Thursday, June 6, 2019

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Tails from the Deep: A Mermaid Cozy Mystery by Diane Vallere

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm sharing Tails from the Deep: A Mermaid Cozy Mystery by Diane Vallere. It's a really quick and unique read. I had such a fun time with it.

About the Book
Three sisters vying for attention.

One matriarch to keep them in line.

A world of adventure filled with nefarious characters, hidden secrets, mysterious activities, and sunken treasure.

Sunken treasure?

Yes, sunken treasure. Because this is the ocean, where pearls are common, crimes are not, and mysteries lurk behind every cluster of coral.

Welcome to Sirenia, the mermaid colony in unchartered waters!

TAILS FROM THE DEEP - Mermaid Mystery #1

There's something fishy going on at the edge of Sirenia...


Zoe wasn't looking for trouble. As the middle daughter in a family of three mermaid sisters, she never gets the attention she deserves. She spends her days frolicking with sea creatures by the sunken battleship that sits at the edge of Sirenia, and her nights being lectured about danger. But when she finds a diver trapped in the kelp by the wreckage, she overcomes her shock to free him. The problem? The only available tool to cut him loose is the knife in the body on the ocean floor by his feet.

What happens when a mermaid saves dangerous stranger?
If you're that mermaid, you might have to solve a mystery to save yourself.


Zoe learns the diver is a detective tasked with solving the dead man's murder. Being in the unique position of finding evidence underwater, Zoe volunteers to help . . . until she finds a clue that links the body to her older sister. Now the only way to ensure the safety of her sister--and protect the mermaid colony she always dreamed of leaving behind--is to discover the dead man's identity herself. Zoe is used to being invisible around the other mermaids, but what happens when her sleuthing for clues exposes herself to the humans who may be responsible for a murder? With the evidence hidden in the ocean floor, digging for clues could lead to an early grave . . . in Davy Jones's Locker.

You'll love splashing around in the virtual world of Sirenia, because mermaid mysteries are the perfect escapist fiction.


Book Beginning
I hated being told what to do. Mother thought it was unseemly for a mermaid to show interest in something that came from the human world, but just because I was a mermaid didn't mean I couldn't be curious about other things.

Friday 56
I left Sirenia and swam to Mad Midge, who assigned two electric eels to accompany me. The eels provided enough light to illuminate my path. I could trust these fish to keep my secret since eels weren't able to talk. Everybody knew that.

What have you been reading lately?

12 comments:

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    1. I hadn't either. It's a fun one, for sure. Thanks for coming by, Anne! :)

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    1. I loved the idea of the mix of genres and HAD to pick up a copy. I'm so glad I did because it's so much fun! Thanks for visiting, Laura! :)

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  3. What a fascinating juxtaposition! I wish I was that creative. Thanks for sharing it.

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    1. I wish I was too! I never would've thought of combining mermaids with cozy mysteries, but it really works. Thanks for stopping by, Roberta! :)

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  4. Mermaids, mystery and a sunken treasure? I love the sound of this one! :D

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    1. It's so unique! Loved it! Thanks for coming by, Lark! :)

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  5. I like the sounds of this one. Happy weekend!

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    1. I had a great time reading it. Thanks for the visit, Freda! :)

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