Title: A Weekend Getaway Murder
Series: Grave Sisters Mysteries: Book 3
Author: Tam May
Genres: Historical Cozy Mystery
Release Date: July 25, 2026
“A fabulous addition to the series!” — early Goodreads reviewer
No one is more surprised than District Attorney Daniel Frazer when Walt, his old college roommate, shows up in a cabin along the river with a group of friends for a New Year’s Eve getaway.
But all horn blowing and champagne drinking cease when Walt’s murdered body is found lying in the woods. This is Daniel’s first murder case since being appointed D.A., and he turns to District Attorney Oliver Clarke in neighboring Gyver County for help.
Oliver is wrapped up in his own case, so he suggests Daniel seek the aid of the Grave Sisters. But the sisters’ expertise lies in their familiarity with Gyver, California, and its inhabitants. In Moody, Nevada, they are in the dark.
Can the Grave sisters help Daniel sort out the likely suspects among friends and enemies to solve this twisted tale of lies and deceit? Will a fancy cigarette holder, a plain cigarette case, and a figure running “like lightning” through the forest give them insights into who killed Daniel’s friend?
You can get your copy of the book at a special promotional price at the following online retailers.
Excerpt
“Except that Caruso wanted Barbeiri out of the mob,” said Daniel. “That’s unofficial, of course, but the word is Barbeiri was getting a little too above himself for Caruso’s taste, so he wanted him out, and he was willing to pay.”
“I thought when mobsters want someone out, they just —” Eve swallowed, “— kill them.”
Daniel grimaced. “That’s what the moving pictures and the detective novels would have you believe. Mobsters are more cautious than that, and the smart ones, like Caruso, use guns as a last resort. And not on a small fry like Barbeiri.”
“So if Caruso wanted Barbeiri out of the gang, he wouldn’t have been too upset when he was convicted,” Eve reasoned.
He rubbed his hands, glancing around the room. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“What do you mean?” Eve sat down on the stool in front of the vanity.
“Rob said the general consensus is Caruso didn’t want to leave anything to chance,” he said. “He wanted to make sure Barbeiri was convicted.”
“You mean he manufactured evidence to convict him?” Eve stared.
Daniel grunted. “More like he hired a smart lawyer to make sure Barbeiri would get jail time.”
Eve was silent for a moment. “You mean he bribed Walt to lose the case.”
“I don’t know if I would say that,” Daniel said quickly. “But let’s just say a lawyer like Walt can act like he’s doing his best when he really isn’t.”
“You implied it was just a rumor.” Eve looked at him hard. “Do you think it’s true?”
Deep lines appeared on his face. “Rob thinks Caruso made it worth Walt’s while. And you see the results.” He glanced around the expensively furnished room.
“He might have been threatened into it,” Eve suggested.
“I don’t think he needed to be,” Daniel said softly. “I never claimed Walt was a saint, Eve. Money was important to him as a lawyer. He never hid that fact.”
Eve let out a breath. “Whether Walt did or didn’t do his best to defend Barbeiri, he lost the case just like Caruso wanted him to. So Caruso wouldn’t have any reason to go after Walt, would he?”
“Which is why Walt wasn’t concerned when Mary told him about the black car,” Daniel said. “It all makes sense now, doesn’t it?” He looked at her anxiously. “Eve, don’t tell Mary about this. I mean, about Walt losing the case deliberately.”
“No, of course not,” Eve said. “Dan, remember what you said on the train?”
“You mean about letting Sheriff Quinn and Helena’s views on the case guide me if the Caruso henchmen theory didn’t turn out?” He eyed her. “I haven’t forgotten, Eve. But I’m not ready to ask Sheriff Quinn to swear out a warrant for anyone’s arrest.”
“But it doesn’t look good for the people who stayed with him in the cabin that weekend, does it?” Eve asked. “Especially Addie.”
“No, I suppose it doesn’t.” He sighed.
About the Author
Writing has been Tam May’s voice since the age of fourteen. She writes stories set in the past featuring sassy but sensitive women characters. Tam is the author of the Adele Gossling Mysteries, which takes place in the early 20th century and features suffragist and epistolary expert Adele Gossling whose talent for solving crimes doesn’t sit well with her town’s conventional ideas about women. She also has a new series, the Grave Sisters Mysteries, about three sisters who own a funeral home and help the county D.A. solve crimes in a 1920s small California town, set to release in 2025. In addition, she has written historical fiction about women breaking loose from the social and psychological expectations of their era. Although Tam left her heart in San Francisco, she lives in the Midwest because it’s cheaper. When she’s not writing, she’s devouring everything classic (books, films, art, music), concocting yummy plant-based dishes, and exploring her riverside town.
Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammayauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammayauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tammayauthor/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tam-May/e/B01N7BQZ9Y/
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tam-may
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16111197.Tam_May
