Just what foods does a police detective crave? Read on to find out!
Then, check out our interview with Valerie here!
Spinelli’s top ten food list:
- Pizza with pepperoni, onions, peppers, and olives
- Cheeseburger with raw onions and fries
- Spicy chili
- Chicken fajita
- Custard doughnut
- White chocolate macadamia nut cookies
- Beer – there’s a pork chop in every bottle
- Pineapple
- Sharp cheddar cheese aged 10 years
- Tuna mixed with macaroni and cheese
Book Title: Crazed Reckoning, a Nick Spinelli Mystery
Author: Valerie J. Clarizio
Publisher: Melange Books, LLC
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 120 pages
Release Date: March 5, 2015
Blurb:
After experiencing a murderous Christmas and Valentine’s Day with love interest Shannon O’Hara, Detective Nick Spinelli assumed Saint Patrick’s Day couldn’t be any worse.
He was wrong.
While out on a geocaching adventure in Door County, Shannon and her friend Anna find more than a clue in the cache box. When Shannon disappears, Spinelli is sent racing to find her. Amidst the chaos of an unruly Irish celebration, and a decades-old Irish family feud, he must rescue her from the hands of a madman.
Excerpt:
The ladies chatted as they walked. Anna, as always, cut to the chase. “So how’s it been going with that handsome Detective Spinelli of yours lately?”
Shannon glanced at her watch and then shot a smile over her shoulder. “Well, you took a bit longer than I expected,” she teased.
Anna returned her smile. “I held out as long as I could. You know I’m living vicariously through you, so don’t keep this old lady waiting here.”
Shannon stopped and waited for Anna to catch up. “Actually, he’s been kind of quiet and distant since the whole Valentine’s Day episode. I can’t seem to make him realize it wasn’t his fault. Bethany had issues.” Just saying Bethany’s name sent a bone-chilling disturbance deep into her core.
Though the temperature still hovered around forty degrees, Anna swiped her gloved hand over her moist brow. “The poor guy. I’m not sure what to say. I can’t imagine how it must feel to have a psycho ex-girlfriend kill four of his present girlfriend’s ex-lovers, attempt to kill him and then kill herself. And on Valentine’s Day of all days. The day I was sure he would pop the big question to you. What should have been one of the biggest and best days of his life turned out to be the worst.”
“There’s not a day goes by I don’t think of that awful day. And he won’t talk about it. The second I bring up the topic, he clams up.” Shannon sighed. “And honestly, I really thought he would propose as well.”
“With all that’s gone on in the past three months, I’m surprised he let you out of his sight to come along on our girls’ weekend.”
“I know. I could tell by the look in his eyes when I told him what our plans for this weekend, he wasn’t pleased. He asked me to reconsider, but I couldn’t. I really just needed to get away from the city and everything that has gone on lately. At first he insisted upon coming along, but Captain Jackson assigned some hot case to him, Walker and Marsh. So he couldn’t get away.”
Shannon’s eyes watered. Over the past three months, she’d found herself the happiest she’d ever been, the saddest, and the most frightened. She’d met Spinelli, and they’d gotten off to a rocky start. But she fell in love with him and couldn’t be any happier, in regard to their relationship. During that same time frame, two of her co-workers had been murdered; she had been kidnapped and was next on the murder’s list. If Spinelli hadn’t stepped in and saved the day, she would have been killed. The whole rescue was like something right out of a fairy tale with a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue of an endangered maiden. Truth be told, he was actually dressed in a Santa suit rather than armor. But that didn’t matter to her, he was her knight no matter what he wore. And then of course, there was the issue with Spinelli’s ex-girlfriend who sought a murderous revenge against the both of them. Again, Nick stepped in and saved the day. My hero.
Anna stepped forward and hugged Shannon. “I’m so sorry all this crap happened to you. You so didn’t deserve any of this, but you can’t change what’s already happened. The only thing you can do is figure out how to deal with it and move forward.”
“I know.”
Shannon’s cell phone vibrated. She pulled it from her zippered pocket and glanced at the display. She couldn’t help but smile as she read the text from Spinelli.
Anna giggled. “What is that, number ten already?”
Shannon looked up and caught Anna’s amused gaze. “Eight, but who’s counting? Every hour on the hour.” Though he went a bit overboard with the number of texts, Shannon–and the butterflies in her stomach–welcomed each and every one. His overprotectiveness warmed her heart. Like a schoolgirl, she desperately missed him already; they hadn’t even been apart a full day.
Shannon shot off a quick response before she slipped her phone back into her pocket.
The ladies continued down the trail, Shannon leading the way. The wind picked up as they crossed over from the hardwoods to the cedars. The damp mossy smell let her know they neared the lake.
“Shannon.”
“What?” Shannon asked as she looked over her shoulder.
Anna shrugged. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t say my name?”
Anna pulled a frown. “No.”
“Oh, hmm.” Shannon would have sworn she’d hear someone say her name. She tried to shrug it off, tell herself it was just the wind, but the unease spiraling in the pit of her stomach forced her senses into ‘full alert’ mode.
Author Bio:
Valerie is a writer of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction novels. She lives in beautiful Door County Wisconsin with her husband and two very spoiled cats. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She’s lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual. Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into a successful hunter and fisherwoman.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Additionally, she was a finalist in the 2011 Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, Novellas Need Love, Too! Contest.
Website: https://valclarizio.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Valerie.Clarizio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VClarizio
I love macadamia but cookies and Spinelli. Such a great story.
I’m a peanut butter cookie fan! Thanks for stopping by, Aubrey.