The Madness of Mercury
by Connie di Marco
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GENRE: Contemporary Mystery
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BLURB:
The Zodiac Mysteries feature San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti, who
never thought murder would be part of her practice. In The Madness of
Mercury, Julia’s outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, makes
her the target of a recently-arrived cult preacher who advocates love and
compassion to those less fortunate. But the power-hungry preacher is
waging war on sin and his Army of the Prophet will stop at nothing to
silence those who would stand in his way. Julia is at the top of his list.
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EXCERPT
As I stood in line at the checkout counter of the bookstore an
uncomfortable feeling stole over me. Was I being watched? I turned
slowly and surveyed the customers in line behind me. No one looked
suspicious. No one turned away suddenly. Just holiday shoppers focused
on their own business. As I turned back, my eye caught someone
standing at a table close by, separated by a metal bar from the line
of shoppers. A man, dark hair, black jacket, seemingly immersed in a
book he was holding in his hands. No shopping bags in sight. Something
about him . . . I mentally shook myself, pushing the thought out of my
mind. I was being paranoid. Nerves were getting the better of me.
When I reached the street, the wind had picked up. Shoppers were doing
their best to hang onto their packages and hats and scarves. I pulled up
the hood on my coat and, protecting my few finds, headed back to the
square. I climbed the steps to the top of Union Square and took cover
inside the small coffee shop. The aroma of freshly ground beans filled the
space. I ordered a cappuccino and carried it gingerly to a stool near the
window where I could watch the skaters on the ice rink under the tree.
Maybe this was picking at old wounds. Maybe I just wanted to remember a
happier time.
The windows were completely fogged. I rubbed the condensation away with
the sleeve of my coat and peeked out. The top of the seventy foot tree and
its huge bulbs swayed back and forth in the chilly gusts. Michael and I
used to skate here. He was hopeless on his rented skates and wouldn’t
believe me when I told him it wasn’t his ankles, his skates were too
large. We’d manage a few passes around the rink, before we’d collapse,
laughing on the ice. For a split second I saw his smile and felt the
warmth of his hands, remembering how safe I felt when he put his arms
around me. An aching so acute swept over me I didn’t trust myself not to
burst into tears. What is it about the holiday season that brings our
missing pieces into such sharp focus? Loss and pain may be there at other
times, but somehow it doesn’t hurt quite so acutely. Maybe stopping here
wasn’t such a good idea. I needed to quit feeling sorry for myself.
Michael would have been disgusted with me. I was pathetic. I snuffled and
rummaged in my purse for a tissue, blowing my nose and wiping my eyes,
hoping anyone watching would think I was down with the flu. Suck it up,
Julia.
Bundling up against the cold, I retraced my steps and approached the
garage entrance. Two people, a man and a woman, doing their best to stay
warm under the overhang of the garage were handing out flyers. One stepped
in front of me, blocking my path and shoved a flyer at me. Annoyed, I
grabbed it and walked briskly into the garage. I glanced down at an
announcement of services at the Prophet’s Tabernacle. I sighed, and
crumpling the paper up, tossed it in a nearby trash can.
I took the elevator down to the lowest level where I had parked. I stepped
out and glanced around. In contrast to the crowds of people above on the
streets, not a soul was in sight. I felt a frisson of fear. Why was it so
deserted? My nerves were just on edge, I decided. I was imagining threats
where there were none. I took a deep breath and hurried to my car. I
unlocked the door and threw my bags onto the passenger seat. Before I
could turn the key in the ignition I glanced in the rearview mirror. A
face in a ski mask stared back at me, the eyes bright in the ambient
lighting. A gasp caught in my throat. My heart raced as a gloved hand
pulled my head back and covered my mouth. I felt the sharp prick of a
knife point at my neck. I froze. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak.
“Forget about the Prophet. Make sure you keep your big mouth shut or my
next visit won’t be so nice,” he growled. He pulled the knife away, let go
of my jaw and jumped out of the car.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries featuring Julia Bonatti, a San Francisco astrologer who never thought murder would be part of her practice: The Madness of Mercury is the first in the series. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Penguin Random House. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, The Crime Writers Association and Sisters in Crime.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
Connie di Marco will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
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DeleteI like the cover art and the blurb and excerpt have intrigued me, The Madness of Mercury sounds like a great mystery read and I am looking forward to it. Thank you for sharing the author's info and book details
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