Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Brim Reaper by Diane Vallere (CLOSED)

Title: The Brim Reaper   

Author: Diane Vallere    

Series: Style & Error Mystery, #3     

Published: December 2013, Polyester Press  

Format: Paperback or e-book; 263 pages   

Source: CLP Blog Tours

When an over the top
collection of vintage Hollywood costumes comes to Samantha Kidd’s
hometown, it brings a hat box full of hype. Close friend Eddie is in
charge of the exhibit, but when hype turns to homicide he turns to
Samantha for help. Brimming with good intentions, she loops in the cops,
but after one too many cloche calls, she’s soon in over her head. If
she can tear the lid off the investigation, it might mean a feather in
her fedora. And if she can’t? She might get capped.

Excerpt:

“I don’t care how much publicity it will bring. I’m not doing it!” one voice said.

“You might own your own store, but you forget who’s in charge here,” a second said. 

I took a tentative step onto the concrete. 

“I’m here because of my experience and connections. You want them, you let me do things the way I see fit.”

“That wasn’t the arrangement.”

“If you’d been up front about the arrangement from the beginning, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Had
there been clothing on the naked mannequins that stood like sentries
around the cavernous gallery, the sound might have been muffled.
Instead, the voices reverberated off the walls and magnified like a
conversation yelled across the Grand Canyon.

“You don’t need to know everything I have planned.”

“You’re right. I don’t need to know anything you have planned. I quit.”

The
man who stormed out of the office was red in the face, an unfortunate
color combination with the royal blue glasses he’d probably chosen as a
fashion statement. He was bald but had a sculpted white mustache and
beard, and he looked like a patriotic ad for blood pressure medicine, or
at least the “before” photo for someone who might need an intervention.
He wore a black suit with a T-shirt underneath, no socks, and shiny
black wingtips. The leather soles of his shoes made a snappy clicking
sound as he crossed the marble foyer. He pushed both palms on the inside
of the entrance doors, but it was Monday and the museum was closed to
the public. The doors flexed outward a few inches and then, bound by the
heavy chain and padlock, snapped back toward the man, knocking him in
the head.

“Are you okay?” I rushed to him, my sandals making their own staccato clicks and clacks across the floor.

He appeared not to notice me. He cursed and slammed his balled-up fist into the back of the door. It looked like it hurt. 

“Who are you? My replacement?” he asked over his shoulder while massaging his hand.

Since
I wasn’t sure what my role at the museum was other than showing up to
help a friend, I answered with an introduction. “I’m Samantha Kidd. I’m
here to help with an exhibit of vintage movie costumes. Is your head
okay? The doors whacked you pretty hard.” 

He
fanned his fingers out and looked at the back of his hand, and then
touched his forehead where the doors had whacked him. A red bump was
already forming. 

“That man is an idiot.”

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About the author: Diane Vallere is living proof that you can redesign your
life with a little know how and a lot of determination! After close to two
decades working for a top luxury retailer, she traded fashion accessories for
accessories to murder, now juggling three different mystery series: Style
& Error, featuring former fashion buyer Samantha Kidd; Mad for Mod,
featuring Doris Day-loving interior decorator Madison Night; and the upcoming
Material Witness series, featuring Polyester Monroe and the fabric shop she
inherited. Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has
maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.

Author Links: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter 

The Brim Reaper by Diane Vallere is on tour with CLP Blog Tours. Be sure to check out the other tour stops to read reviews, excerpts and guest posts by Diane Vallere.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – CLOSED (International) 

Thanks to the author, I have one copy of The Brim Reaper to offer to my readers. Winner will have choice of print or e-copy of book.

To enter…

• Leave a comment below & be sure to include your email address.
• Tweet, share on Facebook, or blog for 2 extra entries.
• You MUST include email address or entry will be invalid.
• I will contact winner at the conclusion of the giveaway & they will have 2 days to respond or I will pick a new winner.

This giveaway is open Internationally and ends March 18th. 

Good luck!