Peacock Books & Wildlife Art News — A Misty Milton Mystery

The Sneaky Seashore Slayer

Title: The Sneaky Seashore Slayer

Author: Audrey Clementine

Series Name: The Misty Milton Mysteries 

Tagline: Small Town Animal Cozy Mysteries 

Blurb: 

Misty Milton didn’t plan on rescuing kittens, 'borrowing' a vintage Mustang for a 1,700 mile road trip or befriending a faded rock star.

And she certainly didn’t plan on being accused of murder...

Misty needs a new start.

Fresh out of a break-up from her cat-hating husband of 25 years, she journeys from Kansas to the small beach town of Quinn, California with the hope of a new beginning.

A cute little chilled-out beach town.

The perfect place to raise her fur-babies, and start the gourmet cat food business she dreamed of.

But it seems someone in Quinn doesn’t like outsiders…

And when one of her wealthy clients is murdered, Misty finds herself framed for the crime.

With the help of her feline sidekicks, she must find the culprit and prove her innocence.

Or they’ll be next on the killer’s list…

 

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Scene snippet:

                                                           ONE

Dungeons and Dragons vs Treasures and Treats

Sloshing through the sloppy streets of the greasy city, my thoughts were as morbid as the weather. I’d lived here so long, I could find my way home blindfolded, tipsy, and in the midst of a Biblical flood. The huge flower-power umbrella I held onto was as effective as a cocktail one at this point. The rain soaked into my bones and threatened to douse my die-hard optimism as I made my way back to the dungeon I called home.

I had shaped my entire life around someone else’s ideas on how I should live it. Sure, Ben was my high school sweetheart and I went into the marriage of my own free will, but I sometimes wished I’d had an older sister to ward me off about making adult decisions when I was too new to adulting to make any good ones.

 

Ben and I had outgrown each other a long time ago. Now, at age forty-three, we were stuck in a life neither of us wanted. I was just one of his prized possessions––not as high as his car or train set, but somewhere down the list. ”He used to call me his “Flaming Lamborghini” because of my red hair. He sure was a charmer back in high school. I was a silly, freckled, dreamy girl for whom the sun rose and set in Ben Milton’s gray eyes. 

I think I was particularly rattled because of this early midlife crisis phase he was going through. He had been dropping hints about using my life savings to get himself a Harley! I had worked at the public library and saved my entire adult life and he felt that being my husband entitled him to utilize my savings to fund his mid-life moment. 

I had dreams too. Ones that he’d always shot down. Always. I had never been to the beach or traveled out of the state. I’d always wanted to go on a long road trip, maybe visit Vegas and then head toward the beaches in Cali, but he loved the safety of our landlocked city. I loved Kansas too. I would just have liked a change of scenery for once, that’s all. 

As I rounded the corner of the animal shelter where I volunteered, I was just in time to help old Dr. Jepp haul out his latest rescues. I really admired this lanky retired veterinarian who could never turn his back on animals in need. He went out in all kinds of weather to bring abandoned animals to the safety of the shelter. 

“Hey, Dr. Jepp. Let me give you a hand there,” I called out as I approached the old Doc. 

I had always wanted kids, but we couldn’t conceive and Ben couldn’t be happier about it. He also never wanted pets and, of course, I did. So, we reached a compromise. I got to volunteer at the animal shelter in my spare time. 

Book Cover: