Set in the Swamps of the Rural South
MURDER IN THE FAMILY
(Book 8 in the Eve Appel Mysteries)
Someone is targeting the friends and family of Eve Appel Egret, owner of a rural Florida high-end consignment shop and part-time private investigator. The intimidation includes stealing the horse of one of Eve’s rancher friends, forcing her car off the road, attempting to kidnap her daughter and leaving messages on her phone threatening more dreadful acts to come. Eve almost succumbs to gas inhalation when someone enters the consignment shop and cuts the gas line while she is in the shop. And just when Eve could use the help of her mob boss friend, Nappi, with his far-reaching resources, she discovers he has gone into hiding, himself a target. By the time she finds him, he has lost all his financial assets and his influence, but not his determination to help Eve. It’s clear to Eve that someone from the past has returned to seek vengeance on her and those she loves. Her hunches lead her to believe she can bring the person responsible for the threats into the open by setting a clever and desperate trap. She knows the bad guy will come with reinforcements, but she never counted on who they would be.
An excerpt to tickle your interest:
Prologue to Murder in the Family
The heavy gold cufflinks grew warm in his palm as he rolled them around listening to the click of the metal as they touched. He held them up to examine them, the deep yellow hue glowing in the sunlight which streamed through the window and bounced off the water surrounding the mangroves outside. He couldn’t toss them into the garbage bag where he had thrown his expensive silk pants and shirt. His grandfather has given them to him, and they were all he had left of the man he loved and admired and who served as his role model. Now his grandfather was dead. He had been told the man died of old age, but he knew this was not true. Someone had intervened and killed him in his own home. Worse yet, there was nothing he could do to avenge the death. His hands had been tied.
He clenched his fists in rage, but then dropped them to his sides in a feeling of impotence, turning his attention to the Rolex watch on his wrist. He’d had the timepiece designed for himself and, although it cost more than most people made in a year, it had no sentimental value for him. He threw it in with the other items, all of them the paraphernalia of a life he no longer lived. He put the cuff links in his tee-shirt pocket and patted it to make certain they were safe. Now there was nothing in the houseboat to connect its owner to the man who had wielded power for so many years, commanding the respect of those who worked for him, creating fear in those who worked against him.
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NEARLY DEPARTED
(Book 7 in the Eve Appel Mysteries)
Tired of sitting surveillance on insurance fraud, apprentice PI Eve Apple Egret gets her first big case, one where the outcome is important and personal. Eve’s best friend Madeleine has few relatives, so her Uncle Shamus is special, but someone is determined to kill him and has tried several times. Eve is certain she can identify who is after him, but this time she may have taken on more than even our self-confident Eve can handle. Coping with a growing toddler and a teenager, devoting time to the consignment shop and finding someone who can go undercover in a sexual harassment case all vie for Eve’s attention. Eve knows she cannot fail Madeleine. This is more than her favorite uncle’s life. His death would mean devastating loss for Madeleine and call into question Eve’s commitment as a friend and her ability as a PI.
Review Highlights:
I love how Eve’s family pitches in – Family is key!
-Connie C.
A fast-paced light drama with a comfortable tone that sets the stage for this enjoyable tale. The premise was done quite nicely with multiple subplots that kept me enthralled with key characters having pivotal roles that enhanced the telling of this tale. Eve has spunk and determination and it shows in how she handles the various incidents that crossed her path. The narrative was visually descriptive with engaging dialogue and a quirky cast of characters that amused me. With so much going on, it was fun watching it all play out with a few red herrings sprinkled in that kept me immersed in all the details. When I thought I had a handle on the person responsible, the author changed direction which added to my reading pleasure. It was fun spending time with Eve and her friends.
-Drus Book Musing
Nearly” Brilliant! Lesley A. Diehl has penned a marvelous seventh book in her Eve Appel Mystery series, and this newbie never felt at a disadvantage; enough background and character connections were provided to keep me totally engaged. The drama included many facets with friends and family having busy lives, troubles, and conflicts, and there’s always several cases going on at the P.I. firm. Weeding out rotten employees. Investigating a “not” accident. Questionable business associates. Family angst. Tribal insights. Alligators. All make for a marvelous read! Lesley’s writing style is very engaging with an enjoyable first-person narrative from Eve’s perspective along with descriptive language, entertaining dialogue, and snarky retorts just for giggles. Family and relationships are a central theme with realistic issues, angsts, and deep emotions add to the realism. Characters are varied and eclectic, and the drama is a compelling page-turner. I am eager to go back into the series and read how everyone got here from there.
-Kathleen Costa for Kings River Life
In this latest Eve Appel mystery, Eve remains true to form – likable, spunky and determined. Her ongoing PI apprenticeship places two new cases on her plate – one related to sexual harassment and another to the possible attempted murder of one of her best friend’s visiting relatives. In her pursuit of the truth she is helped by a familiar cast of family and friends, including a loving grandmother, an amazingly likeable Mafia mob boss and a close friend who happens to be a police officer. And they all rally around to help her solve the case.
As in previous books in this series, family was very much at the center of this book – this time with focus on Madeleine’s extended family and their relationships – as were various aspects of Sammy’s Miccosukee heritage.
Diverse characters and interesting twists made this an enjoyable light read..
-Cassidy’s Bookshelves
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KILLER TIED
(Book 6 in the Eve Appel Mysteries)
Killer Tied follows Old Bones Never Die, Mud Bog Murder, A Sporting Murder, Dead in the Water, and A Secondhand Murder.
Short synopsis:
Eve Appel Egret is adjusting to married life with Sammy and their three adopted sons in Sabal Bay, Florida. While still running her consignment stores, she is going pro with her sleuthing by becoming an apprentice to a private detective.
Until her marriage, Eve’s only “family” was her grandmother Grandy, who raised her after her parents died in a boating accident. Now, in addition to her husband and sons, she has a father-in-law who clearly dislikes her. Sammy’s father, a full-blooded Miccosukee Indian long presumed dead, has emerged from the swamps where he’s been living like a hermit, and he isn’t happy about Eve’s marriage to his half-Miccosukee, half-white son.
As for Eve’s family, are her parents really dead? A woman named Eleanor claims to be Eve’s half-sister, born after her mother faked a boating accident to escape her abusive husband, Eve’s father. Then Eleanor’s father turns up dead in the swamps, stabbed by a Bowie knife belonging to Sammy’s father, Lionel. Strange as Lionel Egret is, Eve knows he had no motive to kill this stranger. In order to clear him, Eve must investigate Eleanor’s claims, and she might not like what digging around in her family’s past uncovers.
Review Highlights:
. . . this book definitely couldn’t be put down I read it one day. Eve has a way of dragging you in and not letting go until the perps are arrested and justice has been correctly served!
~Community Bookstop
The plot is full of twists and turns . . . If you’re a fan of Cozy Mysteries you’ll love Killer Tied and all the Eve Appel series books.
~My Reading Journeys
Diverse characters and interesting twists made this a very enjoyable read.
~Cassidy’s Bookshelves
If you are looking for interesting cozy reads with social issue seasoning, you can’t find tastier reads than Diehl’s heroines.
~Back Porchervations
Keep your dancing shoes on, because this will have you doing the twist along with the turns! Not only does the story-line jump from character to character, it also jumps locations from Florida, New York, and Connecticut.
~Ms. Cat’s Honest World
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OLD BONES NEVER DIE
(Book 5 in the Eve Appel Mysteries)
Old Bones Never Die follows Mud Bog Murder, A Secondhand Murder, Dead in the Water, and A Sporting Murder.
Short synopsis: Just before Walter Egret is killed in a hit-and-run, he phoned his half-brother Sammy to report that he’d unearthed their missing father’s pocket watch, along with a pile of human bones. The project is put on hold until it can be determined if the site is an Indian burial ground. Then the bones disappear.
Now Sammy and his brother’s three orphaned children want Eve Appel to go pro, applying her innate snoopiness to the trade of private investigator.
Eve already has her hands full with her two consignment stores. What is she going to do? Sammy and Walter are Miccosukee Indians, and Walter was employed as a backhoe operator on a construction site for a sportsmen’s resort. Was Walter’s death murder or an accident? If the bones belong to Sammy’s father, how did they get there? Delving into these mysteries, Eve is aided by her usual crew of friends and family. This adventure will not only up the stakes for Eve as an investigator, but it will also open her eyes to life possibilities she never imagined.
Review Highlights:
The reader is taken along through the questions and twists and turns of the mystery in an entertaining and comical ride.
~My Journey BackI can tell you that I have found a new hero in Eve Appel. She is one sassy, funny, and determined woman.
~Texas Book-aholicThis book was so wonderful, that I hope to chat with Eve one day. She seems like the kinda character a book lover would want to know. I know I do!
~Bibliophile ReviewsI really enjoyed this book. I found Eve to be likable, spunky and determined and she is surrounded by an amazingly diverse cast of family and friends…
~Cassidy’s BookshelvesJust as I loved Laura Murphy in Murder is Academic and Failure is Fatal, I’m a big new fan of Eve Appel in Lesley A. Diehl’s Old Bones Never Die.
~Back PorchervationsI like the mystery inside the mystery and Eve is one tough lady who is also funny and sassy.
~Bab’s Book BistroI think it was so cool how the author was able to create a mystery within a mystery…
~Rainy Day Reviews
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MUD BOG MURDER
(Book 4 in the Eve Appel Mysteries)
Mud Bog Murder follows A Secondhand Murder, Dead in the Water, and A Sporting Murder.
Short Synopsis: When Jenny McCleary leases her property to be ravaged by the annual mud bog races, the small rural town of Sabal Bay, Florida, is divided into warring camps: environmental activists versus monster truck fans. Jenny, who frequents the consignment store owned by Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, doesn’t seem to mind when Eve and Madeleine join the protesters the day of the races.
During the race, Eve catches Jenny’s airborne head after it is tossed into the air by the wheels of a truck. Now every protester is a suspect in Jenny’s murder. What’s left of her alligator-gnawed body is found near the airboat business of Eve’s Miccosukee Indian friends, Sammy Egret and his grandfather. When more evidence turns up nearby, Grandfather is arrested. Even without the disembodied head, Eve has her hands full. The town resents her role in the protests and is boycotting the consignment shop on wheels. She is torn between two
Even without the disembodied head, Eve has her hands full. The town resents her role in the protests and is boycotting the consignment shop on wheels. She is torn between two men—GQ-handsome, devoted PI Alex and tall, dark, and exotic Sammy. Jenny’s sweet and needy teenage daughter is dating a petty criminal. Will Eve and Madeleine ever be able to move into their new digs? Not unless the town forgives them. And not if whoever decapitated Jenny gets to Eve before she and her sleuthing buddies solve the mystery. Critics have raved about the Eve Appel Mystery series: 5 stars: “In this engaging and extremely entertaining novel, we are introduced to Eve Appel, a delightful and spunky protagonist…. A Sporting Murder is fun, funny, fast-paced and exciting.” —Reader’s Favorite Reviews I enjoyed this book, the characters are fun and a story line with
Critics have raved about the Eve Appel Mystery series:
5 stars: In this engaging and extremely entertaining novel, we are introduced to Eve Appel, a delightful and spunky protagonist…. A Sporting Murder is fun, funny, fast-paced and exciting.
— Reader’s Favorite ReviewsI enjoyed this book, the characters are fun and a story line with plot twist that will keep you hooked until the end. With the Mud Bog races underway Eve has to clear Grandfathers name as suspect and find out who killed Jenny and why before it is too late. It’s a race against the clock for this action-packed mystery. – Shelley’s Bookcase
I love Eve and her friends and family. Ms. Diehl writes such great stories with characters so full of life. Not hollow characters, Eve seems to have many levels to her. I loved following their journey in this story to see where it will head! This book offered so much great friends tons of mystery and Eve on lots of adventures. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Diehl takes up next!—Community Bookstop
It’s a free for all as accusations get slung, finger’s point to suspects, and some damning evidence is discovered, along with a convenient anonymous tip. The charming, fun mystery kept me sifting through the clues and snorting at some outrageous scenes. There’s also a bit of a love triangle. Kind of. Sort of. –fuonlyknew
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A SPORTING MURDER
(Book 3 in the Eve Appel mysteries)
Short synopsis: It’s smooth sailing for Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, owners of Second to None Consignment Shop in rural Florida’s Sabal Bay, land of swamps, cowboys, and lots and lots of ‘gators. Eve and her detective boyfriend Alex have joined Madeleine and her new beau David Wilson for a pleasure cruise on his boat. But cloudy, dangerous waters lie ahead. A near fatal encounter with Blake Reed, David’s supremely nasty neighbor, is soon followed by a shooting death on the dividing line between David and Blake’s land. Both men run sport-hunting reserves, but Blake imports “exotics” from Africa and promotes gator killing, while David stays within the law, pointing clients toward the abundant quail and turkey as well as the wild pigs that ravage the landscape. Nevertheless, when a mutual client is killed, it is David who is arrested and charged with murder.
Blake’s nastiness is only exceeded by that of his wife, Elvira, who forces Eve and Madeleine out of their shop, intending to replace it with a consignment shop of her own. It seems that bad luck looms over them all, even Eve’s brawny and hard-to-resist Miccosukee Indian friend Sammy, whose nephew has disappeared. As the case against David grows stronger and his friends’ misfortunes multiply, Eve and her strange and diverse group of friends, including her ex, a mobster, her grandma, and Sammy’s extended family, band together to take on the bad guys. But the waters are getting muddier and more troubled, and Eve and Madeleine may end up inundated in every sense of the word.
A Sporting Murder is the third book in the Eve Appel Mystery series, which began with A Secondhand Murder, followed by Dead in the Water.
Review Highlight:
Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers’ Favorite
A Sporting Murder by author Lesley A. Diehl is a fantastic foray into the genre of cozy mysteries, and I simply loved it! In this engaging and extremely entertaining novel, we are introduced to Eve Appel, a delightful and spunky protagonist. She and her good friend Madeline own the Second to None Consignment Shop in Sabal Bay, located deep in swampy, alligator-infested rural Florida. When Madeline’s new love interest, David Wilson, is implicated in the murder of a client of his game ranch, Madeline is sure that he has nothing to do with it. In fact, David’s neighbor and rival game ranch owner, Blake Reed, also had the victim as a client, and has the reputation of being a very nasty piece of work. When Blake’s wife also comes after Eve and Madeline’s shop, wanting to use it for her own store, Eve realizes she needs to know what really happened. As Eve dives head first into her role as amateur sleuth, she needs to utilize a unique group of compatriots to assist her, and finds she just might need all of her wits to find out what really happened, and to keep herself from becoming the next victim.
Author Lesley A. Diehl deftly shows her skill in writing books that any reader would love in this fine example of a cozy mystery. I was hooked from the very first page, and could not stop reading until I reached the end. A Sporting Murder is fun, funny, fast-paced and exciting, with several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. This was the first book I have read in the Eve Appel Mystery series, and I had no trouble at all following the storyline, but I am looking forward to going back and reading the other installments as I absolutely loved this book. Any reader who enjoys mysteries, suspense, action, or just a great read would love this book, and I highly recommend it.
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DEAD IN THE WATER
(Book 2 in the Eve Appel mysteries)
Short synopsis: Sabal Bay consignment shop owner Eve Appel is fit to be tied–family tied. Just as she is basking in the warmth of a renewed relationship with her long-lost Uncle Winston, disaster strikes. He and his less welcome companion, Darlene, have come for a visit, and their request to participate in one of rural Florida’s most popular tourist activities, an airboat ride through the swamps, ends with her uncle being shot in the head. The killing looks suspiciously like a mob hit.
Turns out Uncle Winston was “connected.” Was he simply a bag man, or something more? Who is Darlene, really, and how did Winston acquire three Russian stepchildren, one of whom has been kidnapped by yet another mob family–this one Russian? Winston claimed to prize family above all else, but what “family” was he talking about: his niece Eve, his relations by marriage, or his mobster employers?
When Eve’s best friend Madeleine is kidnapped, Eve doesn’t know where to turn. Her mob-boss buddy Nappi Napolitani? Her new Miccosukee Indian friend, the long, lean, and luscious Sammy Egret? Her ex-husband, Jerry, who is in Nappi’s employ? With two mob families on her tail and her boyfriend, PI Alex Montgomery, mostly away on assignment, Eve has to act fast. Before whoever wrecked her car and left her to the mercy of the alligators finishes the job they started.
Dead in the Water is the second book in the Eve Appel Mystery series, which began with A Secondhand Murder.
Reviews:
“Lesley Diehl has outdone herself with Dead in the Water. She still has her carefully drawn characters you enjoy knowing and the sense of humor that makes you laugh out loud. But in Dead in the Water, Diehl has developed her most involved plot. With murder, kidnapping, the mob and alligators, you won’t want to put the book down. This second Eve Appel Mystery is a must read.”
James R. Callan, author of Cleansed by Fire and A Ton of Gold“How can you not love a cheeky Yankee-chick-consignment-shop-entrepreneur who’s willing to fight alligators, the Russian mob, and treacherous blackmailers to avenge her uncle’s murder? Eve Appel is strong-willed and sassy and will stop at nothing to save her kidnapped friend and learn the truth, even it means putting herself in danger or ruining her Jimmy Choos. Eve does it all with class and a gaggle of smitten lovers and quirky friends.
Dead in the Water is a laugh-out-loud cozy with just the right balance of suspense, plot twists, romance, and airboat rides.”
Sharon Potts, author of South Beach Cinderella“A great series if you are a mystery lover. Starting with Eve and her Uncle and then the kidnappings, mob relations and Darlene OH its a great book!”
Reading Renee
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A SECONDHAND MURDER
(first book in the Eve Appel mysteries)
Short synopsis: Spunky Eve Appel moves from Connecticut to rural Florida intent on starting a new life as the owner of a consignment store. But Eve’s life, and her business with it, is turned upside down when a wealthy customer is found stabbed to death in a fitting room. As accusations fly and business slows, Eve takes matters into her own hands. A Secondhand Murder is Book 1 of the Eve Appel Mysteries Series.
Reviews:
“Eve’s struggle to bite her tongue is a never ending source of entertainment.“ Long and short reviews
“…a fun book to read…a mixture of drama, mischief, and suspense.” Jersey Girl Book Reviews
“Humor, adventure, mystery and romance…all blended together…kept me guessing until the end.” Socrates Book Reviews
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If you like the Eve Appel Mysteries, you might like these too. They feature another snoopy gal and are also set in rural Florida:
SCREAM MUDDY MURDER
(Book 3 in the Big Lake Murder Mysteries)
Murder in the mud. Romance in the swamps. And RECIPES!
EMILY RHODES DOES IT AGAIN! This time she nosedives into a mud puddle at a Seminole War battle reenactment and finds she’s sharing the muck with a dead body. As usual the hunky detective she loves to aggravate, Stanton Lewis, cautions her against getting involved in the case, and as usual, she ignores him. Emily’s sleuthing pays off, revealing disturbing information about the victim’s past. Is it the reason behind his murder? With the help of her family and friends, Emily sets out to uncover secrets kept too long and puts herself and the people she loves in the killer’s path. Too late she realizes Detective Lewis was right. Her snoopiness proves to be a deadly idea.
From Scream Muddy Murder, something a little extra for all my readers:
Vicki’s Key Lime Pie
1 9″ graham cracker crust or make your own
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 c. Key lime juice (this can usually be found at most supermarkets in bottles, see note below)
Combine milk, egg yolks and juice. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then refrigerate. Cool several hours. Top with whipped cream and decorate with key lime slices if you have them.
Author’s Note: Do not make this with regular lime juice (you know, from the green limes; Key Limes are tiny and yellow) unless you want a regular lime pie, not Key Lime pie.
Scream Muddy Murder follows Grilled, Chilled and Killed and Dumpster Dying.
Review highlights:
“Scream Muddy Murder was tons of laughs. And the mystery kept me clueless til right near the end.” -funonlyknew
“5 Stars!
If you are looking for a great mystery, with great characters, and just the right of romance thrown in, you can’t go wrong with this book, and the whole series!!!!” -devilishly delicious book reviews
“In the mood for a protagonist who just won’t quit? Who won’t let obstacles and naysayers dissuade her from her self-appointed rounds? Who has a strength of character and will power we might all emulate? SCREAM MUDDY MURDER is compelling and heartwrenching, with never a dull moment throughout.” -The Haunted Reading Room Reviews
“If you are looking for a great mystery, with great characters, and just the right of romance thrown in, you can’t go wrong with this book, and the whole series!!!!” -Christie72
“There are so many things to like about this cozy mystery. I haven’t read many cozies where the story is told from the perspective of the amateur sleuth and the actual detective. I love seeing the story from both viewpoints; it added depth not usually seen when we can only know part of the story. I like that this was a longer cozy, as I have been reading shorter ones lately. This allowed the author time to build up some suspense as Emily placed herself and others in her sphere in danger. It also allowed Emily and the detective to develop their flirtation more.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a little suspense, a bit of danger, and a dash of romance, you might enjoy this book.” -Jaimie BJ
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GRILLED, CHILLED AND KILLED
(Book 2 in the Big Lake Murder Mysteries)
Short synopsis: It seems as if Emily is destined to discover dead bodies. This time she finds one of the contestants at the local barbeque cook-off dead and covered in barbeque sauce in a beer cooler. She should be used to stumbling onto corpses by now and the question of who killed the guy should pique her curiosity, but Emily decides to let Detective Lewis handle this one, at least until she figures his theory of who did the deed is wrong, wrong, wrong. Killers, bootleggers, barbeque and feral pigs—it’s a lethal game of hide and seek in the Florida swamp.
Reviews:
“…good characters, good humor, good story.” Kathy G. Cole, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer
“Throw in a dead body and a romance that is more aggravation than anything else, and Emily is in for another wild mystery.” Delsheree D. Gladden, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer
“…a crooked cop, a barbeque cook-off and a feral pig…Trust me on this one.” Marja McGraw, author of the Sandi Webster and Bogey Man mysteries
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DUMPSTER DYING
(first book in the Big Lake murder mysteries)
Short synopsis: Ah, the golden years of retirement in the sunshine state. They’re more like pot metal to Emily Rhodes, who discovers the body of the county’s wealthiest rancher in the Big Lake Country Club dumpster. With her close friend accused of the murder, Emily sets aside her grief at her life partner’s death to find the real killer. She underestimates the obstacles rural Florida can set up for a winter visitor and runs afoul of a local judge with his own version of justice, hires a lawyer who works out of a retirement home, and flees wild fires hand-in-hand with the man she believes to be the killer.
Comments/Reviews:
“It’s a contest of “wills”… Things are never dull with a senior sleuth on the case. Deadly and delightful.” Sunny Frazier, author of the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries
“…a very good, well plotted traditional mystery, great beginning, well flowing middle, and a satisfying ending.” Paul J. for Readers’ Favorite Review
“…lots of twists and turns, it’s a good read and worth picking up.” Mystericale.com
“….funny, suspenseful, and colorful tale set in rural Florida.” Laurel-Rain Snow, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer
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