Diane Bator has been a writer since she was able to tell a story and hold a pencil. She works full-time at a live-stage theatre. After winning a mystery writing contest, she has published several novels and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and a local writing group.
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Christmas blooms in Sugarwood in the form of a brightly lit tree in town square, colourful ornaments, and a snowstorm. It’s just Audra Clemmings’ luck that she literally stumbles over the local butcher in Miss Lavinia’s shop. Then a witch doctor arrives in town.
Can Audra solve the mystery before the killer turns their sights on her?
Audra Clemmings loves Halloween. At least until she sees the display of voodoo dolls in the shop next door that resembles nearly everyone in Sugarwood, Ontario—including her.
Then there’s the matter of the dead cowboy on the bench in front of her shop Stitch’n’Time…
REVIEWS:
“The heroine's curiosity could get her in trouble but she managed to stay alert. This sounds like the kick off to a great series.” Janet Walters, author of Committee of Angels and Mrs. Miller Mysteries
“Ms. Bator's description of the locations and the quirky fun characters engage readers in this well-written cozy mystery.” Janet Glaser, aka J.Q. Rose, author of Deadly Undertaking
Eccentric romance novelist Mimsy Lexington has a secret.
When she approaches Katie Mullins to help find details around her late husband’s death, Katie and her boyfriend Danny Walker are drawn into a web of lies and deceit. The deeper they dig, the more they realize the biggest dangers may lurk close to home and need to suspect everyone—including Mimsy.
When
Sage Miller’s sister Laken decides to host a fashion show as a grand opening for the new location of Vintage Sage, she’s not amused. Even less so when she discovers her sister hired a Hollywood fashion designer to help. Not only does the designer show up in the middle of renovations, but he drags along his protégé.
Then she finds Sebastian Hayward the Third dead in her store.
Suddenly it seems half of Los Angeles—all unwelcome guests from Laken’s past—appear in Vintage Sage seeking something Sebastian had in his possession. Sage has to deal with renovations, a fashion show, and a murder before she and Laken come unglued.
What do a trunk full of vintage clothes, a handsome land developer, and a fifty year old diamond heist have in common? Laken Miller receives a trunk full of expensive vintage clothing and a stack of newspaper clippings about a fifty-year old
dia
mond
heist. Now all she has to do is figure out who murderedTilly San Vicente before the killer silences her as well.
GILDA WRIGHT MYSTERIES - SERIES
Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job as the receptionist at a karate school except she’s surrounded by handsome instructors, a local bookie, and more mysteries than she’d counted on.
Gilda Wright Mysteries, Book 5
An explosion leaves a gaping hole in the streetscape where the Nine Lives Consignment Shop and the former martial arts school once stood. When police find remains of a bomb inside, Gilda Wright needs to track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.
Dead Without Shame
Gilda Wright Mysteries, Book 4
Once more, Gilda considers leaving the karate school to work for her friend Happy (no one has ever called him Harvey). When three men rob Happy Harvey’s Hangover Hut killing the woman at the front counter, Gilda is stunned to think that could have been her. Was this a mere robbery, or does someone have a vendetta against Happy, including his good friend Gary del Garda? The evidence keeps piling up while both her mother and another karate instructor come to town bearing secrets that may cost Gilda the life she loves in Sandstone Cove.
Dead Without Pride
Gilda Wright Mysteries, Book 3
Gilda Wright has always had an open mind about the spiritual world. Dating the hot sensei at her martial arts school, Mick Williams, has taught her that mind, body, and spirit have a strong connection. But when her good friend and sometimes flirtation, Kane Garrick hires a pretty psychic at his New Age store, Gilda finds herself torn between being glad he's distracted and feeling just the teeny-tiniest bit jealous. A feeling that quickly turns to suspicion when the psychic's predictions begin to come true—including one about the murder of a well-known person in their small town! Suddenly Gilda wonders if the psychic's involvement in both her predictions and Kane's life are mere coincidence or a clever set up. It's up to Gilda to find the truth and track down a killer...before her own death becomes next on the psychic's prediction list!
Dead Without Glory
Gilda Wright Mysteries, Book 2
One crazy man with a sword accused.
One feisty receptionist on the case.
Gilda Wright’s life seems to finally be on track. Her love life is looking up and she’s planning and promoting a grand opening extravaganza for Sensei Mick Williams’ new martial arts school. But things go awry when their special guest referee for the opening exhibition match is found dead on the beach. To make matters worse, the school’s new weapon’s instructor Kane Garrick, who is enough to make any woman lose her head and her heart, stands accused of his murder. In spite of her promise to Mick and nearly everyone else in Sandstone Cove not to get involved, Gilda wades into danger one more time. The only question is, can Gilda catch the killer before the killer catches up to her?
Dead Without Honor
Gilda Wright Mysteries, Book 1
The scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai holds the key to a deadly mystery…
Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job as the receptionist at a karate school. Her boss, Sensei Mick Williams, is almost as demanding as he is sexy, but Gilda is inspired by the strength and courage of the people around her. When Gilda finds the body of one of the instructors in the dojo with a sword through his chest, she must find her own inner strength and fast! The police regard everyone in the school as suspects, including her boss, and it’s up to Gilda to find out what really happened. She follows the clues of the missing scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai down a deadly path filled with lies, deceit, and poisoned ninja stars. If she doesn’t watch her back, she just may become the killer’s next target.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series
By EH on
This is the first book in an awesome series by Diane Bator. I loved the characters & the setting (Karate Studio). I highly recommend getting this and the second book together so that you can keep reading about these engaging characters, Gilda Wright is the main character who works at a Karate studio. She keeps finding dead bodies when she goes to work. Gilda & her friends must find out what really happened before it's too late. Well written, funny series.
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique and highly enjoyable cozy mystery.
An awesome book! Even better than I expected. Gilda is of course the most clearly defined character and she is so relatable. The book is very much written in the cozy mystery style but it goes beyond the typical. The characters are not all good or all bad, well except for the murderer of course. Gilda sees the weaknesses in her friends but she can still love and respect them. While I was able to guess the murderer, I wasn't sure until near the end and could only partly guess the motivations. That makes for a good mystery to me.
5.0 out of 5 stars From the cover I was expecting just some book about ...
By Mary Nash
From the cover I was expecting just some book about a chick learning the martial arts and becoming a champ. This book is so much than that. There is so much intensity, intrigue, and mystery, and yes a little romance, that the book starts off with a bang and keeps on going til the end. This is not a cutesy little story. It is so much more.
Wild Blue Mysteries
Bookstore Lady, Book 1
Danny Walker is tracking Paulina Chourney who fell deep into the dark side of life and is lucky to get out before her boyfriend Maddox kills her. She escapes Maddox and arrives in a small town, which she sees as a blessing in disguise since the men she worked for would never think to look for her in a lazy, backwater place like Packham. She changes her name to Katie Mullins, makes a deal on a little bookstore and joins a local writing group then successfully fades into anonymity. Until Danny Walker shows up to visit family and figures out who she is.
When Paulina catches her 80-year-old landlady Hilda Clayton sneaking out in the middle of the night, the bad guys catch up to her and Danny disappears. Katie has to choose between spending her life on the run or standing up to face her past. Hopefully before the quirky townsfolk turn her death into a spectacle.
Mystery Lady, Book 2
Dann
y Walker used to enjoy chasing criminals, but after being kidnapped and nearly killed, he longs to close the Wild Blue Detective Agency to live a simpler life. Forced to take leave from the police force, he has a long way to go to convince the shrink he's even close to sane, especially when he helps his former partner solve a series of murders that endangers the woman he's tailing.
Wanna-be writer Lucy Stephen never wrote about murder until her husband moved out and now she thinks some man in a blue car is stalking her. When her husband and his girlfriend take her kids on vacation, Lucy discovers a hidden package of jewelry her husband desperately wants back. The more she learns about the assorted pieces, the more Lucy realizes she may never see her kids again and needs to fight for her life with the help of the man who's stalking her.
Bakery Lady, Book 3
From the moment Leo Blue meets the local tattoo artist's sister Christina, he's drawn into a web of bread dough and lies. Christina Davidson has returned to Packham with a duffel bag full of secrets. Leo soon discovers her biggest secret is Christina's alter ego and her husband, who stands accused of murdering an up-and-coming artist. He promises to help set things straight and plans to bring husband and wife together for Christmas—even if it costs him his sanity and the love of his life.
Reader Review
The Bookstore Lady, Wild Blue Mysteries Book 1
I could visualize that bookstore, smell the coffee and pastries, and see the colorful characters. This book has lots of twists and turns, and I never knew who to trust, all the way to the end. I'll look for future books by this author. Paul Carr
Painted Lady, Book 3
The pieces of Christina Davidson's life have built up into place over the past few months, despite the one last secret she's trying hard to hide. When Leo Blue returns to town, then people from her past turn up, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble and the only people who can help her now are the men of the Wild Blue Detective Agency.
Leo Blue can't escape Packham nor the life of a private detective no matter how hard he tries. Six months after the murder of artist DJ Gage, the prices of Gage's paintings soar. When a woman winds up dead and a forgery is discovered in the local art gallery, Leo has to find a murderer and a forger.