DSP Publications author Benjamin Dahlbeck has a new mystery book out:
The Severn family—Jeff and his wife Phyllis, Lynette and her new fiancé, and single Andy—has gathered at the mountain home of their grandmother, Mary Agnes Severn, to celebrate Thanksgiving and hear an announcement regarding their late grandfather’s will. With news of an escaped convict in the hills, everyone is barely settled in before a huge snowstorm strands them in the large old house with only gas lamps and lanterns to keep the darkness away.
Local sheriff Roger Dickerson arrives to check on the family and seek shelter from the storm. Sparks fly between him and Andy as long-held passions bubble just under the surface, but before they can address them, Mary Agnes’s three servants are murdered one by one. Who is the murderer? Is it the escaped convict? Is it someone in the house? Everyone has a motive, and everyone has the means. What’s going on between Andy and Marcus the handyman? What’s going on between Phyllis and Marcus? Is there something going on between Roger and Marcus? It’s (snow)bound to be a wild week of murder, mystery, and mayhem!
Excerpt
“GODDAMMIT, PETER! He was supposed to be sedated!” The doctor rushed about the room like a white-coated whirlwind, accomplishing nothing except more disarray.
“I thought he was,” answered the hapless Peter. “He took his pill last night, same as every other night. I watched him do it.”
“Well, you should’ve made certain he swallowed it!” the doctor snapped.
“How?” retorted Peter, his blood finally boiling. “By pilling him like a cat?”
“If that is what’s necessary… yes!” the doctor replied.
He stopped his aimless jumping about and looked directly at Peter. “Didn’t you know he’s been agitated the last few weeks?”
“Everybody in this place is agitated to some degree. How am I supposed to know the difference?”
“Didn’t anyone tell you?”
“No.” Peter shrugged. “You guys never tell the night shift anything.”
“He’s been raving about ‘shadow men’ coming to help him escape and complete his ‘mission.’”
“What mission?”
“He would never say precisely.” The doctor ran his fingers through his hair in an exasperated manner.
“What are you going to do now?” asked Peter.
“We have to warn his family immediately and then call the police.”
The doctor rushed out of the room and down the corridor, with Peter following at his heels.
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Author Bio
Benjamin Dahlbeck has worked most of his life as an actor and singer, but went back to school in his thirties and earned a BPhil in writing from Northwestern University. He then went on to earn a Masters at the University of Edinburgh where, between studies and visiting castles and Mary, Queen of Scots sites, he also performed at the Fringe Festival in a revival of the sixteenth-century Scottish play Philotus. A scholar of the Tudor and Victorian eras, Benjamin freely admits to being behind the times technologically (he prefers the better reception of landlines, but does have a flip phone). He loves old books, old movies, and cold weather. He speaks Swedish and can stumble through French. Mountain Murder Mystery is Benjamin’s first full-length novel. He is also the author of the Dreamspinner Press-published novella “Once Shattered, Twice Shy.” He hopes you enjoy reading his stories. If so, feel free to “Like” his Facebook page.