Calamity (Callie) Barnstable isn’t surprised to learn she’s the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate, though she is shocked to discover she has inherited a house in the town of Marketville—a house she didn’t know he had. However, there are conditions attached to Callie’s inheritance: she must move to Marketville, live in the house, and solve her mother’s murder.
Callie’s not keen on dredging up a thirty-year-old mystery, but if she doesn’t do it, there’s a scheming psychic named Misty Rivers who hopes to expose the Barnstable family secrets herself. Determined to thwart Misty and fulfill her father’s wishes, Callie accepts the challenge. But is she ready to face the skeletons hidden in the attic?
SITA was released Aug. 2016 and reached #1 on Amazon US and Canada in 3 categories (mystery & suspense, cozy, international mystery & Crime), and was Top 100 for 3 months. In Dec. 2020, after a BookBub promo, it reached Top 10 in 3 categories on Amazon, #1 on Kobo and #4 on Nook. It has strong sales in ebook, print and audiobook. The NA English mass market rights were acquired by Harlequin Worldwide Mysteries, releasing July 2021. It has an average of 4.1 on Amazon and 4.14 on Goodreads. It is book 1 in what is a three-book series (#4 in the works).
This is what can be classified as a "cold case cozy," set in a small town north of Toronto, Canada. The main character is Calamity (Callie) Barnstable, a 36-year-old woman who has inherited a house she didn't know existed from her late father. The condition is she move into the house to find out who murdered her mother 30 years before, when Callie was six.
End C1 (abbreviated) Callie learns she's inherited a house from her father, who has died in an occupational accident.
Callie: “You said my father wanted me to move into the house? When was he going to tell me?”
“I think the initial plan was that your father was going to move back in there," Leith said. "But of course now—”
“Now that he’s dead, you think he wanted me to move there?”
“Actually, it’s more than wanted, Calamity. It’s a provision of the will that you move into Sixteen Snapdragon Circle for a period of one year. After that time, you are free to do what you wish with it. Go back to renting it, continue to live there, or sell it. He has left you money for renovations."
“He had money set aside for renovations?” I always thought my dad was frugal because he had to be. It never occurred to me he was squirreling away money to fix up a house I didn’t even know existed.
“About a hundred thousand dollars, although only half of that is allocated to renovation. The balance of fifty thousand would be paid to you in weekly installments while you lived there rent-free. Certainly enough for you to take a year off work and fulfill the other requirement.”
Fifty thousand dollars. Almost twice what I made in a single year at my call center job at the bank. Leaving there would definitely not be a hardship. And my month-to-month lease would be easy enough to break with thirty days notice. “What’s the other requirement?”
Leith leaned back in his chair and let out another one of his theatrical sighs. I got the impression he didn’t really approve of the condition.
“Your father wants you to find out who murdered your mother. And he believes the clues may be hidden in the Marketville house.”
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Afrikaans
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Already translated.
Translated by Nelmari Marais
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Author review: Nelmari takes her time to do the job right and she is a conscientious communicator. I would work with her again. |
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German
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Unavailable for translation.
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Greek
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Already translated.
Translated by ioanna kormouli
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Author review: Very prompt and professional. |
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Gerson Loyola de Aguilar
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Author review: Gerson is always available to answer any questions and is very easy to work with. His translation was early. He has offered to help in any way possible. I would recommend him and plan to work with him in future. |
