Title: The Man in Cabin Number Five, Guest Book Trilogy Book One
Author: Chrysteen Braun
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction
Book Blurb:
When Annie Parker discovers her husband’s infidelity, she doesn’t let it destroy her. She packs her bags and heads to Lake Arrowhead, Ca, the mountainside town where her family used to summer. Immersing herself in the restoration of seven 1920s era cabins, Annie begins to put the pieces of her life back together. But starting over is never easy.
Alyce Murphy needs closure. When she discovers her father did not die from a heart attack, as she’s been led to believe for the last 30 years, but in a murder/suicide, she is determined to uncover the truth of his death. But when she visits the cabin where her father ended his life, Alyce has to accept she may never know the true story.
Annie is looking towards her future while Alyce needs to put the past to rest. In parallel stories, both women are drawn to the rustic mountainside cabins as they search for the missing pieces---but they soon discover that the cabins have their own stores to tell.
Watch the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StvcOfaNocc
Excerpt:
He turned to look at me. “It’s easy to find someone when you want to,” he said sarcastically, then added, “This is a small town, remember.”
He’d violated my privacy, and I was getting more angry as we both stood there.
“What do you want?” I asked, coolly.
“Why are you doing this to me?” his face had really reddened, and I wondered if he was going to give himself a stroke. I saw loathing in his eyes, and I caught my breath.
“Why am I doing this to you? You threw away our marriage. Not only did you betray me, but you bought property that I never knew about. Why would you do that?”
“It was for me,” he said simply.
I couldn’t believe he said that.
“The fact you even did something like that just proves what a shit you are. If you bought it, it should have been for both of us. And now it will be!”
“It was so I’d have something...” he was almost pleading.
Then I realized he was making sure he’d have something if our marriage ever ended. Something he wouldn’t lose.
“You repulse me!” I said, and I could feel my heart pounding.
For the first time, I looked at him and detested everything about him. His face was ugly and distorted. He’d had time to work his way up to the hostility he now felt towards me. And the frightening thing was that if I’d had a gun, I could have killed him, and I don’t think I would have cared.
I decided the best way to fight him was to stand there and remain as calm as I could. I’d let him try in his attorney’s voice to convince me I was being unjust to him; that all this was unfair. That it was his right to insist we set this aside and continue with the original divorce agreement.
And then, like in a movie where the hero suddenly arrives, Noah’s truck pulled in to the parking area.
“Hold off now,” Noah tried to calm him down with both hands.
“Did you hear me? This is not your business!”
“I don’t know what you two are talking about, but it looks like it’s getting out of hand,” Noah started, and then David lunged for him.
What had just happened?
Noah fell down, then David went after him, but Noah’s age and strength worked in his favor as he pushed David off him.
“Stop it, both of you,” I screamed.
But David tried to lunge for Noah again, and this time Noah jumped away and David went down. He stayed there for a moment, and I thought he might actually cry. This was unbelievable! I could see how people were murdered in passion and outrage.
Noah bent over, with hands on his knees, just to catch his breath. David was still down on the ground and had his hands over his face.
Then Sam came out with his rifle, as if he was going to make everything right by shooting someone. If it wasn’t so serious, it would be comical. The headline would read, “Old mountain man shoots soon to be ex-husband while he fights with wife’s boyfriend!”
I let out a sarcastic cry at the image.
“For god’s sake, David, get up,” I said. I was so disgusted, it took everything I had to not kick him. “And how did you get here?” I asked Noah. For some reason, I was now angry with him, too.
For a minute he looked at me like I was the one who was crazy, and then Sam piped up, “I called him.”
“Get up, David,” I said, “and go home before I report you to the Bar. Your behavior is appalling. And it will change nothing. In fact, it makes me wonder what else you’ve lied about...but I want to get this over with as soon as possible, so I’m not going to look any further.”
Was there anything else I could say to him while I had his attention?
“And I need my money, now.”
David stood and brushed himself off. His hair was disheveled, and he looked dreadful. He rubbed his hand on his shoulder. Good. I hoped he hurt himself.
We watched as he despondently made his way back to his car, all traces of rage left behind. Sam followed him back, I’m sure to be certain he truly left.
I, on the other hand, stood there, trembling. It could have gone much worse.
Noah came to my side and touched my arm. “Are you okay?”
I stepped back from him, like he’d been the one who’d gotten out of control, and he winced. I didn’t know why I did that to him, and I knew it hurt him.
“Jesus, Annie,” was all he could say before he stomped off.
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y9KGZ3R
What makes your featured book a must-read?
If you love stories about starting over, and add love, friendship and a little mystery and intrigue, discover the Guest Book Series today! When Annie Parker turns 80,she decides to write about a time in her life when she moved to Lake Arrowhead mountains. She buys and restores 1920s era cabins, and discovers they each have a story to tell. Start the series today.
Giveaway –
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Runs November 12 – November 21, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on November 22, 2024.
Author Biography:
Chrysteen Braun is a California native, born and raised in Long Beach.
The mountains, where she and her husband had a second home, were the inspiration for her first three books, The Guest House Trilogy. These fictional restored cabins from the late 1920s all had their own stories to tell.
Her writing crosses genres of Women’s Fiction with relationships, and a little mystery and intrigue. She’s published articles about her field of interior design and remodeling, both for trade publications and her local newspaper.
She lives in Coto de Caza, with her husband Larry and two Siamese cats.
Contact her at chrysteenbraun@gmail.com, or www.chrysteenbraun.com
Social Media Links:
Website: www.chrysteenbraun.com