M. Louisa Locke's Monthly Newsletter

October 2023

Dear Reader,

October has been all about the Paradisi Chronicles for me. I am making good progress on the fifth and final book in the Caelestis series, In Ddaera’s Embrace, and I have started to put up an updated version of the novella, The Stars are Red Tonight, I co-wrote with my daughter, Ashley Rey, over on my other newsletter, An Aging Author’s Daily Diversions. As I did when I put up my most recent historical mystery novella, I am also including background material, this time about the Paradisi Chronicles in general and this book, specifically, with some mini-biographies of the characters. Then, once I have finished this process, sometime mid-November, I will republish as an ebook.

If you want to check out the background material click HERE, and if you want to start reading the actual novella, chapter one is HERE.

As I do every year, I am also discounting Uneasy Spirits, the Victorian San Francisco Mystery set during the Halloween season. For the month of October, the ebook is only $2.99 on all retailers, and the audiobook edition is $1.99 on Chirp, Barnes and Noble, AppleBooks. In case you are interested, at the beginning of the month I included an excerpt of the prologue HERE.

The monthly mystery I am featuring from the Round Robin is the 15th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift historical mystery series; it is free if you have Kindle Unlimited. In addition, there is a link below to a BookFunnel promotion that features cozy mysteries that are on sale for the month of October. There is also the usual raffle for free Spotify codes for an audiobook, this month, Lethal Remedies.

October Audiobook Discounts:

Maids of Misfortune: 99 cents on Chirp, Barnes and Noble; $1.99 on AppleBooks
Uneasy Spirits: $1.99 on Chirp, Barnes and Noble, AppleBooks

Round Robin Mystery for the Month

MURDER BY INVITATION by Verity Bright

Lady Swift has been cordially invited to a huge royal celebration in Little Buckford to toast the King’s birthday… but wait, is that a body in the village hall?

Lady Eleanor Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are busy lending a hand with preparations for the big day. The grand dining room at Henley Hall is overflowing with home-sewn flags, paint and royal rosettes. Even Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins the ginger cat are invited!

But just days before the event Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the celebrations committee, is found dead in the village hall: strangled with handmade red, white and royal blue bunting.

With the village hall in total disarray and a key part of the decorations missing, Eleanor wonders if someone dastardly is sabotaging the King’s birthday celebrations?Teaming up with her handsome beau Detective Hugh Seldon to question the local butcher, baker, and pub landlord it becomes clear that the meddlesome busybody Mr Prestwick-Peterson was not universally liked in charming Little Buckford. Indeed, the only mystery is why he wasn’t murdered before…

Searching Mr Prestwick-Peterson’s pristinely organised rooms, Eleanor is surprised to find a faded photograph of a beautiful young woman hidden within the pages of a novel. Could this be the key to untangling this very village murder? And can Eleanor catch the killer before the party is over for her, too?

A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age murder mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

Get your copy of this book for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

October Cozy Mysteries Promotion:

Find your newest favorite cozy mysteries HERE.

Ebook Perma-free books:

Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery (Book 1) This first book in the series permanently free and you can get it on Kindle and all other Retailers.

Between Mountain and Sea: Caelestis Series (Book 1) This first book in the series permanently free and you can get it on Kindle and all other Retailiers.

AudioBook Spotify Raffle:

This month’s winners of the Spotify Raffle will get a free code to download a copy of the audiobook edition of Lethal Remedies. All you have to do is reply to this email and tell me you wish to participate in the Raffle by October 20, 2023.

For more information about either my mystery or science fiction series, check out my website. For daily information on my journey as an indie author trying to age gracefully, check out my newsletter, An Aging Author’s Daily Diversions.