Secrets lurk in a small New York town and betrayal is just around the corner. The morning after the worst blizzard of 1934, Detective Steven Blackwell takes on a highly charged murder case. The investigation starts badly: one clue, lots of lies and alibis. To make things worse, Steven is seeing visions of a woman in his house.One night, she speaks. Her name is Olivia Watson and she lives in 2014. She believes time has folded over in the house they share. As their relationship deepens, Steven’s investigation intensifies. Soon he can no longer trust anyone in his own time. Can Olivia help crack the case—and catch a killer?
The past collides with the present in DOORWAY TO MURDER, an exciting new mystery by debut author Carol Pouliot.
With its fresh premise covering two eras that crackle off the page, Carol Pouliot introduces compelling characters to lead her series forward. Add a sharply written mystery with clever plot twists, and you have all the elements that make DOORWAY TO MURDER an accomplished debut. ~Marni Graff, award-winning author, The Nora Tierney series and Death Unscripted
Hi! I’m Carol Pouliot. (French pronunciation − the “t” is silent.)
I’ve always loved books and learning. I can still picture the library my family went to when I was little. I remember my excitement picking out books. Now, the bookshelves lining the walls of my house are stuffed to over-flowing − mysteries, political thrillers, time-travel, ancient Egypt, French literature, biographies of British kings and queens, and favorites from my childhood. I guess it was inevitable I’d want to write.I currently live on several acres of woods in the lake-effect zone. This means I get about 10 feet of snow every year thanks to the strong winds off Lake Ontario. I enjoy seeing the deer, chipmunks, and foxes. I also love watching the birds at my kitchen-window feeders − over 25 different kinds at the latest count.
Character Casting
Detective Sergeant Steven Blackwell is not your typical hard-boiled 1930s cop. The product of a disciplined, career-Navy father and a bohemian, French-artist mother, Steven balances regimentation and a strict adherence to the rules with an open-mindedness and understanding of human nature. He uses his analytical skills to get into the mind of the killer. He is devoted to his job and will not quit until he get justice for the victim. He is tough when he needs to be, ruthless if he has no other choice. Steven does not carry the prejudices of his time. He treats women with respect and would love to be “stepping out” with someone. When Steven meets Olivia, he is grieving the recent death of his mother. His greatest fear is spending his life alone.
Steven loves listening to the New York Yankees on the radio, reading the latest science-fiction novels, and cars. He is besotted with his new 1928 jungle green Chevy sedan.
Olivia Watson is a woman of the 21st century. She is proud of the success of her small business—The Watson Agency. A former journalist, she has a thirst for knowledge—Olivia wants to see everything, taste everything, and try everything this world has to offer. She is curious and adventurous and will occasionally take risks. To indulge and finance her passion for travel, Olivia writes freelance travel articles. She is a supremely loyal friend. When Olivia meets Steven, she is getting over the devastating betrayal of her ex-fiancé. She wants to be able to love and trust again but is afraid of letting herself be vulnerable, of losing control.
Olivia practices kickboxing and runs. She also loves everything from the Golden Age of Travel and the 1930s. She enjoys getting lost in her favorite classic movies: Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, and The Thin Man series.
Snippet
Then one day Steven Blackwell and his fancy French mother and big deal Navy father came back to Mr. Blackwell’s home town to live for good. They all knew she was some la-dee-dah artist from Paris but she was so nice that everyone liked her. The kids figured that The Admiral made buckets of money, but the family never showed off. Steven had lived all over the world and had met interesting and amazing people, but he was friendly with all the kids and never bragged about his experiences.
For reasons the young John Harrison could not understand, everything changed for him because of the Blackwells. Somehow the delicate balance of things had been disturbed. Jealousy and hatred began to grow. And they knew no bounds. The nicer Steven Blackwell tried to be to John Harrison, the more John loathed him. It became the singular focus of his life to make a lot of money, become someone important, and show them all.
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