I
write in a variety of genres, but my favorite is romantic suspense. SHADOWS AND
LIES fits into that category and others, as well. It’s part time travel, part
ghost story, and is a hauntingly romantic Gothic set in Louisiana along the
banks of the Mississippi River on an 1830s sugar plantation.
When Olivia Lockwood leaves the comfort of her
quaint Massachusetts home for an eerie mansion in Louisiana to fulfill her
grandfather’s dying wish, she has no idea of the long-buried secrets that await
her there. Or whether Jaxon Carter, her grandfather’s right-hand man, might
steal her heart or put her life in jeopardy.
Excerpt:
When we approached Turnberry Plantation,
the first thing I noticed were the giant oak trees dripping with Spanish moss
that lined the long driveway. We drove through the open wrought iron entrance gates,
and a minute later, I spotted the massive white mansion built in the Greek
Revival style. Its pillars rose to the roofline, and a two-story colonnade
surrounded the house. It looked very much like I remembered, only a little more
run-down, with its cracked and peeling paint.
Before I’d even gotten out of the taxi,
the front door opened and a middle-aged man dressed in a navy suit came out and
walked toward the car. He opened my door, and then offered his hand to help me
out.
I accepted his assistance, stepping onto
the driveway with as much grace as I could manage after a long day of
traveling.
“Good afternoon, Miss Olivia. I’m Gerard,
your grandfather’s butler. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.” When
I started to rummage through my purse for money to pay the taxi driver, Gerard
reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. I opened my mouth to
protest, but he held up his hand, silencing me.
“Don’t be silly. Your grandfather invited
you here. He doesn’t expect you to pay for anything.”
I raised my brows in surprise. Grandfather
had paid for my plane fare, but I certainly never expected that he would pay
for more than that. A moment later, my bags were taken out of the trunk, after
which the taxi quickly drove away.
As I stood looking at the house, clouds
covered the sun, darkening the bright, beautiful day and casting shadows over Turnberry,
giving it a much more sinister appearance. My gaze traveled up to the second
floor, and I could have sworn I saw someone staring out from one of the large
paned windows, but upon second glance, no one was there. Could it have been my
imagination, or had someone been watching me arrive?
My fingers curled around the spinel
pendant that hung from my neck, and I stroked the cool, smooth stone, hoping it
would help to ease my anxiety.
“That’s a lovely necklace, Miss Olivia,”
Gerard said, his gaze fixed on the pendant.
“Thank you. My mother gave it to me.”
“Many people confuse
spinel with rubies, but I don’t quite know how that’s possible. No other stone
gives off that fire. Did you know it has mystic qualities?”
I
nodded, thinking back to how my mother had said it would protect me…
SHADOWS AND LIES is available now
at Amazon.
~*~
USA Today bestselling
author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with
paranormal and romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a
Golden Heart finalist. To receive information on all her new releases, you can
sign up for her newsletter, visit her website, like her on Facebook, and follow
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Sounds like a great read, Raine. Congrats on the latest release. I love the cover.
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