You read that right!
It's
Mary Jane Maffini Weekend!
Author Mary Jane Maffini is going to be with us all weekend!
Today, Saturday, Mary Jane is sharing a letter to someone special in her life.
Friday, in case you missed it, Mary Jane shared a recipe with us for
Cozy Food Friday.
Sunday, I will be sharing my review of Mary Jane's newest book,
DEATH PLANS A PERFECT TRIP
When her mother disappears, professional organizer Charlotte Adams will have to take off on a very disorganized trip across Europe to save her life . . .
It’s not unusual for Esme Adams to dash off overseas with no warning, but when weeks pass and Charlotte still hasn’t heard from her, she begins to worry that her mother’s in danger and has gone into hiding. Before she can even begin to guess where to start looking, though, Charlotte finds her own home ransacked and then set ablaze. Determined to escape a more serious attack while the police investigate, she sets off for Europe, hoping to track down her mother at one of her secluded getaway spots.
As Charlotte follows a winding trail of clues through Paris, Lisbon, Milan and beyond—narrowly missing her mother in each city, and just as narrowly eluding her pursuers—secrets begin to emerge about her mother’s shadowy past. A history of ties to criminal organizations, an infamous bank heist, and a gentleman thief who may have been her one true love all raise questions about her mother’s true identity and the peril she faces. As Charlotte processes the dizzying implications about her mother, her own childhood memories, and the father she never knew, she’ll have to work fast to catch up with her mother, before her mother’s past catches up with them all . . .
“[The author] carefully doles out clues from Charlotte’s mysterious childhood, which adds to the layers of intrigue surrounding the current-day disappearance of her famous author mother. The fast-moving plot kept me turning pages . . .” —Cinnamon and Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder
Travel Organizing Tips Included!
It’s not unusual for Esme Adams to dash off overseas with no warning, but when weeks pass and Charlotte still hasn’t heard from her, she begins to worry that her mother’s in danger and has gone into hiding. Before she can even begin to guess where to start looking, though, Charlotte finds her own home ransacked and then set ablaze. Determined to escape a more serious attack while the police investigate, she sets off for Europe, hoping to track down her mother at one of her secluded getaway spots.
As Charlotte follows a winding trail of clues through Paris, Lisbon, Milan and beyond—narrowly missing her mother in each city, and just as narrowly eluding her pursuers—secrets begin to emerge about her mother’s shadowy past. A history of ties to criminal organizations, an infamous bank heist, and a gentleman thief who may have been her one true love all raise questions about her mother’s true identity and the peril she faces. As Charlotte processes the dizzying implications about her mother, her own childhood memories, and the father she never knew, she’ll have to work fast to catch up with her mother, before her mother’s past catches up with them all . . .
“[The author] carefully doles out clues from Charlotte’s mysterious childhood, which adds to the layers of intrigue surrounding the current-day disappearance of her famous author mother. The fast-moving plot kept me turning pages . . .” —Cinnamon and Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder
Travel Organizing Tips Included!
Lapsed librarian and former mystery bookseller Mary Jane Maffini is the award-winning author of the Camilla MacPhee mysteries, the Fiona Silk capers and the Charlotte Adams series. Her Charlotte Adams professional organizer mysteries have recently been optioned for television. The fifth book, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder won the RT award for Best Amateur Sleuth. The latest, Death Plans a Perfect Trip, has just been released. As Victoria Abbott, MJ collaborated on the five book collector mysteries with her daughter, Victoria. Book Four, The Marsh Madness, won the 2015 Bony Blithe for mysteries that make us smile. MJ lives and plots in Manotick, Ontario with a pair of rescued dachshunds at her feet. Her husband sleeps with one eye open.
Uh oh, you all. While going through Mary Jane's email with the information she sent to use on the blog this weekend, I came across something I don't think was meant for us.
This letter.
I'm sharing it with you, but please don't Mary Jane you saw it. You know, just in case it wasn't meant for us. Keep scrolling. I've enlarged it below.
Hmmm, still a little hard to read.
Let me just do this . . .
Dear Charlotte:
This is a note from your author to express my gratitude for your most recent adventure. I realize I gave you tougher challenges than in previous books, although really I should have let you take a break and build your business and move forward in your relationship with Jack. I feel bad about trashing your perfect little apartment, but it was necessary to the plot. At least I didn’t lay a hand on the dogs aside from patting their furry heads. As well, I know it was hard for you when I dug up those painful and frightening childhood memories. I am sure you will get over the nightmares in time.
I realize your wardrobe took a beating and you had to drop everything to try to find your missing mother before it was too late. Apologies about not giving you time to plan before transporting you to Europe to try to find her before some dangerous thugs got to her. Yes, I am aware of the narrow dark streets, menacing alleys, mysterious speeding sedans, towering cliffs, crumbling pathways and all that. It wasn’t easy on you or Jack. I am glad he was willing to drop everything to go with you. It is a good thing he did.
It probably seemed like I was piling it on to have the police give you such a hard time and requiring you to disappear like that, but you’re a resourceful person and I thought you could handle it.
All in all, I am sorry.
Perhaps in time you will accept my calls again.
Affectionately,
Mary Jane
P.S. At least you got some nice meals out of it and that excellent recipe for chocolate espresso biscotti!
Remember, not a word to Mary Jane.
Shhhh . . .
Remember to come back tomorrow for my review of Mary Jane's newest book
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