Murder on the Riviera (15 page)

Special Preview of Anisa Claire West’s

MURDER IN THE OUTBACK

Packing Checklist for Rita’s Australian Adventure

1. Sunscreen with SPF 15,000,000
   
2. Wide-brimmed straw hat
   
3. Insect repellant (lots of it)
   
4. Grape flavored lip balm (with more SPF)
   
5. Cute sundresses (for possible dates with Aussie hunks)
   
6. Canteen for water
   
7. Writing journal
   
8. Sunglasses
   
9. Camera & equipment
   
10.                     
    Binoculars
    
11.                     
    Bill Bryson’s indispensable & hilarious guide,
    In
    a Sunburned
    Country
    
12.                     
    Enough courage to make the Great Barrier Reef look minuscule…
    

Prologue

Santa Monica, California

Packing for the Australian Outback…

Zipping up my duffel bag, I slung the pack over my shoulder and promptly collapsed face first onto the floor from its staggering weight. Maybe I should have packed more lightly? Reluctantly I unzipped the bag and removed a few paperback books and other non-essentials, but I couldn’t bear to leave my adorable, flirty, breezy sundresses behind. Never mind that I would be spending most of my four-week trip behind the zoom lens of my camera; who knows who I might run into? Famous for its rugged, laid back, sun-kissed men, Australia beckoned to me as much for the possibility of new romance as for the exotic photo ops in the bush. Travelogues had taught me that Australia is the deadliest country in the world with the threat of snakebites and other critter attacks constantly looming, but I was sure nothing could be as toxic as the two year relationship I had just ended with a man who thought my first name was You Stupid Idiot.

“Here boy!” I called to my loyal toy poodle named Pouf.

Standing on his hind legs, he ardently gobbled up the milk bone I offered him. “Good boy.” I patted his little head, elated that he would be joining me on my adventure. All my friends told me I was crazy for bringing Pouf with me, but then again they thought I was daft for taking this trip at all and quitting my cushy but lackluster job as photo editor for a food magazine. My closest friend, Amy, warned me about the abject misery of being stung by a box jellyfish and the poisonous perils that lurked in every savage corner of the Outback.

Brushing my rising fears aside, I grabbed Pouf’s kennel and whispered to my buddy, “Time to go, boy. We have a flight to catch.”

If only I had known when the 747 soared out of LAX that day into the smog-filled sky that the venomous snakes and omnipresent insects would be the least of my worries. As I settled in with a good book for the grueling 14 hour flight, I never would have guessed that it was the people, or rather one person in particular, whom I needed to fear…

Murder in the Outback - Kindle edition by Anisa Claire West. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Dear Reader:

Thank you for reading
Murder on the Riviera. 
I hope you enjoyed reading about Chelsea and Charles’ crime solving!  I welcome your feedback and make an effort to
personally respond
to every email I receive.  Write to me at
[email protected]
.

Happy Reading!

Cordially,

Anisa Claire West

Titles Available by Anisa Claire West

COZY MYSTERY

& ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

A Fashion Felon in Rome

A Pastry Thief in Paris

Cake Battered

Cappuccino Twist

Champagne Deception

Cookie Dough Crook

Cupcake Shop Clues

Dark Chocolate Murder

Deep Dish Lies

Hotcake Homicide

Hot Fudge Fraud

Murder in the Mix

Murder in the Outback

Murder on the Riviera

Northern Moonlight

The French Maid Murder

The Scarlet Suit Murder

Vexed in Venice

Wild Autumn

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Silver Goddess Series:

Island Tango
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Orca Dance
, Book 2

Leopard Rhythm
, Book 3

Mermaid Gold,
Book 4

Incan Power,
Book 5

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Eternal Melody

ANTHOLOGIES

Chocolate Covered Crimes

Crime Flies!

Deadly Bites

Exotic Daydream

Fashionable Crimes

Goons, Gondolas & Gelato

Passion’s Raindrops

Pick a Poison

Silver Goddess

Small Town Scary

Small Town Spooky

Sweet as Pie Crimes

Tasty Crimes

The ULTIMATE Cozy Mystery Collection

About the Author

Anisa Claire West graduated with honors from Yale University and also holds a Master of Arts degree in Literature and Teaching.  Learning about cultures is Anisa’s passion, and she has studied more than half a dozen languages including French, Arabic, and Italian.  A certified yoga instructor, Anisa embraces mind-body fitness, animal advocacy, and a compassionate lifestyle.  She also enjoys California cuisine and has sampled more than a few of the recipes included in this book!