Psychological Suspense SALE + Cozy Mystery Out NOW (yay)

Apologies, folks. Last newsletter I forgot to mention that I've discounted my psychological suspense, After the Ferry: A Gripping Psychological Novel. 

The paperback is on sale for $14.95 and the eBook is down to just 99c.

Grab your discount copy at a link, below, or continue reading for some reviews. It's a slow-burner, this book, but the best thing I've ever written and I do hope you enjoy the read.

@AMAZON       kobo  

Apple iBooks   B+N nook   

REVIEWS @ AMAZON

"Larmer's plot is a clever one...The characters the reader gets to know during the course of this psychological thriller are finely honed and credible, and Amelia's contrasting lives and personalities are brilliantly rendered and made plausible." -- Jack Magnus, Readers Favorite

"Well written, intriguing, captivating mystery/thriller about what-if that was creative, original, and interesting. All tied together quite cleverly in the end." -- Riley, Booksprout

"A great read. Had me drawn in from the beginning. I found it suspenseful and very well written. I highly recommend reading this book." -- Heather177, Booksprout

"An intriguing mystery that explores life, or death, as the case may be. It is a unique story and I do recommend it." -- HeatherW, Booksprout  

And Then There Were 9: Agatha Christie Book Club

It's alive! My fourth Agatha Christie Book Club—And Then There Were 9—is now available as an eBook and paperback at all good online bookstores. 

Grab your copy, make yourself a coffee, and settle in for the next nail-biting chapter. 

Inspired by the recent bushfires Australia just endured, this time the group are stuck at an isolated lodge with a fire roaring up the ridge and a killer on the loose… 

@AMAZON kobo 

Apple iBooks B+N nook 

REVIEWS @ AMAZON

"The plot is skillfully written with lots of red herrings making it a delightful read. It's a wonderful mystery book and one that is impossible to put down once you have started reading it no matter how many times you promise yourself you'll take a break at the end of the chapter. Superb." -- SharonR, Booksprout

"I always consider it a good sign when you read the fourth in a series and immediately upon finishing set out to buy the first one. … Like books by Christie the path through to the solution is as interesting as the solution itself. It is nice to read a book set in Australia." -- Sandra Ballasch, Booksprout

"And Then There Were 9 was engaging from the start. A fresh premise and well plotted mystery made reading this book in one sitting easy. There was plenty of misdirection to keep me questioning who the murderer was and I really wasn't sure until almost the end." -- Anne Glass Kasaba, Booksprout

Did You Win One of My E-books? Plus: 12 Cozies for just 99c

Hello and happy 2018 everyone. 

As a special thank you to my readers and subscribers for all your support over the past 12 months, I'm giving three of you a free ecopy of my latest Agatha Christie Book Club: Evil Under The Stars. 

The following subscribers have been chosen at random from my full subscriber list. In the interest of privacy I have used just a few words of your email address but will be in touch with you shortly to confirm your win.

AND THE WINNERS ARE… (drum roll please) 

*goodrum

*ktuck

*rfaubel

IF THAT'S YOU...

CONGRATULATIONS! I'll email you soon to arrange for delivery of my book. 

IF THAT'S NOT YOU…

Don't despair. Some good friends and fellow authors are doing an extraordinary discount ebook bundle deal that I'd like to share with you (below). 

Happy reading and here's to a bookish 2018 full of mystery, magic and adventure. Enjoy!

xo Christina

WINTER WHODUNNITS for 99c!

Curl up with a mug of cocoa, a warm fire, and a dozen murder mysteries!

12 cozy mystery novels from best-selling authors to get your blood racing on a cold winter's eve. There's nothing chilling about this chance to explore a dozen of cozies. Curl up for a cocoa, a cookie and a killing!

Get your copy here

* Stacey Alabaster * Anna Celeste Burke * Kathi Daley * Nell Goddin * Alison Golden * Dianne Harman * CeeCee James * Summer Prescott * BR Snow * Shannon VanBergen * Amy Vansant * JA Whiting

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Kobo | Nook | Google Play | iBooks

Mega Cozy Mystery Giveaway

Regular readers will know I've been busily tapping away at my latest novel and may even be happy to hear it is finished and goes to my editor this week (hurrah!). Look out for upcoming tidbits on the book, cover reveal and so forth.

Until then....

I'm rewarding your patience with another wonderful giveaway. This time I've teamed up with an extraordinary collection of best-selling cozy mystery authors to give you the chance to win one of 17 prizes, including free, signed paperback copies of books by the likes of Dianne Harman, Larissa Reinhart, Cee Cee James, Julie Moffett, Carolyn Haines, Ritter Ames, Kathi Daley and Tonya Kappes (to name just a few).

You also have a chance to score FREE e-books just for entering. To do that, click on the following link: Cozy Mystery Book Giveaway

Good luck, guys, and don't forget to pop back in to find out more about my latest mystery which is due out after Christmas.

Happy reading (and winning) everyone!

xo Christina

WTF (Why The Fuss?)

I swear to God, I'm still trying to get my head around some readers' adversity to cursing and profanity in my books, and for that reason, I'm embellishing on an older post I wrote some years ago explaining why there appear to be 'so many' swear words in my novels. 

I hope this goes part of the way to explaining why I drop the odd f-bomb and why I refuse to take it out, but if it still gets under your skin, feel free to get in touch and let me know (colourful language most welcome!)


xo Christina

Every now and then I get an irate reader outraged by the profanity in my books, demanding to know why I need to swear so much and refusing to read anymore of my work until I desist. 

And I don't blame them. 


There are a lot of swear words in my stories, I admit that. And while the vast majority of my book reviewers/fans seem to have no issue with it (one committed reader confessed she never even noticed until I pointed this out!), I do feel compelled to explain myself to those of you who are upset, distressed or shocked. 

It's not premeditated, I promise!


Like the aforementioned fan, I never even realised there was much profanity in my stories until an Australian expatriate now living in Canada got in touch to say she'd forgotten how much Aussies swear until she read my first novel Killer Twist, and it made her feel quite homesick! Obviously it makes some of you just feel sick, and for that I apologise. 


I never set out to intentionally upset, distress or shock anyone when I write. I am in fact just trying to compose stories that are both entertaining and realistic. Just as characters and plot lines develop and unfold as I write, foul language appears out of nowhere (well, usually from the mouths of 'baddies', although not always). It seems to be a natural, fluid process, one I can not control. Sometimes, when I read back through the copy and the bad language feels overdone or jarring, I remove it, just as I remove cliches and descriptions that don't work. But I have to confess, most of the time I barely notice it.


And the reason...


Aussies swear a (bloody) lot!

It's a truth universally acknowledged that your average Australian cusses like a trooper. It's just a fact. Listen in on any conversation on any Aussie street, in any Aussie pub or office block, and you'll hear a colourful variety of words. 'Bloody' is the common one, but they get a lot, lot worse than that. We recently had a court case here where a teenager got off for using the 'F-word' at a policeman. The judge was forced to concede that it's now so common, it can't be construed as offensive. It's everyday language whether we like it or not. And my stories are everyday Australian stories (albeit with a little murder and mayhem in the mix). I need my Aussie characters to not just be colourful, but to sound like, well, everyday Aussie characters. My editor Maria at Glossy magazine (Killer Twist, Last Writes, Dying Words) is the perfect example. She is modelled on two real-life editors I used to work with who swore a hell of a lot more than she does. A hell of a lot. I have, in fact, toned her down for the books.


Murder is okay but swearing is not? Huh?

I find it really strange that the same people who take umbrage at swear words seem to have no issue with people getting murdered in my books. Slicing someone's throat or leaving them in a dank basement to be devoured by rats is okay, but cussing is not? I'll never understand that one. Sorry, guys but these are murder mysteries, not fairytales or children's books. I think you have to expect a bit of grit when you pick one up. 


To censor or not to censor?


Hate to break it to you, but I won't take the profanity out any time soon. There really isn't that much, and to do so would be bordering on censorship. It feels contrived. It wouldn't be real. It wouldn't be honest. And it would be swapping credibility for sales. Once you start doing that, you might as well just give up and ask your readers to write it for you with all the reality taken out.

I have, however, considered publishing two versions of each book—one for the Americans who seem to be the main people who take offence, and one for everyone else. And I'm happy to do that if anyone feels strongly about it (please send me an email or leave a comment here). But I do think the real story needs to be available in one format with the real street language included for those who want, well, reality.

What do you think? Please let me know, I'd love to continue the conversation. In the meantime, happy (slightly wicked) reading everyone.

xo Christina