Crafts and Life

Amanda Tucker is excited about opening her fashion design studio in Shops On Main, a charming old building in historic Abingdon, Virginia. She didn't realize a ghost came with the property! But soon Maxine "Max" Englebright, a young woman who died in 1930, isn't the only dead person at the retail complex. Mark Tinsley, a web designer with a know-it-all attitude who also rented space at Shops On Main, is shot in his office.

Amanda is afraid that one of her new "friends" and fellow small business owners is his killer, and Max is encouraging her to solve Mark's murder a la Nancy Drew. Easy for Max to want to investigate–the ghostly fashionista can't end up the killer's next victim!

Wow, just WOW! Gayle Leeson has written a book that is the total Cat's Pyjamas! Murder, Ghosts and Fashion … oh MY!

I wish I had the spirit of either Amanda or Max, Amanda (with prompting from Max) has decided that corporate life isn't for her and with the backing of her beloved Grandfather Dave (who also loaned her the downpayment), she has leased a shop in an old house (there are half a dozen units as well as the general office), she has decided to go for it and set up a bespoke fashion shop, with the emphasis on Vintage Styling (and this is where Max comes in, as she died in 1930!), the week before she opens, whilst setting the shop up, one of the other tenants is murdered.  Now with a hunky photographer, a ghostly sidekick and her up for anything Grandfather, Amanda needs to find out what has happened before she joins Max on the other side!

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name?

Maxine “Max” Englebright

What is your Profession?

I don’t really have one, darling. Never did. Went straight from my father’s house to the grave. If you must put something down, you might say I’m a consultant. Amanda, the new girl at Shops on Main, refers to me as a ghostly fashionista.

What is your current favourite book or movie?

I’m currently loving The Thin Man movies. Amanda taught me how to work her tablet. She downloads movies for me, and I just read a book called Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell. It was good, and it made me think that together Amanda and I can solve the murder of Mark Tinsley. Mark was shot to death in his office just a few days ago. I do believe he was up to something shady, and I feel that Amanda and I—being in close proximity—are in a better position to figure out who did it than the police.

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

I have to go back to The Thin Man on that one. I haven’t seen very many movies other than the silent flicks, but Amanda has promised to introduce me to more.

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

Well, as far as the movie goes, I would say Louise Brooks…but she died in 1985. I can’t yet identify with any of today’s actresses, so let’s move on to the book character. I’d love to be Nancy Drew. Who wouldn’t—am I right? Everyone found her beautiful. She had scads of money, a housekeeper, a convertible roadster, and a dad who let her do pretty much anything she wanted. And anything she wanted included poking around in people’s business and solving mysteries. Sounds like a good time to me.

What is your ideal evening?

The nicest evening I’ve had in a while was when Amanda and her grandfather, a silver fox named Dave, had pizza in Amanda’s shop. I’m limited in where I can go, you see—the interior and porches of Shops on Main—and they included me in their evening. It was wonderful. I hadn’t had an evening filled with friends and conversation since I died in May of 1930.

Tour Participants

March 25 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 25 – T's Stuff – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy - REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 26 – StoreyBook Reviews - REVIEW

March 27 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY 

March 27 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

March 29 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 29 – Books Direct – GUEST POST

March 30 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 30 – MJB Reviewers - REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY

March 31 - Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

March 31 - Nadaness In Motion - REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY

April 1 – Laura`s Interests - REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY

April 2 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 3 – Baroness' Book Trove - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

April 4 – Moonlight Rendezvous - REVIEW, GUEST POST

April 4 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

April 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

April 6 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 6 – I'm All About Books – REVIEW

April 6 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW