Frozen in Motion (Callie Cassidy Mysteries) by Lori Roberts Herbst

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Frozen in Motion (Callie Cassidy Mysteries) by Lori Roberts Herbst. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Frozen in Motion (Callie Cassidy Mysteries)

by Lori Roberts Herbst

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Frozen in Motion (Callie Cassidy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Colorado
Number of Pages ~275

A murder at the local hockey rink leaves photographer Callie Cassidy nursing a few injuries of her own, but that won’t stop her from trying to catch the killer—before someone else gets iced…

When hockey coach Renata Sanchez asks for Callie’s help exposing her ex-husband’s nefarious activities, Callie hesitates. After all, Renata’s brother, Detective Raul Sanchez, has been known to bristle at Callie’s interference. But with her own second-chance romance on rocky turf and her best friend’s engagement to a man Callie doesn’t entirely trust, she could use the distraction of an investigation.

Before she can even begin her research, a confrontation involving the ex, Renata, and Raul erupts right outside Sundance Studio. Then later in the day, the ex-husband literally drops dead and falls from the hockey arena catwalk—landing with a thud on top of Callie. Renata immediately takes the top spot on the suspect list, with Raul’s name not far behind. With time running out to save her friends, Callie enlists the help of her inquisitive cat and her loyal golden retriever to develop a picture of the true culprit.

Guest Post

As a reader, I find a book’s setting to be a compelling, essential part of my overall experience with a story. In the best books, the setting even takes on a life of its own, becoming as important as the characters themselves. I’ve been transported by the Orient Express, terrified by The Overlook Hotel, moved by Notre Dame’s bell tower, and serene in the shops and cottages of Three Pines.

So when I began my Callie Cassidy Mystery series, it was critical to me that I built a fictional world that felt real. A place my readers could nestle up and escape for a while—a second home. It didn’t take long to settle on a mountainside village as my setting—it would allow me to escape there, too. You see, I’ve been a Texan since I was ten years old. Most of our “mountains” boast summits barely taller than me, so I’ve always been enchanted by the snowy magnificence of the earth rising toward the sky. (And for you fellow Texans poised to take me to task, I admit we have a beautiful hill country and the occasional lofty peak. But just try placing them next to Pikes Peak…)

That’s how Rock Creek Village was born. When I was a child, we vacationed frequently in Wyoming and Colorado, and I’ve loved the area since my earliest memories. One of my favorite places on earth is the Rocky Mountain National Park and, alongside it, Estes Park, on which Rock Creek Village was based. The breathtaking views compete for top billing with elk, bighorn sheep, chipmunks, and deer. Each season in that mountain climate holds its own appeal and awe-inspiring allure, and it’s been a challenge and a joy to put that charm into words.

In the spring, the wildflowers blossom, dazzling you with its colors and wrapping you in a heady fragrance. Outdoor activities abound in summer, with mild temperatures and clear skies perfect for hiking through evergreen forests to clear, blue lakes. When the aspens turn gold in the autumn and their leaves shiver in the breeze, it’ll take your breath away. And winter…oh, winter, when a blanket of alabaster snow glistens beneath the sun, when your breath emerges in a frosty haze, and when herds of elk trudge down mountain slopes and into the valleys.

It was my goal to capture those scenes for readers, so those who had experienced it themselves could relive it, and those who had not been so fortunate could imagine themselves there. One example appears in FROZEN IN MOTION, when Callie is treated to a lovely surprise:

“…the air began to sparkle. I squealed in delight when I realized the village was in the midst of a rare weather phenomenon, one I’d witnessed only twice before: Diamond dust. It occurred when tiny ice crystals fell from a clear, cloudless sky. Now, the sun’s rays reflected from the crystals as they floated in the air, as if suspended there. I lifted my palms and did a slow spin. It was as if the gods were tossing glitter from the peaks of the mountains, and it served as a reminder from nature that miracles existed all around me.”

Though Rock Creek Village’s landscapes alone provide reason enough to visit, I also wanted the town to hold a personal, friendly appeal. The village should be small enough to be intimate, scenic enough to lure tourists, yet remote enough not to be overrun by them. It must be a place where residents know each other’s names and stop to chat when they meet on the street. Most people in Rock Creek Village have spent their lives there, but a fair number of current full-timers came for a vacation, fell in love with the place, and never left.

And why not? The village’s shops and restaurants are quaint and comfortable. The aromas from The Fudge Factory are too tempting to resist. Next door, you can choose from an array of souvenirs at Tabitha’s Treasures. Residents and tourists alike can unwind at Yoga Delight, then re-caffeinate at Rocky Mountain High coffee shop. Snow Plow Chow serves some of the best food in the state. Afterwards, those who are in the mood for a nightcap can stop in to see Fran at Quicker Liquor.

And of course, there’s Sundance Studio, where our protagonist, Callie Cassidy, sells canvases of the glorious panoramas. All this, and plenty of wide open spaces for Callie’s golden retriever, Woody, and her tabby cat, Carl, to roam, making the village a place people want to curl up and stay.

I can’t wait to welcome you to Rock Creek Village. I hope you’ll come to love it as I do, as Callie does. The people here are friendly and kind—well, for the most part. It’s an idyllic hamlet with hardly any crime to speak of.

Unless you count a murder or two…

About Lori Roberts Herbst

Lori Roberts Herbst is the author of the Callie Cassidy Mystery series. Her debut novel, Suitable for Framing, won first place in the Murder and Mayhem category at the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and serves as secretary of the North Dallas chapter. She is also a member of the national Guppy chapter and Mystery Writers of America. A former educator, Lori spent much of her life writing, editing, and psychoanalyzing. Through thirty years of teaching journalism, advising newspaper and yearbook staffs, instructing budding photographers, and counseling teenagers, she still managed to hang on to a modicum of sanity. Then she retired and assumed her third career: author.