Thrilled to share the news: today, July 7, is release day for BUTTER OFF DEAD, the third book in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, from Berkley Prime Crime, a division of Penguin Random House.

From the cover:

“As the national bestselling Food Lovers’ Village mysteries continue, the merchants of Jewel Bay, Montana try to heat up chilly winter business with a new film festival. But their plans are sent reeling when a dangerous killer dims the lights on a local mover and shaker …

In an attempt to woo tourists to Jewel Bay and cheer up the townies, Erin Murphy, manager of the specialty local foods market known as the Merc, is organizing the First Annual Food Lovers’ Film Festival, popping with classic foodie flicks and local twists on favorite movie treats. But when her partner in planning, painter Christine Vandeberg, is found dead only days before the curtain rises, Erin suspects someone is attempting to stop the films from rolling.

To make matters worse, Nick—Erin’s brother and Christine’s beau—has top billing on the suspect list. Convinced her brother is innocent and determined that the show must go on, Erin must find who’s really to blame before Nick gets arrested or the festival gets shut down. And as the anniversary of Erin’s father’s death in a still-unsolved hit-and-run approaches, her own beau isn’t so keen on her leading role.

But the closer Erin gets to shining a spotlight on the killer, the more likely it becomes that she’ll be the next person cut from the program…”

I hope you’ll join me somewhere along the way. I’ll be signing on Saturday, July 11, from 1-3 at Montana Book & Toy Co. in Helena. At Fact & Fiction in Missoula on Tuesday, July 14, at 7 pm, debut novelist Christine Carbo of Whitefish – my good friend – and I will interview each other. I’ll be part of the Bigfork Festival of the Arts on Sat-Sun, August 1-2; look for me in front of Frame of Reference Gallery on Electric Avenue. Finally, I’ll be in Billings at Barnes and Noble with my friend BJ Daniels, a romantic suspense novelist from Bozeman and Malta, on Saturday, August 8, at 2 pm.

BUTTER is available in paperback and ebook — and you can read an excerpt, too. (As I write this, the Kindle versions of all three books in the series are on sale for 5.99 each. Not sure how long that will last.)

If you’re not able to join me in person, BUTTER OFF DEAD is available in paperback and e-book from all local booksellers, as well as on-line retailers. Any of the stores where I’ll be signing will be happy to set aside a signed, personalized copy for you; just give the staff a call. Word of mouth and early online reviews are a big boost for writers, and I’d appreciate yours.

Thanks for your support on this journey. Looking forward to seeing you soon. Meanwhile, happy reading!