Lagoon
Lure
What
Happens In Venice
Book
Two
Diana
Cachey
ISBN-13:
978-1500334529
ISBN-10:
1500334529
LCCN:
2014911793
Number
of pages: 160
Word
Count: 40,000
Tagline:
As
Interpol expert Louisa Mangotti is learning, ghosts watch over
Venice. Can she trust them—or her ex-lover—when spirits offer
confusing clues to solve a double murder in this sexy paranormal
mystery?
Book
Description:
Lagoon
Lure resumes the story of Interpol expert Louisa Mangotti’s
Venetian exploits and the paranormal assisted murder investigation
she began in Love Spirits.
Still
unnerved by the notion that Venetian ghosts are real, Louisa delves
further into the deaths of two glassmakers while juggling the lustful
manipulations of her ex-lover, Matteo, whose role in the murders
grows murkier.
Meanwhile
Louisa's usually shy sister, Barbara, explores her newfound sexuality
with Venice's willing men, sharing her adventures with her sister but
keeping one particularly mysterious man a secret.
When
Louisa's best friend, "Rouge," arrives for Carnival to
sample its masked men, she complicates the situation further by
encouraging the sisters to embrace the pleasures of Venice.
Paranormal
clues and apparitions lead Louisa deeper into the lagoon and she is
forced to reluctantly enlist Matteo’s support. Can she trust him,
or will this ghostly lagoon lure prove deadly?
Back
Cover Copy:
Venice
has its ghosts. They haunt its byways and canals. They linger on its
numerous bridges and waft through its beautiful architecture—and
they've taken a definite interest in Interpol expert Louisa Mangotti.
In
Lagoon Lure, Louisa continues investigating the murder of two
glassmakers she began in Love Spirits. Guided by clues sent from
otherworldly sources, she struggles to determine what role her
seductive ex-lover Matteo played in the deaths, constantly tempted by
his handsome looks, his charm, and the volatile chemistry between
them.
While
Louisa is led by the ghosts to a sunken ship in the murky lagoon, her
sister, Barbara, and best friend, "Rouge," embark on their
own carnal explorations of Venice, sampling the men who flock to
Carnival.
Amid
corruption, conspiracy, and Venice's legendary sexual energy, it's
all Louisa can do to think straight, let alone untangle this web of
mystery. The ghosts, however, want her to persevere.
EXCERPT (1000
words):
Once
they reached the dive site, Matteo, ever the expert captain, dropped
anchor and secured it. He even politely and patiently walked Barbara
through some boat safety issues. After suiting up, Louisa glanced
back at Barbara and again saw that faint look of pleasure on her
face. Her three-way on Lido did something to that girl, thought
Louisa before she rolled back over the side of the boat and into the
cold Adriatic waters. She gave the signal to begin their descent. As
Louisa grabbed the rope to pull herself down to the shipwreck,
barnacles cut her fingers and small fibers stung her palms. She
cursed herself for forgetting her dive gloves. Given the icy water,
it was a stupid mistake. She winced from the pain as she pictured her
gloves lying dormant on the hearth, where she left them drying after
yesterday’s dive, her first ever in the murky waters of the Venice
lagoon. Matteo, her dive buddy, was entering the water behind her so
she had to move fast down the rope despite the pain in her hands.
Finally
her fins hit the wreck and with algae billowing up, she lowered
herself down. From extensive research of the vessel, they learned
that entry would be easiest at the cargo hold area but in near zero
visibility she couldn’t see either the bow or stern. She needed to
reorient based on rope slack but Matteo was already descending it. So
with little time to waste, she used her injured hands to negotiate
the wreck. Silt filtered through her fingers, gently coated her hands
and washed across her face. She brushed it off her dive mask, tucking
loose strands of blonde hair back into her hood.
She
found an open hatch and looked back to check on Matteo before
penetrating the wreck. She could barely see him. Matteo’s careless
movements had stirred up quite a bit more algae and she began to
seriously question her decision to dive with him today. Yet
anticipation and curiosity called her into the wreck anyway. Once
inside the enclosed, clouded space, she waited for Matteo and tried
to quiet her nerves.
During
those few minutes, she felt a rush of nausea. Her intuition urged her
not to dive with Matteo, an inexperienced diver and someone who could
not be trusted to think soundly on land. Ignoring her intuition, she
refused to let it stop her from diving today. It wasn’t the first
time she had trusted him to her dismay. When Matteo joined her
inside the wreck, they entered the main cabin where visibility was
marginally better. Scouring the sunken boat for details, she recorded
it foot by foot by mapping it on her slates.
Barely
recognizable broken benches lie next to tables on their sides,
earmarks of a once lively galley. The eerie scene reminded her why
she loved diving wrecks -- their human element. She thought about
the last meal this ship might have served. Fish crackling on the
stove with the scent of garlic in the air. Their dive plan was to
find the main cabin then separate to search for the bridge where most
likely would also be the captain’s quarters. They signaled each
other to confirm the plan was on and it was ok to go. She, the more
experienced and better-trained diver, would enter a small opening
into a confined compartment and she turned to swim toward it. Matteo
motioned he’d explore the opposite end, near a large gaping hole in
the wreck, an area where you could view the open sea and a school of
sardines swirling about.
Matteo
had no intention of continuing directly to the bridge and when he was
sure Louisa had entered the confined compartment at the opposite end
of the ship, he cased the area. His eyes darted around the room,
scanning it quickly, his breath slowed and instinctively and
continuously he looked around and behind him. Spying some interesting
cabinetry and being familiar with boats, he realized he was in the
galley, began to look for drawers and instantly spotted one. He
struggled for a few seconds to open it then grabbed his knife and
swung it ferociously at the drawer until it relented.
Well,
well, what wealth was waiting underwater to welcome me, he mused when
he discovered the drawer was full of eating utensils made of what
appeared to be fine silver. Not much time, lucky he was good at what
he did. Anyone on this boat won’t miss their treasure; he thought
and then yanked the drawer out, dumped the contents into his mesh bag
and tossed the drawer aside.
Next
his attention moved to what would have been the floor. The wreck
being slightly tilted on its side, he knew to look for its lowest
point, logically knowing that this is where any heavier objects would
have come to rest. His sharp vision, trained by years of thieving and
fishing, caught a glimpse of sparkle amidst the soot. His hands
carefully siphoned through the settled silt and he slowly lifted an
old gold chain. He kissed it thinking, my dear darling, I am so sorry
you had to sleep here alone all of these years, but now that I found
you I will take very good care of you, and he placed it gleefully in
a zippered pocket.
A
small creature moving in the corner drew his attention. A tiny crab
pulled stones and coral pieces one by one into its den, a hole in the
wall. He remembered Louisa holed up in a small compartment alone. At
the opposite end of the ship, Louisa had been attempting to move
carefully and nervously through several confined cabins much smaller
than she had imagined they’d be. It was awful. She pictured the
eerie scene, the city of Venice only eighty feet above her, but with
visibility and confinement closing in on her, it felt more like being
hundreds, even, thousands, of feet at the bottom of the ocean.
Back
near the bridge, Matteo spotted what looked to be bones, possibly
human bones. He stepped away from them, not out of fear, but out of
respect. He was an honest thief; he would never take those off the
ship. So he knelt and crossed himself next to their grave,
undisturbed but by the changing currents and sea life.
What
Happens In Venice
Book
One
Diana
Cachey
Genre:
Romance/paranormal.
ISBN:
1481031767
ISBN:
9781481031769
Number
of pages: 160
Word
Count: 40,000
Tagline:
Among
the romantic canals of Venice—and oh so many Italian
distractions—can a stunning American lawyer and her psychic sister
help the Ghosts of Venice solve a hushed-up crime?
Book
Description:
Louisa
Mangotti is a gorgeous American lawyer and Interpol expert who, after
being offered a job working with the international crime unit in
Venice, receives a mysterious postcard from the Venetian Ghosts, the
ancient protectors of the Republic. But Louisa assumes her bad-boy
ex, Matteo, sent it in a quixotic attempt to gain her attention.
Louisa may have dismissed the ghosts, but the ghosts aren’t quite
done with her.
When
the bodies of two glassmakers wash up on Murano Island, the cryptic
messages persist. Reluctantly, Louisa calls upon Matteo to help
decipher the clues. And before she knows it, a flame that was never
fully extinguished is rekindled. Sensing that her sister is in over
her head, Barbara Mangotti rushes to the rescue, only to be lured
away by two handsome Venetian men.
With
time running out, can the two beauties solve a crime that could
threaten the city of Venice itself?
Keywords:
Chick lit mystery, Venice fiction, Ghosts of Venice, Paranormal
mystery, Contemporary women novels
Book
Trailers:
Love
Spirits -- Take One
http://video214.com/play/t6LZ8mFclEqpBCQlb11gGw/s/dark
What
Happens In Venice -- A Trinity
Book
One, Love
Spirits
Book
Two, Lagoon
Lure
Book
Three, Magic
Island
Excerpt
# 2 (455 words): The Ghost Card
Venice
kidnapped her. It stole her breath, it made her weep, and she forgave
it. This trip was no different.
Palazzos
flanked the Grand Canal as if playing the role of soldiers obedient
to the eyes of tourists who passed in public boats, water taxis and
gondolas. These old palaces sparkled on water like porcelain
figurines on a glass shelf. A soft breeze rolled across Louisa’s
cheeks and it rippled the reflections and transformed the scene.
Mesmerized by the magic, Louisa missed her boat stop.
No
problem, she thought, I’ll find another place for coffee. She
refused to drink it alone in her apartment and religiously sipped her
brew at one of the little cafes where handsome Venetian men worked.
There were many such establishments on her way to police
headquarters. When she arrived a few weeks earlier, American lawyer
Louisa Mangotti hoped to spearhead the creation of an essential link
between Venice police and the rest of the world. But was she leading
the department into the future of global law enforcement as she’d
envisioned? No, she sat shackled to a desk where she sorted and
translated police data because Interpol sent red alerts and formal
requests for information in English or French, not in Italian.
Therefore, many unsolved crimes remained ignored in the file drawers
of the lagoon city, a thriving metropolis and huge tourist
destination. And Louisa? Louisa remained bored in cubicle learning
about law and disorder.
According
to recent updates to her sister, Louisa was focused on everything but
international law enforcement anyway:
Ciao
Barbara, Remember that lagoon island said to be full of ghosts where
patients with the plague were once sent to die? Well many other
haunted places exist in Venice too. I don’t believe in ghosts, not
like you do, but I am checking out some haunts. I am checking out
Venetian men too.
Because
Barbara objected, Louisa promised not to explore the haunted island.
But didn’t Barbara object to Louisa going to Venice at all this
time? Wasn’t it just like Barbara to try to direct everything, even
from afar? How much of the seemingly haunted happenings in Venice
could Louisa ignore? Blame the postcard, thought Louisa. And as she
thought it, a loud bell rang out. Louisa took note. In Italy, it is
customary to pause and recall whatever you were thinking when a bell
chimes, especially this bell, the one that echoed from the famous
bell tower, high above St. Mark’s Square. The massive San Marco
bell continued to sound in the serene setting, bang, gong, gong,
bang, and it reverberated across the piazza, across the lagoon, to
the nearby islands of Murano and Lido. It sounded authoritative and
mighty. Every day. For centuries.
GUEST POST: SCARY
SITES of HAUNTED AMERICA
Lemp Mansion |
Did
something move by itself in the room? What were those loud noises
down the dark hallway? Perhaps you are in one of the Most
Haunted Places in America where
chilling secrets lurk inside creepy, haunting walls.
#10
Lemp Mansion, St.Louis, MO
The
Lemp family committed suicide there with Charles Lemp the last and
the only one who left a note. He said he’d shot himself in bed.
People who’ve stayed here see ghosts and other unexplained physical
activity like moving objects. Creepy!
Winchester House |
#9
Winchester House, San Jose, CO
When
William Winchester and his daughter died, widow Sarah built the house
to get rid of evil spirits. She held séances so her dead husband
could help to design the home. The bizarre place ended up full of
twists and turns, doors and staircases that lead nowhere, a complete
maze almost with no end or relief. One visitor reported: “I felt
someone pulling on my hair. I thought it was my brother so it didn’t
bug me. In the next room I felt my ponytail holder break for no
reason (it was new) then when I was in Sarah’s room I felt my hair
being brushed ... the brush in midair.” She heard the words, ‘do
not hide your hair from me.’
#8
Myrtle Plantation, New Orleans, LA
Since
1794, the house has had about ten murders within its walls so bad
luck and murdered spooks abound like past resident, now ghost, a
former slave named Chloe. Also frequently spotted in a stairway
mirror, a young girl chants voodoo over people that sleep in her
room.
#7
Bell Witch Cave, Adams, TN
Around
1817, John Bell started seeing weird unexplained animals
wandering the property. Physical apparitions and strange noises began
to arise like knocks on doors, scratches on walls, animals chewing on
posts. The frightened Bells concluded it came from Kate, “the
bell’s witch,” a horrid spirit who physically abused the Bells,
from pulling hair to pinching.
#6
Old Slave House, Sterling IL
In
1842, John Hart Crenshaw kidnapped free slaves, forced them to work
in his salt mines, locked them in the attic and tortured them. A
dozen cells opened to a wide corridor and small rooms with bars on
the windows. A whipping post was constantly in use and many of the
slaves died. Years later, people report hearing strange noises in the
attic and rattling chain throughout the house. An exorcist Hickman
Whittington wrote about the house. He was in great health when he
came to visit it but took ill that night and died hours later. The
Old Slave House website now reads: “NO TOURS ALLOWED, The
site is currently closed and trespassers will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law. It is heavily patrolled and readers are
advised to stay away from the property until further notice.”
#5
Whaley House, San Diego, CA
An
official Haunted House, the first ghost was James “Yankee Jim”
Robinson, hanged in 1852 on the property. Supposedly after the Whaley
family moved in, they heard loud footsteps moving around and four
family members died there. Anna Whaley’s ghosts haunts it --
visitors report visions of a woman in the courtroom. Her great
granddaughter accidentally ingested ant poison and died while
visiting. She haunts the dining room -- women and girls feel tugs on
their clothing or grabbing of their hands or legs. A spirit of a dog
is also seen, mostly by children, and licks people’s toes or legs.
Apparently
Richard Nixon isn’t the only former president who didn’t want to
move out. Some dead ones decided to stay too.
Abe
Lincoln, the most active presidential ghost, was been seen by
Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Wilhelmina, Winston Churchhill and Calvin
Coolidge’s wife often saw Abe standing at the Oval Office window
with his hands clasped behind his back staring at Civil War
battlefields. Others who refuse to move out and on? Presidents
Harrison and Andrew Jackson and First Lady Abigail Adams, who floats
the hallways.
#3
Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO
Workers
hear party noises in the ballroom when it’s empty. Some ghosts
steal guests’ belongings. While changing film for a ghosthunter
show, a table flew two feet in the air.
#2
Amityville House, Long Island, NY
Originally
used to hold mentally ill Native Americans, even before the Defeaos
were murdered inside, this house was a cage for troubled souls. Kat
and George Lutz moved into the house after the murders and saw many
ghosts. Their toilet water turned black, smells started to permeate
the house, strange noises came from different rooms, objects fell off
shelves without a human force.
The
website states: “Many have seen it for themselves and many have
heard its legends. For some, it is a place of happiness. Where family
would once have picnics and swim in its pond, remembering their lost
loved ones. For others, it is a place of sorrow and amazement. Where
people see balls of light floating among them and human forms appear
only to vanish before their eyes.”
Like
most haunted sites, you can tour this cemetery. Across the country,
ghost tours abound so discover for yourself what ghosts lurk in
haunted America. Do you have a ghost story to share? We’d love to
hear from you!
About
the Author:
Diana
Cachey is a licensed attorney, published academic, and former adjunct
law professor. She also holds a BA in English, and while in law
school, she was the first female editor-in-chief of her university's
law review.
The
author of the novels Love Spirits and Lagoon Lure, Cachey trained
with several New York Times best-selling writers whose sales total
more than 70 million books. She has built a social media platform
with over one hundred thousand Twitter users, and her popular YouTube
channel featuring secret Venice locations has received over five
hundred thousand views.
For
more than a decade, Cachey has traveled to Venice, the setting of her
novels, on extended trips several times a year. The cafés,
restaurants, and many other haunts of Venice play a prominent role in
her sexy paranormal mystery-romance series about a beautiful American
lawyer guided by the Ghosts of Venice in the investigation of a
hushed-up crime.
@dianacachey
Tour
Giveaway starts September 15- open to US Shipping
2
signed copies each of both Love Spirits and Lagoon Lure,
2
Venetian Carnival masks,
2
porcelain Venetian mask-shaped wall hangings (approx six inches high)
Link
to grab code
display
link
What did Sister Sinister think?
* * * * *
I give it 5 Stars!
* * * * *
I was given these two books as part of the "What Happens in Venice" Blog Tour and was delighted with them both! The writing is so well done, and so picturesque, you feel like you're right there, walking side by side with the characters. Wondrous story-telling with vivid and magical locations, spiced with romance and mystery, it's easy to get swept up. You just might fall in love with Venice, too.
I am glad to see you managed to enjoy these book so much. I know I haven't read them before but the covers with those masks definitely look interesting!
ReplyDeletehttp://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/10/sisterhood-of-world-tag.html
Oh you should give them a try, Olivia!! And I am with you - those masks caught my attention, too. =D
DeleteMy goodness I so enjoyed your blog and the books you blog about. Talk about magical yet haunting mixed together. The mask itself swirl a tale on its own, just saying! Love to win thanks for the giveaway and entertaining my psyche :D
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome, and thank you for your lovely compliments!!!
DeleteDear Sinister Sister and readers, THANKS SO MUCH for stopping by the tour! I'm glad you liked the enjoyed the books & your review means so much to me. Sexy ghost blog was fun to write. I love supernatural and you can find more HAUNTED-PALOOZA at my website this Halloween season. I hope I can be back soon at your blog. Ciao for now, Diana
ReplyDeleteI would love to have you back!! Anytime! =D
DeletePS I am featuring your site with this blog and your GORGEOUS AVATAR at my website during HAUNTED-PALOOZA. check it out!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Diana, I really really appreciate the compliment and the feature - it means a great deal to me!!!
DeleteAnd for my readers, here are the links to get you to the HAUNTED PALOOZA (very cool): http://dianacachey.com/ and http://dianacachey.com/?page_id=20