Venus Rising by Tammy D. Walker is a BHW pick #cozymystery #mustread #bookboost #wrpbks
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  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 11, 2023
    • 3 min read

Venus Rising by Tammy D. Walker is a BHW pick #cozymystery #mustread #bookboost #wrpbks



Title: Venus Rising


Author: Tammy D. Walker


Genre: Cozy Mystery


Publisher: The Wild Rose Press


Book Blurb:


Almost as soon as recent divorcee Amy Morrison begins her dream job as librarian aboard the world's most expensive luxury cruise liner, she nearly sinks it. She's tasked with hosting the debut of a painting celebrated but hidden for nearly sixty years. But the artist claims the painting isn't hers. And then, the artist goes missing. With the help of a retired academic couple lecturing aboard the ship, a dashing IT manager, and a housekeeping staff with a love of literature, Amy tries to solve the art fraud and kidnapping while rediscovering the adventurous side of herself.


Excerpt


“Someone hung up the wrong painting.” Mrs. Lewis inhaled sharply.


“Oh, Di,” Wellie said. She maneuvered her sister back into the armchair. “You’re tired. Let’s go back to our suite and let everyone here have a good look at the charming painting you did when you were just a girl.”


“I will not be herded back into my bed like a doddering old woman, Wellie.”


Amy stepped in. “Shall I arrange for a drink, Mrs. Lewis?”


“Ms. Morrison, you believe me, don’t you? Just look at that,” Mrs. Lewis pleaded in her soft voice.


Amy stepped closer to the canvas and briefly looked at the painting. A line had formed behind her to examine the artwork. A few jolts of laughter struck from the queue. “There’s a young woman coming out of the ocean in a long silver gown. She looks like a rendering of Venus in modern form to me.” Which was the case. There was a young woman who looked vaguely like Diane Westgrove Lewis of about sixty years ago dressed in a long silver gown stepping onto the beach. But there was something about the picture that it created that lacked the defiant sensuality of the young woman—that was the description Brent had printed in the invitations sent to the gala’s guests. The young woman in this picture might have just stepped out onto the beach for a pleasant stroll through the sand. She’d have to find Gemma later and ask her about it. Or Curtis, though Amy was loath to do so. “It’s late. The lighting in here is less than flattering, and I apologize for that. Maybe in the daylight, it’ll be more as you remembered it?”


Mrs. Lewis shook her head. “Come on then, Raymond, Wellie. Let’s go.”


The crowd moved past the unremarkable painting quickly, then mingled through the bookshelves with canapés and champagne. Amy tried to salvage what she could of the party, but really, at this point, it was out of her control. With Diane, Wellie, and Raymond gone, she focused her attention on the guests staying in the elite suites, on the captain, and on the officers. Soon, the crowd dwindled.

After the last guest left, Beatrice Taylor ordered the lights to be raised. “Well, nothing left for us tonight but the tidying. I’ll notify the staff to begin their cleanup.”


Cleanup. That word slapped into her like an unexpected wave. “Yes, Mrs. Taylor.”


For the first time, Amy Morrison stood in the middle of the sort of author event she’d dreamed about hosting for decades. And as she watched the lights in the library shudder on to their brightest, she knew that it had utterly sunk.


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Author Biography


Tammy D. Walker writes mysteries, poetry, and science fiction. Her debut cozy mystery, Venus Rising, was published by The Wild Rose Press in 2023. As T.D. Walker, she’s the author of three poetry collections, most recently Doubt & Circuitry (Southern Arizona Press, 2023). When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading, trying to find far-away stations on her shortwave radios, or enjoying tea and scones with her family. Find out more at her website: https://www.tammydwalker.com


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