Rent Scot Free (A Last Ditch Mystery)

Synopsis

"[McPherson's] character-driven romp is sparked by the larger-than-life, quirky residents of the Last Ditch Motel, putting this laugh-out-loud whodunit on a par with the early Janet Evanovich."―Library Journal (starred review)

"McPherson, a master of creepy psychological mysteries, shows an utterly different side of herself in this zany series kickoff."―Kirkus Reviews

"McPherson gives the fish-out-of-water theme a hilarious and original spin with Lexy Campbell, a Scottish therapist who falls for and marries a sexy California dentist who turns out to be more horndog than hero. Throw in a sweet old lady accused of blowing up her pyrotechnic husband and a hilariously bumbling supporting cast, and you have the perfect comic caper. Lexy is my new favorite unwitting detective and her cultural observations and mistakes are laugh-out-loud funny. Scot Free is a little sexy and a lot funny, with a heart and a bang."―Jess Lourey, Anthony and Lefty-nominated author

"The only times I stopped turning the pages were when I was laughing so hard it took both hands just to hold the book. McPherson is an ace plotter, a vivid, original stylist, and great company. A great beginning to a new series."―Timothy Hallinan, author of the Junior Bender series

"Everyone who knows me knows that I don't throw the word 'hoot' around lightly. So if I were to say that Catriona McPherson's new novel was a hoot, believe me, I would mean it. Filled with an entertaining cast of eccentric characters, Scot Free is a funny and original mystery. Quite frankly, it's a hoot. There, I said it."―Johnny Shaw, author of Big Maria and Imperial Valley

"Scot Free is a proper cuppa Scottish mystery served under harsh California sunshine―and everyone's a little crazy from the heat. Lexy and her Last Ditch friends are charming, weird, and laugh-out-loud funny. A real treat."―Lori Rader-Day, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Little Pretty Things

"Lexy's snide observations about the California lifestyle can't cover up her affection for her friends, who are as warm-hearted as they are weird. Readers will look forward to Lexy's further adventures."―Publishers Weekly

"McPherson, who has earned acclaim for her dark thrillers and Dandy Gilver period cozies, blends jaunty pacing, a comically rendered Southern California setting, and quirky characters in this series starter. A sure bet for fans of Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer."―Booklist

FOR SCOTTISH-BORN MARRIAGE COUNSELOR LEXY CAMPBELL, THE AMERICAN DREAM BECOMES A CALIFORNIA NIGHTMARE

Lexy Campbell fell in love and left her native Scotland for a golden life in California―hitched to a hunk, building her marriage counseling practice, living the dream. Six months later she's divorced, broke, and headed home. There's just one last thing. Lexy's only client―sweet little old Mrs. Bombarro―is in jail for murdering her husband with a fireworks rocket.

Lexy knows the cops have got it wrong; all she needs is a few days to prove it and somewhere cheap to sleep at night. But checking into the Last Ditch Motel brings an unexpected slice of life and a whole world of trouble.

Praise for Catriona McPherson's Critically Acclaimed Stand-Alone Novels:

House. Tree. Person.

"The clever way McPherson reveals each hint of the truth makes this a one-sitting read."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"House. Tree. Person. is McPherson's best yet."―Karin Slaughter, New York Times and international bestselling author

Quiet Neighbors:

A 2016 Agatha Award Finalist for Best Contemporary Novel

A 2017 Mary Higgins Clark Award Finalist

A 2017 IPPY Award Bronze Medalist for Mystery/Cozy/Noir

"Quiet Neighbors drew me in from the very first page, and I stayed up late reading it because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. That's the definition of a good book."―Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"McPherson writes mystery stories that are both cozy and creepy, which accounts for the quirky charm of Quiet Neighbors."―The New York Times

"Outstanding."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Layer upon layer of deception."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Quiet Neighbors is a real find . . . This is one of those ideal stories that you cannot put down and actually feel sad when it's over."―Suspense Magazine

"Quiet Neighbors is a cleverly conceived, skillfully executed, decidedly nontraditional small-town mystery that is bursting at the seams with warmth, wit, moxie, and menace."―Mystery Scene

"Despite the dark underpinnings, this is also a story of love, family, trust, and forgiveness."―Booklist

The Child Garden:

A 2015 Agatha Award Finalist for Best Novel

A 2016 Mary Higgins Clark Award Finalist

"A warm-hearted character study . . . McPherson writes with the firm but delicate touch of a spider testing the strength of its web. Her account . . . is a tale that shivers with suspense."―The New York Times

"Catriona McPherson hooks you with her eccentric amateur sleuth, reinvigorating the exhausted conventions of the cozy-style mystery."―NPR

"A terrific stand-alone that is complex, haunting, and magical."―Library Journal (starred review)

"A stunning combination."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"McPherson's ingenious plot turns will keep even the most astute of crime fiction readers guessing until the last page."―The Strand

"This is a terrific spin on the great British cozy."―The Globe and Mail

"[McPherson] is a true master of storytelling."―Crimespree Magazine

"This is a book you will absolutely devour."―William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of Ordinary Grace

"An enchanting brew of mystery, poetry, legends, and dreams, Catriona McPherson's The Child Garden is also an elaborate shell game that will keep readers guessing up until the very end."―Hallie Ephron, New York Times bestselling author of Night Night, Sleep Tight

"Deeply resonant, utterly original, compelling, and satisfying, Catriona McPherson's The Child Garden is the work of a master."―John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author

"I loved this book so much I can barely speak. From page one, it's seamlessly told, beautifully original, and the voice, well, the voice is proof that Catriona McPherson is a powerful force and major talent in crime fiction. And the last page? I cried."―Hank Phillippi Ryan, award-winning author of Say No More

"Early in The Child Garden, Gloria Harkness calls her disabled son a heartbreaker, but Gloria is the one who'll break the reader's heart. Lonely and scared that everyone she cares for won't die in the right order, Gloria is loyal, trusting, and underestimated. The Child Garden is smart, complex, even a little magical―and absolutely chilling."―Lori Rader-Day, Anthony Award–winning author of The Black Hour

"Weaving strands of literary mystery, horror, and magical realism, The Child Garden is a twisting, now-you-see-it-now-you-don't tale about the ripple effect of tragedy."―Jenny Milchman, author of Cover of Snow, Ruin Falls, and As Night Falls

"A riveting, page-turning read; I did not want it to come to an end."―G.M. Malliet, Agatha Award–winning author of the St. Just and Max Tudor mysteries

Come to Harm:

"The no-exit setup is expertly done. The clues are cleverly laid. And once all the creepy characters are introduced, there's little doubt where Come to Harm is headed. And yet, Catriona McPherson manages to draw us deeper and deeper into this psychological thriller."―The New York Times

"The latest from this master of psychological thrillers is more cerebral than physical. But every page will draw you in and deepen your dread."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Shudderingly terrific."―The Globe and Mail

The Day She Died:

Winner of the 2015 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original

A 2015 Edgar Award Nominee for Best Paperback Original

A 2015 Macavity Award Nominee for Best Mystery Novel

"McPherson's second stand-alone is a tour de force, a creepy psychological thriller that will leave you breathless."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Keep the lights on and batten down the hatches, for McPherson's psychologically terrifying stand-alone demands to be read all night."―Library Journal

"I knew immediately that it would be one of the best I read in 2014 . . . It is, ultimately, a superb story."―CrimeSpree Magazine

"Warnings are everywhere, neighbors are nosy, and the reader will stand beside Jessie, looking over their shoulders and waiting for the axe to fall."―Suspense Magazine

"Cracking read, irresistible narrator."―Val McDermid, international bestselling author

"[A] deliciously disturbing tale of deception and self-deception . . . McPherson is a persuasive and immersive writer at the crest of her powers."―Alex Marwood, Edgar Award–winning author of Wicked Girls

As She Left It:

Winner of the 2014 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original

Winner of the 2013 Gold ForeWord IndieFab Award for Mystery

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013

"The creator of Dandy Gilver . . . has produced a stand-alone that is worlds apart, a fascinating, mysterious ramble you can't put down."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] dark, absorbing, contemporary stand-alone."―Publishers Weekly

"[A] captivating stand-alone from the author of the Dandy Gilver mystery series."―Booklist

"[Opal's] quest is a somber one, at times poignant, and always captivating, proving that you can go home again, though you might not always like what you find."―The Denver Post

"McPherson has crafted a tale that is both suspenseful and poignant. I wanted to cheer for Opal one second and hug her the next."―Eileen Rendahl, author of the Messenger Novels

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