Dead Little Dolly

Book excerpt: Fans of Louise Penny will love the Emily Kincaid mysteries by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli! “Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli is a rather rare jewel among writers. She can make you laugh, keep you interested and make you angry with a certain character all at the same time. It is these conflicting emotions that make me return to her writing time and again.” —Goodreads, on Dead Sleeping Shaman Even the beauty of Northern Michigan can’t put a smile on the face of Emily Kincaid’s perpetually cranky friend Deputy Dolly Wakowski, and when someone tries to destroy the only family Dolly has ever had, her crankiness turns lethal, even as the crime threatens to overwhelm her. Still struggling in her career as a mystery writer, Emily takes a deep breath before stepping in to help. As they launch their search for Dolly’s assailant and the investigation deepens, two strange clues emerge: the attacker’s trademark black jellybeans and a note to Dolly reading “Thou Shalt Not Steal.” With Dolly’s disposition growing more sour by the day and Emily growing more curious, the two encounter a violent and abusive boyfriend, dig up old clues from Dolly’s painful past, and strengthen a friendship that’s as odd as it is perfect. But before Dolly and Emily can puzzle it all out, a loved one of Dolly’s will be murdered, another will be kidnapped, and a long-awaited confrontation between a mother and a daughter will heal at the very moment it kills. Rave reviews for the Emily Kincaid Mysteries Dead Dancing Women “Every woman who’s ever struggled with saying no, fitting in, and balancing independence against loneliness will adore first-timer Emily.” —Kirkus Reviews Dead Floating Lovers “A mystery that keeps you guessing, together with the story of a woman slowly finding her voice” —Kirkus Reviews Dead Sleeping Shaman “Buzzelli’s well-crafted third Emily Kincaid . . . [features] sharp prose and spirited characterizations.” —Publishers Weekly “Readers will find the same strong sense of place and great characters that are hallmarks of Sarah Graves and Philip Craig.” —Library Journal Dead Dogs and Englishmen A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2011! “Buzzelli will have you packing your bags for a move to northern Michigan.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Emily is a detective for our times: She can’t afford health care, but she can make flour out of cat tails and work three jobs at once.” —Christian Science Monitor