My friend Larry recently read Easton Sleuth. He said, "... I started reading it a few weeks ago but ended up setting it aside because I was busy in the evenings. I picked it back up to read on a flight last week and was able to finish it in no time. I really like the story. The mystery kept me hooked. ..."
Thanks Larry! Anyone else have a comment on Easton Sleuth? I'd love to hear from you.
Donna Dolf
Lauren Russell was 14. She was tall and thin with green eyes and waist length blond hair she wore in a braid down her back. She was the “new kid on the block.” Lauren and her widowed father, Alan Russell, lived in the Caretaker’s Cottage deep in the almond orchard across the street from the Sanders Ranch. After Lauren’s mother unexpectedly died from appendicitis, Lauren was uprooted and moved to her father’s hometown of Easton, California.
A lonely Lauren first spies on the Angels from behind the mailbox tree and when Aunt Marian invites her over for milk and cookies, she reaches out to the Angels and the Sanders family in her grief.
Lauren
befriends Jonathan Hardy and the Angels. With their collective help they
investigate a possible kidnapping in Easton. Lauren’s quick thinking helps defuse
some of the Angels’ (mostly Jason’s) sometimes outrageous plans and ideas.
Whether it was searching for the mysterious
green car, decorating for Halloween, studying with the Angels, or watching
helplessly when the boys are accused of destruction at school, Lauren becomes a
fast friend of the Easton Angels.
Sonja Bettencourt came to the Sanders Ranch at Halloween. She was the tallest of the three with a cap of short red hair and a peaches and cream completion. As with most red heads she had a crop of freckles across the bridge of her nose. At 13, Sonja was bossy and had a temper to match her red hair.
Sonja had come to stay with Michael and Marian Sanders in August before school started. Her mother had remarried recently and Sonja was having trouble adjusting to her new step-father. She had been so unhappy she had run away. When her mother found her, Sonja cried because she didn’t feel like she belonged at home any more. Sonja’s step-father, Jack Franken, was a real estate agent and counted Michael Sanders as a close friend. It was Uncle Mike who had suggested Sonja come stay at the ranch for a while. So here she was staying with the Sanders and she loved it. Sonja was proving to have a quirky sense of humor. She was keeping the Sanders household on its toes.
I took a break after publishing Easton Sleuth. I've spent the last couple of months updating the Easton Series. Each volume has a new cover and the contents updated to correct a few typos. All five books are also available in hardcover.
Itching to do more, the first four stories are now available in one volume, entitled the Easton Series Collection and is available as an ebook.
Check it out.
Shelley Blanca works part-time at the Easton Book Store in downtown Easton. Shelley only works a couple of hours a week at the book store. She earns just enough to fuel her love of books, with the employee discount of course. The book store also gives her instant access to research for her nascent novel, starring the irrepressible Beautiful Deborah. Besides, she meets the most interesting people in the book store and let’s face it, housework is boring. Shelley spends the rest of her time taking care of the animals, housework (still boring), supervising and shepherding the Angels and writing her novel, until Buzz Singleton is murdered.
Available in ebook and paperback on Amazon. (https://amzn.to/3cRRE9W)
Kati
McClellan is a trim little girl with long, straight, brown hair that hangs to
her waist. Kati stands taller than Jason but not as tall as Eric.
Kati came to stay at the Sanders Ranch when her father's job took him and her mother to Europe. Kati’s father had left her in the Sanders’ care when he received the ultimate promotion that was “too good” to refuse. Of course, Kati’s mother thought nothing about going with him and leaving Kati behind. They were traveling in Europe somewhere and Kati had no idea when they would return. Kati’s parents send post cards to their lonely daughter with the promise to return soon.
Kati is very seldom quiet. She is an ace at video games and holds the house record for Taxi. Kati is 13 and is proving to be a bit of a handful. Kati feels abandoned and spends her time taking her frustrations at being left behind out on those around her.
Deputy Jerry introduces the troubled youth Jonathan Hardy to the angels. Jon is 14 years old, has sandy brown hair and brown eyes. He is the same height as Eric. Jon has a problem and no one believes him when he tries to get help. After spending time with Jason, Eric, Sonja and Lauren, Jon tells them his secret and together they “investigate” this new mystery occurring in the little town of Easton.
Jon’s mother, Sharon Hardy, has a medical problem and Jon worries about her getting the medical attention she needs. Only when the Sanders suggest that Jonathan stay with them was she willing to go to San Francisco for treatment. She had stubbornly refused to go until Jonathan had somewhere safe to stay.
Jon is artistic and keeps a cool head which is useful when the Angels stir up trouble.
Jon appears in Easton Harvest, Easton Holiday and Easton Blossoms.
Eric Lane is blond haired and blue eyed with a
devilish gleam that
reveals a sharp intelligence. Eric loves animals
and reading. He is the quiet one of the angels, but can hold his own in any
situation.
Eric was hurting. He was doing his best to keep to himself. Eric’s
mother had been young when she found out she was pregnant. When Eric was born
he was taken away from her and given to his grandmother to raise as her own.
Eric’s mother grew up, got married and had other children. She forgot about
Eric. By the time he was 12, Eric’s energy was taxing on his grandmother.
Eric came to live at the Sanders Ranch when his
grandmother became ill and could no longer keep up with the energetic little
boy. Eric felt abandoned and was quietly rebelling.
Catch Eric in all four Easton Series books.
Jason Bonham is small for his age. He has black curly hair and large dark eyes rimmed with thick black lashes. His eyes are a deep dark brown which are almost black. Jason has the most beautiful smile when he chooses to use it. He hates it of course. What 12 year old boy likes to be told that his smile is beautiful?
Jason’s parents died in an auto accident a few years ago. His aunt already had four kids and just could not handle another child. Jason is a fire ball. His imagination keeps him in motion and his mouth keeps him in trouble; he always seems mad at the world. Jason is so, so moody and tends to ignore you, but once you get him talking, sometimes you couldn’t shut him up. Jason likes music and plays the guitar. He is the joker of the Angels and is their unofficial spokesman. Jason came to the Sanders Ranch looking for a place he could call home and love but Jason was doing his best to cause trouble.
Comport - to behave in a particular way; to agree or be consistent with something.
Jason quietly closed the door to the principal's office. He stood in the hallway for a moment trying to make sense of what the principal said.
Eric, his best friend and brother, stood from where he had been waiting and asked. "Well, what did you do this time?"
"I don't really know. He told me I was too enthusiastic in the auditorium and that I should comport myself with dignity and reserve like the other students," Jason answered.
"He doesn't know you very well," Eric answered, bumping Jason's arm.
Happy reading!
