Frozen Crimes by Chrys Fey–A Chilling Adventure

So excited to welcome Chrys Fey to my blog for her book tour for Frozen Crimes, Book 5 in her Disaster Crimes series (which is amazing reading). I love this series. I’ve reviewed several of them on this blog–Tsunami Crimes, Lightning Crimes, and Hurricane Crimes (click for my reviews). Each centers on a natural disaster that obfuscates a crime or its resolution.

Today, to celebrate her latest Disaster Crimes’ book, Chrys is sharing A Fun Memory Honored in Frozen Crimes.

I don’t recall how I came up with Rodney the Racoon in Frozen Crimes, Donovan’s sidekick, but I can tell you how I named him.

Hallmark sells a cute, stuffed animal named Rodney the Reindeer. My mom worked at a Hallmark store for a couple of years and was able to buy anything new they brought in throughout the year. Once, that was Rodney. He’s plush and small, with a red scarf and big, floppy legs with beads in his hooves.

My mom and I are weird. I mean…for her children’s books, we take pictures of Sammy the Teddy Bear for her Instagram account. When I was little, we made Sammy the Cabbage Patch Doll dance and do all sorts of things. So, don’t make fun of us when I say that we’d play with Rodney the Reindeer, kicking his little legs to Christmas carols. Whenever “Carol of the Bells” by Trans Siberan Orchestra came on, I’d beat his two front legs as if he was playing the drums. Yeah, like I said…we’re weird.

But that weirdness helped me to write about Rodney the Raccoon in Frozen Crimes. The first time Donovan discovers the racoon in his mom and grandma’s attic, he has a full-on conversation with the critter, who responds back with purrs and chirping noises.

Rodney comes into the story a couple other times during the blizzard and the most intense moments. He’s a bit of comedic relief for Donovan, and my readers.

Here’s an excerpt from Donovan’s first encounter with Rodney.

A cold draft hit him, and he side-stepped, searching for the source of it. He came up to a wooden rocker and reached over it to feel along the ceiling. A chittering noise came from below. He looked down to see a plump raccoon lounging in the rocker.

“Holy shit.” Donovan leapt back.

The raccoon tilted his head, not understanding the response to seeing him sitting there, relaxing and minding his own business.

“How did you get in here?”

The raccoon lifted up a half-eaten, rotten apple.

Donovan shook his head. “No, thanks.”

The raccoon lowered its arm and took a nibble from the apple. His stomach bulged out on both sides.

However the creature got inside, it could get out, because it was well-fed, and apparently, it liked to bring its meal here to eat it in peace and out of the elements. Donovan couldn’t blame him, but he couldn’t leave a hole open during a blizzard for snow and ice to come through. He continued to follow the cold draft, and the raccoon didn’t mind him one bit.

In the far corner, the temperature dropped significantly. The draft was there, somewhere. He moved aside a couple of stacked cardboard boxes and uncovered a hole that led to the outdoors and the tree growing beside the house in the backyard.

Donovan eyed the raccoon and pointed at the hole. “Is this your handy work?”

In reply, the raccoon purred.

“I’ll take that for a yes. You know I’m going to have to patch this up, don’t you?”

The raccoon jabbered at Donovan in his own language, but he didn’t seem concerned or upset over Donovan having discovered his way in and out.

“As long as it’s okay with you.” Chuckling to himself, Donovan nailed small pieces of scrap wood across the hole. To make sure no frigid air could slither through, he taped a sheet of clear plastic over the wood.

“There.” He dumped his tools into the box and stood. “Now, you leave that alone. Understand?”

The raccoon, again, held out the apple he’d been snacking on. Except, now it was nothing more than a core and stem. Donovan held up his hand. “No, that’s all yours.”

The critter lifted its chin and peeled its mouth apart.

Donovan’s brows lifted. It’s smiling at me.

When disasters strike around every corner, is it possible to have a happily-ever-after?

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

***HUGE DISASTER CRIMES GIVEAWAY*** 

Prizes: 4 eBooks (Disaster Crimes 1-4: Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, Tsunami Crimes, Flaming Crimes) + Girl Boss Magnets (4), Inflatable Cup Holder (1), Adventure Fuel To-Go Cups (2), Anchor Fashion Scarf (1), Mermaid Nail Clippers (2), Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle (1), Snowflake Handmade Bookmark (1), Insulated Cooler Bag (1)

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: October 30, 2020 12:00am Eastern Standard Time

LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/76132e0221/?

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***FREE EXCLUSIVE EBOOK***

To get the exclusive prequel to the Disaster Crimes series, sign up for Chrys’ newsletter. By signing up, you agree to receive Chrys Fey’s newsletter. After you confirm subscription, you will receive an email (so check your inbox and spam folder) with directions on where to snag your eBook copy of THE CRIME BEFORE THE STORM.

Click here to sign up and get The Crime Before the Storm FREE!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Man vs. Nature saga, and the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for Book 2 and 3 in her prehistoric trilogy, Dawn of Humanity, Fall 2021. 

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