A Life for a Life: A Mystery Novel

"EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT. Lynda McDaniel has the gift of putting the reader right there in her stories with characters that grab ahold of your heart strings and take you into their world page after page."  ~L. Judd  

Laurel Falls, N.C., 1985: "I was done with being a crime reporter in Washington, D.C., tired of all the violence. So I packed up and moved to the small town of Laurel Falls, N.C. It looked like heaven to me—ancient mountains brimming with tall trees and songbirds, peace and quiet. Until I found the body.

The sheriff took the easy path, calling it a suicide. No way. I'd found that young woman, and I knew she hadn't taken her own life. I'd spent my whole career searching for the truth, and I wasn't about to stop now. Trouble was, without my usual sources, how much of a murder investigation could I pull off?
 

But a special kid lived next door. Abit Bradshaw, a teenager struggling to find his rightful place in the world. Hey, I knew all about that. I'd never fitted in either, but eventually I'd found something I was good at. I figured he just needed a chance too. And he got one when we teamed up to solve that crime. Along the way, we sure met some interesting characters—both bad and good. We had a plan, and we worked it hard to find that killer before we became the next victims. Looking back, I should've known plans rarely pan out the way you think." ~Della Kincaid

You'll love this suspenseful story because who doesn't dream of second chances?

If you enjoy Jacqueline Winspear, Sue Grafton, and Cheryl Bradshaw (no relation to Abit Bradshaw that we know of), you're sure to enjoy the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries series.

Get it now—for the rich natural setting, colorful characters, and suspenseful investigations.

A Life for a Life is the first novel in the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries series by award-winning author Lynda McDaniel.

Look for the latest book in the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries series, After Dusk, coming soon!

Interview with the Author
Q: What makes the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries Series so special?
A: In addition to the suspense of a good mystery, each book includes people and stories from the years I spent on my "back to the land" farm in Appalachia. You'll meet a gentle giant of a beekeeper with an abiding love for his family, and Cleva Hall, who's based on a woman who taught me how to put food by. But especially Abit Bradshaw, one of the amateur sleuths along with Della Kincaid. Abit started in a supporting role, but I listened to my readers and gave him a starring role in the rest of the series. This book and the next two--The Roads to Damascus and Welcome the Little Children--are coming-of-age stories for Abit.

Q: In what order were the books written?
A:
A Life for a Life, The Roads to Damascus, Welcome the Little Children, Murder Ballad Blues, Deep in the Forest, Up the Creek, Unwrapped, After Dusk, Waiting for You (prequel offer)

"REMINDS ME OF To Kill a Mockingbird. You are a treasure as a writer." ~J. M. Grayson