MILTON, ONTARIO, November 11, 2022 – A haunted house, a crime fiction convention, and murder mystery theatre make for “a fun read that was hard to put down” (reader David Penney) in Weekends Can Be Murder by Arlene F. Marks, out today from Brain Lag.
The book has received critical acclaim from advance reviewers:
- “The story is brilliantly written. As a reader, I was lured in to the setting becoming one of the cast of characters.” – Bette Walker, Leacock Medal Award Chair
- “Arlene F. Marks uses poignant language to create finely crafted details and the specific choices feel reminiscent of the language Conan Doyle used and give elegance to the writing. Weekends Can be Murder is hard to resist with lovely writing, engaging dynamics, and a delightful mystery.” – Readers’ Favorite 5-star review
- “I love the hunt for clues, the sleuthing for suspects, and I absolutely revel in the final solution. I definitely did my happy dance after reading Weekends Can Be Murder.” – J.M. Tibbott, author of The Pridden Saga series
- “Georgian Bay provides an intriguing setting for this mystery within a mystery featuring a cranky old house, a cast of characters who aren’t what they seem and a talented bevy of amateur sleuths. Weekends Can Be Murder is a fun mash-up of haunted house, classic whodunnit and a gigantic game of Clue.” – Janet Kellough, Author of The Thaddeus Lewis Mystery Series
- “A propulsive murder mystery with a haunting twist.” – Lori Crossan, Programs Coordinator at Collingwood Public Library
Weekends Can Be Murder is available from bookstores everywhere in trade paperback (314 pages, ISBN 978-1-928011-83-5, $22.99 CAD) and ebook (ISBN 978-1-928011-84-2, $4.99) formats, including Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, or direct through the publisher’s web store.
Launch events
To celebrate the book’s release, the author and publisher are organizing both virtual and in-person events where guests can meet the author and learn more about Weekends Can Be Murder.
A virtual launch party will be held on Twitch on Saturday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. EST. The livestreamed event will feature readings, author Q&A, a murder mystery quiz for audience members, and giveaways. The event is free to attend and open to the public, and the author will be answering questions and comments from registered users in the chat.
On January 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., Marks will be at the Collingwood Public Library for an author talk and reading from the book.
Treading familiar territory
While Marks’ focus of the past several years has been on writing science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories, Weekends Can Be Murder is not her first murder mystery. In 1990, she released a Harlequin romance novel police procedural, No Pain No Gaine, which kick-started her writing career, so Weekends Can Be Murder can be seen as a return to her roots.
Weekends Can Be Murder has been long in the making, as she originally conceived of and researched for the novel years ago, before shifting her focus to other projects. With assistance from current and former firefighters from Richmond Hill and Collingwood, Marks completed the novel and it was added to her lineup of books from publisher Brain Lag one year ago.
Marks, a retired teacher and writing instructor, now lives on the shores of Georgian Bay, in much the same place where the action of Weekends Can Be Murder takes place. Following up her six-book science fiction Sic Transit Terra series, this is her third release from Milton, Ontario-based SFF publisher Brain Lag. It follows up November 2021’s Adventures in Godhood and May 2022’s collection Imaginary Friends. Brain Lag also has two additional books from the author signed for release in 2023 with more currently under consideration.
Media inquiries and requests to contact the author may be directed to publishing@brain-lag.com.
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