Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery) by Kris Bock | Author Interview

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery) by Kris Bock. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)

by Kris Bock

Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New Mexico
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tule Publishing
Publication Date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2025

She can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before…

After solving the mystery of her predecessor’s death, geologist Petra Cloch wants to focus on her new job as the rocks and minerals curator at a quirky, small-town New Mexico museum. But her friend and colleague Liberty is suspicious of the “accidental” death of Frank Underwood, a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who unexpectedly died while hiking. Frank acted odd and secretive in his last weeks—mumbling about an incredible find in the desert and aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work?

Petra agrees to help excavate the truth, and soon, instead of meeting for book club, she and her friends become amateur investigators. Petra uses her gift and her brains to sort through the contradictory stories and confusing clues as she and her friends dig for answers.

Did Frank’s heirs decide to hasten their inheritance? Or did his rock shop business partner decide to go solo? Petra joins the local geological club to discover whether someone there acquired a taste for murder, because they’ll need rock solid evidence to catch a killer.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild Mysteries and Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters!

If you love supernatural sleuths, small-town intrigue, and mysteries with a geological twist, Death at Rock Bottom is your next must-read! Grab your copy today!

Interview with Author Kris Bock

Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve lived in New Mexico for the last 22 years. I live in a small town, with my husband and our two ferrets. I enjoy walking and hiking, though less so in the summer when it’s so hot.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been a full-time writer for nearly thirty years. I started with children’s literature. My first published book is The Well of Sacrifice – historical drama set in ninth-century Mayan Guatemala, which came out in 1999. It’s been used in schools when they teach the Maya in fourth or fifth grade.

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?

In childhood, I enjoyed reading mysteries such as the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden series. I read all the Sherlock Holmes stories in high school. I didn’t think about the possibility of becoming a writer until college though.

As an adult, I’ve read hundreds of mysteries, from historical titles and humorous mysteries to romantic suspense. I prefer not too much gore or violence, and I demand a happy ending! With cozy mysteries, you get intrigue, fun characters, and a guaranteed satisfying ending.

I also like the possibility of humor in cozy mysteries. For the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, Kate has a witty way of looking at the world, which lets me use my sense of humor. She also collects eccentric sidekicks as the series progresses. In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, Petra has a darker sense of humor, because she’s more introverted and isolated. But she also gets eccentric sidekicks!

Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?

I go through trends in my reading. Lately I’ve been reading cozy and mainstream mysteries, historical romance, and an occasional fantasy or sci-fi from a favorite author or that’s been recommended by someone I trust. My library got in a lot of Agatha Christie short stories, available through the Libby app, so I’ve been going through those.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

I do most of my writing in my home office. My desk faces a window, so I can look out at trees in summer, or a mountain in winter when the trees don’t have leaves. When I feel the need to get away from my desk, I’ll take a walk to think and possibly dictate ideas or scenes.

What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?

Too much clutter, usually.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?

I don’t remember the first book. I loved the Narnia series in elementary school.

Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?

These days I mainly read e-books, since I can get them from the library without actually going to the library. Our small town has a good but small library. I can use the Albuquerque library system, but it’s over an hour away. The Libby app makes it easy to get and return books without needing to drive or worry about when holds are ready or books are due!

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

I wouldn’t mind living in Australia for a year. I don’t have an idea for a book set there, but if someone wants to sponsor me for the year, I’ll figure out one!

What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?

My family moved to Saudi Arabia just before my fifth birthday and lived in an American camp for six years while my father worked for the oil company. I learned early that the whole world was not like my neighborhood. We skied in Austria, went on safari in Africa, slept on a houseboat in Kashmir. I’ve been fascinated by foreign cultures and ancient history ever since.

I also loved books such as Julie of the Wolves and Island of the Blue Dolphins growing up. When I decided to try a novel, I wanted to do a similar young adventure story. That became The Well of Sacrifice, inspired by a summer I spent traveling through Mexico and Central America. I went on to write a mystery set in ancient Egypt and some other novels for ages 8 to 12. I no longer write historical fiction or middle grade novels, but that got me started.

Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?

I have many author friends, and I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Sisters in Crime. I also wrote a series with my brother, scriptwriter Douglas J. Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama (yes, the movie starring Reese Witherspoon). The Teenage Adventures of Felony Melanie features Melanie, Jake, and their friends as teens, a decade before the events of the movie. Book 1 involved a mystery at a beauty pageant. Working with my brother was a lot of fun.

Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?

The first three Reluctant Psychic Mysteries are written. I hope to write more if these do well!

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!

Thanks for hosting me!

About the series

In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works.

A Stone Cold Murder: The Reluctant Psychic Murder Mystery book 1

Petra Cloch can touch an object and sense the emotions people have left behind. She avoids friendships so she won’t need to explain her gift or feel like a voyeur. Now she’s starting a new job at a quirky private museum in smalltown New Mexico. When she picks up a rock in her new office, she feels flashes of rage, fear and death. Everyone says her predecessor died in a car crash, but what if he was murdered? If he died because of the job, she could be next.

Readers say:

“Kris Bock opens A Stone Cold Murder with a voice so honest, snarky, and strangely endearing, you can’t help but get pulled in.”

“What a crazy fun mystery! I really love how Petra finally found her place… This was a fun and humorous story and I hope there will be more!”

“A Stone Cold Murder is one great start to the new series by this unique top-notch writer.”

Death at Rock Bottom (A Reluctant Psychic Murder Mystery series book 2)

Petra gets drawn into another mystery after the death of a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who died while hiking. Frank acted odd in his last weeks, whispering about aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work? Petra’s book club becomes a crime-fighting club, but Petra must use her psychic gift and her brains to fight through the clues along with her newfound family.

Read a sample or buy the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, available in e-book and print at all major retailers

About Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more. As for Kris’s romance stories, the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves.

Author Links

Website https://www.krisbock.com/

Author newsletter signup https://sendfox.com/KrisBock

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4735592.Kris_Bock

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kris-bock

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/krisbock

Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@KrisBock

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/krisbock.bsky.social

Purchase Links

Publisher https://tulepublishing.com/books/death-at-rock-bottom/

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F2KN4ZSB

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-at-rock-bottom-kris-bock/1147191720