Don't Blame the Guitarist (eBook)

A Suzanna Archer Mystery

Kathleen Mayes (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
332 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
9798317817145 (ISBN)

Infos

Suzanna Archer's classical guitar gig life shifts from quiet background music to center stage! Dodging a hit man and the legendary Jersey Devil, Suzanna is plunged into a mystery that could silence her for good. A heart-pounding suspense novel that blends suspense, sly humor, and a brush with the paranormal in the quaint New Jersey town of Haddonfield.

Kathleen Mayes is a former music professor and lifelong classical guitarist from Southern New Jersey. She spent over thirty years teaching classical guitar, music history, and theory at Rowan University, while also performing in concert halls and playing background music in cozy cafés at and around Philly and South Jersey. She's recorded several albums-solo and in duet with her husband, Joseph Mayes. The duo made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2010. Along the way, she's worked with wonderful ensembles and published guitar quartet arrangements published by Guitar Chamber Music Press. Now retired from the classroom and the concert stage, Kathleen has traded her sheet music for stories. She's having a blast writing mysteries filled with music, ghosts, and just the right amount of mischief. Visit her website at mayeskathleenauthor.com

---

Suzanna Archer lives an unassuming gig life playing background music in and around the small, historic town of Haddonfield, New Jersey. Dining customers and wedding guests never notice her, even when she plays only a few feet away. So why would such an invisible performer get into trouble with a hit man?When the mysterious attacks begin, Suzanna becomes center-stage in a world of scandals, blackmail, and murder. Collaborating with local police, Suzanna struggles to figure out who is making attempts on her life and who hired them. The only lead comes when she finds and investigates the attacker's book about the Jersey Devil the "e;mythical"e; monster that roams New Jersey's Pine Barrens. As the finale draws near, and Suzanna must depend on her wits and a bit of paranormal luck in order to determine how her roommate, her new boyfriend, the Jersey Devil, and even her mother's long-held family secret are all connected before the hit man succeeds. A heart-pounding suspense novel with a sprinkling of humor and a paranormal twist.

Textauszug

Chapter 2

Suzanna lay flat on her back atop the chill tile floor where the explosion had dumped her. Through a black-gray haze, she squinted up at the HB’s pressed-copper ceiling and tried to pull together her splintered thoughts. She was sure of only one thing. When she walked over to the now nonexistent side door, that stupid coffee spill had slowed her pace. Just enough. She would be dead right now if Emily wasn’t such a klutz.

A confusion of tramping feet and shouting whirled around her, muffled by a low, constant rumbling in her ears. Her lungs burned from the fumes of melting plastic. She wiggled her fingers and pulled her legs up to her chin. No injuries, only a throbbing bump on the back of her head.

Suzanna craned her neck toward her performance area with a growing sense of alarm. That spot, positioned between the HB’s front door and a bank of oversized windows, was where she played background music for the restaurant’s customers. It was also home to all her gear. Holding her breath, she stared across the room and checked on her amp, music stand, and precious classical guitar. Miraculous. All untouched.

With fragile relief, Suzanna jacked herself up enough to sit cross-legged and let her head droop into her shaking hands.

Far-off sirens blared and swelled as they closed in. Harry charged out of his back office. He took one look at the thick smoke pouring through the HB’s blown-out doorway, snatched up a fire extinguisher, and started spraying.

As Suzanna kneaded the bump on her head, an older man, pressing a napkin to his mouth, shoved past, almost knocking her flat again. Bracing herself, she slid back on her elbows. Her fingertips skimmed over something solid and crackly.

She jerked her arm back and squeezed her eyes shut. Was that a bug? She opened one eye to a squint. It was only a scorched paperback. It must have hurtled in from the sidewalk, just like she did. She wiped her watery eyes and examined the cover. Although it was singed various shades of brown, she could still read the title, The Jersey Devil: Phantom of the Pines. “What the—”

Vinny thrust his beefy hands under Suzanna’s arms and whooshed her up on a barstool. “Is your head okay?” he asked, out of breath.

She could see his lips moving, but her ears were totally out of service. Still clutching the paperback, she gave him a weak nod. Over his shoulder, she saw Emily spread-eagled on the floor.

“Oh my God, Emmy?” Suzanna frantically pointed at her friend.

Vinny spun around and knelt by Emily. “You all right?”

“What do you think? We just got blasted!” Emily’s eyes flitted back and forth along the length of the HB. “I’m not hurt, but what the hell was that?”

Vinny gripped Em’s elbow and helped her up.

“Let’s find out. Come on, Harry’s up front.”

Suzanna watched them plunge into the crowd but decided to stay put. From her barstool, she stretched her neck to look out through the jagged hole that had once been the side door. A firefighter was hosing down Baby’s remains. The torrents of water blew the sharp scent of burning tires into the restaurant and turned her stomach. She held her nose.

Three police officers barged through the gaping doorway and brushed past her. Harry left his post, guiding families out the front door, and rushed to join them, his burly frame cutting a swath through the crowd.

Suzanna’s teeth began to chatter even though she wasn’t cold. She tried to slow her heart rate and dial down the adrenaline coursing through her veins. A light tap on her shoulder nearly made her fall off her barstool.

The tapper, a police officer, grasped her elbow, stopping her fall. “Suzanna Archer?”

She cupped her hand to her ear and tilted her head. The officer shouted, “Suzanna Archer?”

She nodded and shouted back, “What happened? Is anybody hurt? Is it my fault?”

“Only minor injuries. You’re the main victim.” He pointed at her head. “I’m Officer Cline. That waitress over there is very worried about you.” He tipped his head in Emily’s direction.

“Was it a terrorist attack or something, Officer …?” She couldn’t remember his name to save her life and had a vague feeling she was being impolite.

“Just call me Jason. We don’t know much yet. The detective and CSI guy are working the scene outside. They’ll talk to you when they’re done inspecting your vehicle.”

She whimpered to no one in particular, “Baby, my Baby …”

Jason clutched her wrists. “What baby? My God, was there a baby in that car?”

“Oh, no. Baby’s my car’s name. Or was his name.”

He released her arms and let out a heavy sigh.

“Sorry,” she said.

“That’s one for the books.” Gently, he slanted her head forward and examined the growing lump in the back. “It looks superficial to me, but there’s an EMT in the ambulance out front. Should I get him?”

Even though her head did ache, Suzanna just wanted everyone to leave her alone. She needed time to puzzle out this nightmare. Why in the world did Baby go up in flames? A gas leak? Some sort of spontaneous combustion? “No. Thanks … really.”

Jason nodded. “I can’t force you, but see a doctor if it doesn’t feel better soon. Call out if you need me.” He turned and took charge of the room. With an authoritative voice, he said, “All right, everybody, relax. There’s a car fire on the side street, but limited damage. We’re evacuating to play it safe.”

Emily scanned the empty room. Only two stragglers lingered. Everyone else was already out on the sidewalk, gathered around the burnished town clock. She let out a short snort of laughter. “Yeah, come on, everybody. Both of you, outta here.”

Sometimes Suzanna admired Em’s ability to make light of almost any problem. But other times, like right now, they just added to Suzanna’s stress.

Jason ignored the wisecrack, drew back his shoulders, and led the last customers out.

Emily hurried over to Suzanna and gave her a quick hug. “Do you think this had anything to do with one of your fans? Like that goggles guy?”

“My ears are rumbling. Speak up.”

Em cupped her hand around Suzanna’s ear and shouted, “Could Goggles Guy be responsible?”

“God, Em, I hope not.”

“Well, earlier, I wanted to knock his teeth out. He called me bubbly!”

“You are kind of bubbly.” Suzanna attempted a snicker but ended up just sniffling.

“Whatever. How ya feeling?”

“My head hurts, but it’s minor. That’s what Jason said anyway.”

“Is that his name? Jason, huh.”

Emily hooked her elbow on the bar, and despite all the mayhem, she coolly leaned over and exclaimed in Suzanna’s ear, “Did you see the muscles on him? Gotta love a man in uniform!”

A half hour later, Emily and her team of waitresses had swept up all the debris, toweled off the booths, and wiped layers of soot from the pendant lamps hovering above each table. Harry flipped on the ceiling fans and ushered customers back in through the front door. Handing out free pints, Vinny cajoled and thanked everyone for staying.

Suzanna tried to chip in, but Em ordered her to sit in a booth and gave her an ice pack. Harry kept hounding her to go to the ER, but that was the last place she wanted to go … waiting for hours in a packed, stuffy room, all the insurance forms, and then only to be sent home with what, a couple of Tylenol and a prescription to take it easy?

As she slumped in her booth, ice pack glued to her head, the rumble in her ears softened. Now, everything just sounded a bit muted. It was like she’d been enclosed in a bubble after taking too much cold medicine.

Jason sat down across from her.

“Where’s this detective?” Suzanna asked.

“They’re almost done out there. Detective O’Brien will be with you soon. Sit tight.”

She nodded. She was in no shape to go anywhere, anyway. Her hands were shaking like she had stage fright, and she wasn’t even sure how she would get home.

Jason stood up and patted her hand. “After that, I’ll drive you home.”

He must have read her mind. Her lips tried to curl into a smile, but only one side worked.

Harry had called Vinny’s cousin to install a replacement door. Already, he was doing the final touchups with several piercing hammer strikes. Suzanna hugged herself against the sound; each whack jolted her jittery stomach.

Harry barreled through the new doorway, stepped back, and inspected the job with an air of proud ownership. Suzanna caught sight of him, glasses teetering on his sweating, bald head, giving Vinny’s cousin an approving pat on the back. He appeared to be handling the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.9.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 9798317817145 / 9798317817145