THE BOOKS
The Crafty Sleuth Series are fun cozy mysteries the features a plus-size African American female sleuth who solves crimes with her 'medium-sized' gay bestie, PJ. Co-authored with Nelle Heran, the complete Crafty Sleuth series will include seven books. When hardcopies of the books are placed in order on a bookshelf, the spines will make a Pride Rainbow!
Die Cut
Crafty Sleuth Book 1
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That’s no paper cut…
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No matter what my bestie, PJ, says about handcrafts, scrapbooking is not a deadly occupation. Or at least it never used to be. Then one of my crafting friends is found dead by, er, die, and it looks like PJ might be right this time.
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When a second body turns up, the police detectives are certain PJ is the culprit. I know Peej is innocent. Sure, he’ll shoot down a computer virus with no qualms, but even with his addiction to true crime shows and B-grade horror movies, he’s more about snark and stress-baking than real-life death and destruction. I’m determined to clear his name, although the evidence stacking up against him means it’ll take more than my glue gun and washi tape to piece together the truth.
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Die Cut is the first in the Crafty Sleuth humorous cozy mysteries, featuring edge-of-forty, plus-sized African American mechanical engineer Tash Van Buren—aka the Craft Whisperer—and her best friend, PJ Purdy. Count on creative crafts, fabulous fashion, and brisk banter—embellished with a pinch of mild profanity and peril.
Mixed Media
Crafty Sleuth Book 2
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Mixed media and mixed messages…
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When I take time off from my day job to help my friend Margaret with a mosaic at her steampunk-themed tearoom, I never expect to get embroiled in another murder investigation.
Make that two murder investigations.​
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As my bestie PJ would say, “Are you kidding me?”​
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Worse, the investigations are hitting a little close to home: PJ’s beloved cousin Del has, um, less-than-cordial relationships with both victims and is emerging as the prime suspect.​
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Although I have no trouble envisioning how to marry photographs, ribbons, and paints into a harmonious whole, I can’t wrap my head around these conflicting facts and feelings. Could my instincts be so wrong? Could PJ’s bearded cinnamon roll of a cousin really be a cold-blooded killer? The evidence says yes, but my intuition says no.
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Why isn’t distinguishing truth from lies as easy as separating buttons from beads? If I mention my suspicions to PJ, it could destroy our friendship. But if Del is guilty, PJ could be the next victim.
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Uh uh. Nope. Over my dead body.
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Although, at the rate things are going? Maybe that’s a poor choice of words…
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Mixed Media is the second in the Crafty Sleuth humorous cozy mysteries, featuring edge-of-forty, plus-sized African American mechanical engineer Tash Van Buren—aka the Craft Whisperer—and her best friend, PJ Purdy. Count on creative crafts, fabulous fashion, and brisk banter—embellished with a pinch of mild profanity and peril.
Crafty Sleuth Book #3
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Coming in 2024!