Scarlet at Crystal River by Randy Overbeck is a Paranormal and Paranormal Romance Event pick #paranormal #paranormalmystery #mustread #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Title: Scarlet at Crystal River
Author: Randy Overbeck
Genre: Mystery
Book Blurb:
All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help.
When he and Erin track down the artist, they discover the children’s family were migrant workers the next county over. But when they travel there, their questions about the kids gets their car shot up and Erin hospitalized. Torn between fear and rage, Darrell must decide how far he will go to get justice for two young children he never even knew.
Excerpt:
Darrell started, “Like I said back there it’s complicated. We—”
Erin’s side window exploded. The fractured glass shot slivers across the front seat. The sound of an explosion followed, a beat behind. Erin screamed. Something stung Darrell’s right arm. He grabbed a cut on his skin and then looked across the seat. Damn. Erin’s arm was bleeding, bad.
He couldn’t breathe. “Erin?” He stared at her for a second and then jerked his gaze back to the road and straightened the car.
Something hit the rear window. Luis yelped. The glass shattered and a second later, another crack followed. Luis fell forward. Was he hit? Darrell’s gaze jumped from the road to Erin to the back seat. Luis had fallen to the floor. Darrell couldn’t see him.
“Luis?” Erin called.
No answer.
Dragging his eyes from the road, Darrell shot another glance at Erin. Her entire arm was now turning red, the edge of her short sleeve wicking up the scarlet. The fingers of her left hand gripped tight around her right arm, the knuckles turning white. The blood still seeped through.
Dragging his eyes from Erin for a second, he turned in his seat to try to look into the back. He screamed, “Luis!”
Darrell wrenched farther around to look and his leg bumped the steering wheel. He heard an ugly thump. Too late, he jerked back around to see the car careen over the berm. In three seconds, it slammed into a tree. He heard another explosion and was slammed back against the seat.
Everything went dark.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
“Scarlet at Crystal River pulled me in deeper and deeper and had me racing to the end to the final climax with this big twist…This twist left me with my jaw literally hanging open and in tears.”—The Avid Reader“
A mesmerizing story which consumes the reader from the very first page…Overbeck is a fantastic storyteller…perfect for those readers looking for a mystery that will keep them on the edge of their seats and up until the wee hours?” ★★★★★ “Crown of Excellence” award—InD’tale Magazine
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs April 8 – April 15, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on April 16, 2025.
Author Biography:
Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author, speaker and podcaster. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades and has mined that experience to create captivating fiction, authoring two series, the bestselling series, “The Haunted Shores Mysteries,” and the award-winning series, “Lessons in Peril.” His novels have won critical acclaim and garnered national awards including Mystery of the Year (ReaderViews) Best Book Award (Chanticleer Books and Reviews) and the Gold Award (Literary Titan) and amassed hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Dr. Overbeck also hosts the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets and can be heard wherever listeners get their podcasts. He is a speaker in considerable demand, sharing his popular presentations about ghosts and the world of book publishing with hundreds of audiences all over the U.S.
As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.
When he’s not researching, writing, speaking or podcasting, Randy enjoys traveling with his wife Cathy and visiting both his far-flung family and the scenic locations around this country, often in search of inspiration for his next great story.
More info about his novels, programs and podcast can be found at his website www.authorrandyoverbeck.com
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