Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Corsets and Casualties: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery by Gayle Leeson. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Corsets and Casualties: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
by Gayle Leeson
Corsets and Casualties: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Virginia
Publisher : Grace Abraham Publishing (March 25, 2025)
Number of Pages: Approx. 242
Stitched together with charm and mystery, this is one ghostly fashionista adventure you won’t want to miss!
For retro fashion designer Amanda Tucker, creating showstopping Halloween costumes seemed like the week’s biggest challenge—until her ghostly companion, Max, discovers an antique Bible tied to her own family history. When the Bible, purchased at an estate sale, is revealed to have belonged to Max’s grandmother, Amanda finds herself caught in a whirlwind of hidden relatives, long-buried secrets, and family intrigue.
Meanwhile, Amanda’s assistant, Zoe, struggles to decide between chasing her dreams in fashion and giving in to her mother’s demands to work at the family diner. As if the week couldn’t get more tangled, Amanda’s grandfather and Max’s nephew uncover shocking news at the estate sale’s auction house: the proprietor has been shot.
With Designs on You hanging by a thread, Amanda and Max must unravel the mysteries of the past before they sew up a perilous future. Will their sleuthing skills save the day, or will these secrets prove too dangerous to handle?
Threads of Memory: How Handmade Treasures Connect Us Through Time
By Gayle Leeson
I still remember the way my son’s eyes lit up when he first saw himself as a lion in the mirror. The costume my mother-in-law had created transformed him completely – from the soft, felt mane framing his face to the tufted tail that bounced with every step. Beside him stood his sister, twirling in her princess gown, the pink fabric shimmering and the light blue cape trimmed with faux white fur flowing behind her. In that moment, watching their joy, I witnessed the magic that happens when loving hands create something just for you.
In Corsets and Casualties, when Amanda begins sketching children’s costumes for her boutique, I drew directly from these precious memories of my mother-in-law – Mamaw Betty – and the incredible handmade treasures she created throughout our lives together. These weren’t just costumes or quilts; they were physical manifestations of love, stitched together one careful piece at a time.
The most ambitious creation Mamaw Betty ever made for me was an Elizabethan queen dress crafted from rich green velvet. I remember the weight of it – substantial and regal – as it settled across my shoulders.
“Never again!” She had laughed after finishing it, explaining how the thick fabric had fought her every step of the way. But it was beautiful! The intricate detailing and careful construction made me feel like royalty. I’ve preserved this dress alongside the children’s costumes, not just as garments but as chapters of our family story.
Christmas mornings in our home often included the unveiling of new quilts. Mamaw Betty had an uncanny ability to capture whatever had captivated the children that year – be it baseball or fairy tale castles. These weren’t store-bought items with mass-produced designs; each stitch represented time she could have spent doing something else but chose to spend thinking of them instead.
We’re fortunate to have quilts made by both Mamaw Betty and her mother, spanning three generations. When we wrap ourselves in these blankets on cold evenings, it’s impossible not to feel connected to the women who created them. I often trace the tiny, even stitches with my fingertip, marveling at the patience and skill they represent, wondering about the thoughts that filled their minds during the countless hours of work.
This reverence for handmade treasures has become something of a personal quirk. My son still teases me about the time we visited a flea market and I became transfixed by a portrait of a child.
“I’m getting this,” I declared.
“Why?” He frowned skeptically. “It’s creepy.”
“It’s not creepy. It’s beautiful,” I insisted. “This was someone’s child, and someone worked hard to bring this portrait to life.”
“Where are you going to put it?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Because I don’t want that thing looking at me!”
Though I ultimately left the portrait behind, I’ve had to stop attending estate sales altogether. The sight of lovingly handcrafted items being sold as mere objects breaks something in me. Each abandoned quilt, each handmade dress represents hours someone spent creating – hours they can never get back, invested in making something beautiful.
What makes me smile is that despite his protests about “creepy” portraits, my son has inherited this sentimental streak. He has the last quilt Mamaw Betty completed. He now understands what I’ve always known – that these objects matter not for what they are, but for the love and memory they contain.
When I write Amanda’s character in my books, her appreciation for vintage clothing and handmade items comes directly from this part of me. The understanding that the things we create with our hands can outlive us, carrying our love forward to touch future generations. In a world of mass production and disposable goods, there’s something profoundly human about these imperfect, irreplaceable treasures that connect us through time.
About Gayle Leeson
Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent, an author living in Virginia with a beautiful family and quite a few pets. I have also written as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I wrote the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I wrote the Embroidery Mystery series. As Gayle Leeson, I have written and/or am writing the Down South Cafe mystery series, the Ghostly Fashionista mystery series, the Kinsey Falls women’s fiction series, the Movie Memorabilia mystery series. I also co-wrote some of the NYT best-selling Victoria Square series with Lorraine Bartlett. As G. Leeson, I write the Literatia portal fantasy series.
Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must-read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”
Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”
Author Links
Website https://www.gayleleeson.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GayleLeeson
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gayletrentleeson
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gayle-leeson
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14432470.Gayle_Leeson
Purchase Links – Amazon – Books2Read
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Corsets and Casualties TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 24 – Frugal Freelancer – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 25 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 26 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
March 27 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
March 27 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 29 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Nadaness In Motion – SPOTLIGHT
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I enjoy reading cozy mysteries.
looks like a fun one