Blog Tour: The Corpse With the Emerald Thumb by Cathy Ace (Review, Guest Post)

About the Book

3rd in Series
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: TouchWood Editions (April 15, 2014)
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1771510639

Synopsis

Criminologist and foodie Cait Morgan was looking forward to her dream vacation in Mexico with her boyfriend Bud Anderson. She wasn’t anticipating a fresh corpse on the floor of a local florist’s shop, and she definitely wasn’t expecting Bud to become the prime suspect.

With Bud’s freedom, and maybe even his life, at stake, Cait has to fight the clock to work out which member of the small community living in the seemingly idyllic municipality of Punta de las Rocas might have killed the locally respected florist, and why. Needing to investigate under the watchful gaze of the local police, Cait has to keep her relationship with Bud a secret, and she soon discovers she’s not the only one with something to hide. Peeling back layers of deceit to reveal even more puzzles, Cait struggles with a creeping sense of unreality, desperate to save Bud . . . and, ultimately, herself.

In the third book in the beloved Cait Morgan Mysteries, The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb, travel to the idyllic Mexican countryside as Cait Morgan works against the clock to clear her wrongly accused partner of murder.

My Review

Criminologist Cait Morgan is thrilled to be vacationing with her retired cop boyfriend, Bud Anderson, in Mexico. When Bud goes to the local store, she watches in horror from their hotel room as Bud is taken away in handcuffs by the local police. At a loss as to what to do, Cait snoops around and discovers that Bud has been arrested for the murder of a beloved florist and hasn’t given the police any information – not even his identity.

The local police captain is familiar with Cait’s reputation as a criminologist and seeks her help to identify the man he arrested. What the captain doesn’t know is that Cait is well aware of his identity and only too happy to be involved in the investigation, but for a different reason. She’s trying to find the true killer as it can’t possibly be Bud.

Cait soon discovers that the florist wasn’t beloved by everyone and the small Mexican village has a long list of possible suspects. She learns that many of the villagers have their own secrets and she’s intent to uncover at least one person’s secret – the real killer. Bud’s life is on the line. Once the Federales come to get him, Cait is afraid he’ll be lost to her forever.

What an engrossing and captivating tale! This is the third book in the “Cait Morgan Mystery” series. I read the previous book and still have to read the first one, but this totally and completely transported me to Mexico. I felt as if I was right there by Cait’s side thanks to author’s beautifully written descriptions.

Cathy Ace brings us a classic story in the tradition of Agatha Christie. This isn’t a typical cozy mystery. It’s more than that, it’s a well crafted whodunit with a dramatic flair. With a long list of suspects, it keeps readers guessing until the end. Ace has mastered writing the traditional murder mystery to perfection and has created a new beloved amateur sleuth. I am looking forward to the next entry in this series.




For reading challenges:
2014 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge
2014 ARC Reading Challenge
2014 E-Book Reading Challenge
2014 My Kind of Mystery Reading Challenge

FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Guest Post

TERROR IN THE SKIES!

Cait Morgan, that short, over-indulgent Welsh Canadian criminology professor is at it again—in THE CORPSE WITH THE EMERALD THUMB she’s off to Mexico . . . as though her trips to the south of France (THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE) and British Columbia’s wine country (THE CORPSE WITH THE GOLDEN NOSE) didn’t serve to teach her that staying at home and locking the door might be the only way for her to avoid encountering a corpse that’s met a puzzling end! But she likes to travel. And I know how she feels. This year I will be traveling a great deal, however, since I’m not the one tripping over corpses at every stop, I think it’s a wonderful way to grow and learn, as well as treasure the sweetness of returning home. And the journey itself can be very rewarding.

As anyone who is my Friend on Facebook will know, I like to find and photograph art at airports. I think they are some of the most wonderful places to find public art these days. Yes, you have to be air-side, rather land-side, to see many of the pieces and installations, but not all. Take the spectacular bronze sculpture of The Spirit of Haida Gwaii by world-renowned artist Bill Reid which is land-side at Vancouver International Airport, or a recent exhibit of lace and lace-making throughout history at San Francisco Airport, again land-side, which entranced me so much I was almost late arriving at security! Airport authorities have large, empty spaces, and a desire to provide sometimes changing, sometimes permanent, artworks and exhibits to capture the interest of the travelling masses. As travelers we find ourselves with an unusual opportunity to allow ourselves to become engaged. Time.

And when we’ve pondered the artwork, and grabbed a coffee, there are books into which we can submerge ourselves—whilst keeping an eye and an ear open for any gate-change announcements or delays, of course. So, for me, spending an enforced couple of hours at an airport is almost a delight. And, when on the airplane itself, I used to be happy with a book. I felt I had the chance to disconnect myself from the world, and truly relax. But now I see signs of a terrifying change.

I’m becoming quite alarmed at how many flights now have WiFi available. A positive feature of flying, for me, has been the fact that you’re incommunicado. Granted that’s not always desirable, but I do think it offers an increasingly rare opportunity to truly un-hook from the world. But no longer, it seems. True, the high cost will keep most of us off-line whilst airborne for some time, while for others the chance to stay in touch is so valuable that price points aren’t an issue. But I fear the time will come when I don’t get to experience that wonderful sense of peace that descends on me when I am told, in no uncertain terms, that I must disconnect from the outside world, and exist solely within the confines of a small metal tube for the next x number of hours. Books, music, movies I never get the chance to see, old favorites from the world of TV comedy. The standards. My solace. But now? See what I mean? TERROR in the skies! Am I the only one who enjoys the “solitude” of flying?

 About the Author

Welsh Canadian mystery author Cathy Ace is the creator of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, which include The Corpse with the Silver Tongue, The Corpse with the Golden Nose, and The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb. Born, raised, and educated in Wales, Cathy enjoyed a successful career in marketing and training across Europe, before immigrating to Vancouver, Canada, where she taught on MBA and undergraduate marketing programs at various universities. Her eclectic tastes in art, music, food, and drink have been developed during her decades of extensive travel, which she continues whenever possible. Now a full-time author, Cathy’s short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, as well as on BBC Radio 4. She and her husband are keen gardeners, who enjoy being helped out around their acreage by their green-pawed Labradors.

Author Links 

Website = www.cathyace.com

Twitter  = @AceCathy

Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/cathy.ace.author?fref=ts

Tour Participants

April 22 – dru’s book musing – Booked by Author
April 23 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Interview
April 24 –Chloe Gets A Clue – Guest Post
April 25 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review
April 26 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview
April 27 – Little Whimsy Books – Review
April 28 – readalot blog – Review
April 29 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post
April 30 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – Review
May 1 – Books-n-Kisses – Review
May 2 – Back Porchervations – Interview
May 3 – Brooke Blogs – Review
May 4 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Guest Post
May 5 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post
May 6 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview