Title: THE HAUNTED LOST ROSE
Author: C.L. Bauer
Blurb
Some secrets should stay hidden. If they come to light, darkness could weaken even the strongest of families.
Real estate agent Charlotte O’Donohue never looks forward to Mondays. Usually, a couple cups of coffee will fix her mood, but today an unexpected voice directs her to a dead body. She’s going to need a bigger cup, and it better be caffeinated!
When the dead body happens to be your client, the scandal could jeopardize her brother’s business, but Charlotte is more worried about a mysterious stranger who decides she’s the number one suspect. He seems familiar and dangerous. He knows she has a secret, and Charlotte will do anything to keep the truth from him. How could he possibly understand that she can hear the dead?
Ghostly whispers from a spirit who haunts the large Kansas City mansion warns of more danger to come for Charlotte, her family, and for the stranger. But as Charlotte discovers a key to one mystery, another one appears…one that could reveal more than a murderer but a long-forbidden love.
The haunted and the living seem to be conspiring against the spunky real estate agent, throwing her into a love of her own that shakes her to the core.
When long hidden secrets expose lost loves, two intertwined families are placed in jeopardy in Charlotte’s Voices of Mystery.
Publication Date: March 17, 2023
ASIN: B0BSVM9H5T
ISBN:
Language: English
Length: 252 pages
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery/Romance
Buy Link: https://mybook.to/HauntedLostRose
Other Stores: https://books2read.com/u/3Joj5E/
Want to delve into more of Ms. Bauer’s work? Check out her completed Lily List Mystery Series, or sign-up for her newsletter here.
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About the Author:
Kansas City, Missouri native C.L. Bauer is the author of three series in mystery genres. Originally a reporter, Bauer worked through jobs in marketing and advertising, to eventually take over the reins of her family’s century old business, Clara’s Flowers. Many of the stories used in her books are based on true events from years in the wedding and event flower world.
You can reach C.L. Bauer on all social mediums, Goodreads, and through her website, www.clbauer.com. You can check out her flower designs at http://www.clarasflowers.com Info Quick Find: Blogger Run Giveaway: For those that selected giveaway on the form, you’re authorized to giveaway one e-copy of The Haunted Lost Rose by Clara Bauer to one of your blog readers. This is a giveaway outside of the Rafflecopter, just for your readers.
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EXCERPT
Sean gave me a brief hug, and Paddy waved to me as he watched me exit the house. I noticed that the rose was still on the mantle. I quickly pulled out my phone and shot a photo. No one would even notice if I took the flower, but my brothers would kill me if I moved evidence. As it was, I was already leaving with an item that might be related to the murder. Maybe it was an additional house key? Or maybe someone had dropped it years ago in that old window seat, and it didn’t mean anything to anyone? But the voice didn’t want me to tell. My thoughts raced as I battled with the secret. I shut my eyes and made my final decision. I was leaving the house with it. I pulled my coat closer to me as I walked down the sidewalk. I slowed my steps after my first slip. The snow was slick to walk on. I carefully passed more and more police, news reporters, camera crews, and others before I arrived at my car.
As I began to slide uncontrollably toward my door, a black gloved hand held me up.
“Whoops,” I yelled. “Thank you so much.” The gentleman was holding me up in his arms, and I felt as though I was at his mercy for some reason.
“You’re welcome.” His voice was low. I heard some sort of an accent, but I just wasn’t sure what it was. I looked up slowly to gaze into the prettiest brown eyes. They were the color of my favorite candy bar. They were large, offering a girl enough room to get lost in them on a rainy day. Heck, on any kind of day. His dark hair was wavy, windblown, and had hints of a white hair here and there. Mmm, I never was that fond of salt and pepper hair, but just these little touches looked good, well looked great on him.
He was still holding me up, when I stiffened and reached out my hand to my car door.
“Here, let me get you to the door.” He slowly pushed me closer and made sure I had safely made it inside the vehicle. “Have a good day, Ms–”
“O’Donohue, Charlotte.”
He smiled. His smile could very well melt every snowflake on my coat. In fact, I was warm all over. “Ah, O’Donohue, as in every O’Donohue in this blessed city?”
I nodded. I just didn’t have the ability to speak right now as he smiled again.
“And I suppose you all know everything about everyone just like a large Irish family should?”
I cleared my throat. Come on, get a hold of yourself. “We wouldn’t be Irish if we didn’t. We all know secrets, but we just tell only one person.”
He nodded knowingly. “And that person tells another, and before you know it, everyone in the world knows everything?”
I nodded again and smiled like some goofy teenager. “It seems as though you’ve caught on.”
“I’ve only been here a short time, but I catch on very quickly.” He looked toward the house and pointed. “I need to go in there.”
“Then I need to warn you that there are a couple of those O’Donohue men in there.”
“I bet I can guess which ones. One of them called me. It was nice to save you.”
Save me? Right, from the fall. He began to shut my door, but I braced my arm against it. “I didn’t get your name.”
He shook his head shyly, and smiled again. He seemingly thought that could distract me. “No, you didn’t. Sorry, occupational hazard. Be careful out there.” He closed my door very unceremoniously.
I watched him pull his coat’s lapels up around his neck. He shoved his hands inside his pockets and began to walk toward the house. He turned around once to look back at me. I smiled like an idiot just in case he could see that far. Then he disappeared into the structure. I also saw a curtain move in one of the windows on the third floor. Then I saw another curtain flowing freely on the second floor, but I also saw a shape, a dark form. The curtain was pulled back and then fluttered back into place. It was nothing, probably just a draft, wasn’t it? I was only lying to myself. I knew what I saw. The spirit haunting that house was very concerned with the man who was entering the old Taylor Club, but I was more intrigued by the stranger.
I bit my lip. “Who was that?”
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