Welcome to the second week of the Mystery Exchange. This week I’m featuring Stacy Juba and her book Sink or Swim.
How
do you call for SOS when only the killer can hear you?
do you call for SOS when only the killer can hear you?
Personal
trainer Cassidy sails into the public eye while competing on a TV
game show set aboard a Tall Ship. After she returns home and catches
the attention of a stalker, her well-ordered life turns topsy-turvy.
As Cassidy’s competitors disappear one by one, she teams up with
Zach, the charming photographer tasked to record her personal moments
for the newspaper.
trainer Cassidy sails into the public eye while competing on a TV
game show set aboard a Tall Ship. After she returns home and catches
the attention of a stalker, her well-ordered life turns topsy-turvy.
As Cassidy’s competitors disappear one by one, she teams up with
Zach, the charming photographer tasked to record her personal moments
for the newspaper.
Is
Zach trustworthy? He shadows her as easily as the stalker. Despite
the chemistry simmering between them, Cassidy fears he has a secret
to hide.
Zach trustworthy? He shadows her as easily as the stalker. Despite
the chemistry simmering between them, Cassidy fears he has a secret
to hide.
She
hates the bizarre rules in this guessing game, but when her stalker
forces a showdown, Cassidy plays to win. . .this time for her life.
hates the bizarre rules in this guessing game, but when her stalker
forces a showdown, Cassidy plays to win. . .this time for her life.
If
you’re in the mood for a fun mystery that keeps you glued to the
pages, then pick up your copy of Sink or Swim today.
you’re in the mood for a fun mystery that keeps you glued to the
pages, then pick up your copy of Sink or Swim today.
Excerpt:
Cassidy
straightened as Detective Sean Pierce returned with a Styrofoam cup
of coffee and a Coke. He popped open the can and handed it to her.
Nondescript in his gray striped button-down shirt and khakis,
Detective Pierce scraped up a plastic chair beside her. From his
retracting brown hair and the crinkles under his dark eyes, he looked
as if he was in his early forties, but he had the trim build of a
thirty-year-old athlete.
straightened as Detective Sean Pierce returned with a Styrofoam cup
of coffee and a Coke. He popped open the can and handed it to her.
Nondescript in his gray striped button-down shirt and khakis,
Detective Pierce scraped up a plastic chair beside her. From his
retracting brown hair and the crinkles under his dark eyes, he looked
as if he was in his early forties, but he had the trim build of a
thirty-year-old athlete.
He
shot her a curious glance. “You were on that game show. I
recognize you from the newspaper. Must have been quite an
experience.”
shot her a curious glance. “You were on that game show. I
recognize you from the newspaper. Must have been quite an
experience.”
“That’s
an understatement,” Cassidy said.
an understatement,” Cassidy said.
Detective
Pierce emptied a packet of sugar into his coffee and stirred it. If
he was attempting to help her relax, he wasn’t succeeding. Her mind
wouldn’t shut off. “The dispatcher tells me you have an
unwanted admirer.”
Pierce emptied a packet of sugar into his coffee and stirred it. If
he was attempting to help her relax, he wasn’t succeeding. Her mind
wouldn’t shut off. “The dispatcher tells me you have an
unwanted admirer.”
“Yes.
I feel a little silly coming here when this person hasn’t even
approached me yet, but he gives me a bad vibe. He’s really
persistent, and if you read his letters, he’s not all there if you
know what I mean.” Cassidy passed over the pile of envelopes and
picked up Raggedy Ann from the floor beside her feet.
I feel a little silly coming here when this person hasn’t even
approached me yet, but he gives me a bad vibe. He’s really
persistent, and if you read his letters, he’s not all there if you
know what I mean.” Cassidy passed over the pile of envelopes and
picked up Raggedy Ann from the floor beside her feet.
“He
calls himself Miles,” she said. “He sent this doll to the
studio in New York, then a letter came to my apartment. I found a
half-dozen others in my fan mail from the network.”
calls himself Miles,” she said. “He sent this doll to the
studio in New York, then a letter came to my apartment. I found a
half-dozen others in my fan mail from the network.”
Detective
Pierce unfolded one of the letters and held it between his fingers.
He read a few lines and frowned.
Pierce unfolded one of the letters and held it between his fingers.
He read a few lines and frowned.
“What
do you think?” Cassidy asked, dropping the doll onto his desk
and leaning forward.
do you think?” Cassidy asked, dropping the doll onto his desk
and leaning forward.
“Why
Raggedy Ann? She doesn’t exactly symbolize romance.”
Raggedy Ann? She doesn’t exactly symbolize romance.”
“On
the show, I mentioned that I had one when I was a kid. My father gave
it to me.”
the show, I mentioned that I had one when I was a kid. My father gave
it to me.”
He
nodded and flipped the page. “This guy sounds like a real
winner. He sure rambles. You don’t know anyone named Miles?”
nodded and flipped the page. “This guy sounds like a real
winner. He sure rambles. You don’t know anyone named Miles?”
“No.”
“Did
he threaten you in any of these letters?”
he threaten you in any of these letters?”
“No,
I’d call them obsessive, not threatening. But that doesn’t always
matter, does it? Isn’t it true that stalkers can start out
flattering and turn violent?”
I’d call them obsessive, not threatening. But that doesn’t always
matter, does it? Isn’t it true that stalkers can start out
flattering and turn violent?”
“Yes,
but I’m glad to hear you haven’t gotten any threats yet. How
about ex-boyfriends? Could any of them be hung up on you and hiding
behind this Miles persona?”
but I’m glad to hear you haven’t gotten any threats yet. How
about ex-boyfriends? Could any of them be hung up on you and hiding
behind this Miles persona?”
Cassidy
pulled herself erect, balancing the soda can on her knee. She’d
been the one to end most of her short-term relationships, but none of
the guys had seemed overly distressed. They’d taken the hint and
stopped calling. Unfortunately, the one man who made her toes tingle
was engaged. “I don’t think so. It’s someone who saw me on TV.
It has to be.”
pulled herself erect, balancing the soda can on her knee. She’d
been the one to end most of her short-term relationships, but none of
the guys had seemed overly distressed. They’d taken the hint and
stopped calling. Unfortunately, the one man who made her toes tingle
was engaged. “I don’t think so. It’s someone who saw me on TV.
It has to be.”
“Give
me the names anyway. I’ll run a background check.”
me the names anyway. I’ll run a background check.”
She
scribbled a list of all her dates since high school, a deep flush
coloring her cheeks. Four names, only one in the past year. Working
her way through college hadn’t left much time for a social life and
she’d turned down several dates at the gym to avoid awkward
situations when the relationship soured. Cassidy had even less
girlfriends – most of her high school pals had moved away, either
getting married or accepting jobs out-of-state.
scribbled a list of all her dates since high school, a deep flush
coloring her cheeks. Four names, only one in the past year. Working
her way through college hadn’t left much time for a social life and
she’d turned down several dates at the gym to avoid awkward
situations when the relationship soured. Cassidy had even less
girlfriends – most of her high school pals had moved away, either
getting married or accepting jobs out-of-state.
She
reviewed the list before handing it to the detective. “This is a
dead end. These guys would contact me directly, not use an alias.”
reviewed the list before handing it to the detective. “This is a
dead end. These guys would contact me directly, not use an alias.”
Detective
Pierce trailed his finger down the short list of names. “You’re
sure about that?”
Pierce trailed his finger down the short list of names. “You’re
sure about that?”
“Yeah,
and besides, none of them were serious. I dated them all a handful of
times. They weren’t lunatics. I’m telling you, this guy is a
stranger.”
and besides, none of them were serious. I dated them all a handful of
times. They weren’t lunatics. I’m telling you, this guy is a
stranger.”
Retailers:
Audible:
Also available in
Kindle Unlimited as part of the Young
Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set
Kindle Unlimited as part of the Young
Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set
Author
Bio:
Bio:
Stacy
Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon
at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and
threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on
her Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has
written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette
for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has had a novel ranked as
#5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. When
she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides
that spin and exotic hamburgers) or writing about them, Stacy helps
authors to strengthen their manuscripts through her Crossroads
Editing Service. Visit her website to get your free Mystery Lovers
Sampler.
Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon
at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and
threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on
her Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has
written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette
for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has had a novel ranked as
#5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. When
she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides
that spin and exotic hamburgers) or writing about them, Stacy helps
authors to strengthen their manuscripts through her Crossroads
Editing Service. Visit her website to get your free Mystery Lovers
Sampler.
Website:
http://stacyjuba.com/blog/
http://stacyjuba.com/blog/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/stacyjuba
https://twitter.com/stacyjuba