Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery (Callie Cassidy Mysteries) by Lori Roberts Herbst. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery (Callie Cassidy Mysteries)
by Lori Roberts Herbst
Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery (Callie Cassidy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
6th in the Series
Setting – Colorado
Publisher : Lori Roberts Herbst (April 23, 2024)
Number of Pages: 280
A photo assignment at the cemetery leads Callie Cassidy to a corpse—this one above ground. Now, her search for the killer unearths some long-buried secrets…
Callie’s mother Maggie, a notorious hobby jumper, has embarked on a new pursuit—grave rubbing. When she recruits her daughter to photograph her first endeavor at the local cemetery, Callie brings golden retriever Woody and tabby cat Carl along for the outing. It’s a breathtaking autumn morning in Rock Creek Village, Colorado. Golden aspen leaves rustle in the cool breeze, and the air is filled with the scent of pine. What could go wrong on a day like this?
Then, a ghostly woman emerges from the trees, bleeding from a head wound and claiming to have no memory of how she arrived, or even who she is. Maggie quickly identifies her as a woman who disappeared from the village forty years ago—without a trace.
If that’s not enough intrigue, Woody disobeys her and sprints deeper into the cemetery. When Callie catches up to him, he is sitting sentinel at the tombstone of a recently deceased villager. And behind the stone, a man lies on the ground—with a pickaxe jutting from his neck.
Callie recognizes him as the low-level mobster who has been dating her best friend Tonya’s mother—and they’d been having problems. Did Tonya’s mother kill the man? Could it have been the mysterious woman? Or maybe someone with ties to his crime family?
Callie can’t resist investigating—and this time, Detective Raul Sanchez welcomes her assistance. Because if they can’t solve the crime soon, the town may be facing grave consequences…
My review of Graven Images
Graven Images by Lori Roberts Herbst is the sixth book in the Callie Cassidy cozy mystery series. Though it’s the first book that I’ve read in this cozy series, I was easily able to enjoy the mystery and characters.
While Callie is shooting photos in the cemetery and her mom is doing grave rubbings, a ghostly-looking woman stumbles out of the woods and has no idea who she is. But Callie’s mom, Maggie, recognizes her as a woman named Vivian who disappeared 40 years ago. As if that’s not enough, the day gets even stranger when Callie’s dog, Woody, runs deeper into the woods and finds a dead body. The dead body is the man whom Callie’s best friend’s mom has been dating!
Like I said, this is the first book in the series I’ve read, but I really enjoyed getting to know Callie and her circle of friends and family (and pets!). She’s a smart, creative woman who has found a second chance at love with her high school love, Sam. Sam is great, and if you’ve read any of the books, I’m sure you feel the same. Callie is a lucky woman! The characters are well-written, and the author makes it easy for new readers to get to know them.
The Colorado setting comes alive through the author’s descriptive writing. It was easy to picture the beautiful settings. I enjoy looking at old gravestones, and the author made this one seem very real. She’s really good at making you feel as if you’re right there in the book.
I really liked the amnesia aspect of the mystery and trying to figure out if Vivian was faking her amnesia to get away with murder, or if the murderer was someone else. The murder victim was part of a somewhat insignificant mob but still…the mob! Did his murder have something to do with that fact? The way the author weaves this mystery together makes it really intriguing. I was kept guessing throughout the book until close to the end.
I definitely recommend Graven Images! The well-written characters, captivating mystery, and picturesque setting make this a cozy mystery you won’t want to miss!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Character Guest Post
Hi there! I’m Callie Cassidy, and I understand you’re here to get to know me. Frankly, though, I’m not that great at talking about myself. I’ve spent so many years behind the lens of a camera that it may have eroded my social skills a bit. So, I thought I’d turn things over to the people (and animals) who know me best. After all, how better to learn about someone than through other people’s perspectives? I’ll just step aside now and let them do the talking.
Sam Petrie: Callie and I dated for a few years back in high school. Even then, I realized she was the girl I wanted to marry. But she left for college and didn’t come back for twenty-five years. That kind of distance tends to put a damper on a relationship. She’s returned to Rock Creek Village now, and after a rocky start, we’ve rekindled our romance. Here’s what I’ll say about my girlfriend. The woman is beautiful, inside and out. I love her for her tough exterior and her tender heart. She’s fiercely independent, but still loving, loyal, and kind. Aside from my daughter, Callie is the best thing in my life.
Tonya Stephens: Since junior high school, Callie has been my best friend, my sugarplum, the sister I never had. Until I got married a few months ago, Callie was the first person I went to for advice and camaraderie. Don’t tell my husband, but sometimes she still is. She’s the most talented photographer and journalist I’ve ever known. You say I need to name a flaw? Hmm…I guess it would have to be her righteousness, which makes her try to take over when she should trust others to do what’s best for them. Oh, she could also use a little more fashion sense.
Butch Cassidy: From a father’s perspective, Callie is the best daughter a man could ask for. I’d describe her as intuitive, intelligent, and inquisitive—all of which gets her into trouble occasionally. As a former police chief, I wish she’d steer clear of murder investigations. Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing about her. She’s the biggest accomplishment in my life and my major source of pride. She’s the Sundance to my Butch.
Maggie Cassidy: From birth, I’ve called her my Angelface. She’s caused me many a sleepless night as I’ve worried over her impulsiveness and tenacity. But as my husband said, I wouldn’t change any of it. Callie is the most compassionate soul I could imagine. She cares deeply and will go to extreme lengths for her people and her animals. Even though most of my gray hair can be attributed to Callie, I’m beyond grateful to be her mother.
Detective Raul Sanchez: You want me to describe Callie Cassidy? The first word that pops into my mind is stubborn. Followed by pushy. Then controlling. Seriously, though, I sometimes think Callie missed her true calling. She’s as skilled an investigator as any detective I’ve ever met. She is a true justice seeker. Her dad called her intuitive, and that’s an accurate description. She can read people and motives. Now if only she’d stop being a magnet for dead bodies.
Carl: As the cat who allows Callie to live with him, I have a unique insight into her qualities and faults. Here are my thoughts. For a human, Callie is adequately intelligent. She’s attuned to her surroundings, with the ability to sense danger and act on that sense. On the downside, she doesn’t always get to the bottom of mysteries as quickly as I do. I suppose that results from being human—one can’t expect more of them. On occasion, Callie displays a superiority complex, in that she believes it’s her right and obligation to shelter and protect me. However, I’ve learned to appreciate that her heart is in the right place—though I’d still prefer she deferred to her intellect. Perhaps her best quality is her respect for my investigative skills. All in all, for a two-legged creature, Callie does her species proud.
Woody: Callie. Callie. Callie. I love her so much. She’s my favorite person in the whole wide world. She’d do anything for me, and I feel the same about her. Her best talents are ear scratches and belly rubs. You want a drawback? Well, she’s not a great cook, but we have her mom and Sam for that. So, no biggie. Did I mention how much I love her? Callie’s the best.
Callie here for a few last words: Well, you may have learned more about me than I’d intended, but it was mostly positive, so I’ll take it. If you have questions for me, put them in the comments. My author will get you my answers.
About Lori Roberts Herbst
Silver Falchion and CIBA Murder & Mayhem award-winning author Lori Roberts Herbst writes the Callie Cassidy Mystery series. A former journalism teacher and counselor, Lori serves as Board Secretary for Sisters in Crime. She is a member of the SinC Colorado chapter, the SinC North Dallas chapter, and the Guppy chapter, where she moderates the Cozy Gup group. Lori spent most of her life in Dallas, TX, and now lives in Colorado Springs.
Author Social Media Links
- Webpage: https://www.lorirobertsherbst.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorirobertsherbst
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorirobertsherbst/?hl=en
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21039904.Lori_Roberts_Herbst
- BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lori-roberts-herbst
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/lorirobertsherbst
Purchase Links – Amazon
Enter the giveaway
ONE WINNER OF A COPY OF GRAVEN IMAGES – WINNER’S CHOICE – PRINT (US) OR DIGITAL
Graven Images TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 23 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
April 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 24 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 25 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
April 26 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 26 – MJB Reviewer – REVIEW
April 27 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT
April 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
April 29 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 29 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
I hope so, Rita! Thank you! If you want to start at the beginning, the first book is SUITABLE FOR FRAMING, and you’ll get all the backstory about why Callie has returned to Rock Creek Village!
Thank you so much for hosting me, Christy! And thanks for the great review!
Lori
You’re welcome! Thanks for the post from Callie!