Review: Horse of a Different Killer by Laura Morrigan and Giveaway - March 3, 2015

Horse of a Different Killer
Author:  Laura Morrigan
Series:  A Call of the Wilde Mystery 3
Publisher:  Berkley, March 3, 2015
Format:  Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages
List Price:  $7.99 (print)
ISBN:  9780425257210 (print)
Review Copy:  Provided by the Publisher

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde’s psychic ability gives her insight into the minds of all kinds of creatures. If only humans were as easy to read…

Dead men may tell no tales, but they can screw up your life with a few phone calls. Grace’s abusive ex-brother-in-law, Anthony Ortega, needs her help—at least that’s what he said on the messages he left before his sudden death. Grace is inclined to let the matter rest in peace, but when her sister is named a suspect, Grace decides to get to the bottom of the cryptic calls.

Her only lead is Ortega’s fiancée, who believes that he had arranged to surprise her with the purchase of a Frisian gelding named Heart. The horse was being stabled at the R-n-R Ranch—but was taken in the middle of the night. Now, with her sister in trouble and a missing horse on her hands, Grace hopes the information harnessed from her psychic skills will be enough to rein in the killer…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Qwill Thoughts

Horse of a Different Killer is the 3rd novel in the Call of the Wilde Mysteries by Laura Morrigan. Grace Wilde's sister, Emma, is in trouble after her ex-husband is killed and Emma is suspected of being the murderer. To help her sister Grace has to track down an murderer and find a missing horse.

Grace can communicate with animals - she can sense their emotions and speak with them. This is incredibly useful since Grace is an animal behaviorist. What I like about this aspect of the stories is that Grace's ability never overwhelms the story. It's just part of who Grace is and is works seamlessly with what is happening. Of course Grace struggles with letting others know about this ability. Who wouldn't? She often relates to animals better than humans. Gracie tends to be straightforward and her snark is pitch perfect and never annoying (at least to the reader!).

Morrigan is adept at writing relationships - Grace and her sister, Emma; Grace and her budding romantic interest, Kai. The relationships feel unforced and are realistic (i.e., not perfect). Kai is a police officer which does create some tension since Emma is suspected of murder. There is a wonderful supporting cast in Horse of Different Killer - some familiar if you've read the prior novels and some new. In addition, the animal characters are superb. I'm especially fond of Gracie's wolf-dog, Moss. There are some truly fun animal interactions in the story.

Both the interconnected murder mystery and the missing horse mystery are well done with spot-on pacing. I have only praise for Horse of a Different Color. It's an engaging story with wonderful characters, well done mysteries, laugh out loud moments, and a terrific lead - Grace Wilde.

Previously

Woof at the Door
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 1
Berkley, July 2, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde keeps her ability to psychically communicate with furry and feathered critters under wraps. But when a Doberman turns out to be the only witness to a crime, Grace will have to let the cat out of the bag in order to catch a killer.

Grace Wilde’s job is anything but normal. When she’s not helping out at the zoo by comforting agitated lemurs, she’s listening to the woes of annoyed house pets. Grace’s life gets even more complicated, though, when the cops summon her to a crime scene to help deal with the murder victim’s terrified Doberman.

The pooch turns out to be the only one who saw what happened the night of the shooting—and only Grace can get the information out of him. The problem is, how will Grace tell the distractingly gorgeous Sergeant Kai Duncan that it’s the dog who’s giving her the intel without spilling her big secret or sounding crazy? Left on her own, Grace will have to follow the pup’s lead to track down the killer. But she’ll have to be careful—or curiosity may end up killing the cat whisperer.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

A Tiger's Tale
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 2
Berkley, May 6, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

When a normally mellow tiger at a rescue facility trees a terrified vet, animal behaviorist Grace Wilde needs to use her psychic ability to get to the root of the problem…

A tiger can’t change his stripes—but if his behavior changes suddenly, there’s a reason. So when even-tempered Boris the Siberian tiger goes into attack mode, Grace knows there’s more to the story. Something is agitating the big cat. As she uses her telepathic ability to calm the tiger, she realizes he has witnessed a theft—not of something but of someone. A teenaged volunteer at the animal rescue facility has been taken…kidnapped.

The problem is Brooke Ligner’s parents believe their troubled daughter ran away and Grace can’t exactly reveal her source. Even though sexy cop Kai Duncan is aware of Grace’s secret ability, he can’t initiate an investigation based on the word of a tiger. Now, as Grace searches for solid clues to rescue the missing teen, it’s the human predators she’ll need to watch out for…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

The Giveaway

What:  One entrant will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of Horse of a Different Killer by Laura Morrigan from the publisher. US ONLY

How:  Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a US mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time on March 19, 2015. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ParaMysMo 2014 - Laura Morrigan, author of the Call of the Wilde Mysteries - October 20, 2014

Please welcome Laura Morrigan, author of the Call of the Wilde Mysteries!

A Halloween snapshot from my childhood…

I’m eight years old, wearing a huge hoop earring clipped onto one earlobe, a ruby-colored scarf tied over my hair, a puffed-sleeve peasant blouse and a smile a mile wide. My long, pied skirt is belted with a sash festooned with dozens of gold coins.
       Today, I am a gypsy!
       Jingling with each excited step, I look over my shoulder at my mother.
       She's decked out in all black. Her dress has an asymmetrical, jagged him and sleeves that fan out like a bat’s wings. Her dark wig is long, straight and has two white sections of hair that fall on either side of her face.
       She looks so spooky and cool.
       "This way," I tell her turning down a deserted hall leading to the music and art classrooms. We are early for the school's Halloween carnival because my mom volunteered to participate in the haunted house. (Well, I volunteered for her, but, whatever…)
       Dracula steps out of the classroom in front of us and flashes a smile. He has real fangs!
       By now I'm so excited I'm not sure I'll be able to hold still long enough to say hello to Dracula. (Who's my dentist and custom made the fangs) I want to go into the dark rooms of the haunted house. I want to squeal as I put my hands in the bowls of "eye balls" (peeled grapes) and "brains" (cooked spaghetti noodles). I want the mummy to come alive and grab my shoulder while emitting spooky, mummy-moans. I want to be chased by a scary clown wielding a squeeze-horn.
       Let's get the show on the road, people! It's time for Halloween!

Call of the Wilde Mysteries

Woof at the Door
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 1
Berkley, July 2, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde keeps her ability to psychically communicate with furry and feathered critters under wraps. But when a Doberman turns out to be the only witness to a crime, Grace will have to let the cat out of the bag in order to catch a killer.

Grace Wilde’s job is anything but normal. When she’s not helping out at the zoo by comforting agitated lemurs, she’s listening to the woes of annoyed house pets. Grace’s life gets even more complicated, though, when the cops summon her to a crime scene to help deal with the murder victim’s terrified Doberman.

The pooch turns out to be the only one who saw what happened the night of the shooting—and only Grace can get the information out of him. The problem is, how will Grace tell the distractingly gorgeous Sergeant Kai Duncan that it’s the dog who’s giving her the intel without spilling her big secret or sounding crazy? Left on her own, Grace will have to follow the pup’s lead to track down the killer. But she’ll have to be careful—or curiosity may end up killing the cat whisperer.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

A Tiger's Tale
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 2
Berkley, May 6, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

When a normally mellow tiger at a rescue facility trees a terrified vet, animal behaviorist Grace Wilde needs to use her psychic ability to get to the root of the problem…

A tiger can’t change his stripes—but if his behavior changes suddenly, there’s a reason. So when even-tempered Boris the Siberian tiger goes into attack mode, Grace knows there’s more to the story. Something is agitating the big cat. As she uses her telepathic ability to calm the tiger, she realizes he has witnessed a theft—not of something but of someone. A teenaged volunteer at the animal rescue facility has been taken…kidnapped.

The problem is Brooke Ligner’s parents believe their troubled daughter ran away and Grace can’t exactly reveal her source. Even though sexy cop Kai Duncan is aware of Grace’s secret ability, he can’t initiate an investigation based on the word of a tiger. Now, as Grace searches for solid clues to rescue the missing teen, it’s the human predators she’ll need to watch out for…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Upcoming

Horse of a Different Killer
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 3
Berkley, March 3, 2015
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde’s psychic ability gives her insight into the minds of all kinds of creatures. If only humans were as easy to read…

Dead men may tell no tales, but they can screw up your life with a few phone calls. Grace’s abusive ex-brother-in-law, Anthony Ortega, needs her help—at least that’s what he said on the messages he left before his sudden death. Grace is inclined to let the matter rest in peace, but when her sister is named a suspect, Grace decides to get to the bottom of the cryptic calls.

Her only lead is Ortega’s fiancée, who believes that he had arranged to surprise her with the purchase of a Frisian gelding named Heart. The horse was being stabled at the R-n-R Ranch—but was taken in the middle of the night. Now, with her sister in trouble and a missing horse on her hands, Grace hopes the information harnessed from her psychic skills will be enough to rein in the killer…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

About Laura

Laura Morrigan is a Florida Native whose work at a local zoo, helping out with everything from “waste management” to teaching an elephant how to paint, served as inspiration for her Call of the Wilde Mysteries. She still lives in Florida and is working on the third book in the series.









Website  ~  Twitter @LauraMorrigan  ~  Facebook

The Giveaway

What:  One entrant will win her/his choice of a Mass Market Paperback copy of Woof at the Door or A Tiger's Tale by Laura Morrigan.

How:  Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on November 5, 2014. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blog by Laura Morrigan and Giveaway - May 6, 2014

Please welcome Laura Morrigan to The Qwillery. A Tiger's Tale, the 2nd Call of the Wilde Mystery, is out today from Berkley. Please join The Qwillery in wishing Laura a Happy Publication Day!

     Three unexpected things I learned after becoming a published author.

1. People read your book. I know, this seems to be a given, but I'm always a little surprised when I get emails from readers who express love for a specific scene or ask detailed questions about character motivations. The first time it happened I thought, "Holy crap! This person actually read my book!" Well, yes, what did you expect, Laura? (Disclaimer: I’m a natural blonde.)
2. Your book may alter these people’s perspective. This was hard to get my head around and was totally unexpected. I've had numerous readers tell me they no longer look at their pets or even their friend's pets the same way. They wonder what Fido or Fluffy is thinking or feeling.
   I had one woman tell me she was more patient with her dog after reading my book.
   Whoa.
   Talk about awesome!
3. You don't read nearly enough. Amongst my friends and family, I would be considered a voracious reader. Compared to some folks I've met at... let's say, Malice Domestic, I would be called peckish at best. I'm talking five-plus books a week people! It's gotten to where I cringe when someone starts a sentence with, "Have you read…"
   Though I read a lot- it’s not enough. I’ve read some classics- but not enough. It’s never enough!
   I made it all the way through the fourth A Song of Ice and Fire book- does that give me a day pass?
   Didn’t think so.

Call of the Wilde Mysteries

A Tiger's Tale
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 2
Berkley, May 6, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336pages

When a normally mellow tiger at a rescue facility trees a terrified vet, animal behaviorist Grace Wilde needs to use her psychic ability to get to the root of the problem…

A tiger can’t change his stripes—but if his behavior changes suddenly, there’s a reason. So when even-tempered Boris the Siberian tiger goes into attack mode, Grace knows there’s more to the story. Something is agitating the big cat. As she uses her telepathic ability to calm the tiger, she realizes he has witnessed a theft—not of something but of someone. A teenaged volunteer at the animal rescue facility has been taken…kidnapped.

The problem is Brooke Ligner’s parents believe their troubled daughter ran away and Grace can’t exactly reveal her source. Even though sexy cop Kai Duncan is aware of Grace’s secret ability, he can’t initiate an investigation based on the word of a tiger. Now, as Grace searches for solid clues to rescue the missing teen, it’s the human predators she’ll need to watch out for…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Woof at the Door
A Call of the Wilde Mystery 1
Berkley, July 2, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde keeps her ability to psychically communicate with furry and feathered critters under wraps. But when a Doberman turns out to be the only witness to a crime, Grace will have to let the cat out of the bag in order to catch a killer.

Grace Wilde’s job is anything but normal. When she’s not helping out at the zoo by comforting agitated lemurs, she’s listening to the woes of annoyed house pets. Grace’s life gets even more complicated, though, when the cops summon her to a crime scene to help deal with the murder victim’s terrified Doberman.

The pooch turns out to be the only one who saw what happened the night of the shooting—and only Grace can get the information out of him. The problem is, how will Grace tell the distractingly gorgeous Sergeant Kai Duncan that it’s the dog who’s giving her the intel without spilling her big secret or sounding crazy? Left on her own, Grace will have to follow the pup’s lead to track down the killer. But she’ll have to be careful—or curiosity may end up killing the cat whisperer.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

About Laura

Laura Morrigan is a Florida Native whose work at a local zoo, helping out with everything from “waste management” to teaching an elephant how to paint, served as inspiration for her Call of the Wilde Mysteries. She still lives in Florida and is working on the third book in the series.









Website  ~  Twitter @LauraMorrigan  ~  Facebook

The Giveaway

What:  One entrant will win a copy of A Tiger's Tale by Laura Morrigan from the publisher. US ONLY

How:  Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a US mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on May 13, 2014. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway