Welcome to Day 2 of THE HAUNTED SHORES MYSTERIES BLOG TOUR FEATURING “SCARLET AT CRYSTAL RIVER” @OverbeckRandy @4WillsPub @4WP11 

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WORDS STILL MATTER

            Words still matter. Perhaps, now more than ever.

            What we say and what we write carries weight, makes a difference.  A few words from a president can set off alarm bells. A phrase from the fed chairman can make the stock market soar or ignite a selling spree. And it’s not just the words of major players. Dangerous misinformation shared on social media platforms actually cost lives. 

Our words can wound or heal, can obscure or reveal. We’ve learned long ago the saying, sticks and stones can break out bones, but words can never hurt us, is clearly not true. 

Words matter, still.

            So when I set off to write my novels, I pay special attention to my words…and what I choose to write about. I’m not naïve. I realize readers pick up my Haunted Shores Mysteries looking for puzzling whodunits or perhaps hoping to get away to one of my incredible locations or even to experience a little “who-hoo.” 

            But my novels are about more than cold case murders, a ghost or two, a thread of romance or even breathtakingly beautiful resorts. I’m also careful to structure my narrative to tell a larger truth. A truth about us, about our society, about how we treat each other. In the first two entries, my plots entwined with the issues of racial injustice (BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE) and human trafficking (CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY).

             In the third installment, SCARLET AT CRYSTAL RIVER, I have my sights set on an equally compelling social issue, one not very well understood by most Americans. As Darrell tries to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of two young Latino children, he is thrust in the middle of our “immigrant problem,” as they might say on the news. As I completed my research for this novel, which takes place more than twenty years earlier, I was amazed how little has changed on this issue. As a nation we’re still struggling today much the same way we were in 2000 with how we deal with “the hungry, the poor, yearning to be free” as is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. 

            My words are not intended to persuade anyone. Rather, like my efforts in CRIMSON about human trafficking, I’m hoping my writing may cause readers to pause and want to learn more, this time about the plight of migrant workers—and not simply accept the soundbites about the issues on TV or social media. 

            I hope my words matter. 

“One thing that is particularly special about Overbeck’s books is that they unabashedly tackle social issues within their plots. Already having discussed racism and human trafficking in his first two books, “Scarlet at Crystal River” once again forces readers to confront a particularly pervasive and dangerous social issue. This book, in particular, touches upon the dangers of racism and xenophobia, as well as emphasize the often-ignored plights of the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who are the reason we are able to have such a variety of fruits, vegetables and other resources in our daily lives.”—ReaderViews 

Bio

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for four decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent. His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Amazon No. 1 Best Seller, Blood on the Chesapeake, Crimson at Cape May and Scarlet at Crystal River have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including “Thriller of the Year–ReadersFavorite.com, “Gold Award”—Literary Titan, “Mystery of the Year”—ReadersView.com and “Crowned Heart of Excellence”—InD’Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation, “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.

Social Media Handles 

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Specs

  • Release by Wild Rose Press—September 13, 2021
  • Paranormal mystery
  • 364 pp.
  • Mild

Blurb

All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help. 

            When he and Erin track down the artist, they discover the children’s family were migrant workers the next county over. But when they travel there, their questions about the kids gets their car shot up and Erin hospitalized. Torn between fear and rage, Darrell must decide how far he will go to get justice for two young children he never even knew.

Tagline

            Darrell and Erin thought they were heading to Florida for a carefree honeymoon, but the ghosts of two immigrants children haunt them, pleading for help.

Trailer

Review Blurbs

Scarlet at Crystal River is an eerie paranormal mystery I couldn’t stop reading. Randy Overbeck is a masterful writer of the paranormal, drawing the reader in before instilling shivers down the spine. 5+ stars.” –N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

“A rollercoaster of a mystery, hurtling up and down hills and sharp corners until the very end, when the reader is left slightly breathless, waiting for their hearts to beat back to a normal rhythm. ★★★★★—ReadersView

Scarlet at Crystal River is a suspenseful paranormal novel with compelling characters and an enigmatic mystery that drives the story to a riveting conclusion. Overbeck is a master at building tension–-this is easily a one-sitting read.” ★★★★★—Literary Titan

“This is another masterpiece from Randy Overbeck. His excellent writing style has left me speechless for one more time. He writes in a way that makes you feel what the characters feel and you have no choice but to partake in the journey with them.” ★★★★★—Ioanna’s Reviews, Greece

Welcome to the #HauntedShoresMysteries Series Blog Tour! @OverbeckRandy @4WillsPub @4WP11 @RRBC_Org

“Overbeck enchants readers with his picturesque details about a remarkable old town and keeps them on the edge of their seats with unpredictable plot twists.”–ReadersView 

   My series is called the Haunted Shores Mysteries for good reason. For my stories, the setting ranks up there in importance with interesting characters and a twisty whodunit puzzle. In some ways the setting comes first and defines each tale. I work hard to craft a narrative and choose a social issue that exudes organically from this specific setting of my books. 

BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE, the first entry in the series, takes place on the beautiful, scenic Eastern Shore, home to memorizing sunsets and some of the best sailing around. 

 Amidst this natural grandeur, the area and the people struggle with a dual personality, part New England culture and part still stuck in a southern (as in Confederate) past. This dichotomy is one of the aspects that makes the Eastern Shore so interesting and made it the perfect location for my mystery about a young man who is murdered as a result of bigotry and prejudice.

 The setting for my second novel in the series, CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY, was chosen with just as great a care. I found Cape May to be the perfect locale for my tale of a bride slain on her wedding night, her murder tied to an even more heinous crime, human trafficking. With its prime location near the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes, Cape May has easy access to major shipping routes in the Northeast for all kinds of commerce—including the illicit varieties. And it is one incredible resort. On the Shore side, the town boasts one of the most beautiful beaches on the East Coast, the most impressive collection of Victorian architecture this side of the country and a storied, one-hundred-fifty-year old history as a go-to resort. 

And for the pièce de résistance, that is, the Haunted part, Cape May is recognized as the most haunted seaport on the East Coast.

 All in all, I believe, a perfect setting for my ghost story/mystery. But readers are the best judge. 

Here are a few of their comments.

            “Sooo atmospheric. Cape May, with its history and Victorian mansions, has no end of ghostly stories. And the Haunted Bride is a doozy.”—V. Williams, an Amazon reader

            “I enjoyed Mr. Overbeck writing style, and I could easily visualize the scenes through his detailed descriptions.  I definitely recommend this book. Five stars!”—another Amazon reader

            “The hauntings were very descriptive, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading these scenes. There’s immense research involved here which I appreciate. Randy Overbeck’s writing style is stark yet descriptive.”—N.N. Light, an Amazon reader and reviewer

            “Henshaw’s character is immediately interesting, and his surroundings are so well described that the story is for me, completely believable.”—Goodreads reader and reviewer

INCREDIBLE SALE!

There is an unbelievable but true sale on the entire Haunted Shores Mysteries series!
BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE-$.99, CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY–$1.99, SCARLET AT CRYSTAL RIVER (pre-publication price)—$2.99. 

For all of you who don’t know him, here is a lovely bio of Author Randy Overbeck, along with a excellent Blurb over his book, CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent. His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Amazon and B & N No. 1 Best Seller, Blood on the Chesapeake and Crimson at Cape May have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including “Thriller of the Year–ReadersFavorite.com, “Gold Award”—Literary Titan, “Mystery of the Year”—ReadersView.com and “Crowned Heart of Excellence”—InD’Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.

BLURB—CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY

No matter how far you run, you can never really escape a haunted past. 

Darrell Henshaw—teacher, coach, and paranormal sensitive—learned this lesson the hard way. With his job gone and few options, he heads for Cape May to coach a summer football camp. The resort town, with gorgeous beaches, rich history and famous Victorian mansions, might just be the getaway he needs. Only, no one told him Cape May is the most haunted seaport on the East Coast. One resident ghost, the Haunted Bride, stalks Darrell, begging for his help.

He can’t refuse. Joining forces with Cassie, a street-wise teen and another sensitive, he investigates the bride’s death and discovers her murder is connected to a far greater horror. But can Darrell and Cassie expose those behind the crimes before they end up being the killer’s next victims? 

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit theauthors’ tour pageon the 4WillsPublishing site.  If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please clickHEREThanks for supporting this author and hiswork!

Thanks for dropping by.

Shalom aleichem,

Pat Garcia

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