Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: The Case of the Christie Curse: (A Detection Club Mystery) by Kelly Oliver

 

The Case of the Christie Curse: (A Detection Club Mystery)
by Kelly Oliver

About The Case of the Christie Curse

The Case of the Christie Curse: (A Detection Club Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting –  Mesopotamia
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2026
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books
Digital
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1836175681
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F4W1D5Z6
Other formats will be available

Mesopotamia, 1930: When Agatha Christie invites fellow members of the Detection Club to witness the famous excavations at the ruins of Ur, Dorothy L. Sayers, her quick-witted assistant Eliza Baker, and Theo Sharp expect ancient wonders – not fresh corpses.

But when an archaeologist is found dead in the sand, whispers of a deadly curse sweep through the camp. Eliza suspects something far more dangerous than superstition. Amid glittering artifacts and fragile alliances, every guest harbors secrets: the Woolleys, whose marriage is shadowed by tragedy; a journalist hungry for scandal; even academic Max Mallowan, whose loyalties are not what they seem.

As theft, forgery, and coded messages surface, the line between archaeology and espionage blurs. And when Eliza and Theo find themselves in danger, they must face not only the truth about the murder – but also the truths they’ve long denied about each other. Can they uncover the killer before the desert claims another victim? Or will this dig unearth secrets too dangerous to survive?

About Kelly Oliver 

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of four mystery series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, The Fiona Figg Mysteries, and The Detection Club Mysteries.

Kelly is the Past President of Sisters in Crime National, current Education Coordinator for SinC Guppies, and a Distinguished Emerita Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to kellyoliverbooks.com. 

Author Links

BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-oliver

Amazon Author Page   https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Oliver/e/B001HN3HCM/

INSTAGRAM @kellyoliverbooks

Pinterest Kelly Oliver Books   https://www.pinterest.com.au/oliver743

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/kellyoliverauthor/

Pinterest Kelly Oliver Books   https://www.pinterest.com.au/oliver7431/

Purchase Links:  Amazon  Amazon CA  Amazon UK  Amazon AU   Amazon IN

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 18 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

February 18 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW 

February 19 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

February 19 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

February 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 25 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 25 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

February 26 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

February 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 28 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Celebrate Lit Presents: Texas Reclaimed Author: Sherry Shindelar

 

About the Book

Book: Texas Reclaimed

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 3, 2026

Can love blossom between a woman haunted by her family’s past and a man haunted by the trauma of war?

Cora Scott is determined to hold onto her family’s Texas ranch and provide a stable home for her young half brother, Charlie, despite the mounting challenges of post-Civil War frontier life. But when a scheming creditor threatens to seize their land, she must accept help from Ben McKenzie, a former Yankee soldier sent by her late brother. Though Ben’s generosity and strength draw her, the man’s private struggle she stumbles upon—too reminiscent of her father’s alcoholism—makes her question whether she can trust her heart to him.

Ben McKenzie arrives in Texas intent on fulfilling his promise to his dying friend to protect Cora and Charlie. While using his inheritance to save their ranch, he battles not only the loss of their cattle but also his dependency on laudanum—a medicine that turned into a curse after his imprisonment at Andersonville. As his feelings for Cora deepen, he must choose between his promise to his father to take over their Philadelphia newspaper and his growing dream of a life with Cora in Texas.

When a Comanche warrior begins courting Cora and Ben’s responsibilities in Philadelphia threaten to tear them apart, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome their fears and forge a future together on the Texas frontier.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. She is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. When she is not busy writing, she is an English professor working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 Genesis finalist, Maggie finalist, and Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of thirty-eight years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

 

 

 

More from Sherry

Texas Reclaimed is a story of victory, redemption, and the rebirth of trust. It is a story of courage and of freedom from the chains of the past and the chains of addiction. It is a story that honors the Civil War soldiers who survived their wounds, only to return home to fight another battle: dependency on the opioid-based medicines that had helped save their lives.

I first heard of laudanum when I watched the movie Amazing Grace about William Wilberforce’s eighteen-year battle to end the slave trade in Great Britain. Wilberforce played a pivotal role in ending the slave trade and eventually slavery itself in Britain by speaking, campaigning, and introducing bills into the British parliament. However, Wilberforce was also addicted to laudanum, a tincture of opium.

It wasn’t his intention to become dependent upon a drug. A doctor prescribed it to him when he was twenty-nine years old for ulcerative colitis and other health ailments. Laudanum was used to treat a number of health issues and ailments in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, and no one, including doctors, had much understanding about addiction and dependency. The word addiction didn’t even exist as we use it today. But the soul-deep struggle was very real for too many people, even a man of faith like Wilberforce.

Addiction is pernicious, and laudanum took its toll on Wilberforce. He suffered physically, mentally, and spiritually from its poisonous effects.

Years later, I learned that even some of the nineteenth-century authors that I admire, such as Louisa May Alcott and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, struggled with laudanum dependency, as well.

In the nineteenth century, doctors and the public viewed opium, in its various forms, as an essential medical tool. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were wounded in the American Civil War, and many more suffered from debilitating and potentially life-threatening illnesses. A Civil War medical manual, quoted in Dr. Jonathan Jones’s Opium Slavery, states that opiates were as “important to the surgeon as gunpowder to the ordinance [military weapons].”

My heart went out to Wilberforce, the tens of thousands of soldiers, and others enslaved to laudanum or other substances through no fault of their own. For many, once infected, it could be a lifelong battle, one that many did not win on their own.  But there were victories.

And I love to write about soul-deep struggles and victories.

My hero, Ben McKenzie, is a Federal Cavalry captain captured and imprisoned in the notorious Andersonville Prison Camp. He barely survives the harsh conditions of the camp. His best friend, Jeb Scott, does not. Ben makes a death bed promise to his friend that he will look after Jeb’s mother and sister who live in Texas.

Ben aims to keep that promise, but the medical treatment that he receives after his release from prison camp leaves him dependent upon laudanum. My story starts a year later. Ben determines to break the chains that are eating away at his self-respect. He throws away his bottle of medicine and heads to Texas to keep his promise.

I asked a friend of mine about his own deliverance from addiction. He had this to say, “It was a lifetime ago, my addiction was strong, but my pain was stronger. I’ve lost so much in my life, but then I found that God’s love was deep, and He was even bigger to forgive. Out of His mercy He set me free, and through His grace He healed me from my past.”-Rev. Mark Little Elk

That is my prayer for all of those who struggle. And I look forward to sharing Ben McKenzie’s story with you in Texas Reclaimed.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 14

Books Less Travelled, February 15

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 15

Betti Mace, February 16

lakesidelivingsite, February 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 18

Texas Book-aholic, February 19

Bizwings Blog, February 20

Holly’s Book Corner, February 20

For Him and My Family, February 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 23

Lyssa Loves Books, February 24

The Bookish Pilgrim, February 24

Connie’s History Classroom, February 25

Cover Lover Book Review, February 26

Pause for Tales, February 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sherry is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/mEe2g/texas-reclaimed-celebration-tour-giveaway

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Black Cat and the Immigrant Child (A Black Cat Mystery) by Elaine Faber

 

Black Cat and the Immigrant Child (A Black Cat Mystery)
by Elaine Faber

About Black Cat and the Immigrant Child

Black Cat and the Immigrant Child (A Black Cat Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Texas
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Michael L. Faber
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 6, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1940781345
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1940781341
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1940781365
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GF72LL1Z

A tale of corruption and deceit met with compassion and tenacity.

Kimberlee, Dorian, and their pets return to Grandmother Lassiter’s multimillion-dollar horse ranch on the Mexico/Texas border to settle her affairs following her demise.

On their first day in Texas, an illegal immigrant, likely carrying drugs, is found murdered on the Lassiter ranch. A six-year-old girl is at his side.

Black Cat and Angel overhear a ranch hand admit to the murder and declare to eliminate the child who witnessed his crime.

Determined to shelter the little girl, the family is thrust into affairs that include intrigue, humor, and mystery. Join the family as they ride with wild horses and search for a notorious Wild West bandit’s undiscovered stolen treasure.

Black Cat joins forces with Murphy, his Maine Coon rival and compatriot, and Cedric, the resident barn rat, in an attempt to prevent another murder and capture the miscreant.

Sprinkled generously with Black Cat and Angel’s humorous relationship and interactions, this is another story that will delight Black Cat’s fans, cat lovers, or readers who enjoy light mysteries and humor.

About Elaine Faber 

Elaine Faber lives in Elk Grove with her husband and cat. She is a member of Capitol Crimes, NCPA, and Elk Grove Writers Guild. She volunteers at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop.  Elaine has published 12 cozy mystery novels and an anthology of cat stories. Her books include a WWII historical fiction series, a series of cozy cat mysteries, and two paranormal mystery-adventures.

Author Links: Website:    Facebook   Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 23 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

February 23 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 28 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 2 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 4 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 5 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

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Tangled Past: Hope Island Securities Series Book Seven by Mary Alford

 

Twenty-five years after his father’s unsolved murder, Asa Dutton returns to Hope Island determined to uncover the truth. His only lead is Maya Callahan—the little girl found hiding in the barn the night his father died.

Maya has no memory of that stormy night. But as fragments of her past resurface, so does danger. Someone is watching. Someone who will kill to keep the truth buried.

As Asa and Maya grow closer, the stakes turn deadly. Because remembering the past may be the only way to survive it.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 Mary Alford is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her books have garnered several awards and nominations. Mary lives deep in the heart of Texas with her husband, two cats, and a dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

 

My Review

 

This faith based read had me holding my breath, never knowing what is around the next corner.
This is Asa and Maya's story, both loosing a parent, but whom is the culprit? I didn't guess whom was responsible!
The author does such a great job of weaving this story, with twenty five years having past, Maya has stayed on Hope Island, and now Asa is back to face his past and hopefully bring justice for his father.
Answers do come, but the journey to them can be harrowing, and often with my heart in my throat!
I did love the epilogue.
If you enjoy clean romance, with a lot of suspense throw in, you will be page turning, this is such a great read!
I received this book through the author, and was not required to give a positive review.

An Amish Country Lullaby: A Clean and Uplifting Romance (An Amish Antiques Shop Romance Book 2) by Patricia Johns

 Single dad Curtis Moore has returned to Apfelkuchen, Pennsylvania, with a dream to revitalize the town—if only he can unite its Amish and English residents. When local businesswoman Hope Taylor offers to care for his spirited toddler, Lucy, he jumps at the chance. Hope figures this is exactly the experience she needs. Not only is she planning to open a day care, but she’s expecting her first baby—her late husband’s child. As tensions rise over his development plans, Curtis and Hope grow closer—and they must decide if the heart of the town’s future might just lie in the growing love between them.

Amazon

 

About The Author

 Patricia Johns is a Publishers Weekly bestselling Amish fiction author, writing from Alberta, Canada. She relishes electricity and modern conveniences in her real life, but she loves to imagine what life would be like living without everything we so easily rely upon. If you were to peek in at her, you'd find her tapping away on her computer writing her newest book, or arranging her dollhouse furniture which has become a big passion of hers. You can keep up with her on social media, or sign up for her newsletter for a chance to win signed books and knitted surprises made with love by the author herself. 

My Review

 This was such a warmhearted read. Two hurting people meet thanks to a precocious two year old, Lucy, and her escape methods!
Curtis is a successful businessman, he has a desire to save the town his grandfather loved, but can he do it without runing and hurting the Amish residents? He is a father to his two year old niece, whom you will love too!
Then their is Hope, a widow of four months, and she is expecting a baby. The author did a wonderful job with the characters of this read, but can the adults forge a relationship? So much against them!
This a a book that I didn't want to end, I wanted to continue with the lives of these people, I now cared about. I'm hoping for Book 3 in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin - Romance, and was not required to give a positive review.

Encounters with Unexpected Animals: Stories Bret Anthony Johnston

 

Encounters with Unexpected Animals takes readers deep into the heart of bestselling author Bret Anthony Johnston’s home state of Texas, where teenagers search for love, parents grasp at connections with their children, and animals—real or imagined, familiar or unexpected—are reminders of the mystery, danger, and beauty of being alive.

In “Caiman,” a father buys a baby alligator in hopes of keeping his family safe. In “Soldier of Fortune,” a teenage boy dog-sits for his neighbors after tragedy strikes, and his innocent snooping uncovers the family’s most guarded secret. And in the luminous “Half of What Atlee Rouse Knows About Horses,” an elderly man’s heart is laid bare with the raw and breathtaking power of wild horses.

Johnston’s humor, empathy, and mastery of prose ring out through each story, bringing every finely-drawn character to radiant life. Individually, the stories are by turns suspenseful, poignant and exhilarating. Taken together, they reveal the abiding connections that lead us from sorrow and impermanence back to ourselves and, ultimately, to each other.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

Bret Anthony Johnston is the internationally bestselling author of the novels We Burn Daylight and Remember Me Like This, and the multi-award-winning collection Corpus Christi: Stories. He also edited Naming the World and Other Exercises for the Creative Writer and wrote the documentary film Waiting for Lightning, which was released in theaters around the world by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Among his many honors are a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, the Glasgow Prize, and the Sunday Times Short Story Award, “the world’s richest and most prestigious prize for a single short story.” His work has been widely translated and appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, The Paris Review, The New York Times Magazine, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere.

After selling his television to buy his first board almost 40 years ago, Bret has yet to outgrow skateboarding. After directing the creative writing program at Harvard University for over a decade, he is now the Director of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin.

 

My Review

 

 This is a collection of short stories, some about 20 minutes long, others are shorter. The common thread is they take place in Texas.
Some of theses are very emotional, and animals are referenced, some more than others!
There are some surprises here, and youngsters dealing with actions of their parents, like with cars.
I liked the gift of caiman, oh my! Also an ex-wife having her ex-husband come and get a snake out of the rental, standing on counters? Also special horses!
There is a bit of humor here, and some were page turning, and in the end wanting more answers!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House, and was not required to give a positive review.

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen

 

High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they’ve become her closest friends and, along with her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her students, her fraught relationship with her mother, her struggles with IVF—Polly’s book club friends have heard it all.

But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. Despite it seeming clear that this match is a mistake, Polly cannot help but comb through her own family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways.

Written with Anna Quindlen’s trademark warmth, humor, and insight into the power of love and hope, More Than Enough explores how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 Anna Quindlen is the author of the bestselling novels Blessings and Rise and Shine, amongst others, and of the non-fiction titles Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her New York Times column 'Public and Private' won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. She is currently a columnist for Newsweek and lives with her husband and children in New York.

 

My Review

Polly Goodman sounds like the teacher we all wish we had, she is beloved by her students. She has wonderful friends, and unread book club, a loving husband, and much more.
We follow her when her friends give her a DNA test, and we are there when she finds out all of the results, secrets fall.
There is love and loss, fertility problems, and acceptance, dementia. There are a lot of topics here and we travel through Polly's life life with the good and the bad.
I did enjoy how this book wrapped up with answers, big surprises!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House, and was not required to give a positive review.