Anita Dickason

The delightful heroine, Tori Winters, returns, and it is non-stop excitement from the start.

Murder's Legacy is the second book in author Anita Dickason's super Tori Winters Mystery series, and it is an exciting follow-up to the debut, Deadly Keepsakes. With its engaging main character and her growing group of friends and "found" family, I had been looking forward to her continued adventures since the last page of the previous book; I was not disappointed.

Tori Winters, although hailing from Missouri originally, is a bit of a steel magnolia. Her early life and career, first as a nurse in an ER setting and later in hospice, have perfectly honed those tendencies. When she gets her dander up, get out of her way or suffer the tongue-lashing you will most certainly have deserved.

I've really enjoyed her home renovations with the descriptions of the old and the upgrades, and I liked how she defers decisions to the friends who have thrown in with her to make the Red Door Inn a success and their future. Her relationships have grown immensely over the two books of the series, not only with her women friends and partners but with David as well.

The fictional characters of the very real town of Granbury run the gamut of personalities, and much like any small town, they all know each other and their business. Mia is the one to go to for critical information and to understand the historically pivotal relationships; she's got her finger on the town's pulse, not to mention being completely in tune with Tori herself. They have developed a great partnership, and the five women together are a great team.

The story's action starts immediately and never lets up. Once again, the house yields another long-held secret that drives the story's events. Recurring characters and new keep things moving ahead, and I never knew who was behind what was happening. I liked that the plot incorporates some of the realities of getting a new business up and running, along with permitting and working with a city. Hopefully, the actual Granbury isn't anything like what Tori is dealing with. Surely not. Myra continued to try to stir up ill will, and I laughed about the mayor's wife's visit and her failure to buy in to Myra's negativity. In the end, I was very happy with the outcome and am, again, left waiting with great anticipation for the next chapter in Tori's continuing story.

With its delightful heroine, great small-town supporting characters, and exciting non-stop plot, I recommend MURDER'S LEGACY to cozy mystery readers who like strong female protagonists, storylines tied to factual events, and fans of the author's previous work, especially the previous novel in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.… (plus d'informations)

An awareness, a sense something was amiss trickled through Tori Winters.

First off, I love the cover. It surely hints at the story inside Murder’s Legacy. The clock is ticking on Tori Winter’s plan to convert the mansion she inherited after her grandmother’s murder to a B&B. There are those who wish to stop the renovation and condemn the property. The reason? Secrets are about to be exposed.

A mystery is afoot and it will take Tori and all of her friends to solve it. I have come to love this group of women who have come together, not only as friends, but as business partners. Each has something special to offer, and Tori is constantly amazed at how they have become a cohesive unit, the ladies going above and beyond anything she could have anticipated. They are fun, determined, and I am so happy to be with them again.

The danger is insidious, the villain, or villains, not immediately apparent. Power corrupts, twisted to serve those who have ulterior motives. The villains did not anticipate all those who would come to her aid. Those who will protect her and expose them.

Red Door Inn is officially a business. Tori is the owner, Mia the General Manager, Heidi is Director of Operations, Cammis is the Culinary Director and Tina is the Advertising Director. Tori is the wealthy owner, but believes in sharing her wealth. They will become partners.

Do I see romance on the horizon?

Anita Dickason’s bio helps show why she is able to make it look so easy to write a fabulous mystery. She is able to develop complex characters who come to life through the written word. I like to try and place myself into character’s situations and wonder what I would do.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com… (plus d'informations)

A patient’s suspicious death sets hospice nurse Tori Winters on a collision course with a murderer, one who wants her dead. But all is not as it seems. A surprise inheritance from an unknown relative draws her to the small Texas town of Granbury. As she uncovers the secrets her family’s past, she must use her instincts to judge who is friend and who is foe.
I enjoyed Deadly Keepsakes, the first in what appears will be a series. Tori is a character readers can cheer for. She’s vulnerable but strong, smart but pigheaded, but what I liked best about her was, she relied on herself and not the handsome eligible men circling her. Instead, Tori forges a strong friendship with a core group of females who she leans on for support. Yay for girl power!
The mystery at the heart of the story is intriguing and well-plotted. I didn’t guess the killer until very close to the end! I enjoyed the snippets of Texas history woven into the story. My only issue with the book is the brief times when a second point of view suddenly pops into the narrative which I found startling and distracting.
I look forward to reading more about Tori Winters and her new life in Granbury! I recommend this book to readers who enjoy well executed mysteries with a strong female protagonist.… (plus d'informations)

A modern reimagining of the Gothic romantic suspense novel in the vein of authors such as Phyllis A. Whitney or Daphne du Maurier.

Deadly Keepsakes is a modern recreation of the Gothic romantic suspense novel in the vein of such great authors as Phyllis A. Whitney or Daphne du Maurier. Rather than the setting of the big house on the dark, remote, craggy-cliffed island, author Anita Dickason has reimagined the genre by placing the story smack in the middle of hot and sunny, small-town Texas.

Dickason amps up the suspense from the very start with Tori fleeing her home in Springfield, only months after her mother's death, to escape the intimidation and revenge of the Russell family. But thankfully, Tori is a bright, capable, and determined heroine (unlike some of the fragile, helpless females of old), and she takes matters into her own hands to keep herself safe.

When she reaches her new town in Texas, she is immediately surrounded by the influential, successful people at the core of Granbury society: men who seem to feel they know more about what's in her best interests than she does. I was so glad to see her set them straight quick, fast, and in a hurry. Two handsome men are also personally interested in the new heiress, and both are deliciously suspicious. But our girl keeps a wary eye on them both, though. Even as she feels attracted to one, she doesn't let this blind her to his possible participation in the strange goings on. She keeps them both at arm's length as she figures things out.

Deviating from the Gothic romantic suspense formula, though, is the presence of Mia O'Brien and her posse of friends/employees. I enjoyed this group of young women so much with their camaraderie, witty banter, and we-got-your-back attitude. I loved how Mia knew everyone in town and all their business and background. She always "knew a guy" who could do whatever needed doing. She and the other women were a fun and entertaining support network and just what Tori needed.

I especially enjoyed the secrets the house held and Grandmother Elly's backstory with her family history of gambling, gunrunning, and liquor. Readers should be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book giving the story behind the fiction and its roots in the life and times of a real, local gangster from the area. I also felt the sadness of the tragic reasons Tori and her grandmother never met. In the end, Elly had everything but what she wanted most: her family.

With its fresh setting, strong heroine, excellent support characters, and solid, relentlessly evolving mystery, I recommend DEADLY KEEPSAKES to mystery readers, especially those who enjoy their stories with a lot of suspense and a touch of romantic suspense as well.… (plus d'informations)