A Death at the Inn by Joan Hall

What Amazon says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

Suicide, accident, or murder?

After an argument with her fiancé, up-and-coming actress Leah Myers booked a room at the Harbor Pointe Inn. Near the end of her stay, someone found her body at the bottom of the nearby cliff. The police ruled her death a suicide.

Five years later, four people from Leah’s past visit the inn on the anniversary of her death. Her fiancé, her brother, her psychologist, and her close friend, Adele, who was a guest at Harbor Pointe the night Leah died.

Deputy Brad Sherman, assistant to the lead detective, has always believed something was amiss with the investigation. When he learns Leah’s former acquaintances are staying at the inn, he decides to look at the old case file.

The four guests soon learn each other’s identity and begin to discuss the events leading up to Leah’s demise. But someone doesn’t want them to know the truth. When Adele confesses she is haunted by the possibility she saw something important that fateful night, it puts her in grave danger.

Now it’s a race against time before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

My review

This novella is written from multiple points of view which I enjoyed. The novella kicks off with Daryl Warren, an ex-footballer whose career was ruined by an injury, sitting in a bar waiting for a friend. It is immediately apparent that Daryl is a deeply unhappy man carrying a huge amount of guilt over the death of his fiancé five years previously. The friend advises Daryl to visit Harbor Pointe Inn where Leah died and try to achieve closure.

The story then moves on to the next character who is also heading to Harbor Pointe Inn seeking closure over Leah’s death that is believed to have been suicide. This style of writing continues, introducing each of the four main characters who are travelling to the same place for the same reason, as well as the Deputy Sheriff who was involved with the initial investigation of the death and who wasn’t ever satisfied with the outcome.

The portrayal of Leah is interesting as some characters see her as generous and loving and others as a bit selfish and determined, to a fault, to succeed as an actress. They all agree, however, that Leah was unlikely to have committed suicide. As the story unravels, the perceptions of the four strangers are delved and the real Leah is revealed.

This short book is packed with action, interesting characters, and a fast-moving plot which keeps you completely immersed in the plot. It is not a long read, approximately 1 hour and is a wonderful investment of that time.

Purchase link

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCR3HMBD

Find all of Joan Hall’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joan-Hall/author/B01FNFO1RO

There is no form or theme required for Open Link Night. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/28/open-link-night-359/

A few weeks ago, my blogging friend, Rebecca Budd, shared a post about Claude Monet’s Nympheas collection of paintings. I have been admiring these paintings and have it in my head to try and replicate one as a birthday cake for my husband. Every since Rebecca’s post, I’ve had my eyes open for ‘”nymphaea”. During our recent two-day trip to the Pilanesberg National Park I was lucky enough to spot a few and get some great shots.

These are for you, Rebecca!

Micro Poem

Lone waterlily

Pearly white among shadows

Protected by pads

Water lilies (shadorma)

Attractive

White waterlilies

Surrounded

By dark pads

Enfolded in snug embrace

Of golden grasses

We had a two-day mini break at Ivory Tree Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park. These are a few doors for Thursday Doors. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/03/28/fish-fry-doors/

Picture caption: Front entrance of Ivory Tree Lodge from the outside

The Ingwe* and the Policemen Chickens

An eruption of sound

Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!

Greets our ears

Accustomed to the quiet

rustling of the orange grass

Policemen chickens**

Scream their warning

A flash of a tail

through thick veld

The leaves of the tree shake

Dark, slinking shape

climbs swiftly

Guinea Fowls up the volume

Shriek! Shriek! Shriek!

Picture caption: Policemen chickens (guinea fowls) in the adjacent tree

Picture caption: Leopard climbing the tree

***

We see him moving

Driven by hunger

Lethal shadow

balancing on a branch

Tightrope walker of the bush

He makes his move

Misses

Disappointed, he turns

Swiftly retreating

His head pops into view

Propelled by a great leap

Then

He vanishes

Into the thicket

***

We wait; mesmerised

Will there be an Act 2?

The birds continue

To chatter and screech

He is heading for the watering hole

“Quick!

To the hide”

The guide shouts

Reeds tremble

He saunters into view

Gracefully drops down

Drinks

His fill of clear water

Replete, he turns tail

And, in moments, melts

Into dark scrub bushes

Picture caption: Leopard leaping down from the tree

***

“The Ingwe* is gone

He won’t return”

Slowly

Peace returns

Guinea fowl fly down

Heading off in a pack

At an admirable pace

For safer feeding grounds

*Ingwe is the Zulu word for leopard

**Guinea fowl fly up into trees when a leopard is on the prowl. They make a huge racket and have earned the nickname “Policemen chickens”.

Picture caption: The guinea fowls make a run for it!

Lastly, this is my latest artwork: Into the Light: Leopard

Picture caption: Into the Light: Leopard – original painting by Robbie Cheadle

Today, I am delighted to welcome talented author, Jacquie Biggar, to Roberta Writes with her latest release Finding Me: The Defiant Sisters Duet-Book 2

Over to Jacquie

Thank you for sharing my new release on your blog today, Robbie. It’s deeply appreciated!

A few years ago, a regular customer of my restaurant lost her husband to suicide. It shocked our small community and devastated her family. They seemed like a happy, loving couple, so what happened?

The same occurred to a famous, well-loved dancer called tWitch. He and his wife had three children, the youngest only two years old. And yet, he, too, is gone.

This led me to wonder (and worry) about the children left behind. How do they handle the loss of their father? Do they blame themselves? Each other?

The Defiant Sisters Duet is an exploration of two sisters, Renée and Izzy, affected differently by the loss and how it eats at the family’s dynamics.

Finding Me

Izzy

My life is not like I dreamed it would be. I had the foolish fantasy of finishing high school, going to college, making something of myself- maybe even becoming famous.

Instead, I’m the infamous kid of the father who killed himself in the family’s backyard.

How’s that for a legacy?

Renée

I came home for my mother’s funeral, but I’m staying to mend bridges with my sister. We have another chance, and whatever it takes, we need to come together as a family or live the rest of our lives knowing we let our brother down.

They say pride goes before a fall, but it doesn’t tell us how to avoid the scrapes along the way.

Excerpt:

Izzy

Renée is trying to make me lose my mind. This partnership she dreamed up isn’t going to succeed if she keeps undermining my authority at every turn. I’ve repeatedly mentioned the importance of having a qualified electrician come through and update all the wiring. The building is old. We need to protect our investment—my investment. I’m not sure where she got her down payment, but I had to use my share of the equity in the house to cover my portion. If it fails… well, it can’t.

I kick a loose stone on the sidewalk and watch it roll into the gutter, my shadow marking time as I walk past the Willoughby’s store and wave at Helen through the window. Renée can buy her own damn salad if she wants one. She had no right to give Ben permission to break his grounding, especially after I expressly told him no. What kind of message does that send to a belligerent teen already pushing boundaries to see how far he can go?

She makes me crazy. It’s been that way our whole lives. Renée’s way is to act all kind and caring while she methodically shoves the shiv into your spine. I’ve seen her in action too many times to be taken in by her crap, which makes me wonder how I got myself tangled up in her new crusade—saving our family one good deed at a time.

You can purchase Finding Me: The Defiant Sisters Duet-Book 2 from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Me-Estranged-Sisters-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CV6Y93R1

About Jacquie Biggar

Jacquie Biggar is an award-winning author of romance who has been listed on USA Today’s bestseller list. Her writing is centered around tough, alpha male characters who fall for strong and independent contemporary women. She resides on Vancouver Island with her husband and would love to hear from readers worldwide!

In her own words: “My name is Jacquie Biggar. When I’m not being a klutz, I’m a wife, a mother of one, a grandmother, and a butler to my calico cat. Watching reality TV shows such as The Voice and Amazing Race is one of my guilty pleasures. Every Monday night, you can find me laughing at the judge’s shenanigans as I’m plastered to my armchair. I love hanging out with my husband at the beach, taking pictures, and reading romance novels (what else?). I have a slight obsession with Tim Hortons, enjoy gardening, everything pink, and talking to my friends.”

Subscribe to her Newsletter and follow her on these sites: Amazon | Website | Facebook |

Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads | Bookbub

Last month I shared about the role of male lions and this month I’m spotlighting lionesses. Thank you for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.

In Touch With Nature – Lionesses, the queens of the savannah #lionesses #wildlife

This poem is inspired by a picture prompt by Melissa from Mom With a Blog. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/19/everything-we-see/

Will you wake, sleeping lion

Heed the scent of danger

embedded in the wind

Widen your eyes and see

the Fallen Angel

Who has betrayed you

He, of the black wings

and rusty halo

Who took your trust

reduced it to ashes

and scattered it

from His self constructed platform

of pride, corruption and greed

***

Will you rise, sleeping lion

Raise your voice in a great roar

Call for justice and equality for all

Ready yourself for the great fight

that lies ahead

Or, will you slumber on

Allow your dreams

just visible beyond His platform

to submerge behind

the dark shadow He casts

Until they disappear

Completely

***

I chose the above painting to write about after reading Merril’s poem here: https://merrildsmith.org/2024/03/19/together-apart/. Thank you for the inspiration, Merril.

While I was visiting Merril’s lovely site, I discovered this wonderful review by Merril of my book, Lion Scream. Another huge thank you to Merril. You can read her review here: https://merrildsmith.org/2024/03/18/overdue-book-review-robbie-cheadle-lion-screams/

And now for some wildlife pictures:

Undeterred by Robbie Cheadle

The acacia tree is drought resistant

An adaption that helps it thrive in arid regions

Lethal-looking, sharp thorns protect its juicy leaves –

the favourite food of the giraffe which uses its

long, maneuverable, black tongue and tough lips [Note 1]

to access this delectable, life-sustaining treat [Note 2]

Note 1: Giraffes have dark purple or blue tongues that look black. This is because they have a high amount of melanin to protect them from the hot African sun.

Note 2: Giraffes, like their relative the camel, can go a long time without drinking water. This is partly due to their consumption of acacia leaves which have a high-water content. In Afrikaans, a giraffe is a kameelperd which means camel horse.

The prompt

Hellooooo, Poets! De Jackson here, aka WhimsyGizmo, happy once again to be hosting my favorite prompt, the Quadrille. This funky little poem-dance is a creation of our own making here at dVerse, and it’s as easy as a sharp 1-2 punch: 
1) We provide a word. 
2) You include that word in a poem of precisely 44 words. 

You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/18/quadrille-197-look-sharp-now-lets-write-a-poem/

Thank you, Robbie, for turning your blog site over to me today so I can talk about my new book, A Beggar’s Bargain.

Sara Beth is my female protagonist in the story and she has a pet rabbit that she takes with her everywhere she goes. While her father only wants to get rid of the rabbit, Layken Martin accepts it as part of Sara Beth. Here’s an excerpt where he meets Cuddles.

When he shot her a glance, she quickly swiveled toward the window.

“What’s your bunny’s name?’ he drawled.

“Cuddles.” Her heart thudded. She prayed he wasn’t about to insist that she make him into a stew.

‘Is Cuddles a boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

“Seems pretty special to you.”

Cuddles chose that moment to hop out of Sara Beth’s arms and onto the seat. She reached for him. “Sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“He got out of my arms.”

“So?”

“So, my father would have tried to toss him out the window.”

Layken rubbed the bunny’s long ears, then angled toward her. “Let’s get one thing straight here and now. I’m not your father. I’m nothing like him. From what I’ve seen, he’s a poor excuse for a man. He should be ashamed of the way he treats you.”

***

I love giving pets to characters and the more unusual the better. I’ve never written any chracter who had a pet rabbit, so this was fun. It gave the opportunity for a little comic relief and in certain situations upped the tension (when an owl tried to snag it for breakfast). At the same time, it can get repetitive since the bunny can’t make any sounds and only hops around. So, I had to get creative. Still, it added to the story.

What’s the most unusual pet you’ve ever given any of your characters? Let’s talk.

Book blurb

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father’s dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.

Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and in jeopardy. A foreclosure notice from the bank doubles the threat. He appeals to the local banker for more time—a chance to rebuild, plant, and harvest crops and time to heal far away from the noise of bombs and gunfire.

Only the banker firmly denies his request. Now what?

Then, the banker makes an alternative proposition—marry his unwanted daughter, Sara Beth, in exchange for a two-year extension. Out of options, money, and time, Layken agrees to the bargain.

Now, he has two years to make a living off the land while he shares his life with a stranger.

If he fails at either, he’ll lose it all.

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK: https://books2read.com/u/3nqqEo

BOOK TRAILER LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6vMqD4SuQ4

About Jan Sikes

Find Jan Sikes

This painting “Window in the Studio” by van Gogh inspired this butterfly cinquain for dVerse. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/14/open-link-night-and-a-chance-to-go-live-on-saturday/

Light delight

The light

So enticing

Drawing me – like a moth

Into its encircling embrace

The light

My eyes tinted pink, I attempt

To capture it with paint

Artist’s

Delight

W3 Prompt #98

You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2024/03/13/w3-prompt-98-weave-written-weekly/

Nigel’s prompt guidelines

• Write an ekphrastic poem inspired by Peter Paul Rubens’ (1577–1640) painting of Samson and Delilah (above).
  • Feeling ambitious? Try this additional challenge: include this line from Samson’s wedding riddle:
  • Out of the strong came something sweet

This poem is one of my few attempts at mild humour:

Keep it

I am strong

Have my own career

My husband

Is my friend

But I am independent

He can keep his hair

For this, my third Story Empire post, I’m diving a bit deeper into some of the writing decisions I’ve had to make for my own historical writing. My current approach to writing historical fiction is based on trial and error and a lot of rewriting.

Using fictional characters versus real people in historical fiction writing