"Jay Mims has an ability to create truly likeable characters. I loved Dan and Abbey fromThe Five Santas and I am ecstatic that Mims brought them back for more. "- Goodreads, Karen (about The Cult of Koo Kway)
The Five Santas
Dan Landis is a private investigator who makes his living peeping in windows and taking compromising photos to make a quick buck. But, even adultery has an off-season, and to make some quick cash, Dan’s been hired by a department store to work as a loss prevention agent.
Then he finds Santa stuffed behind a dumpster. One Santa leads to another, and before he knows it, Dan’s up to his sugar plums in murder, intrigue and holiday cheer. It’s up to Dan to save Christmas, find the Kringle Killer and choose the perfect gift for the quirky blonde in his life.
The Cult of Koo Kway
When Dan Landis wakes up handcuffed and threatened by a colander wielding high-heeled beauty, he knows it’s Tuesday. And when a hapless blonde is in danger of being mugged, his best friend shows up poisoned in his kitchen, and his sister wants him to track down a cowboy named Tex, Dan knows he’s in trouble.
Dan and his faithful sidekick Abbey return for this new mystery, as college professors keep disappearing, students end up poisoned, and someone keeps trying to kill Dan. And all signs point to an obscure film called The Cult of Koo Kway. As the clock ticks, Abbey and Dan must work together to save the day.
Dan Landis had a simple plan. Drive to a quaint bed and breakfast, spend New Year’s with his best friend Doc, and enjoy a much-needed vacation. Except, he didn’t account for everyone’s favorite klutzy genius Abbey.
Now there’s a body in the library, snow all around, and a mansion full of suspects. Dan must call on his best detective skills, and his worst Hercule Poirot impersonation, to solve this latest mystery. However, the awful truth looms overhead everyone, whatever the answer, nothing will ever be the same.
Racing the Storm
The storm is here. Dan Landis, private investigator, has been hired by his defense attorney sister to do the impossible. In order to create a miracle, Dan must call on his friends and family, endangering them and putting a target on his own back.
Dan is on the run, his home is in flames, and the bad guys have murder on their minds. The skys reddened in The Five Santas, the clouds began to darken in Cult of Koo Kway, and the thunder rumbled in The Gray Ghost Inn. At last, the storm is here. And everything is about to change.
From: The Five Santas
Years of living by your wits had given Dan a sixth sense for trouble. It was the same instinct that kept cops and school teachers alive. Someone was watching him. Dan glanced around, but she wasn’t hard to find. The floor was supposed to be empty; the store had barely been open five minutes. She stood over by the unattended jewelry display, smiling.
Her red hair shone like a beacon, splashing against the green of her sweater. She wore a Christmas tree sweater, complete with ornaments and lights. The lights even blinked synchronously, probably to O Tannenbaum. Her smile was dazzling.
Dan had learned the hard way, never to trust a smiling face. Particularly a smile attached to a gorgeous red head, one with the air of someone who knew exactly how attractive she was. Her emerald eyes twinkled with laughter. She winked at him. And then she bolted, her giant matching green knitted purse flopping from side to side as it bounced off her hip. That purse looked like it could hide a refrigerator. Or a whole lot of jewelry.
Of course, Dan thought, a supremely attractive shoplifter would choose first thing in the morning to play cat and mouse. It was just his luck. He took off after her. The lady could move. Dan had a lot of experience running, mostly from other people, but this cutie was booking it. Right for the Emergency Exit. He picked up speed, ignoring the sheer agony pounding inside his head. He desperately wished he had gotten some aspirin first.
The redhead hit the emergency exit a beat ahead of Dan, and the heavy door was just closing when he flung it open. Part of him noted that the fire alarm hadn’t gone off. That could be a problem. On the bright side, it wasn’t HIS problem. A sexy thief was his problem. Thank God for small favors. The crisp morning air hit him like a hammer; the sunrise was bright, almost blinding. Dan hated when the weather sent mixed signals. If you were going to have blistering cold, don’t also be bright and sunshiny. It was such a tease.
With a shock he realized the alley was empty.
Dan listened, but there were no running footsteps, and the alley had a good 50 yards of space in either direction. No one here but Dan, some dumpsters, and a whole lot of nothing. He sighed. She was probably in one of the dumpsters. Or behind one of them. On a whim he looked up. No green eyes were staring impishly down at him from the roof. Of course, there was no ladder nearby, but Dan wouldn’t have been surprised if she could fly. She had that magical look to her. He glanced down, but there were no manholes, open or otherwise within eyesight. Resigned, he headed toward the nearest dumpster.
“How come I always end up in a dumpster?” he asked no one in particular. The dumpster didn’t answer, instead it just looked nasty, tetanus filled, and generally uninviting.
“These pants are IRONED!” Dan yelled, lashing out with one foot.
It wasn’t until his foot connected with the surprisingly solid dumpster that he remembered he was wearing dress shoes. His foot thumped against the metal, pain shot up his leg. Dan hopped up and down, holding his foot.
“FUNKY BUTT LOVING!” he howled.
Then he saw the dead Santa Claus stuffed behind the dumpster.
“Oh,” he said, still holding his foot, “That’s not good.”
EXCERPT
From: The Five Santas
Years of living by your wits had given Dan a sixth sense for trouble. It was the same instinct that kept cops and school teachers alive. Someone was watching him. Dan glanced around, but she wasn’t hard to find. The floor was supposed to be empty; the store had barely been open five minutes. She stood over by the unattended jewelry display, smiling.
Her red hair shone like a beacon, splashing against the green of her sweater. She wore a Christmas tree sweater, complete with ornaments and lights. The lights even blinked synchronously, probably to O Tannenbaum. Her smile was dazzling.
Dan had learned the hard way, never to trust a smiling face. Particularly a smile attached to a gorgeous red head, one with the air of someone who knew exactly how attractive she was. Her emerald eyes twinkled with laughter. She winked at him. And then she bolted, her giant matching green knitted purse flopping from side to side as it bounced off her hip. That purse looked like it could hide a refrigerator. Or a whole lot of jewelry.
Of course, Dan thought, a supremely attractive shoplifter would choose first thing in the morning to play cat and mouse. It was just his luck. He took off after her. The lady could move. Dan had a lot of experience running, mostly from other people, but this cutie was booking it. Right for the Emergency Exit. He picked up speed, ignoring the sheer agony pounding inside his head. He desperately wished he had gotten some aspirin first.
The redhead hit the emergency exit a beat ahead of Dan, and the heavy door was just closing when he flung it open. Part of him noted that the fire alarm hadn’t gone off. That could be a problem. On the bright side, it wasn’t HIS problem. A sexy thief was his problem. Thank God for small favors. The crisp morning air hit him like a hammer; the sunrise was bright, almost blinding. Dan hated when the weather sent mixed signals. If you were going to have blistering cold, don’t also be bright and sunshiny. It was such a tease.
With a shock he realized the alley was empty.
Dan listened, but there were no running footsteps, and the alley had a good 50 yards of space in either direction. No one here but Dan, some dumpsters, and a whole lot of nothing. He sighed. She was probably in one of the dumpsters. Or behind one of them. On a whim he looked up. No green eyes were staring impishly down at him from the roof. Of course, there was no ladder nearby, but Dan wouldn’t have been surprised if she could fly. She had that magical look to her. He glanced down, but there were no manholes, open or otherwise within eyesight. Resigned, he headed toward the nearest dumpster.
“How come I always end up in a dumpster?” he asked no one in particular. The dumpster didn’t answer, instead it just looked nasty, tetanus filled, and generally uninviting.
“These pants are IRONED!” Dan yelled, lashing out with one foot.
It wasn’t until his foot connected with the surprisingly solid dumpster that he remembered he was wearing dress shoes. His foot thumped against the metal, pain shot up his leg. Dan hopped up and down, holding his foot.
“FUNKY BUTT LOVING!” he howled.
Then he saw the dead Santa Claus stuffed behind the dumpster.
“Oh,” he said, still holding his foot, “That’s not good.”
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About the author:
Jay Mims, better known as Mimsey, lives two miles past nowhere with The Mimsus. He also accidentally adopted his neighbor’s cat, Eartha Kitty, has a lizard named Bob hiding in his house, and has a passive-aggressive Dalek roommate named Steve. When not writing cozy mysteries, Jay teaches and is learning knitting. Jay is currently working on knitting a cape. Capes are cool.
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