I’m excited to have one of my favorite authors and blogging friend here today to share her upcoming release, The Keeping Place. I’ve read/reviewed many of Mae’s backlist and can say she never disappoints!
Hi, Jacquie! Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. Iโm delighted to be here, sharing my upcoming release The Keeping Place, a dual timeline mystery which is now available for pre-order! Most readers know me as someone who loves weaving urban legends and threads of the supernatural into my stories. The Keeping Place took an entirely different turn.
Wellโฆ there is a small thread that does involve an old town legend and a ghost, but nothing that takes center stage as in my other books. This one is about relationships, and what happens to an estranged mother/daughter when the remains of the youngest daughter are discovered ten years after she disappeared. Itโs a bit more of a โquietโ mystery then I usually write.
BLURB:
In the town of Hornwood, the past is always present . . .
Nicole Seabrooke has been wracked with guilt since the night of her younger sisterโs disappearance ten years ago. Her mother, Glory, tasked her with watching over Janie. Instead, Nicole dragged her to a high school party, then failed to keep an eye on her. Police believed she drowned, but her body was never found.
A decade later, her remains are discovered.
Nicole returns to Hornwood when new evidence indicates Janieโs death may have been a homicide. With the help of Detective Vin McCain, her high school boyfriend, Nicole begins to piece together what took place the night her sister disappearedโa task that further complicates her relationship with Glory and places Nicole in the crosshairs of a killer. One who will do whatever it takes to keep the truth about Janieโs death from being revealed.
Even if it means killing again.
________________________
One of the most compelling elements of writing a mystery, is populating it with characters. The excerpt Iโm sharing today centers on Nicoleโs mother, Glory, and Hornwoodโs Chief of Police, Jude Beck. Their relationship plays out in the background of the story. Glory is a sixty-year-old faded starlet, still incredibly gorgeous, but also high maintenance. Jude is forty-nine, taciturn, and a man of little words. The Keeping Place is by no means a romance, but as in real life, we all experience entanglements of the heart.
RELEASE DATE IS MARCH 5TH
PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON
EXCERPT:
What Glory wouldnโt give to spin back the clock. Fix her mistakes, banish the residue of dirty secrets. Her past was littered with sins and the pain of people whoโd suffered unfairly because of her decisions.
You are a shallow, self-centered, miserable excuse of a woman, Glory Faye Larkin.
She didnโt know why Jude bothered with her. Why anyone did.
As if on cue, his dark gray Suburban rounded a bend in the road. Heโd been checking on her more frequently since Janie was found, even staying the night on a semi-regular basis.
She sipped her wine as he parked in the driveway; counted her blessings as he stepped from the vehicle. His devotion to a washed-up movie star bordered on senseless given there were plenty of attractive women his own age in Hornwood. She wanted to believe she loved him, but a bad track record with matters of the heart left her gun shy.
โโEvening,โ he called, approaching the porch.
Glory shifted on the swing, a lipstick-stained glass of Sauvignon Blanc clutched loosely in one hand. Sheโd started drinking with dinner but was far from drunk. Not even tipsy, which was a damn shame considering she was on bottle number two. All she had to show for the effort was a headache.
โThereโs beer in the refrigerator.โ She pointed toward the door, an invitation for him to join her.
He dropped a kiss on her lips before disappearing inside. When he returned, he carried a Michelob along with her half-finished bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The swing rocked when he sat beside her, a minor bobble that ebbed and settled like a ripple at low tide. Jude topped off her glass then set the wine aside.
Glory studied his profile. โYou usually tell me Iโve had enough.โ
โUsually.โ He hooked an arm over the back of the swing. โI heard Nicoleโs in town.โ
โFrom who?โ
โPhyllis. I stopped by the restaurant. She said she sent Nic out here.โ
โWord gets around fast.โ Glory sat straighter, determined to banish her melancholy. The defense mechanism surfaced with little effort, the actress doing whatever was necessary to mask vulnerability. She shouldnโt have to pretend with Jude, but old habits die hard. โNicoleโs staying with me.โ
โStaying?โ His brows arched higher.
โI know itโs hard to believe, but weโre tolerating each other for Janieโs sake.โ A plausible lie. She wanted Nicole there for her own reasons but couldnโt confide in him. As much as she struggled with his attraction, the thought of him seeing her differently was devastating. If he learned the truth about the unforgivable things sheโd done in the past, heโd never look at her the same again. She forced a half-smile. โIt was a difficult meeting, but we got through it. I asked her to stay for dinner. You can see how that went over.โ She waved at the empty air. โI imagine sheโs somewhere in town.โ
โVinโs on duty.โ
โDo you think she would have gone to see him?โ
โWho knows where her mind is?โ Jude set his beer aside. โIโm here because the autopsy on Janie came back.โ
Sheโd waited days for the results, her stomach balled up in knots. Now that she was seconds from learning the truth, fear robbed her of speech.
Thanks again for hosting me today, Jacquie. I appreciate the opportunity to share The Keeping Place with your readers. Iโve held onto this novel for two years, uncertain how I wanted to publish it. As an author, I naturally like every book Iโve written, but The Keeping Place is my personal favoriteโperhaps because itโs so different in tone from my other mysteries.
I still utilize dual timelines, but rather than having centuries between them, my timelines are separated by a mere ten years.
Itโs my sincere hope readers will enjoy the story.
Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:Amazon|BookBub|Newsletter Sign-Up
Website | Blog|Twitter/X|Goodreads|
It certainly sounds intriguing! Do hope your book is a huge success. The best of luck with it. Cheers!
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Hi, Joy. Many thanks. I appreciate that!
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She’s so talented!
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Five days, I’m excited!
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Woo-hoo! So glad to hear. Thanks, Priscilla!
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Champagne party! lol
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Glory is such a presence, but I have a soft spot for Jude. So many characters in this book grabbed me. Wishing you all the best, Mae.
Thanks for hosting, Jacquie.
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Thanks, Staci. I really liked writing the relationship between Glory and Jude. Definitely different from any I’ve done before! ๐
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Oooh, now I’m even more curious, lol
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๐ฅฐ
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I want to know what unforgiveable things Glory’s done in the past, and I already like Jude. Thanks for hosting, Jacquie!
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Glory definitely has a few secrets tucked away, Teri. I think she turned out to be such an interesting character. Thanks for following on the tour!
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I agree! Their relationship is intriguing ๐
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Thank you, Jacquie, for showcasing Mae’s latest masterpiece. I’m looking forward to reading The Keeping Place next week. ๐
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I’m so glad you’re excited about it, Gwen. Thank so much! ๐
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I foresee a winner, Gwen ๐
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Oh, what a tease!โA terrific excerpt.โMakes me want to know how Janie died.โ
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the excerpt, Judi. I hoped it would tease and intrigue! ๐
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That first paragraph really hit me. You can feel Glory’s regrets.
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This is a great write-up, Jacquie! I wish Mae much success with her upcoming release!
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Thanks so much, Kymber. I appreciate your enthusiasm!
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Mae is a powerhouse writer. I can’t wait to read this!
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A super excerpt, Mae. Thanks for hosting, Jacquie.
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Many thanks, John. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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๐
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This is going to be a good one!
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I think so too.
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Hi, Jacquie. Thank you so much for opening your blog to me today and allowing me to share The Keeping Place with your readers. I appreciate the opportunity and that kind introduction! ๐ค
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You know I’m a fan ๐ Best of luck, Mae. I have The Keeping Place on preorder!
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You have me blushing with your comments on this post. Thank you so much for that pre-order, Jacquie! โค๏ธ
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I’ve cleared my reading calendar for when this one releases ๐
Thanks for hosting, Jacquie xo
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Woo-hoo! That makes my day, Denise. Thank you so much! โค๏ธ
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That’s what I need- a reading calendar ๐
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Much better than a calendar filled with appointments and such!
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Another wonderful teaser for Mae’s book.โShe’s having a great tour. Thanks for hosting and I’m counting down the days to start reading.
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Aww, thanks, Diana. I’m glad you enjoyed the excerpt and are looking forward to the book. Thanks so much for all your support!
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Me too!
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What another wonderful post for Mae’s new book! I am so anxious for it to hit my Kindle! Great excerpt! Thank you for hosting, Jacquie. A huge congratulations goes out to Mae!
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I’m looking forward to this one, too!
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I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the posts, Jan. I’m excited you’re looking forward to the book. Thanks for all your support! ๐ค
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Mae is having a great tour for her new book. I enjoyed reading this except and look forward to reading her quiet mystery. Thank you for hosting, Jacquie!
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Hi, Miriam. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the tour and are looking forward to reading The Keeping Place. Thanks so much for your support!
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You’re welcome, Mae! Best wishes to you and your new publication!
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The romance draws me in, lol
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That’s your specialty!
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Every post on this tour, I’ve learned something new. What an excellent launch.
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I agree. Mae has sparked my interest in this one!
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What a heart stopping moment. Excellent, Mae. Thanks for hosting, Jacquie.
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The storyline is gripping, Flossie!
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Congrats to Mae – I’m sure this will do very well.
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It’s well worth a read, Toni.
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Hi Jacquie, a lovely post. My copy arrived yesterday.
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That will make Mae happy ๐
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๐
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Thanks for sharing, Jacquie. I just bought my copy. You are so right when you say that Mae never disappoints.
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I’m sure you’ll enjoy the story, Mark.
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