FEATURED ALTERNATE
OF THE MYSTERY GUILD

Now available from Mysterious Press, New Haven police reporter Annie Seymour is back in this sequel to the award-winning "Sacred Cows."

When a Wooster Square Italian restaurant burns down, all that's left is some rubble and the body of an unidentified woman. The restaurant owner is missing, and Annie's father unexpectedly comes to New Haven from Las Vegas.

To complicate things even further, the restaurant owner's wife hires Vinny DeLucia, a private investigator, to find her husband. Annie and Vinny have some unfinished business, but police detective Tom Behr is also in the picture.

Mysterious chickens, a black Cadillac with New York plates, and close-mouthed neighbors cause Annie to take pause and realize she's an outsider in her own back yard.

But despite cub reporter Dick Whitfield's best efforts to steal it away, Annie is determined to get her story — even if it means facing some truths about her own family and risking her life to do it.

Read the first chapter of "Secondhand Smoke."

"The heart-thumping suspense of this novel is laced with wit and an imaginative plot guaranteed to keep readers guessing until the very last page."

- Tuscon Citizen

"Karen E. Olson’s second mystery featuring Annie Seymour has the popular
pattern and pitter-pat of the light mystery/romance. . . . Olson opens the
book with the fire and unfolds her plot neatly and quickly, making for a
fast read that builds to a satisfying conclusion."

- Mystery Scene magazine

"A fast-paced, delicious guilty pleasure."

- Paul Bass, New Haven Independent

"The second in the series about tough-talking newspaper reporter Annie
Seymour ... shows that the first book wasn't a fluke. This story, too, is
entertaining, and studded with humor like the chocolate bits in a
tollhouse cookie."

- New Mystery Reader

"Olson knows exactly how to blend an appealing heroine, an intricate plot
and inventive humor. Annie's is a story worth pursuing -- and a story well
worth reading."

- Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Tough-talking New Haven reporter Annie Seymour returns for her second
go-around in Karen E. Olson’s winning 'Secondhand Smoke,' a book even better
than last year’s excellent debut, 'Sacred Cows.' . . . Olson writes in a similar
corner of the genre as Janet Evanovich, but her plots and her heroine are
grounded much firmer in reality. 'Secondhand Smoke' combines a nice sense of
humor, deft use of setting and a solid collection of characters all
together in one charming mystery. This book proves that Olson is no flash
in the pan. She’s here to stay."

- David Montgomery, Mystery Ink

"A well-told story, with vivid descriptions of characters and places."

- Bookloons

"Olson's second mystery hits the mark with setting, plot and character. . . . Her lovably imperfect heroine charms, and the antics of her co-workers and the residents of "da neighborhood" will keep you intrigued and amused. Four stars."

- Romantic Times

"Humor, plenty of motives and strong character development make this a fast, fun read."

- Monsters and Critics

"There is fast-paced action, foul language and excitement . . . a quick and fun read."

- Armchair Interviews

"Humor enlivens this first-person account . . . this remains a series with considerable potential."

- Booklist

"Olson's characters are her own, and her fast-paced plot and great ending make it a perfect read for patrons who like a bit of humor in their mysteries."

- Library Journal

"Authentic urban atmosphere, generous wit and winning characters lift Olson's second outing for Annie Seymour. . . . Readers are sure to look forward to Annie's further adventures."

- Publishers Weekly

"Annie is a believable heroine whose sassy exploits and muddled love life should make for more exciting adventures."

- Kirkus Reviews

"Annie Seymour, a New Haven journalist who's not quite as cynical as she thinks she is, is the real thing, an engaging and memorable character with the kind of complicated loyalties that make a series worth reading. Karen E. Olson is the real thing, too, a natural storyteller with a lucid style and a wonderful sense of place."

- Laura Lippman, award-winning author of "To the Power of Three"