Flower Power

Flower Power

by Barbara Barrett
Flower Power

Flower Power

by Barbara Barrett

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Overview

Kat Faulkner is finally about to relaunch her singing career at Lombardi's Supper Club. Even mystery man Roger Flower, the new owner of the restaurant, has brought an entourage to her packed opening night. But her triumphant return to the stage is scuttled when the much-hated Flower drops dead at his table.

Her grumpy would-be boyfriend, Sheriff Rick Formero, has lectured her and her mah jongg friends every time they've delved into a homicide investigation. But with most of Serendipity Springs' deputies under suspicion just for being in the same room as the victim, Rick finds himself in the unenviable position of asking Kat to help him expose a murderer.

While Kat's pals Sydney, Marianne and Micki conduct a sneaky parallel investigation, Rick is forced to rely on Kat's skills of observation as they sort through dozens of witnesses. With his hands in so many pots, Flower attracted a lot of enemies, but it's not easy to find a killer in the crowd. The tension threatens to wilt Kat and Rick's budding relationship before it has a chance to blossom. Will their forced alliance bring them closer—or closer to death?

The Mah Jongg Mystery Series is set in the fictional central Florida town of Serendipity Springs. It features four retired women who meet playing the game of Mah Jongg and from there develop a strong friendship. Two have been married several years and have grown children and grandchildren, one is divorced and one has never been married. In their earlier lives, all had rewarding careers, but that doesn't mean they're content to sit back and relax now. As the series progresses, each pursues new interests, Kat Faulkner as a songstress, Marianne Putnam writing one-act plays, Micki Demetrius as a freelance journalist and Sydney Bonner interior design.

In their community they engage in such activities as a social group for those over 50, numerous stops at the local coffeehouse, classes and other activities at the community center and even a shopping trip to Naples. Syd's husband, Trip, and Marianne's husband, Beau, are golf buddies who spend many a day on the course. When not there, Trip is busy seeking to build a new post retirement life, and Beau, a former botanist, is often prevailed upon to join in Trip's latest activity. Sheriff Rick Formero, a widower, intrigued by Kat, presses for her to make more of their relationship and Kat slowly comes around. Micki, burned by her former spouse, isn't ready for a serious relationship, at least that's what she claims, but retired attorney, Guy Whitney, also a widower, tries to convince her to think otherwise.

Kat has lived a frugal life until winning big in a lottery shortly after her mother's death; suddenly, Kat has money and doesn't know how to spend it. But her pal, Micki, does, even if it's to guide Kat through a makeover and wardrobe change for her lounge act.

The four don't seek out murders to investigate; somehow the circumstances and those affected drag them in. To their surprise, they like investigating homicides, and they're good at it, although along the way, following a few lucky escapes from near-death situations, they discover they must learn self-defense. But it takes time for them to sell their skills and special abilities as civilians to the sheriff.

Barbara Barrett is already published in contemporary romance. Like her protagonists, she is retired and is a resident of Florida, although she spends her summers in her home state of Iowa. She is married with grown children and eight grandchildren. She spent over three decades as a human resource management analyst with Iowa state government. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime – Iowa, and Florida Star Fiction Writers.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940162350378
Publisher: Barbara Barrett
Publication date: 09/10/2021
Series: The Mah Jongg Mysteries , #5
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Sales rank: 572,746
File size: 413 KB

About the Author

Barbara Barrett started reading mysteries when she was pregnant with her first child to keep her mind off things like her changing body and food cravings. When she’d devoured as many Agatha Christies as she could find, she branched out to English village cozies and Ellery Queen.

Later, to avoid a midlife crisis, she began writing fiction at night when she wasn’t at her day job in human resources for Iowa State Government. After releasing eleven full-length romance novels and two novellas, she returned to the cozy mystery genre, using one of her retirement pastimes, the game of mah jongg, as her inspiration. Not only has it been a great social outlet, it has also helped keep her mind active when not writing.

Flower Power, the fifth book in her “Mah Jongg Mystery” series, features four friends who play mah jongg together and share otherwise in each other’s lives. None of the four is based on an actual person. Each is an amalgamation of several mah jongg friends with a lot of Barbara’s imagination thrown in for good measure. The four will continue to appear in future books in the series.

Barbara is a member of Sisters in Crime and Sinc-Iowa.

She is married to the man she met her senior year of college. They have two grown children and eight grandchildren.

Now retired, she is a resident of Florida, although she spends her summers in Iowa, her home state. She earned her B.A. degree in History from the University of Iowa and her Master’s Degree in History from Drake University.

When not in front of her laptop creating her next story, she plays mah jongg, travels and enjoys lunches with friends.
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