Category: Art

From Myth to Murder

On By Susan HolmesIn Art, Authors You Might Like, Cats, Home page6 Comments

The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar Banner

Virtual Book Tour

by Author Joy Ann Ribar November 13-24, 2023

As a retired college professor, I welcome new additions to the field of academic mysteries. This cozy mystery adds to the genre with a main character whose esoteric field of study offers a new aspect to sleuthing.  

In contrast to the generic college professor often depicted in cozy mysteries, there’s an intriguing depth to the main character L.L. Browning, known to others as Bay. The author portrays Bay as professional, compassionate, and intelligent, traits  reflected in the way Bay interacts with many of the characters, although less often with family.

An adversarial relationship between amateur sleuths and law enforcement is often seen in cozy mysteries; that communication pattern is first evident in early interactions, and most notably when Bay decides to willfully ignore the homicide detective’s strict instructions to not discuss details of the investigation with anyone. (Professors do seem to have a passion for charging ahead, right into the action!) As the plot progresses, the relationship between amateur and professional morphs into something more personal and cooperative. This bodes well for the next book in the series.

Family is a continuing thread woven through the plot. The drama appears based on unresolved conflict which influences current relationships and family dynamics. From the start, Bay’s father and sister seem to take it for granted that Bay will adapt her carefully ordered life to accommodate their own needs and desires. The father, Barrett, uses “family” as an emotional cudgel and convinces Bay to shoulder the obligations brought about by the unexpected arrival of her sister, Cass.

On his own, Barrett seems an incomplete, even vague character through the story, while in contrast, the character of Bay’s sister quickly caught my attention, along with her cat, Minerva. I’d like to have seen much more of Minerva; here, she seems more of a prop than a character. Despite that, the names themselves suggest a backstory not yet revealed. What we do learn is that Cass was recently released from prison after serving a three-year sentence for larceny and fraud. Now on parole, Cass moves in, uninvited, with Bay and secures a job in security–surely a  surprising occupation for a felon. I hope future books in the series will include Cass and Minerva.

Bay’s unique studies in mythology, enhanced by a colleague’s knowledge of iconography, prove vital in unraveling the tangled web of art, literature, and family. If you enjoy an unusual mystery with an academic flair, this may be a good choice for your own bookshelf!

Praise for The Medusa Murders:

“This first-in-series held me captive on the edge of my seat where I frantically turned the pages of this intricately crafted story, desperate to solve the mystery. And, oh, what a revelation it is!” Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson crime thriller novels

“A gritty and intense mystery that grabs you and won’t let go until the end. The personal relationships are complex, just like many in real life, and the familial drama pulls you in.” Kelly Young, author of A Travel Writer mystery series and Haunted and Harassed paranormal mystery series

“Ribar effectively wraps mythology, academia, archeology, and a touch of paranormal phenomena together to produce a more than satisfying read. Looking forward to spending more time with Bay.”  Debra H. Goldstein, author of The Sarah Blair Mysteries

“A well-written, fast-paced and vibrant debut novel. A highly recommended new series.”  Christine DeSmet, writing coach and author of The Fudge Shop Mystery series and Mischief in Moonstone series

Synopsis:

Professor Bay Browning has more snake problems than the Garden of Eden in this twisted mystery. The English Literature instructor is busy preparing for a new semester when a serial killer, known as Medusa, bites her quiet life in the behind. A wild ride ensues when Bay and her grifter sister, Cass, assist a perturbed Detective Downing with the investigation. What else can the sisters do, once they become Medusa’s targets? Will the slithering trail of mythology, art history, and family secrets help them catch a killer before she turns them to stone?

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth, Mystery, Crime Published by: Wine Glass Press Publication Date: November 2023 Number of Pages: 316 ISBN: 9781959078203 Series: Bay Browning Mysteries, #1 Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | BookBub | Goodreads

The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar

Read an excerpt:

Back at the parking space, Bay opened the passenger door and looked at the white particles in brighter light. They were sprinkled like powdered sugar over the right side of the back seat, directly underneath the bag of clothes Bay had gone through last night. She felt certain the particles must have come from the lululemon coat pocket. She remembered seeing Detective Harris turn the pocket inside out over one of the evidence bags. Had there been feathers in either of the pockets? The empty parking lot at Giorgio’s put a smile on Bay’s face when she parked the Subaru a few minutes later. She was impatient to get to the bottom of the dry-cleaning mix-up and anxious to shake some details out of Giorgio. She could see him standing behind the customer counter, grooming his dark slicked-back hair and straightening his blue and white polo shirt that matched the building. “Good morning, L.L. I see you have nothing in your hands, so what can I do for you today?” Giorgio’s velvety voice was smoother than grease. “Cut the crap, Giorgio. You know why I’m here. Obviously, you sent the police to see me about my lululemon. What’s the story?” Bay frowned and her dark eyes narrowed. Giorgio backed away as if Bay might punch him, marring his handsome face. He was Stasia’s youngest brother, probably around Bay’s age. Bay had learned more Andino family facts than she cared to after attending the mandatory gatherings at Stasia’s home the past year. He held up both hands, placatingly. “I’ll tell you what I know, which isn’t much. My niece, Aria, was working on the day of the mix-up. She’s in back. I’ll go get her.” “Get my lululemon, too, while you’re back there.” Might as well kill two birds as they say. Aria was short and pretty with wide dark eyes and thick black hair pulled into a neat bun on top of her head. She wore the same blue and white polo over hospital-style light blue pants. Bay guessed she was barely out of high school. What was that expression: fear or guilt on Aria’s face? “Good morning, Professor Browning. My uncle is looking for your raincoat.” Aria didn’t look Bay in the eyes. Dialing down from accusatory to neutral tone, Bay began her questions. “I understand you were working when my lululemon was switched with the one the police confiscated.” No point in lollygagging her way to the matter at hand. Aria looked down at her fingers, which were drumming methodically on the counter as if playing a tune on a piano. One hand stopped while the other slowed to a quiet tapping. “Yes. There were three other coats almost identical to yours when he brought in the one the police were after.” Bay registered the information. “Who is he that brought the coat in, please?” The girl seemed quite fragile, so kid gloves were in order for this interrogation. Bay was accustomed to communicating with students Aria’s age, and she knew the best methods for building trust and rapport. The finger tapping continued at a leisurely pace. Bay could almost pick out a rhumba beat. Aria continued to focus on her fingers, not looking up. “He said his name was Chance.” She closed her eyes, conjuring his image. “He was wearing a black hoodie but took the hood off to talk to me. He had short dreadlocks swept up to one side and had smart glasses on. You know, his glasses made him look smart.” She smiled, caught up in the memory. It was clear to Bay the boy had charmed Aria, and just maybe she would do anything for him. “Did Chance ask you for a favor, Aria?” She blushed, then turned a deep red. “He used me…” She choked back tears. “Yeah, boys are scum,” Bay empathized, glaring at Giorgio who had emerged from the back room empty-handed. The finger tapping quickened as the incident unfolded, from a waltz to a cha-cha, Aria’s eyes remained closed during the telling. “He asked me if people brought their expensive clothing here. Like could we be trusted with their stuff, you know. He said he had his mom’s lululemon, and he was kind of flirting with me.” She paused, thinking. “I told him we had three of those same coats in the back right now, and they were already cleaned and ready to pick up. I offered to show him, so he would know he could leave his mom’s coat here.” Aria stopped tapping and looked at Bay’s face where empathy greeted her like a warm embrace. “I didn’t know Chance wanted to swap coats until he asked if I could swap one of the clean coats for his mother’s dirty one.” I figured that he was responsible for getting it dirty, and he didn’t want her to know about it. “So, you randomly chose my coat and made the switch.” Bay wanted to sound helpful by filling in details, so Aria’s head shake surprised her. “No. That’s when things got weird. He asked me if we had L.L. Browning’s coat. He specifically wanted to trade his coat for yours.” Giorgio interrupted his niece, casting a warning look with shifty eyes. Bay couldn’t be fooled. “Why didn’t you call me Friday to let me know about the switch or the police? You knew they were coming to question me.” She darted daggers at Giorgio, who winced and backed away. “I didn’t think you were in danger, or I would have called you. How could I know that the lululemon was murder evidence? *** Excerpt from The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar. Copyright 2023 by Joy Ann Ribar. Reproduced with permission from Joy Ann Ribar. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Joy Ann Ribar

Joy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. She loves to bake, read, do wine research, and explore nature. Joy’s writing is inspired by Wisconsin’s four distinct seasons, natural beauty, and kind-hearted, but sometimes quirky, people. Joy holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and an MS in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Blackbird Writers, and Wisconsin Writers Association.

Catch Up With Joy Ann Ribar:
JoyRibar.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @ribarjoy
Instagram – @authorjoyribar
Facebook – @JoyRibarAuthor

Want to mention her on Twitter/X? Use #JoyAnnRibar and share the love!

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour!  

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

My thanks to Partners in Crime Tours for a complementary advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

The Beauty of Dogs Through Art

On By Susan HolmesIn Art, Dogs, Writing2 Comments

When writing about people and places and dogs, my imagination supplies a vivid image of each that seems to magically transform them from bare words on a page to something akin to a living, breathing character. Some writers–and readers, too–have suggested it’s a bit like having a movie play in your mind while you’re immersed in a book. And when you come across something that reminds you of stories and characters you’ve enjoyed, the pleasure continues.

That happened to me when I saw the dog portraits created by the artist J.R. Cotner featured in his online store. Having worked as a publicist for several artists in the past, I can appreciate the time, talent, and skill involved to create original designs of any kind, and even more skill required to transform that art into a digital format.

Of the dozen-plus the artist has created so far, I’ve already purchased several, including the three included in this post!

This was the first mug I saw in The Canine Collection. I immediately thought of Sam, the young yellow Lab owned by my protagonist Maggie Porter in the Waterside Kennels mystery series. Sam is intelligent, alert, and a loyal companion–all hallmarks of the Labrador Retriever breed.

In the series, Sam is officially registered with the American Kennel Club as Samson’s Blue Delight. He’s adventurous and a fast learner who likes to be challenged, and has the potential to excel in tracking, search and rescue, and other service-related  scenarios. You’ll see Sam in multiple roles  as the series progresses.

 

The Cocker Spaniel featured on this mug looks like a younger version of Sweet Pea. She’s known officially in the AKC world as Champion Penelope’s Yorkshire Windsong and has an impressive collection of awards and certification to her credit. Long retired from competition, Sweet Pea has reached the age where she prefers napping and slow-paced interactions to energetic rambles.

As her eyesight and hearing slowly decline, she’s content to amble through the days, greeting customers and helping Maggie demonstrate obedience commands or work with young pups in training. And despite her age, Sweet Pea still has the ability to suprise us all, as we’ll see in the next book in the series.

 

Beagle in profile on coffee mug

The artwork on this mug reminded of Mr. B, the Beagle Maggie had adopted shortly before moving to Eagle Cove and launching the new Waterside Kennels. As the first book in the series opens, Mr. B is is still recuperating from a serious injury that ended his K-9 career. Despite Maggie’s best efforts, he shows no interest in his new surroundings, leading Maggie to wonder if she’d done the right thing adopting the Beagle.

As her veterinarian says: “Look at it from the dog’s point of view—he’s lost everything he’s ever known. That can haunt you for a long time.” As the story evolves, though, Mr. B’s intelligence and natural resilience proves surprising to all involved.

***

Whether the dogs in your own life are real or fictional, I hope these dog portraits in The Canine Collection bring you pleasure and happy memories. If, like me, you enjoy collecting artwork that celebrates dogs, I encourage you to visit cotner-artworks.com and add something to your own collection, or find the just-right gift for family or friend.

By the way, J.R. is more than an artist; he’s also a published author and has written poetry, short stories, and a Celtic mystery novel. Check out his blog jackronaldcotner.com for more information.

And thanks for revisiting the dogs of Waterside Kennels with me!