Today is the third day of release fun for the first book in the Ever After Mysteries, The Last Gasp. I’m thrilled about my about this book by my friend Chautona Havig, and I’m so excited that we are beginning to release the series! Mine book in the Ever After series, Slashed Canvas, doesn’t release until February, so it will be awhile, but in the mean time, you can go get the other books. To celebrate the release, all the Ever After authors are doing a blog hop that includes a mini-mystery and prizes. If you haven’t read Cathe Swanson’s part of the story yet, please do so before continuing.

Slipper, Slipper, Who Has the Slipper?

Bonjour, mes amies. Oui, it is me, Liz Tolsma, coming to you from the Louvre in Paris. I love hanging out here and taking in all of this amazing art. 

But I have a story to tell you. A disturbing one. A few days ago, the French police dragged me to the station, making the most heinous accusations against me. I couldn’t believe it. 

Okay, I’ll start at the beginning. There I was in the museum, sitting on an upholstered bench, staring at the most beautiful painting created by an amazing Russian artist. He was murdered during the Russian revolution, but his painting survives to this day. A true masterpiece, I must tell you. 

Couples passed by, and a few students with sketchpads were scattered about the Rouge Salon. A hush covered the place, a peace and quiet born from a reverence for the great works of art. 

But on this day, that stillness was broken when a group of Paris gendarmes entered the salon on surrounded me. You can’t imagine how my heart was beating. When they asked my name, I could hardly croak it out because my mouth had gone dry. 

I’ve never been in trouble before. Never. I never got sent to the principal’s office when I was in school, nor have I ever gotten a speeding ticket. My halo is shiny gold. 

But you couldn’t tell that to these officers. They weren’t having any of it. I’ve never been so humiliated in my life as when they cuffed me and led me from the museum. 

When we got to the station, filled with criminals of all sorts and sizes, from ladies of the night to some large men with tattoos and plenty of piercings, they took me to the interrogation room and sat me in a chair – none to gently. For the longest time, I sat there and stared at the sterile blue walls. Blue used to be my favorite color. It isn’t anymore. 

Then a detective dressed in gray pants and a red shirt entered. He accused me of stealing Cinderella’s slipper. 

I’m not going to lie – I have it. I took it from underneath Cathe’s pillow at the writer’s conference while she was out buying cheese curds. How careless of her. I held that delicate glass masterpiece in my hands and watched as it caught the light. It sparkled and sent a thousand little rainbows over the floor and onto the walls. Quite magnificent. Who wouldn’t want to have it as part of their art collection? It was to be the crown jewel of mine. 

I say was because, alas, I don’t have it anymore. I had it with me when I visited Arizona before I came to France. Most of my prize pieces are at my winter house in the Superstition Mountains. And like Cathe, I have to admit to being careless. I took it with me to the Lost Dutchman’s Museum. I set it down to take a picture of this fabulous mountain lion, and then it was gone.

I have a strong suspicion as to who does. I’d bet the Mona Lisa that Rebekah Jones has it. She may look young and innocent, but don’t let that fool you. And if she know where the Lost Dutchman’s mine is, she has the perfect hiding place for it. 

So even though the police searched my hotel room, going through my suitcases – I don’t travel light – and strewing my unmentionables about the place, they didn’t find Cinderella’s slipper. I think I know just where to direct them. A few hints about Rebekah will get them off my back, at least. 

By the way, Cathe, Cinderella may not have been originally written by a Frenchman, but Perrault penned Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verde, adding the pumpkin, the fairy godmother, and the glass slipper. So there!

Ever After Mysteries

The Last Gasp by Chautona Havig, book one in the Ever After Mysteries series, is now available! Be sure to read all of the Cinderella’s Shoe mini-mystery stories and enter the giveaway.

My book, Slashed Canvas, doesn’t release until February, but you can already preorder it! Then you’ll have something to look forward to about winter 🙂

The Saga continues with Rebekah Jones’s story, Where Did the Slipper Go? Be sure to visit her beginning on July 8th to read the story and enter for another chanced to win!