen. One of the prime markers of a cozy mystery is a lack of graphic blood and sex on the page. As readers, we know that these things have happened (or are happening), but the author is not providing a blow-by-blow description.
  • No chase scenes. Okay, there may be a chase scene or two, but in general a cozy mystery is more about brains and less about brawn. The cozy typically highlights the puzzle-solving aspects of the mystery genre over suspense or strong action scenes.
  • Unlikable victims. The characters in a cozy tend to be quirky and likable…the murder victims, not so much. It’s not unusual for the victim in a cozy to be someone mean, cruel or unethical. There may even be a sense that he/she got their comeuppance. It’s much less likely the victim in a cozy will be a young child or someone viewed as innocent and well-loved.
  • No serial killers. Typically the murderers in cozies are members of the community. They’re often motivated by things like greed, a need for revenge, the desire to hide something…not a sociopathic yearning to kill. You won’t find torture scenes in cozy mysteries.
  • Humor. Cozies don’t have to be funny, but there is often a facet of humor or light-heartedness in a cozy. In addition, a cozy series may have a thematic element inspired by an occupation interest or craft that ties the books together.
  • It’s cozy! Reading a cozy is like enjoying your favorite comfort food. Cozies tend to be fun reads. You know what you’re getting, and while there will be enough twists and turns to keep you entertained, reading a cozy is akin to heading home to spend time with people you like.



Of course, for every rule I cited above, there’s an exception that defines the genre. In fact, the more cozies I read, the more I understand just how loose these boundaries are. That’s why “cozy with attitude” is such a great description. Whether it’s a book with added elements of suspense (like DEADLY ASSETS) or one with a police detective as the main character, there seems to be room in this subgenre for many twists on the theme.







 
wendy
About This Author
Wendy Tyson is an author, lawyer and former therapist whose background has inspired her mysteries and thrillers.  Her latest novel, DEADLY ASSETS, the second in the Allison Campbell mystery series, was released on July 22. The first Campbell novel, KILLER IMAGE, was named a best mystery for book clubs in 2014 by Examiner.com and the third Campbell installment, DYING BRAND, is due to be released on May 26.  Wendy lives on a micro-farm near Philadelphia with her husband, three sons and two muses, dogs Molly and Driggs.
Author Links:
 Webpage: www.WATyson.com
Twitter: @wendytyson

Purchase Links
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