Handyman witnesses a murder in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills

LITCHFIELD, Conn. — Sunbury Press has released Murder Run, Shelly Frome’s latest murder mystery, set in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut.

In this crime novel, a wayward handyman grapples with the suspicious death of his employer, a fragile choreographer who secluded herself in the Litchfield Hills. As the fallout mounts, the reader is taken to various locales in and around Manhattan, an escapade in Miami Springs and back again to the hills of Connecticut until this twisty conundrum is finally laid to rest.

EXCERPT:
Jed turned around and headed back for the cellar. Banging into things, he brushed past the mess the guy had made, located the breaker panel, flipped the switches, and climbed the stairs as the lights came back on. He called her name as he passed the kitchen and cut around the dining room, but there was no answer.

He hurried up to the bedroom and stopped short. Though he’d never entered, never gone beyond the pull-down attic ladder, he could picture exactly what should have happened. She should’ve opened her window and cried out the second Jed pulled in. Or shouted the moment the guy split. Or certainly just now when Jed barged into the cellar, hit the breaker switches, and began calling for her.

Hesitating a few seconds more, he slipped through the open door and found the bedroom half in shadow. Lit only by the little Coleman lantern he’d given her in case the power went off, knowing how frightened she was of being alone in the dark.

And there, in the dimness, he saw her. On the canopy bed, wearing a ruffled nightgown, looking half her age like a sleeping princess. Only she was lying sideways, on a slant, her back to him, clutching her raincoat. And she didn’t appear to be breathing. Didn’t respond at all even as he stood over her.

In his panic, he thought of CPR . . . but didn’t know how to do it and was afraid to touch her . . . spotted the phone cradle but couldn’t dial 911 because the handset was missing.

He found the wall switch and the bathroom lights, scoured the medicine cabinet and the nightstand for prescription vials. But there were no pills anywhere, no beta blockers or whatever it was she said she was taking. He thought of opening her mouth, at least doing that, but stepped back and froze when the motion-detecting floods flashed onto the rutted drive below, merging with the sound of squealing brakes.

He didn’t have to wait to find out what was next. First the crackle of the police radio and, in practically no time, Road Trooper Charlie Tate was up the stairs and upon him.

Tate glanced at the lifeless form on the bed, glanced back, and uttered the inevitable words:

“Right. Jed Cooper. Now how in hell did I know it would be you?”

Murder Run
Authored by Shelly Frome
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
244 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620066164
ISBN-10: 1620066165
BISAC: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Murder-Run-9781620066164…

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Author Charles “Ted” Brusaw has passed

We are very saddened to hear of the passing of one of our authors, Charles “Ted” Brusaw.  He was the author of the Civil War novel The Roar of Battle, and an upcoming young adult novel about Benedict Arnold entitled Perlious Journey. Following is Ted’s obituary:

BRUSAW, Charles “Ted” Of Huber Heights, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2015. Ted was born in Hamilton, OH on October 2, 1931. He graduated from Clarksburg High School (Clarksburg, IN) and served in the Air Force for four years. Ted graduated from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and retired from NCR (Dayton, OH) in 1986. He was the co-author on many text books and had three novels published. He was a member of the Dayton Elks Lodge #58 for over 20 years. Ted is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara and two sons, Steven (Chris) Brusaw of Miamisburg, OH and Scott (Julie) Brusaw of Sandpoint, ID. He leaves four grandchildren, Amy, John, Steven and Shawn Brusaw; also special friends, Carl and Mary Lewis. Viewing will be held at the Marker & Heller Funeral Home, Huber Heights Chapel, 5844 Old Troy Pike the evening of Tuesday, August 11, 2015 from 6-8 PM. Services will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Elks Lodge #58 or The Hospice of Dayton in Ted’s memory. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dayton/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=175465381#sthash.stUFmuUF.dpuf

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“Feeble-minded” youth accused of murdering young woman

SUNBURY, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Something So Divine, J R Lindermuth’s tragic tale of murder in the rural hills of Pennsylvania.

“… reminds us of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, with similar intrigue and tension, but set in Pennsylvania ..” The Publisher

When a young girl is found murdered in a Pennsylvania rye field in the autumn of 1897, Ned Gebhardt, a feeble-minded youth known to have stalked the victim, is the prime suspect. Incidents involving another girl and gossip stir emotions to a frenzy, nearly leading to a lynching.

Evidence against Ned is circumstantial and there are other suspects. Influenced by the opinions of Ned’s stepsister and Ellen, a woman who has perked his interest, Simon Roth, the investigator, is inclined to give Ned benefit of the doubt. Then he discovers damaging evidence.

Still unwilling to view Ned as a cold-blooded killer, Roth puts his job and reputation in jeopardy as he seeks to assure a fair trial for the accused.

EXCERPT:
The dog stirred beside him. Ned Gebhardt tilted his head, listening. Though he couldn’t see the girl for the thickness of the second-growth trees, the rattle of brush told him she was coming his way. The dog whined and started to rise. Cupping a hand around her muzzle, Ned patted the dog’s head. “Be still,” he whispered.

Excitement gripped Ned as he awaited a sight of her. His foot jiggled in the leaves, and his breath came a little faster. He snuffled, drawing in the scent of leaf mold and sun-warmed wood. But Susannah thwarted his desire, cutting across the hill opposite instead of coming to where he waited. Ned pursed his lips and muttered, his tongue thrusting out to test the air like a snake while one hand plucked at his pant leg. He rose to his feet and grinned down at the dog. “She foxed us, didn’t she? Well, there’s always tomorrow.” The dog cocked its head, gazing up at him as if expected to reply.

The boy plopped down again, drawing his knees up to his chin and sitting with arms wrapped round his legs, contemplating what to do next. He sighed in annoyance at not having intercepted the girl. Ned felt certain he knew where she’d go as he’d watched her leave home earlier that morning. I told her where to go. Why didn’t she come here? He sucked his lower lip. His disappointment souring the good mood of anticipation.

He sighed. Pap would be angry he’d skipped out on his chores. But it would be all right if he took home a couple squirrel or a rabbit. Especially rabbit. Pap’s awful fond of rabbit. Yes, that’s what I’ll do—hunt up a rabbit or two.

The warm air was heady with the odor of rotting leaves and damp earth. Almost too warm for this October morning in 1897 on a Pennsylvania hillside. But Ned knew the frost would be coming soon. He’d seen a flight of geese heading south the previous morning, and there hadn’t been any sign of frogs or turtles along the crick for the last week. A rustle overhead, and he raised his eyes to scan the canopy. Acorn caps and the hulls and shells of other nuts littered the ground beneath the nearest big tree. But it was no squirrel he spied. Only a nuthatch flitting from limb to limb.

Ned rose, brushed dry leaf litter from his trousers, picked up his shotgun by the barrel, and started up hill. The dog shook itself and followed.

Anyone watching would have had no difficulty picking Ned out of a crowd. Tall and gangly, big hands and knobby wrists protruding from the sleeves of a too-often washed cambrey shirt, strong legs encased in hand-me-down corduroy trousers, worn brogans on his big feet, he strode along with the ease of one accustomed to climbing hills and walking fields. Not yet a man, shy and immature, but with muscles and calluses defined by long hours of manual labor. He had a shock of thick hair the color of bleached corn shocks, big eyes reflecting the blue of the sky, and a protruding lower lip usually wet with dribble.

The maples were red and gold now, but the boy was oblivious to their beauty, intent on another vision flashing across the screen of his mind. He’d been sure Susannah would come to this hillside to hunt chanterelles. It was late in the season for them, but Ned had spotted a nice crop under the oaks above her father’s rye field, and he’d told Susannah. He knew her family loved these golden mush-rooms, and Ned was certain that would be her destination.

Something So Divine
Authored by J. R Lindermuth
List Price: $14.95
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
226 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620066126
ISBN-10: 1620066122
BISAC: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Historical

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Something-So-Divine-9781…

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Capital Murder redux — Dead of Summer is top fiction among Sunbury Press bestsellers

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for July, 2015. Chris Papst took the top spot for the third month in a row with Capital Murder, the expose of Harrisburg’s failed finances. Darla Henry’s grief counseling classic The 3-5-7 Model grabbed the second spot. Sherry Knowlton’s recently-released Dead of Summer led Fiction at #5.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for July, 2015 (by Revenue)
Rank	Last Month	Title	Author	Category
1	1	Capital Murder	Chris Papst	Investigation
2	—	The 3-5-7 Model	Darla Henry	Counseling
3	NEW	The Bipolar Millionaire and the Operation	John E Wade II	Memoir
4	—	Dinofiric Poetry Volume 2	Mike Sgrignoli	Childrens
5	NEW	Dead of Summer	Sherry Knowlton	Murder Mystery
6	17	The B Team	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
7	11	Where Elephants Fought	Bridget Smith	Historical Fiction
8	NEW	The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf	Ron Knorr & Clemmie Whatley	History
9	5	The Cursed Man	Keith Rommel	Thriller Fiction
10	19	The Closer	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
11	—	The Bronze Dagger	Marie Sontag	YA Fiction
12	21	Found. Still Lost.	Ashley Nichole	Photography
13	—	Dead of Autumn	Sherry Knowlton	Murder Mystery
14	15	Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last	Mike Campbell	History
15	24	Forts, Forests, and Flintlocks	John L. Moore	History
16	NEW	Pink Crucifix	Johnny Strife	Supernatural Fiction
17	—	For Better, For Worse	Carolyn Perry	Disaster Memoir
18	30	Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks	John L. Moore	History
19	29	Settlers, Soldiers, and Scalps	John L. Moore	History
20	23	Bows, Bullets, and Bears	John L. Moore	History
21	—	Warriors, Wampum, and Wolves	John L. Moore	History
22	—	Pioneers, Prisoners, and Peace Pipes	John L. Moore	History
23	—	Rivers, Raiders, and Renegades	John L. Moore	History
24	14	Winter of the Metal People	Dennis Herrick	Historical Fiction
25	—	Silver Moon	Joanne Risso	Childrens
26	—	Beagle Tales 5	Bob Ford	Pet Humor
27	12	Call Sign Dracula	Joe Fair	War Memoir
28	—	Cannons, Cattle, and Campfires	John L. Moore	History
29	—	Beagle Tales 3	Bob Ford	Pet Humor
30	13	Pit Bulls	Anthony Julian	History

Sunbury Press just posted its best July ever! Compared to last Juy, sales more than tripled. YTD Sales are also up over 100% from last year. EBook sales for the month were down over 12% from June. The company continues to see growth in print formats, while ebooks falter.

Chris Papst’s Capital Murder stayed on top due to author media activity and breaking news about the Harrisburg financial scandal. Darla Henry’s The 3-5-7 Model soared to #2 thanks to the author’s speaking engagements. John E Wade II’s memoir, The Bipolar Millionaire and the Operation, showed thanks to advertising and events in his local New Orleans market. Mike and Ethan Sgrignoli’s Dinorific Poetry Volume 2 took #4 thanks to their appearances. Sherry Knowlton’s Dead of Summer debuted at #5, and Dead of Autumn at lucky #13, thanks to author activities. Alan Mindell’s sports novels The B Team (#6) and The Closer (#10) moved up the rankings thanks to the author’s new website and blog. Bridget Smith’s historical novel Where Elephants Fought moved up to #7 thanks to a recent appearance in Nashville. The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf, by professors Ron Knorr and Clemmie Whatley of Mercer University, debuted at #8 thanks to author activity. Keith Rommel’s The Cursed Man held onto #9 as the author is in between convention appearances. Marie Sontag’s The Bronze Dagger rejoined the list at #11 as she prepares for release of the next volume in the series. Ashley Nichole’s Found. Still Lost. was the top selling art book at #12 due to her exhibition an 2nd Floor Gallery. Mike Campbell’s Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, inched up to #14, thanks to ongoing interest in the lost aviatrix. All 8 of John L. Moore’s Frontier Pennsylvania Series appeared on the list (15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, & 28). Interest remains strong from local bookstores, historical parks, and retailers. Johnny Strife’s Pink Crucifix crept onto the list at #16 thanks to orders from his circle. Carolyn Perry’s Katrina memoir, For Better, For Worse, returned to the list at #17 as the 10th anniversary of the hurricane approaches. Dennis Herrick held at #24 with his Winter of the Metal People. The book is popular in New Mexico. Joanne Risso’s Silver Moon reappeared on the list at #25 thanks to her activities. Bob Ford’s Beagle Tales series took two spots — #26 with Volume 5 and #29 with Volume 3. Call Sign Dracula, the Vietnam memoir by Joe Fair, continued to chart at #27 thanks to steady sales in bookstores. Anthony Julian’s ever-present Pit Bulls charted again at #30 because of ongoing interest in the subject matter.

The company released six new titles during the month of July.

SUNBURY PRESS – New Releases for July, 2015
The Bipolar Millionaire and the Operation	John E Wade II	Memoir
Dead of Summer	Sherry Knowlton	Murder Mystery
The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf	Ron Knorr & Clemmie Whatley	History
Pink Crucifix	Johnny Strife	Supernatural Fiction
Keep Turning Right	Rick Dapp	Self-Help
White River Monster	Keith Rommel	Thriller Fiction

For a list of Sunbury’s best-sellers, please see the Sunbury Press web site:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/BESTSELLERS_c3.htm
For a complete list of recent and upcoming releases, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/COMING-SOON_c47.htm

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