Happy Valentine’s Day!  Guess what we have for our readers?

 


Ladies and gentlemen, we are thrilled to announce the first ever Murder She Writes anthology, Guns and Roses…a collection of ten never-before published short stories and novellas, each penned by one of the Murder She Writes authors.

Guns and Roses will be available in digital format at all e-retailers next week, a rocking 150,000 word collection for just $4.99!

Fire up your Kindles and Nooks, ereaders and iPads, because you are going to love this one. This project has been months in the making, inspired by our shared love of suspense and romance, our desire to work together on something completely unique, and our excitement about the magical synergy we’ve discovered as co-bloggers and great friends.

Guns and Roses wasn’t always easy; we all have deadlines, contracts, and, of course, our blog posts to write.  It wasn’t always smooth; there have been no less the four quadrillion emails exchanged.  And, heaven knows, it wasn’t always painless…can you imagine ten, count ‘em ten, opinions on one cover?  But creating this collection was always fun! We’ve had a blast putting together what we hope is the first of many anthologies that showcase our characters and series and give our loyal community a chance to discover all of our voices in one place.  We don’t think any other group blog has ever done a project like this, so we’re extra proud to be first out of the gate with this type of collection.

Guns and Roses promises thrills, chills, romance, intrigue, passion, danger, murder, and a whole lotta love.  Some of the stories connect to our most popular series (Rough Riders! Housewife Assassin! Bullet Catchers!), and others will introduce you to an entirely new and unforgettable cast of characters.  Ranging in length from 10,000 to 25,000 words each, the stories run the gamut from deeply dark and intense to, well, there’s a Bobbie Faye novella!  Laugh-line alert.  We’ve also included a Lorelei James short story, so you know it’s gonna get hawt in here, and Allison Brennan makes sure you sleep with the lights on.  And rumor has it Bullet Catcher boss Lucy Sharpe makes an appearance…with her baby.

These short stories and novellas are not samplers or excerpts; each is a complete tale of suspense and romance.  Nor are they reissues: every one has been written exclusively for this collection.  Our only criteria — other than a fabulous romantic suspense — is that each story mention a gun (natch!) and a rose (love!).  Here’s what you can look forward to reading in Guns and Roses:

Dead Flowers by Lori Armstrong

Cynical, bad girl PI Julie Collins isn’t the hearts and flowers type, especially not after she’s spent the last few weeks spying on cheating spouses. So when Julie suspects her man, Martinez, may be stepping out on her, she sees red and decides to take matters into her own hands. Let’s just hope Cupid’s Bow gets to Martinez  before Julie does.

Above Reproach by Allison Brennan

Sex crimes detective Selena Black knows high-powered government attorney Greg Keller is the River City Rapist; proving it is another matter. Keller enjoys the cat and mouse game with the blonde detective, and makes sure she knows she’s exactly his type. As every possible avenue of investigation is shut down by the courts or her boss, Selena realizes that if someone doesn’t do something to stop Keller, more women will suffer–and she may be next.

The Housewife Assassin’s Bloody Valentine by Josie Brown

What is CIA contract assassin Donna Stone’s idea of a Valentine’s Day getaway? Certainly not orchestrating a jailbreak out of a Mexican prison for a notorious drug lord. But because he has intel as to the whereabouts of an international terrorist organization planning a Valentine’s massacre, there will be no intimate dinner for two or couples massage for Donna and her ops leader, Jack Craig. Just plenty of sun, surf, submarines, sharks… oh yeah, and sex.

Bobbie Faye’s Whacked Out, No Good, Really Sucky, Hot Mess of a Wedding by Toni McGee Causey

Bobbie Faye Sumrall, Cajun Contraband Days Queen, gun expert, and ultimate professional in being in the wrong place at the wrong time, absolutely positively does not want to go through with the ridiculous wedding that Trevor’s forcing her to agree to, but she soon finds out she has more important things to worry about–like surviving the plot to make her disappear when she’s set up as a fall guy for the theft of a priceless religious icon. And that’s the good news.

Blood and Roses by Sylvia Day

When insurance investigator Anastasia Miller sets out to retrieve the rose-hued pink diamonds stolen in a recent heist, she finds herself working alongside former flame, deputy U.S. Marshal Jake Monroe — the man she loved enough to leave behind.

Nightfall by Laura Griffin

Stranded on an icy road as darkness falls, Holly Henriksen knows she is in trouble. A charming stranger stops to help and Holly decides to trust him, but soon finds out he is harboring a deadly secret.

King of Hearts (A Rough Rider Short Story) by Lorelei James

Deputy Cam McKay is devastated after dealing with a Valentine’s Day murder/suicide in his small county. Will allowing his family to see the dark past that haunts him, help heal him?

A Punishing Night by Sophie Littlefield

Detective Joe Bashir returns to his alma mater to investigate the stabbing death of a male college student. Rumors of date rape and fraternity hazing complicate a sensitive case as Joe tries to balance the demands of the investigation with caring for his elderly father. Help – and possibly romance – come from an unexpected source.

Pick Your Poison (A Bullet Catchers Novella) by Roxanne St. Claire

Benjamin Youngblood’s only chance to prove he’s worthy of being a Bullet Catcher is to find and stop an assassin.  On probation from the elite security force, Ben has to rely on instinct and brains…and one feisty flower farmer.  When Callie Parrish discovers her entire crop of rare black roses has been stolen, she’d partner with the devil himself to recoup her loss.  It doesn’t take her long to realize she’s done just that…and the road to hell is paved with poisonous petals and deadly kisses.

Rebel Rose  by Karin Tabke

For Detective Cash Cantrell, hunting down a University serial killer is as routine as strapping on his gun each morning.  Until he comes face to face with meddlesome coed, Rebel Yell Culpepper. He doesn’t know if he should arrest her or kiss her, but one thing Cash knows for sure, Rebel is key to finding the murderer, and the killer knows it too…

 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY FROM US TO YOU!  Stay tuned over the next week or so for excerpts and highlights.   Guns and Roses will be live and available for purchase next week!  In the meantime, leave a comment and FIVE LUCKY WINNERS will receive a copy of our new e-book on release day!