Playing Possum

October 01, 2021

Playing Possum

Playing Possum (The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries)
by Dane McCaslin

About Playing Possum

Playing Possum (The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lyrical Press (October 5, 2021)
Number of Pages: 300 (approx.)
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08SJ2VFHP

The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Service is purring along, thanks to the entrepreneurial talents of retired schoolteacher Gwen Franklin and her bestie and business partner, Nora Goldstein. But whenthe fur starts to fly, they become partners in crime detecting as well . . .

At Nora’s request, Gwen is happy to accompany her to a meeting with ex-hubby #3’s lawyer. Much to Nora’s surprise—and dismay—she’s been named executor of said ex’s will. The fact that the man has been missing for years and was just declared legally dead only makes an already complicated process more so. And besides, is he really dead? What’s not a surprise is that Nora’s twin ex-stepchildren are pressing for access to their father’s dry cleaning fortune . . .

With Gwen’s assist, it’s time for Nora to do a little digging. It turns out that the twins’ catering business is failing—and that their dad’s business was laundering more than clothing. Soon, Gwen and Nora are infiltrating a long list of dirty deeds, including fraud and illegal gains. And the perpetrators are all too close to home. The police may want Gwen and Nora to stick to their own line of work, but the pair are determined to make sure the truth comes out in the wash—before someone ends up in the discard bin . . .

Coffee, Anyone?
Gwen Franklin here, native of Portland, Oregon and coffee aficionado. And long-suffering, long-time pal of Nora Goldstein. Together we make up the 2 Sisters Pet Valet business, and we’re powered by caffeine.
Need a place to wind down with a great Americano? We have the answer. Looking for a barista who does fancy dancy designs on the surface of your cappuccino? We’ve for the place for you.
It’s in our blood. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to discover that we don’t get typed by A or O but by Decaf or Regular. It’s a Portland thing, and it’s been the drink of choice – and a business - here since the 1850s.
But it was 1999 that put Portland on the map for crafting specialty coffee blends with sustainably resourced beans. According to media.travelportland.com, Stumptown Coffee Roasters opened its flagship coffee shop and introduced coffee done the Portland way to baristas across the country. Using select beans from around the world, they offer such blends as Hair Bender and Holler Mountain, guaranteed to kickstart your morning and put hair on your chest.
Just kidding about that last part.
My advice to anyone who visits our fair town is to throw aside all preconceived notions about how coffee should be prepared and open your tastebuds to a new experience. From smooth to robust, decaf or not, there’s a blend to meet every taste.
Nora and I love going to The Friendly Bean for a latte and croissant. Being friends with the owner, I managed to ferret out her recipe for a timeless café mocha, easy enough to prepare at home and the perfect partner for our latest adventure, Playing Possum.
Homemade Café Mocha
Ingredients: ½ cup of milk (or any milk substitute you prefer), 3-4 tablespoons of chocolate syrup (plus additional for garnish if you want to get fancy), ¼ strongly brewed coffee, whipped cream (topping)
Instructions: Heat milk in microwave until hot but not boiling; take out and whisk until foamy; heat chocolate syrup in microwave about 20 seconds, then add to prepared coffee; pour whisked milk into coffee, stir; top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Enjoy!

About Dana McCaslin

McCaslin began a life-long love of mysteries at a very young age. She bypassed Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden and went straight for Agatha Christie, thanks to her mother’s library books. Dane is retired from a twenty-plus-year career in teaching high school and college English, and she uses her newfound freedom to read for pleasure, write mysteries, and smell the roses.

Author Links

Website – https://www.danemccaslinbooks.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/dana.esquer.10

Twitter – https://twitter.com/mccaslin_dane

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GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7835071.Dane_McCaslin

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dane-mccaslin

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