The Skeleton Makes a Friend
A Family Skeleton Mystery #5
by Leigh Perry
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: 11/6/18
Georgia Thackery is feeling pretty good about her summer job teaching at prestigious Overfeld College, and she’s renting a rustic cabin right by a lake for herself, her daughter, Madison, and her best friend, Sid the Skeleton. Together again, the trio are enjoying the quiet when a teenager named Jen shows up looking for her friend. Georgia doesn’t recognize the name, but she learns that the person Jen was looking for is actually Sid.
Sid reveals that he and Jen are part of a regular online gaming group that formed locally, and one of their members has gone missing. Sid admits that he might have bragged about his investigative prowess, enough so that Jen wants him to find their missing player. Given that Sid doesn’t have many friends offline—none, really, unless you count the Thackery family—Georgia agrees to help him search. They manage to discreetly enlist Jen, who lives in town, and follow the clues to… a dead buddy.
Now they’ve got a killer on their hands. Probing the life of Sid’s friend, they realize a lot is wrong both on campus and in the seemingly quaint town, and someone doesn’t want them looking deeper.
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Indiebound
Sid reveals that he and Jen are part of a regular online gaming group that formed locally, and one of their members has gone missing. Sid admits that he might have bragged about his investigative prowess, enough so that Jen wants him to find their missing player. Given that Sid doesn’t have many friends offline—none, really, unless you count the Thackery family—Georgia agrees to help him search. They manage to discreetly enlist Jen, who lives in town, and follow the clues to… a dead buddy.
Now they’ve got a killer on their hands. Probing the life of Sid’s friend, they realize a lot is wrong both on campus and in the seemingly quaint town, and someone doesn’t want them looking deeper.
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Indiebound
Sid unzipped the rest of the way, pulled himself out of the suitcase and back together, and tried to turn the knob. “It’s locked.”
“Can you open it?”
“Easy peasy,” he said, pulling a set of lock picks from inside the suitcase. My locksmith sister Deborah probably hadn’t realized that teaching my daughter Madison how to pick locks was tantamount to teaching Sid. Madison had shared everything she’d learned with him, and he’d promptly ordered his own picks online. “You really should learn to do this, Georgia. It’s not that hard.”
Despite his assurance, it seemed to take an awful long time to get the door open. Or maybe it just seemed like a long time because I kept looking down the stairs, worried that somebody would hear us and come to see what was going on.
Finally there was a loud click, and Sid said, “Nailed it!” He opened the door, and cold air streamed out.
“Brr!” I said. “Wouldn’t you know that a department with everybody on vacation would be the one with overachieving air conditioners?” The window unit in my classroom had gone out twice. “Not to mention the waste of electricity.”
“You can complain about it later,” Sid said. “Come on.”
I followed him into the human resources department, pulling the empty suitcase along.
There were four more closed doors: three offices labeled with names and one marked File Room.
“Here we go,” Sid said, using his picks on one of the office doors.
This lock was easier to deal with, which was a relief, but unfortunately, the smell seemed to be coming from that office. “I’m going in.”
“Remember what I said. Get in, look around fast, get out.”
“Got it.” He stepped inside.
Between the cold, the horrid stink, and the fear of being caught, I was hoping that Sid would be swift, but I was surprised when he came out in under two minutes. “That was fast. Did you find something?”
“Don’t go in there.”
“I wasn’t going to—”
Then I looked at him.
He shouldn’t have been able to look like anything but bone-colored, but somehow he seemed paler than usual, and his bones were so loose he was nearly falling apart. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s in there. At least I think it’s him.”
“Did he see you?” I said stupidly.
He slowly shook his skull, and only then did I realize what it was we’d been smelling.
“Can you open it?”
“Easy peasy,” he said, pulling a set of lock picks from inside the suitcase. My locksmith sister Deborah probably hadn’t realized that teaching my daughter Madison how to pick locks was tantamount to teaching Sid. Madison had shared everything she’d learned with him, and he’d promptly ordered his own picks online. “You really should learn to do this, Georgia. It’s not that hard.”
Despite his assurance, it seemed to take an awful long time to get the door open. Or maybe it just seemed like a long time because I kept looking down the stairs, worried that somebody would hear us and come to see what was going on.
Finally there was a loud click, and Sid said, “Nailed it!” He opened the door, and cold air streamed out.
“Brr!” I said. “Wouldn’t you know that a department with everybody on vacation would be the one with overachieving air conditioners?” The window unit in my classroom had gone out twice. “Not to mention the waste of electricity.”
“You can complain about it later,” Sid said. “Come on.”
I followed him into the human resources department, pulling the empty suitcase along.
There were four more closed doors: three offices labeled with names and one marked File Room.
“Here we go,” Sid said, using his picks on one of the office doors.
This lock was easier to deal with, which was a relief, but unfortunately, the smell seemed to be coming from that office. “I’m going in.”
“Remember what I said. Get in, look around fast, get out.”
“Got it.” He stepped inside.
Between the cold, the horrid stink, and the fear of being caught, I was hoping that Sid would be swift, but I was surprised when he came out in under two minutes. “That was fast. Did you find something?”
“Don’t go in there.”
“I wasn’t going to—”
Then I looked at him.
He shouldn’t have been able to look like anything but bone-colored, but somehow he seemed paler than usual, and his bones were so loose he was nearly falling apart. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s in there. At least I think it’s him.”
“Did he see you?” I said stupidly.
He slowly shook his skull, and only then did I realize what it was we’d been smelling.
Though Leigh Perry was born in Pensacola, FL and raised in Charlotte, NC, she has been living north of Boston, MA for 26 years or so. She shares the house with her husband, two daughters, two guinea pigs, and a ludicrous selection of books. While the population of people and guinea pigs stays constant, the number of books is on an ever-rising curve. Under the name Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s published eleven novels and twenty-something short stories, as well as co-edited six urban fantasy anthologies with New York Times bestseller Charlaine Harris.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
Nov 19
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
All the Ups and Downs
The Pulp and Mystery Shelf
Nov 20
Character Madness and Musings
Tome Tender
Nov 21
Lisa Book Blog
FUONLYKNEW
Anna del C. Dye official page
Nov 23
Antrim Cycle
Mythical Books
The Book Dragon
Nov 24
Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
Readeropolis
Nov 25
2 chicks and a book
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
Nov 26
Authors & Readers Book Corner
Java John Z's
Tracie’s World of Books
Nov 27
A Pinch of Bookdust
Book Review Virginia Lee
Twisted Book Ramblings
Nov 28
Quiet Fury Books
A Modern Day Fairy Tale
Yearwood La Novela
Nov 29
A Mama's Corner of the World
Bedazzled By Books
Nov 30
Bookish Reviews
Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Dec 1
Books all things paranormal and romance
books are love
Dec 2
Girl with Pen
Inside the Insanity
Dec 3
Lori's Reading Corner
Books, Authors, Blogs
Dec 4
Luv Saving Money
Midnight Book Reader
Dec 5
Book-Lover
Books,Dreams,Life
Dec 6
Kerrific Online
Maiden of the Pages
Dec 7
Dragon's Den
James Quinlan Meservy - Author
Dec 8
Stormy Vixen's Book Reviews
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
Dec 9
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures
Teatime and Books
Dec 10
Let me tell you a story - REVIEW
My Chaotic Ramblings
Dec 11
Laurisa White Reyes, Author
Rabid Readers Book Blog
Dec 12
the bookworm lodge
Scrupulous Dreams
Dec 13
SJ's book blog
SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews
Dec 14
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
Dec 15
United Indie Book blog
Sylv.net
Dec 16
Jazzy Book Reviews
T's Stuff
Dec 17
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
Plain Talk Book Marketing
Dec 18
Paulette's Papers
Declarations of a Fangirl
Dec 19
Novels at Night - REVIEW
eBook Addicts
Artsy Draft - REVIEW
Nov 19
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
All the Ups and Downs
The Pulp and Mystery Shelf
Nov 20
Character Madness and Musings
Tome Tender
Nov 21
Lisa Book Blog
FUONLYKNEW
Anna del C. Dye official page
Nov 23
Antrim Cycle
Mythical Books
The Book Dragon
Nov 24
Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
Readeropolis
Nov 25
2 chicks and a book
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
Nov 26
Authors & Readers Book Corner
Java John Z's
Tracie’s World of Books
Nov 27
A Pinch of Bookdust
Book Review Virginia Lee
Twisted Book Ramblings
Nov 28
Quiet Fury Books
A Modern Day Fairy Tale
Yearwood La Novela
Nov 29
A Mama's Corner of the World
Bedazzled By Books
Nov 30
Bookish Reviews
Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Dec 1
Books all things paranormal and romance
books are love
Dec 2
Girl with Pen
Inside the Insanity
Dec 3
Lori's Reading Corner
Books, Authors, Blogs
Dec 4
Luv Saving Money
Midnight Book Reader
Dec 5
Book-Lover
Books,Dreams,Life
Dec 6
Kerrific Online
Maiden of the Pages
Dec 7
Dragon's Den
James Quinlan Meservy - Author
Dec 8
Stormy Vixen's Book Reviews
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
Dec 9
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures
Teatime and Books
Dec 10
Let me tell you a story - REVIEW
My Chaotic Ramblings
Dec 11
Laurisa White Reyes, Author
Rabid Readers Book Blog
Dec 12
the bookworm lodge
Scrupulous Dreams
Dec 13
SJ's book blog
SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews
Dec 14
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
Dec 15
United Indie Book blog
Sylv.net
Dec 16
Jazzy Book Reviews
T's Stuff
Dec 17
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
Plain Talk Book Marketing
Dec 18
Paulette's Papers
Declarations of a Fangirl
Dec 19
Novels at Night - REVIEW
eBook Addicts
Artsy Draft - REVIEW
