Showing posts with label iRead Book Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iRead Book Tour. Show all posts

4.13.2023

Waves of Murder ~ Review

DEEP BLUE MURDER (A FIONA QUINN MYSTERY) by C.S. McDonald

WAVES OF MURDER by C.S. McDonald

Waves of Murder

A Fiona Quinn Mystery #3
By C.S. McDonald

Summer is here, and kindergarten teacher Fiona Quinn has her summer all planned out. Until her mother, Nancy Quinn volunteers her to edit a series of books for famous romance author Wyla Parkes! Yikes!!! And she has to spend 6 weeks at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, to do the editing. Double Yikes!!!

Romance isn't Fiona's genre of choice, but she can't very say "No," when her mother promised six weeks of her summer for this project. Fiona is stuck, but at least the location is nice - and it comes with access to a private beach.

Unfortunately, it comes with access to a private beach where dead bodies start turning up, including her Summertime boss Wyla Parkes. What's she going to tell her mother???? 

Soon Fiona and her detective boyfriend are working on finding a killer. There's a steak dinner at stake. As Fiona and Nathan put everything together, they have to wonder if the cases are related or if someone is taking advantage of the situation.

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was excellent, and the various suspects make for an exciting who-did-what-to-whom to the very end. And, yes, it was a well-played game up to the very end, and only the smallest of clues will offer the answers that they seek. 

And then there are some amusing scenes at Fiona's home when Nathan checks it out while she is gone. Let's just say that the late Grandma Evelyn is up to some shenanigans that will leave Nathan scratching his head and wondering just what is going on in Fiona's house while she's away.

I listened to the audio version of this, and the narration was excellent. The book was narrated by 
  • Maren Swenson Waxenberg and well presented. At just over 4 hours, this was the perfect quick listen as I was able to enjoy it over a week of commute time. 

This was most definitely a cozy mystery, and I would have no qualms recommending it to any reader over twelve years of age. I love Fiona's takes whenever anyone refers to her as a ""Kindergarten teacher." This is played out several times throughout the book and always elicits at least a smile, if not a laugh. This is one to add to your Summer TBR list though maybe not at the beach.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this audiobook with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


Book Details:

Book Title:  Waves of Murder:  A Fiona Quinn Mystery #3
Author:  C.S. McDonald
Category:  YA Fiction, 190 pages
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Apr 11, 2017
Content Rating:  G (The Fiona Quinn Mysteries are for everyone--adults love the books, and they are appropriate for teens and tweens too!)

About the Book:

School's out for the summer!

Kindergarten teacher Fiona Quinn is looking forward to spending some quality time in her yard and with her boyfriend, Detective Nathan Landry. However, Fiona's plans get squelched when her mother volunteers her to edit a manuscript for famous romance author Wyla Parkes.

What's so bad about that? The author insists Fiona must work on the manuscript at her beach cottage on Presque Isle - three hours away from her yard and Nathan. Spending six weeks in an adorable cottage on a private beach doesn't really seem all that bad until people start turning up dead - beginning with the author! Fiona's summer of sun and sand is instantly transformed into a murder investigation. Can Fiona and Nathan crack the case, or will the murderer get away on a wave of deceit?

Join Fiona and the gang for a hot whodunit on the sandy beaches of Presque Isle, Pennsylvania!

BUY THE BOOK:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Picture
Meet the Author:

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries includes nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh and the female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Nest Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister. 

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook ~ Instagram


2.28.2023

Chris Crossed Murder ~ Spotlight

CHRIS CROSSED MURDER by Lauren Carr

 

Today I'm spotlighting Chris Crossed Murder 
by Lauren Carr
CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery) by Lauren CarrBook Details:

Book Title:  Chris Crossed Murder 

Series: (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) 
Author: Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Carr is a master at creating unique, complex plots and colorful characters, both evident in her latest cold case mystery featuring  Chris Matheson and the geezer squad. The plot is twisted, the mystery unique and the ending a surprise. A must-read!" - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer

"Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. ...I would give Chris Crossed Murder one hundred stars if I could. I believe readers who enjoy reading well-written and clean cozy mysteries will most definitely want to read it. I have no doubt they will enjoy it as much as I did. The fifth installment from A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series is on my radar for when it releases." - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books

Book Description:
It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.

With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads
Also Available: 
ICE (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Book Details:

Book Title: ICE  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  364 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  February 26, 2018
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat...I love the way Lauren spun this novel - I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!" 5-Star Review by Carla at Working Mommy Journal

Book Description:
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. 

With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!

WINTER FROST (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Book Details:

Book Title: Winter Frost  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #2) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  332 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Filled with twists and turns, Winter Frost reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, although it is part of a series. The author creates tension and suspense throughout by keeping the reader guessing; she keeps readers engaged with well fleshed out characters and a dash of humor. Sterling, the retired German Shepherd police dog turned card shark, is a new favorite. As the story flows, the truth unfolds, layer by layer, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

"Winter Frost was an entertaining, at times humorous read with suspense, some surprises, and even cute animals in the mix." Review of Winter Frost by The iRead Review

Book Description:
It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.

Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas. 

Nothing is as it seems. 

In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?

THE LAST THING SHE SAID (a Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Book Details:

Book Title The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  386 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   July 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Too many twists and turns to easily share about this book. Nevertheless, Carr has pulled off another "hit" that kept me reading in one setting until the clues were so well together that the villain fell into our laps...or Chris's, LOL Carr has put a lot into the book beyond the mysteries this time...Characters enjoyed chocotinis, visited book stores...and even blundered into getting engaged (the ring had been purchased 4 months ago)... But, for me, a special thank you for the political spoof at a time when politics at the national level is devastating, gave me a laugh and lightened the load of it all!" - Review by Glenda Bixler, Book Reader's Heaven

Book Description:
“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.

For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!

Author Lauren Carr
Meet the Author:

​Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ pinterest

Tour Schedule:

Feb 22 Mystery Review Crew - book series spotlight/guest post/giveaway
Feb 22 - The Book Countess book series spotlight/author interview/giveaway
Feb 22 – Locks Hooks and Books – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/author interview/giveaway
Feb 22 - Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting – book review  of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Feb 23- Leanne Bookstagram book review of ICE
Feb 24 – My WorldReadsbook series spotlight/author interview/giveaway
Feb 24 – Book Reviews by Linda Moore – book series spotlight/giveaway
Feb 27 - Splashes of Joy – book review of ICE/giveaway
Feb 27- Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Feb 27  Bound 4 Escape book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Feb 28 
Blooming with Books - book series spotlight/giveaway
Feb 28 - Splashes of Joy – book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Feb 28 - Paws.Read.Repeat – audiobook book review of ICE/giveaway
Mar 1 -  Leanne Bookstagram – book review of WINTER FROST
Mar 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Mar 1 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 2 – Diane’s Book Journal – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER
Mar 2 - 
Leels Loves Books - book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 3 - Novels Alive – book review of ICE/giveaway
Mar 3 
Gina Rae Mitchell - book review of ICE/giveaway
Mar 3 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Mar 3 – Bigreadersite – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 6 - Welcome To MLM Opinions Reviews – book review of ICE/giveaway
Mar 6 –Novels Alive – book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 7 - Welcome To MLM Opinions Reviews – book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 7 -  Leanne Bookstagram – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID
Mar 8  Deborah-Zenha Adams – book series spotlight/guest post/giveaway
Mar 8 - Paws.Read.Repeat – audiobook book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 8 - Welcome To MLM Opinions Reviews – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 9 - Splashes of Joy – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 9 - Welcome To MLM Opinions Reviews – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 9 – FUONLYKNEW – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Mar 10 Gina Rae Mitchell - book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 10 –Novels Alive – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 10 - Splashes of Joy – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 13  Liese's Blog – book series spotlight
Mar 14 – Paws.Read.Repeat – audiobook book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 14 - Library of Clean Reads – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 15 –Novels Alive – book spotlight of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 15 –Novels Alive – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 16 -  Leanne Bookstagram – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 16 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 17  Celticlady's Reviews – book series spotlight/author interview/giveaway
Mar 17 Gina Rae Mitchell - book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 17 Christa Reads and Writes - book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER 
Mar 17 - Older & Smarter? – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/author interview/giveaway
Mar 20 
Books for Books - book series spotlight
Mar 20 – Sandra's Book Club – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER
Mar 21 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 21  fundinmental – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 22 - My Reading Getaway – book review of ICE/giveaway
Mar 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 23 - My Reading Getaway – book review of WINTER FROST/giveaway
Mar 23 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 24 Gina Rae Mitchell - book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Mar 24  Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 24 – Pause for Tales – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 27 – My Reading Journeys – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 28 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book series spotlight/guest post/giveaway
Mar 28 -- My Reading Getaway – book review of THE LAST THING SHE SAID / giveaway
Mar 29 – inspired.j.reads – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER
Mar 30 - My Reading Getaway – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 31  Adventurous Jessy – book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
Mar 31 - 
Just Another Reader - book review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER/giveaway
TBD Christa Reads and Writes - book review of ICE 
Enter the Giveaway:

10.20.2022

Double Dog Dare ~ Review

DOUBLE DOG DARE (AN OWL'S NEST MYSTERY) by C.S. McDonald

 

DOUBLE DOG DARE (an Owl's Nest Mystery) by C.S. McDonald

Double Dog Dare

The Owl's Nest Mysteries #3
By C.S. McDonald
Read by Maren Swenson Waxenberg

Detective Bobby Starr is back and Alexa is about to be pulled into another unsolved cold case from Bobby's past. But this time, everything is different. First off, they are given five days rather than three to solve the case. And the potential suspect has two potential murders tied to his name. And if Bobby can solve this case, he'll be part of Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. And Alexa is more than ready to have Bobby out of her life.

But when Alexa is suddenly thrown back into the future, her feelings of unease are explained. Worse she's brought a tag-along from the past with her, and that's in addition to the always slumbering Bassett Hound that has somehow made its way into her home. Soon Alexa is caught up in her contemporary troubles while Bobby continues working on his murder case from 1963. 

Double Dog Dare offers a change-up to the previous cases that Saint Pete has sent this sleuthing duo on. The unexpected twists find Bobby and Alexa working hard to find answers to different questions this time. As always, this book is a fun and entertaining escape from this reader's day-to-day. It is written so a reader new to the series could easily pick this up and enjoy it as a standalone title. And then there is a particularly amusing scene with a Roomba, you have to read it to fully enjoy it! This a contemporary read that is a cozy mystery that as well as magical realism with a touch of romance. The book is just over seven and a half hours, making it a perfect afternoon/evening commute listen.  The narration by Maren Swenson Waxenberg is well done, the pacing is good, and provides an excellent version of this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - All thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Details:

Book Title: Double Dog Dare (The Owl's Nest Mysteries) 
Author:  C.S. McDonald
Category:  Adult Fiction, 274 pages
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  May 2022
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.


00:00
00:00
Prologue - Double Dog Dare
Book Description:

That ornery, but oh, so handsome, charming, and somewhat, wayward angel, Detective Bobby Starr, has returned. This time, he’s back to fulfill his third and, hopefully, his final requirement to get into Saint Peter's prestigious Guardian Angel Squad. This time, the usually reluctant time traveler, Alexa Owl, is ready to go back to the 1960's to assist in solving one more long-ago murder. Why? Because if all goes well, she'll be rid of the menacing angel once and for all. Except, an emergency jerks Alexa back to her own time, and to complicate matters, she’s got a tag-along. Can Bobby solve this last case without Alexa’s help? After all, she’s got her hands full with a life-or-death mystery in the twenty-first century!
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Audible 
add to goodreads
Also Available:
BACK TO THE BURGH (an Owl's Nest Mystery) by C.S. McDonald
Book Details:

Book Title:  Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries, Book 1) 
Author:  C.S. McDonald
Category:  Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Run Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Sep 10, 2020
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.

Book Description:

​Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!
Buy the Book:
Audible

Amazon ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads
MAXED OUT (an Owl's Nest Mystery) by C.S. McDonald
Book Details:

Book Title:  Maxed Out (The Owl's Nest Mysteries) 
Author:  C.S. McDonald
Category:  Adult Fiction, 184 pages
Length: 5 hours, 32 minutes
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  April 2021
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.

Book Description:

The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. Of course, they will need to return to the time period in which the murder took place, and again, Alexa is a reluctant time traveler. Oh, and there’s one more little problem—this time, Bobby’s brought along a friend, Maxi Krogen, and she’s no angel!
Buy the Book:
Audible

Amazon ~ B&N
add to goodreads
Meet the Narrator:

Voice Over Artist Maren WaxenbergMs. Waxenberg is a voice-over artist and presentation coach.  She serves as a consultant to the Professional Development Company, Inc., teaching presentation and interview skills seminars to a variety of clients, Columbia MBA, and SIPA graduate students.  Maren has a 30-year background in special events, performing arts production and the entertainment industry.   In 1996, she founded Maren Productions which produces audio books, radio and television voice-overs, and podcasts.  Maren Productions also offers special event production and consultancy services. 

Ms. Waxenberg has worked in Special event production with George Trescher Associates, theater production and management at the TheatreVirginia in Richmond, the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, and The New Dramatists in New York. She edited and formatted feature films for ABC Motion Picture Post Production.  Maren served as the concert manager of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall for four years, produced events for the promotion department of The New York Daily News, and has produced chamber music recitals at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.  Ms, Waxenberg has produced, directed and performed in numerous Off-Broadway theatre productions.  She trained with the CoActive Training Institute.

Author C.S. McDonald
Meet the Author:

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries includes nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh and the female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Nest Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister. 

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook ~ Instagram