Do You Take This Man? by Jacquie May Miller is a Toasty Reads Bookish Event pick #mystery #toastyreads #giveaway
top of page
  • N. N. Light
    • Feb 7
    • 4 min read

Do You Take This Man? by Jacquie May Miller is a Toasty Reads Bookish Event pick #mystery #toastyreads #giveaway



Title:  DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN?

 

Author:  Jacquie May Miller

 

Genre:  Mystery

 

Book Blurb: 

 

Two years ago, Jack Madison and Mary Bradley found each other. Both had suffered through difficult marriages and as Mary broke free from her abusive husband, Jack was recovering from the death of his wife.  Now these two are embarking on the final chapter of their lives as they marry on the bow of a cruise ship with family surrounding them on a sunny voyage to Mexico. It looks like they will finally have their ‘happily ever after’. What could possibly go wrong? With one family member objecting to their union and Mary’s ex-husband lurking behind the scenes waiting to crash the reception, plenty could—and does—go wrong.

 

Take a ride on The Queen of the Seas, following Jack and Mary on the path that could lead to someone’s final journey.

 

Excerpt:

 

There would be no turning back once Robert reported his father missing. His feet felt like lead as he made his way toward the office of the Chief Security Officer, each plodding step slower than the last as he contemplated the consequences of his actions. It wasn’t like he was lying—Vern was actually missing—but, alluding to the possibility that Vern had been pushed overboard might be stretching the truth. Ignoring the truth might be more accurate. Robert took a deep breath as he approached the office door. He’d find a way to say what he needed to say without lying outright; he was good at that.

 

Picturing his office overflowing with five million one-dollar bills cleared his head of any moral dilemma. He knocked on the door to start the ball rolling down the slippery slope.

 

Officer Wesley Smith opened the door to his small office, a scowl crossing his deeply tanned face when he saw Robert. “Oh, hello. I was expecting someone else.” He tucked his shirt in and buttoned the top button as he gestured for Robert to come in. “What can I do for you, sir?”

 

“I’d like to report a missing passenger,” Robert said.

 

“Really?” Officer Smith sighed and shook his head, spilling a loose lock of black hair onto his forehead. “What makes you think this person is missing?”

 

“He got into a fight precariously close to the railing and no one has seen him since.” Robert hoped the line didn’t sound as rehearsed as it was.

 

“And you’re sure not one person has seen him?” Smith asked.

 

“Of course, I’m sure.” Robert’s voice took on a deeper, more deliberate tone. “I checked with our group and no one in the family has seen him—no one.” He said the words, consciously omitting his knowledge of Gladys’ visit. She wasn’t technically family, so it wasn’t a lie.

 

“I understand your concern.” Smith also slowed his speech, in Robert’s opinion, to a condescending cadence and tone. “You know sometimes people just leave the ship in Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta. We can’t be calling foul play too soon, now can we?”

 

“Well, I believe we can.” Robert was getting pissed. “I’m pretty damn sure he fell overboard.”

 

“And, when did this supposedly happen?” Smith asked.

 

“Last night around 6:00 p.m.”

 

“And you didn’t report it then? If you were so sure he fell over, why wouldn’t you report it right away?”

 

Robert raised his voice further, trying to keep it under control. “What good would it have done? That’s a helluva drop. How would anyone survive that? Besides, no one knew what happened to him for sure—we’re just putting the pieces together now. We’re pretty sure another passenger pushed him overboard.”

 

“Shit.” Smith winced. “You’re kidding me, right? If you’re reporting a crime, I have to contact the FBI.” He launched a stony stare that felt a bit intimidating to Robert. Smith continued. “Can’t we just assume he got off in Puerto Vallarta and call it a day? I don’t need another crime under my watch.”

 

“Another crime? Does this happen often?”

 

“Not to anyone else.” Smith sighed. “I’m just lucky, I guess. The wife beaters, drunks assaulting women, and petty thieves all seem to travel on my sailings. And now you want to report a homicide.”

 

“I guess your streak of bad luck just got worse.” Robert did his best to keep the smile off his face, playing the distraught son, but he felt the smile inwardly. “I absolutely want to report a homicide.”

 

“Okay. I’ll need some information.” He walked toward his desk and motioned for Robert to sit. “Damn, I thought this was going to be such a nice, smooth sailing with the wedding of those nice old folks and all their family.”

 

“Yeah, about that family. The groom is the man you’ll want to talk to. He married my mother and murdered my father.”

 

Buy Links:

 

 

 

 

 


What makes your featured book a must-read?

 

Most books are written for the young. Do You Take This Man? Is written for the young at heart with the focus on two seniors taking a second chance on love. Although you are never too old for love, this book is more than a love story. How far will these senior lovebirds go to protect one another against a former spouse?

 

Giveaway –

 

Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:

 

 

Open Internationally.


Runs February 6 – February 12, 2024.


Winner will be drawn on February 13, 2024.

 


Author Biography:

 

Jacquie May Miller published her first article at age eleven in her neighborhood newspaper, the Nosy Neighborhood News. Many years passed before she was chosen as the featured writer in a literary journal produced at Washington State University where her short story, Bernie’s Choice, was chosen over many qualified submissions and published in 2013. It was recently re-published on her blog.

 

Jacquie’s is the author of  THE PRICE OF SECRETS, is a work of women’s fiction which explores the tenuous thread connecting family and a love left behind so many years ago. Secrets of the past will either break or strengthen that slim thread, but not without a price. And now she has added her next novel, DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN?, a mystery at sea.

 

In addition to writing these two novels, Jacquie has created May Daze, a blog exploring the value of friendship, family and life’s little surprises. You will find her at www.jmaydaze.com where she has attracted a loyal following.

 

Jacquie lives in Washington close to her only child, Brittney, who is the light of her life.

 

Social Media Links:

 

Twitter:      @JacquieRMay

Website:      www.jmaydaze.com 

 

Tags:

bottom of page