Never Laugh as a Hearse Goes By

January 6, 2014
In this fifth mystery in Duncan’s Penny Brannigan series, what was supposed to be a pleasant conference at a beautiful Welsh library turns into another deadly case for full-time spa-owner and part-time detective Brannigan and her significant other, police officer Gareth Davies. And when one murder leads to a second, Brannigan and Davies must enlist the help of their friends to crack the case. Narrator Flosnik turns in a stellar performance, capturing the novel’s atmosphere and its characters. The voices she creates are distinct, appropriately accented, and embody the quirks and nuance of each character, while her narration is well paced and demands listener attention. A Minotaur hardcover.

February 3, 2014
Penny Brannigan, owner of the Llanelen Spa, finds that some members of the clergy aren't as saintly as they appear in Duncan's sweet fifth mystery set in North Wales (after 2012's A Small Hill to Die On). Penny joins her boyfriend, Det. Chief Insp. Gareth Davis, at a clerical conference at Gladstone's Library, a real-life residential library in Hawarden, Flintshire, where things soon take a fatal turn. Araminta "Minty" Russell, the bishop's secretary, suffers a fatal allergic reaction, evidently the victim of poison. Not long after, another conference attendee is found dead in the library. Gossip and her own instincts lead Penny to several clues involving blackmail, affairs, and all-around dishonesty. While the investigative methods may be more hearsay than Hercule, cozy fans will enjoy following how the "networking" plays out. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency.