Death needed a vacation.

What he got was a murder, a demon, and a 73-year-old detective with no time to kill.

Death Takes a Holiday

The Mortimer & Mrs Morris Trilogy Book 1

by Tammie Painter

༺ ABOUT THE BOOK ༻

** A hilarious new series from the author of The Cassie Black Trilogy! **

After an eternity of escorting souls to the afterlife, Death — who really prefers you call him Mortimer — is bored. There's been departmental divisions, technical developments, and fitness crazes that mean people just aren't dying like they used to.

What's worse… He's running low on romance novels to keep himself occupied.

His solution: a working holiday to Top World, where he expects room service, infinity-high thread counts, and an easy solution to get business booming again.

What he doesn't expect is Mrs Morris, a seventy-three-year-old detective with a tightly packed schedule that leaves no room for an immortal assistant.

But Mortimer refuses to go away. After all, detectives find murderers, and having his very own killer would be the perfect way to nudge up those mortality rates.

Luckily, someone's just been murdered — and Mrs Morris has been hired to find the culprit. The only trouble? The victim reeks of demons, turning Mortimer's perfect opportunity into a great deal of trouble that could end his career. Oh, and the human race.

Death Takes a Holiday is a humorous fantasy novel about the most inconvenient partnership in the history of the afterlife, where a pair of unlikely allies are thrown together by broken bones, murder mysteries, pesky demons, and the deadliest cup of coffee in Portland.

Like Terry Pratchett joining the Thursday Murder Club, Death Takes a Holiday is perfect for fans of wry humor, paranormal mystery, and unforgettable characters forming reluctant bonds.

**Released August 18, 2026 ** 

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This cover gives me such fun, quirky fantasy vibes.

It hints at the darker side of the story without making the book feel heavy or frightening. Instead, it seems to lean into the humor and supernatural mischief behind the premise—which feels exactly right for a story about Death attempting to take a holiday.

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Death Takes a Holiday sounds like a wonderfully offbeat mix of fantasy, mystery, and comedy. 

Between the vacationing Grim Reaper, the seventy-three-year-old detective, the demons, and the murder investigation, I have a feeling Mortimer’s holiday is not going to go according to plan—and that is probably going to be half the fun. 

What do you think of the cover? 

Would you add this one to your reading list? 

Happy reading!

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This morning, I am joining the cover reveal for Vex Not Her Ghost by Gill Calvin Thomas! Check out the book cover and learn about the author and novel! Be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post!

A quirky detective tackles a haunting family mystery.

Vex Not Her Ghost

The Purebeck Mysteries Book 1

by Gill Calvin Thomas

Genre: Paranormal Mystery

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about the book

 

Caitlin was four years old when her mother died in mysterious circumstances. Thirty years later she comes into possession of her family home in Dorset. As she slowly recovers memories of her past, she becomes convinced that her mother’s ghost is warning her of impending disaster.

Aided by Charlie Bond, a private investigator, an enthralling story of deceit and deception unfolds as Caitlin and her friends expose the ultimate truth.

 

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meet the author

Gill Calvin Thomas is a retired academic who lives with her husband in Swanage , UK. She finds inspiration in the landscape around her – the Isle of Purbeck has a spectacular coastline and beautiful beaches, and it is whilst walking here, that Gill develops characters and plots the twists and turns you will find in her books.

Gill’s life experiences have informed her writing. For example, her mother’s death when she was a small child, influenced her first book, Vex Not Her Ghost, where the heroine has to delve into the past to uncover the real circumstances of her mother’s death, the cover up and the ongoing corruption. Her experiences as a social work academic governs the plot of her second book, Sister Olive Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly. In this book the fatal combination of a researcher's mental collapse and a sociopathic opportunist give rise to a cliffhanging finale.

Reviewers have said that Gill writes the sort of books in which you find yourself racing to the end, whilst not wanting to finish. Her characters are compelling, well-drawn and sensitively portrayed. In her books bad people get what they deserve, but it is never quite what it seems.

She is currently writing her third book. 

 

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This morning, we are joining the cover reveal for a new memoir from Sarah Church! Catch a glimpse of the cover, learn about book and author! 

Memoir

Date Published: April 22nd

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

About the Author

It was never in Sarah Vosburgh’s plan to be an author or to write a memoir. As a busy mom, wife, and psychologist, she always saw her life as full (sometimes overfull). But in the dark of night, memories knocked on her brain, compelling her to commit them first to paper, then to bits and bytes.

Sarah is a member of the International Memoir Writers Association and San Diego Writers, Ink. Her work has been published in A Year in Ink and numerous volumes of Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir. A native New Englander, she now lives in San Diego with her husband, her daughter, her granddog, and a most extraordinary feline. 

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Today, we are joining the book cover reveal for thriller In Her Own Backyard! Take a minute and check out the cover and learn about the book and author Ashley Hanna-Morgan. 

Thriller

Date Published: March 26, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

New to the neighborhood and reeling from the traumatic birth of her second child, Marlowe Moore is barely holding it together. Battling postpartum depression and anxiety, she’s desperate for stability. 

But when she learns that a woman who once lived in her family’s new home vanished without a trace, Marlowe becomes obsessed. As strange things happen and neighborly smiles feel like veiled threats, Marlowe can’t shake the feeling that someone is hiding something. 

She spirals further into paranoia, fixated on the abandoned case and determined to seek justice. But how can a woman who feels lost find a missing person? 

Juggling the demands of her beloved family and her harrowing mental illness, Marlowe doesn’t realize she is caught in a cat-and-mouse game that could cost her everything … including her life. 

About the Author

 Ashley Hanna-Morgan is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C). In addition to her work as a psychotherapist, she writes about mental health to advocate for change and inspire hope. In 2016, she wrote The Afterglow, a mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy curriculum that supports parents with postpartum depression and anxiety. In 2017, she published I Gave Birth to My Heart, a collection of poems about the secret anguishes and innumerable joys of reinventing oneself after postpartum depression.

When she isn’t counseling clients or volunteering with Postpartum Support International, Ashley loves to experiment in the kitchen and spend as much time outside as possible in San Diego, where she resides with her family. In Her Own Backyard is her first novel.

Thriller/Paranormal

Date Published: Expected 3rd December 2025

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 About the Book

Tahra Mamoun uses her power of remote viewing to escape the monotony of London, only to find herself trapped in the frozen tensions of East Berlin. There, she witnesses a spy drama unfolding around teenage Heinrich and his illegal shortwave radio: a device receiving messages from a clandestine numbers station.

Is it connected to his missing father? And will the Stasi kidnap the boy as an asset designed to serve the secret police? 

Thrust into the heart of a Cold War conspiracy, Tahra must rely on her friend Edward to warn his mother. But how can one girl's mind save his family?

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Date Published: 11th December 2025

The Price of Salvation

The OOBE Project reached its shocking finale, leaving Tahra’s friends trapped in worlds they were never meant to enter. 

Haunted by the mission’s catastrophic end, Tahra must put aside her own trauma and use her expanding abilities to stage a dangerous rescue. But as Paul faces the political consequences of failure, the manipulative Max seeks to weaponize Tahra’s unique power for his own agenda. 

To bring her friends home, Tahra must walk the fine line between salvation and madness. Can she resist the dark temptation Max offers without compromising her soul, or will the very act of saving her friends destroy them all? 

Written in the style of a TV series, Seven Point Eight has a twist of sci-fi intrigue which appeals to readers who love Stranger Things, Fringe, the X Files, and other paranormal thrillers with deeper layers. 

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K.M. Gruchelska is a speculative fiction writer who travels extensively, having lived in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Her career has been varied and exciting, from a stint as a fitness instructor, to working abroad teaching English as a Foreign Language in schools and universities. She is currently based in Uzbekistan, where she coordinates a centre for academic writing. 

She is a child of the world, full of conjecture and imagination, and she regards herself as a global citizen. Her characters and situations reflect the diversity and wonder that she experiences during her travels, combined with a philosophical flavour and human drama. 

In everyday terms, she enjoys different cuisines and making bougie tea, and has a cat that she adopted from Saudi Arabia. She considers the cat to be her soul animal because she hates water but loves tuna. Her secret dream is to own a pancake bar and an English school.

This morning, I am joining the cover reveal for nonfiction essay collection Women Therapists on Healing. Check out the cover, learn about the book and author/editor Susan Pease Banitt! 

11 Personal Essays about Overcoming Trauma

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 About the Book

Women Therapists on Healing is a powerful anthology of personal essays from women therapists who know trauma from the inside out. This three-part collection braids lived experience with clinical wisdom, offering a compassionate lens on healing that crosses cultural, generational, and systemic boundaries.

●    women recovering from trauma

●    healers and advocates seeking growth and guidance

●    health professionals committed to trauma-informed and anti-racist practices

●    friends and family who love and support survivors

If you love lighthearted fiction with clever twists, warm characters, and a dash of divine chaos, this one deserves a spot on your “to-read” list. A CIBA Humor finalist and Southwest Writers award contender, TK Sheffield’s newest novel promises laughter, charm, and a fresh take on love that’s both timeless and entirely human.

Stay tuned below for the cover reveal—and prepare to fall for Cupid like never before.

Cupid trades arrows for scones in a magical screwball comedy

Tropes: Valentine’s Day romance, Small Town Romance Slow Burn Romance, Found Family, Forbidden Romance, Meddling Family

Publisher: Making Hay Press

Date Published: 12-09-2025

No sex, politics, foul language. Manuscript winner/finalist in CIBA (humor) and Southwest Writers.

Meet the Author

 TK Sheffield, MA, writes stories to laugh and escape, including new a romcom "The Valentine Lines," and "Nellie’s Island," a children’s horse story set in Mackinac Island. Sheffield also writes funny cozy mysteries, "The Devil Wears Prada" meets a Wisconsin supper club, which have earned an IBPA Humor medal, a Claymore, and an IPPY. She’s on the Wisconsin Writers Association’s board, host of the Wispresso Café, an author talk show, and a member of Blackbird Writers, Sisters in Crime, and SCBWI.

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This morning, I am joining the cover reveal for contemporary romance novel Kennedy Sloane Gets Scooped by Caila Klaiss! Check out the cover, learn about the book and connect with the author!  

Date Published: November 6th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

On a rainy Manhattan afternoon, career-obsessed writer and news producer Kennedy loses the interview that was guaranteed to catapult her to senior producer status. Hours later, revered and feared book editor Muffin Evans, aka the Manuscript Eater, shelves the publication of her promising debut novel. 

Over a night of tears and too many glasses of wine, Kennedy responds to an internet ad for a villa on the picturesque island of Hilton Head. She books a five-week “hiatus from life,” to focus on herself, free from distractions. 

However, soon after arriving on the island, J.P. Long catches Kennedy’s hesitant eye. Despite a series of serendipitous encounters around the romantic oasis, Kennedy knows there’s no room in her life for a charming professional golfer turned businessman who is battling his own personal and professional insecurities. 

But maybe he’s worth the trouble.

If there’s one thing Kennedy’s learned, it’s that life rarely happens as expected, and sometimes, the best stories unfold when you stop chasing the perfect headline.

About the Author

 A graduate of Fordham University, Caila Klaiss is an award-winning network news producer who spent seventeen years crisscrossing the country to cover breaking and developing stories for platforms across ABC News. The bulk of her career was spent producing true crime documentaries for 20/20. 

Since making the difficult decision to leave a career she loved, Caila has pursued her other life-long dream of becoming a writer. When she is not reading, writing, or researching, Caila recharges by practicing yoga.

Born, raised, and currently living in northeastern Pennsylvania, Caila is a New Yorker at heart whose happy place is a warm sandy beach, under a palm tree.

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Are you searching for your next thrilling read from the world of urban fantasy authors? I’m excited to put the cover reveal for Daemones Ex Machina by Russell Anders, a striking new release that promises to captivate and surprise you.  If you crave inventive cyberpunk fiction or simply love discovering hidden gems, this book absolutely deserves a spot on your bookshelf. Read more about Daemones Ex Machina, check out the cover and learn about the author!

Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy Fiction

Release Date: July 23rd, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

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If you make a deal with the Devil, don’t forget to read the fine print. 

Three operatives find themselves on the run after a corporate sabotage job goes awry. Now, their predatory employer, a heavyweight weapons-tech firm, wants its elite A-team dead at all costs.  Jon is a smooth-talking charmer. Friedrich is a hacker prodigy. And Guion is the ice-cold tactician who keeps them all in line.

Backs against the wall, the men strike separate infernal pacts to stay alive. They vanish into the urban badlands of New York’s Five Hives, vowing to lie low and figure out why they’ve become targets. Meanwhile, Jon suspects there’s an insidious evil possessing his friends, and he wonders if they all got more than they bargained for. 

Amid an escalating war between local gangs and the firm’s private shock troops, the fugitives uncover a conspiracy that threatens to destroy everyone they know and love. But can they stop the destruction before their inner demons seize control?

About the Author

At the age of four, Russell Anders started telling stories, often interrupting his mother during bedtime reading to ask, “Then what happened?” She always answered, “You tell me,” and his imagination conjured fantastical tales of dragons and dinosaurs.

He gravitated toward a career as a technical writer and writing coach for software companies. He also briefly served as a columnist for Dragon Magazine. One of his favorite hobbies includes tabletop role playing, especially as the game master. And yes, he's as cruel to the characters in his games as he is to the characters in his books; his players love him for it. 

Russel lives with the constant canine companionship of whip-smart but goofy Sigurd, an English Mastiff (the best breed ever).   

Daemones ex Machina is his debut novel.

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Bluesky

This morning, we are sharing a young adult fantasy novel in our cover reveal spotlight! Check out the cover for Fate of the Storm, learn about the book and the Demon Storm series and author Valerie Storm. Be sure to pre-order the book, or catch up on the series, at the end of this post!

Demon Storm, Book Eight

Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: 05-13-2025

Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing

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hadows have retreated with Raven's downfall, but darkness still curls at the edges of the world. For a moment, though, Kari and Ari have a moment of peace. There is a glimmer of light that threatens to wash away the darkness as they finally bind their fates together in a formal ceremony.

But Raven hasn't given up, and there's an older, crueler foe who hasn't forgotten Kari - the Lord of Demons, the very one who crafted the Catalyst which Raven sought to control, still trapped in an ancient Tree.

Kari's moment of joy comes to a halt as the world shakes and Taris is ripped apart.

Velthas has risen.

About the Author

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.

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