So, this is unusual. Established playwright Elena Hartwell has moved from plays to novels. Mystery novels, of course. Her debut book is One Dead, Two to Go, published in April, 2016 by Camel Press.
One Dead, Two to Go is the first in a series featuring Private Investigator Edwina "Eddie Shoes" Schultz's. Her most recent job has her parked outside a seedy Bellingham hotel, photographing her quarry as he kisses his mistress goodbye. This is the last anyone will see of the woman... alive. Her body is later found dumped in an abandoned building. Eddie's client, Kendra Hallings, disappears soon after. Eddie hates to be stiffed for her fee, but she has to wonder if Kendra could be in trouble too. Or is she the killer?
Eddie usually balks at matters requiring a gun, but before she knows it, she is knee-deep in dangerous company, spurred on by her card-counting adrenaline-junkie mother who has shown up on her doorstep fresh from the shenanigans that got her kicked out of Vegas. Chava is only sixteen years older than Eddie and sadly lacking in parenting skills. Her unique areas of expertise, however, prove to be helpful in ways Eddie can't deny, making it hard to stop Chava from tagging along.
Also investigating the homicide is Detective Chance Parker, new to Bellingham's Major Crimes unit but no stranger to Eddie. Their history as a couple back in Seattle is one more kink in a chain of complications, making Eddie's case more frustrating and perilous with each tick of the clock.
What the Critics are Saying:
"Hartwell has created quite a winner in the unique and clever Eddie Shoes, and this first case features not only a twisting, turning, fast-paced plot, but also a number of nuanced, quirky relationships, making for a story that is fun and increasingly absorbing, especially as readers learn more about this headstrong heroine’s past."
—RT Book Reviews (Bridget Keown) Click HERE to read the full review
"An original, well written gum-shoe, readers will find an easy ebb and flow of sequences with just enough mystery to keep them guessing. From their strained past to their bumbling investigation skills, this quirky combination of a mother-daughter reunion turned crime-fighting duo will captivate readers."
—InD'Tale Magazine Review (Roberta Gordon) Click HERE to read the full review.
"You know you’re in wonderful trouble when you read the perfect line in Elena Hartwell’s debut mystery novel, “Maybe in their line of work a gunshot wound was a sign of affection.” After you’ve been hooked, snooked, waylaid, and headspun, there’s no chance of putting down this lovely ride-of-a-book until you’re finished."
—Carew Papritz, Author of the Award-Winning Bestseller, The Legacy Letters
“One Dead, Two To Go is smart, page-turning fun, with the most feisty and likable P.I. since Kinsey Millhone. Looking for your next favorite detective series? Look no further.”
—Deb Caletti, National Book Award finalist and author of He’s Gone
"Fans of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich should definitely check out One Dead, Two to Go.”
—Max Everhart, author of the Eli Sharpe Mystery series
“Funny, clever, and full of grabbing plot twists, Elena Hartwell’s One Dead, Two To Go, the debut novel in her Eddie Shoes series, takes the mystery lover into unexpected territory. Warning: you’ll want more.”
—Scott Driscoll, author of Better You Go Home
Elena Hartwell was born in Bogota, Colombia, while her parents were in the Peace Corps. Her first word was "cuidado." At the age of nine months, she told two men carrying a heavy table to be careful in their native tongue. She's been telling people what to do ever since. After almost twenty years in the theater, Elena turned her playwriting skills to novels and the result is her first book "One Dead, Two to Go." The Eddie Shoes Mystery Series launches April 15, 2016, to be followed by "Two Dead Are Better Than One" and "Three Dead, You're Out." For more information on Elena, please visit elenahartwell.com or like her Facebook Page. You may get to see cute pictures of her dog and her horse.