Book Blurb:
Fall, 1941
Grace O’Hearn and her father have lived in Last Light Point since before the ’29 stock market crash that took so much from so many. Still, somehow, they managed to keep afloat, often lending a hand to those in dire need.
Now—many years later—things are finally picking up again. So much so, the tavern is a much-coveted piece of property. When Grace’s father is brutally murdered, the main suspect is a property developer who’s been harassing all the waterfront proprietors. With her father’s death, Grace now becomes the sole owner of The Crowe's Nest Tavern, an establishment that dates back centuries, and comes with its own set of resident ghosts.
When FBI agent, Max Stewart, is assigned to investigate suspected racketeering and police corruption in Last Light Point, the last thing he expects is to be caught up in a murder investigation. When he first meets Grace, he’s convinced she’s hiding something. Yet, her keen insight about the town, and everyone in it, may be the best lead he has.
Can they work together to solve both investigations? Or, will an attraction neither of them can deny keep getting in the way?
Excerpt:
Grace put four place settings on each of the six tables in the main dining area. Not that she was expecting a crowd, but it never hurt to be prepared. She and Aggie, her cook, would eat in the kitchen in between customers.
It had rained lightly during the afternoon and the early evening remained overcast. The foul weather would, most likely, curtail tourists. With any luck, a few of the locals would wander in. Especially, given it was Thursday, and that meant Aggie’s famous pork stew and dumplings.
Grace was on her way back to the service area to grab water glasses when her newest guest appeared in the doorway.
“Mr. Stew... um... Max. I hope you found your room satisfactory.”
“Yes, thank you. The view out over the water is striking when the sun begins to set.”
“The sunrise is just as beautiful,” she told him. “Can I offer you a drink before dinner?
We have special pricing in the dining room.”
“I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a scotch on the rocks,” he responded.
“One scotch coming up. Take a seat anywhere. As you can see, we’re not crowded.”
“I take it business has been slow since... well...”
“Business was ‘slow’ before my father was killed. Now, it’s almost non-existent.”
“I’m sure the hubbub will die down, and your customers will return.”
“We have one busy tourist season left these next couple of weeks,” she explained. “With the change of season, we’ll get those who find it interesting to watch the leaves turn color. For whatever reason, they come in droves.”
“They do the same in other countries,” Max said. “In Japan, it’s called momijigari, or red leaf hunting. In Finland, it’s ruskaretki.”
“You’ve traveled a lot,” she surmised.
“I did a four-year stint with the military police before joining the bureau in 1935. During my time overseas, we covered a lot of countries shepherding diplomats and politicians.”
“I’ve never been anywhere but here.”
“You grew up in Last Light Point?” he asked.
“Technically, I grew up north of here in Mystic Point, just off Skullery Bay. We moved here when my uncle retired and sold the tavern to my father for next to nothing.”
“Why so cheap?”
“It was 1928. Prohibition was still in effect, and there wasn’t much ‘business’ to the business. Had it not been for the boarders, and the dining, we’d have not even tried to make a go of it.”
“It must have been rough.”
“Not at first. When my mother passed away a few years earlier, she left my father some family money. Pops was always good with finances, but he didn’t trust banks. When the stock market crashed, a lot of our friends back home went belly up. A few took their own lives. It was horrible. We were able to hold on because of his frugal ways. We never once tossed out a boarder, even if they couldn’t pay.”
About the Anthology – 4 Complete Books, 4 Best Selling Authors
Book Blurb:
Fall, 1941
Grace O’Hearn and her father have lived in Last Light Point since before the ’29 stock market crash that took so much from so many. Still, somehow, they managed to keep afloat, often lending a hand to those in dire need.
Now—many years later—things are finally picking up again. So much so, the tavern is a much-coveted piece of property. When Grace’s father is brutally murdered, the main suspect is a property developer who’s been harassing all the waterfront proprietors. With her father’s death, Grace now becomes the sole owner of The Crowe's Nest Tavern, an establishment that dates back centuries, and comes with its own set of resident ghosts.
When FBI agent, Max Stewart, is assigned to investigate suspected racketeering and police corruption in Last Light Point, the last thing he expects is to be caught up in a murder investigation. When he first meets Grace, he’s convinced she’s hiding something. Yet, her keen insight about the town, and everyone in it, may be the best lead he has.
Can they work together to solve both investigations? Or, will an attraction neither of them can deny keep getting in the way?
Excerpt:
Grace put four place settings on each of the six tables in the main dining area. Not that she was expecting a crowd, but it never hurt to be prepared. She and Aggie, her cook, would eat in the kitchen in between customers.
It had rained lightly during the afternoon and the early evening remained overcast. The foul weather would, most likely, curtail tourists. With any luck, a few of the locals would wander in. Especially, given it was Thursday, and that meant Aggie’s famous pork stew and dumplings.
Grace was on her way back to the service area to grab water glasses when her newest guest appeared in the doorway.
“Mr. Stew... um... Max. I hope you found your room satisfactory.”
“Yes, thank you. The view out over the water is striking when the sun begins to set.”
“The sunrise is just as beautiful,” she told him. “Can I offer you a drink before dinner?
We have special pricing in the dining room.”
“I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a scotch on the rocks,” he responded.
“One scotch coming up. Take a seat anywhere. As you can see, we’re not crowded.”
“I take it business has been slow since... well...”
“Business was ‘slow’ before my father was killed. Now, it’s almost non-existent.”
“I’m sure the hubbub will die down, and your customers will return.”
“We have one busy tourist season left these next couple of weeks,” she explained. “With the change of season, we’ll get those who find it interesting to watch the leaves turn color. For whatever reason, they come in droves.”
“They do the same in other countries,” Max said. “In Japan, it’s called momijigari, or red leaf hunting. In Finland, it’s ruskaretki.”
“You’ve traveled a lot,” she surmised.
“I did a four-year stint with the military police before joining the bureau in 1935. During my time overseas, we covered a lot of countries shepherding diplomats and politicians.”
“I’ve never been anywhere but here.”
“You grew up in Last Light Point?” he asked.
“Technically, I grew up north of here in Mystic Point, just off Skullery Bay. We moved here when my uncle retired and sold the tavern to my father for next to nothing.”
“Why so cheap?”
“It was 1928. Prohibition was still in effect, and there wasn’t much ‘business’ to the business. Had it not been for the boarders, and the dining, we’d have not even tried to make a go of it.”
“It must have been rough.”
“Not at first. When my mother passed away a few years earlier, she left my father some family money. Pops was always good with finances, but he didn’t trust banks. When the stock market crashed, a lot of our friends back home went belly up. A few took their own lives. It was horrible. We were able to hold on because of his frugal ways. We never once tossed out a boarder, even if they couldn’t pay.”
About the Anthology – 4 Complete Books, 4 Best Selling Authors
GHOSTS OF NEW ENGLAND: LAST LIGHT POINT
A Multi-Century Romance Anthology
from Best Selling & Award-Winning Authors
Lisa A. Olech
Kathryn Hills
Nancy Fraser
Peggy Jaeger
Can true love conquer a deadly curse?
Don’t look at the gibbet… Legend has it that disaster will strike all those who do. The townspeople of Last Light Point have come to respect the centuries-old advice. Those that didn’t, paid the price.
4 stories – 4 time periods – 1 very haunted tavern in New England!
A new romance anthology unlike any other from 4 best-selling and award-winning authors.
The Pirate’s Promise by Lisa A. Olech (Autumn 1728)
Smoke and Mirrors by Kathryn Hills (Autumn 1867)
For the Love of Grace by Nancy Fraser (Fall 1941)
A Promise Fulfilled by Peggy Jaeger (Late October, Present Day)
Tell us about one of your secondary characters and what they bring to the story.
I’d have to go with Aggie Sinclair, my heroine’s best friend and the cook at The Crowe’s Nest Tavern. She’s the older-sister type, always ready to shake a finger in warning, or offer a shoulder to cry on. However, she’s not quite as accommodating to the spirits who live within the tavern. Her banter back and forth with Simon, the pirate ghost, and Harold, Grace’s late father is often hilarious, but always said with love. No matter what befalls the residents (both dead and alive) of the tavern, Aggie is always there for them.
What's the most unique thing about this anthology?
That would definitely have to be the span of centuries. It shows that life or, in this case, even death endures. The idea of beginning a legend/story in one century and then watching it grow and mature through three more centuries was a concept I’d always wanted to do on my own. However, I’m glad I decided to do it with friends. There may have been a few hair-pulls, and tears, but I’m very proud of how Last Light Point turned out.
Author Bio:
NANCY FRASER is a bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.
Her spicy romances have won top awards year after year and received cover quotes from some of the most recognized names in the romance industry. Named 2021 Canadian Author of the Year by N.N. Light’s Book Heaven, she refuses to rest on her laurels and keeps at it daily.
When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren, and looks for ways to avoid housework. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
Blog: https://notesfromaromanticsheart.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RomWriterNancy
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/
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6 comments:
Such a great book! No one writes gangsters coupled with ghosts like Nancy Fraser. Thanks for hosting today, Caroline, and for sharing the entire anthology with your readers! ❤️
this is such a fun story!! nancy does historical romances REALLY Well!!!
Thank you for sharing For the Love of Grace from our wonderful anthology. This was such a fun story to write.
What a great concept for a book! And all of these writers are rock stars, so it has to be awesome! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks again for hosting all of us, Caroline!
Such an exciting anthology. I've loved all the excerpts!
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