The Alvarez Family Is on the Vacation of a Lifetime–if It Doesn’t Kill them First!
The Wives of Bath Press
5512 Cribari Bend
San Jose, Ca 9513
When the entire Alvarez family – including private investigator Lee Alvarez and the rest of the members of the family’s P.I. business, Discretionary Inquiries, Inc. – is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to volunteer on an archaeological dig, they’re airborne in hours. It’s billed as “a nice, relaxing family vacation”— all they have to do is identify Cleopatra’s mother! But they’ve barely landed in Cairo when someone tries to run their van off the road.
Author Haven hasn’t missed a trick in this modern-day interpretation of the classic mystery-at-a-dig genre.It’s got everything – pyramids, train rides, a Nile cruise, the requisite cobra, exotic history, mysterious messages, and, of course, there’s a haboob! (That’s “sandstorm” to us boobs.)Naturally, Haven adds her own delightfully off-center flourishes: imagine the witty banter of the statuesque P.I. and her hunky ex-SEAL husband dropped into Death on the Nile with a world-class chef, a computer genius, hovering in-laws, two cats, a toddler, and a hat maker. Dame Agatha meets Nick and Nora Charles, if you will. If Nora had a blueberry yogurt stain on her shirt. And a charming camel called KFC standing in for Asta.
What is nearly unimaginable is Alvarez matriarch Lila loosening up enough to wear Birkenstocks – in public. Otherwise, the extended Alvarez family is up to their usual hijinks: brother Richard, the computer genius, has the answer before the question is asked; Tugger the cat inadvertently reveals the culprit(s); hunky husband Gurn needs rescuing; Lee goes rogue; and Tío the chef, as always, plies them with delicious food.As spoofy and goofy as the set-up is, the danger is real: two waiters have disappeared from the hotel boat housing the dig crew. The boat is peopled almost entirely by eccentric and suspicious characters who are hiding something – right up to and including Lee’s father-in-law! At the heart of the mystery, as always when ancient treasures are involved, is a solution as old as time: greed, running rampant in every imaginable form in a witty and refreshing tale that would make even the Dame laugh out loud.
Cleopatra Almost Slept… on the Blog
Praise for the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series
♥ Murder Is a Family Business
“Heather Haven makes a stellar debut in Murder Is a Family Business. With an engaging protagonist and a colorful cast, Haven provides a fresh voice in a crowded genre. We will be hearing more from this talented newcomer. Highly recommended.”
Sheldon Siegel, New York Times Best-Selling Author of Perfect Alibi
♥ A Wedding to Die For
“Wonderfully fresh and funny!”
Meg Waite Clayton, Author of The Race For Paris
♥ Death Runs in the Family
“I Just finished Death Runs in the Family and I loved it! This has turned out to be one of my favorite series and I sure hope there will be another installment in the near future!”
Becky Carbone, Global Ebook Awards
♥ DEAD…If Only
“A must-read 5-star series!”
Cindy Sample, National Best-Selling Author
♥ The CEO Came DOA
“This is a strong work in the genre of the mystery/thriller!”
San Francisco Book Review
♥ Casting Call for a Corpse
“There was never a dull moment in this entertaining cozy mystery, which includes plenty of action, a well balanced range of twists and turns, and even a few laugh out loud moments.”
Cassidy’s Bookshelves
♥ The Culinary Art of Murder
“This latest installment of Haven’s murder mystery series offers a twisty whodunit laced with a healthy dose of suspense. A solidly entertaining mystery”
Kirkus Reviews
♥ The Drop-Dead Temple of Doom
“Even Indy Jones would be puzzled, but leave it to Lee Alvarez to not only discover the crimes beneath the crimes but who in the party had the motive to kill. Read the whole series. You’ll be glad you did.”
Cellophane Queen
♥ Bewitched, Bothered, and Beheaded
“As a huge fan of cozy mysteries, Bewitched, Bothered, and Beheaded hit all the right notes for me. Heather Haven has developed each of the characters well with their unique speech patterns and mannerisms, and although previous cases were mentioned in the narrative, I could easily follow along as a first-time reader of the series. This author has successfully added me to her fanbase.”
Pryia Matthews, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews
