Day 6 ~ Revisiting Perilous Waters

Posted on: June 6, 2022June 5, 2022 by Sandra Orchard

The idea for Perilous Waters came to me while taking an Alaskan cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary, and I attended an art auction aboard. I’d already been researching the work of the FBI Art Crime Team, so when I saw the art auction, I knew I’d found my setting!

scene from art auction

I learned so many things about art crime while researching my FBI agent’s background, which eventually became the springboard for my Serena Jones Mysteries. 🙂

Back Cover Blurb:

For FBI agent Sam Steele, there’s no room for error or emotions on his latest undercover assignment. Getting close to gallery owner Jennifer Robbins while on an Alaskan cruise is the only way to catch her dealing stolen art. Out on the icy seas, Jen suddenly goes from suspect to victim when she’s targeted by a deadly enemy. And Sam’s mission goes from investigating an art crime to protecting the woman who’s begun to melt his heart. As danger looms closer, he’ll do anything to save her life—even if it costs him his own.

Let me know if this sounds like a book you’d like to read.

Special Deals & Giveaways

Sam Steele of Perilous Waters is the brother to the hero of Identity Withheld, currently on sale for $1.99.

Download Deadly Devotion for Free ~ Day 5

Posted on: June 5, 2022May 30, 2022 by Sandra Orchard

Murder by Marigolds was the working title for what later became my 5th published novel and first mystery trade book–Deadly Devotion.

The idea germinated from a dream about the greenhouse where my children worked. As I researched herbal remedies and gleaned valuable insights from my daughter, a student at the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture at the time, the story blossomed and flourished into a three-book series–Port Aster Secrets.

Admittedly, I received a lot of hate mail after this book released, because while each book tells a stand-alone mystery story, a romantic suspense thread arcs the series. So, the letters all said something along the lines of:

“How could you make me wait a year to find out what happens next?!” 😕

Fortunately, today, readers can read the next two books as soon as they want.

Herbal Remedies

The heroine is a herbal researcher and my own research for the series sparked a growing passion for herbs. It also proved my husband’s steadfast faith in me!

You see, for three years, a Book of Poisons sat on my kitchen counter as I squeezed research in during meal prep time. And my dear hubby never sweated it…much. 😆

Set in Niagara, Canada

I set the series in the fictional town of Port Aster modelled after Niagara, as it existed thirty to forty years ago. Sadly, since then rampant housing developments have overtaken much of the farmland and the borders between towns have blurred. People familiar with the area, however, will recognize my own version of what we once called the experimental farm in Vineland, and of Balls Falls, and the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture.