by Matt Lubbers-Moore
Details at the end of this post on how to get a free ebook copy of Murder in Shades of Yellow (a novella, and a prequel to the DS Charlie Rees series by Ripley Hayes) through Bookfunnel. This is a Pride Month Special Giveaway!
Although Pride Month is almost over and everyone who participated in lots of little ways by either running a booth, marching in a parade, attending multiple city Prides, or protesting, is likely to be exhausted. But we can’t stop fighting for our rights. We can’t stop demanding corporations continue to stand up for all LGBTQ+ peoples, for politicians who marched in the parades, and got their pictures taken at Drag Shows to be held accountable for the promises they made, and family members to constantly be reminded which pronouns to use no matter how uncomfortable it is.
Take a nap, read a book, and get back out there!
On with the Books!
Desert Deadline by Michael Craft
Out July 1, 2023, Questover Press
Dante O’Donnell and Jazz Friendly make an unlikely pair of crime solvers, thrust together by iffy circumstances in the so-called paradise of sunny Palm Springs. He’s white and gay, a concierge at a vacation-rental outfit; she’s Black and straight, a private eye on the rebound from a failed marriage. Maude Movay, a reclusive author of romance novels, is facing a tight deadline for a multimillion-dollar deal. So, she checks in at one of Dante’s rentals intending to write a blockbuster, then checks out on a gurney, feet first. It was murder, all right, and Jazz steps in to help prove who’s guilty. Soon, though, a second tragedy strikes, this one much too close to home. For both Dante and Jazz, the race is on to name a killer, save a fortune — and rescue an innocent child.
A Crime of Secrets by Ann Aptaker
Out July 4, 2023, Bywater Books
New York City, 1899 — a city on the cusp of a new century. A city growing taller and faster, a city of new inventions, new ideas, and old dangers on its shadowy streets where crime, misery, and murder lurk. When Pauline Godfrey, a young woman embodying the coming modern age, is viciously murdered, her throat cut, private inquiry agents Finola “Fin” Donner and Devorah Longstreet must navigate a world of violence and passion, lust and betrayal, where duty is twisted into bitter obedience and love is soiled. Fin, a tough survivor of the dockside slums, and her beloved companion, the elegant, intellectual socialite Devorah, probe deep into the festering secrets of a family, the rot and corruption of the police department, and the sinister world of the city’s thieves, whores, and thugs to find the killer.
A Man of Lies by Ben Crane
Out July 4, 2023, Pegasus Crime
Barrett Rye has always been told he can be only one thing in life: an enforcer. He’s a seven-foot wall of muscle and the most effective collector in the largest criminal enterprise in the Midwest. After he realizes he wants more out of life than hurting people, he and his mob accountant boyfriend, Mickey, decide to steal enough money from their boss to disappear and start over. But they get caught, Mickey is killed, and Barrett is given one chance to pay back his debts. His plan is simple. He knows that Henry Holzmann, a small-time mafioso in Omaha, has a lead on the score of a lifetime. Barrett can’t get the prize himself, but he’s not trying to. He just needs a piece of it. He is going to cause so much chaos, and throw Holzmann’s life into such disarray, that the man will pay him anything to make it stop. But nothing ever stays simple, and Barrett has always been too clever for his own good.
Homecoming in Murder by Edale Lane
Out July 6, 2023, Past and Prologue Press
Lt. Jenna Ferrari is in the middle of two cases and has just moved in with her girlfriend, Randi, so this is not a good time to hear from her estranged father asking for her help. But with her brother wrongly accused of murder, how can she refuse? This is book six in the Lessons in Murder series.
The Lighthouse Keeper by Liv Rancourt
Out July 6, 2023
Twenty years ago, a thief stole the Ferox Cor, and now he’s dead. Vincent Fairchild, a witch with little power beyond his charm, is tasked with finding that dangerous magical object. He’s already been pruned from the family tree because “nice” people don’t possess even the lowest of magic. If he fails to return with the Ferox Cor, he’ll lose his place with the Witches’ Council. Determined not to be cast aside again, Vincent travels to the West Point lighthouse, where he learns that the Witches’ Council was mistaken. Martin Gallagher, the thief, didn’t use the Ferox Cor to enrich himself, and his son is not a child.
Corpse at Captain’s Seat by Josh Lanyon
Out July 9, 2023, JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
At long last, the renovations of stately Captain’s Seat are complete, and to celebrate, mystery bookseller and sometimes amateur sleuth Ellery Page decides to throw a house-warming party and invite all his New York theater friends to stay for the weekend. When a freak snowstorm leaves the house-party cut off from the village of Pirate’s Cove, there’s nothing to do but drink, reminisce, and play board games. Or so Ellery thinks. From Jack’s perspective, the only thing more frightening than being forced to play endless hours of charades with Theatah People is the possibility of being trapped in a real-life game of Clue.
Crows Fate by Kim Fielding
Out July 12, 2023, Tin Box Press
Crow Rapp assumes he’ll spend his life growing corn in rural Illinois, like the grandparents who raised him. But, during a visit to a traveling carnival, he encounters a handsome stranger named Simeon Bell and receives a prophecy of a horrifying future. When that future materializes soon afterward, Crow flees … only to find that no matter how far he goes, fate pursues him. Part of the Carnival of Mysteries series.
The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean
Out July 18, 2023, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Heavy is the crown James has been born to wear, especially as the first Black heir to the British throne. But, with his father’s recent passing and with a new boyfriend to hide, James is woefully unprepared for the sudden shine of public scrutiny. When his secrets come spilling forth across tabloid pages and the man he thought he loved has suddenly disappeared, James finds himself on the precipice of ruin. As every detail of his life becomes public knowledge, his sense of safety is shattered, and the people he trusts the most become the likeliest suspects.
Magic Burning by Kaje Harper
Out July 26, 2023
Alan: I haven’t been out with a guy in the last two years. Partly because I’m a gay elementary-school teacher in a fairly small, conservative town. Partly because I’m a sorcerer, and dating ordinary humans only leads to trouble. Jason: I don’t regret moving back to my hometown and my big family. Well, not much. I’m not out to them, and I miss the anonymity of the big city, but I like the local firehouse and the slower-paced life. It’s no surprise we turn out to be great together, even if my job and his responsibilities make it hard to find time. It is a surprise when I realize I want more than just an occasional night. But some weird fires out in the brush keep us firefighters hopping, and when this strange carnival comes to town and lands me with a pair of magical doll shoes, life gets truly confusing. Part of the Carnival of Mysteries series.
Other Releases:
Knight by T. K. Eldridge, out July 7, 2023
Stars Hide Your Eyes by Jessica Best, out July 11, 2023
To get a free ebook copy of Murder in Shades of Yellow (a novella, and a prequel to the DS Charlie Rees series by Ripley Hayes) through Bookfunnel, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Pride Giveaway” or comment on this article. Entries will be accepted through June 24, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.
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We have a winner!