Death on the Diversion (paperback)

Final resting place? Deck chair
Death on the Diversion begins a new cozy mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series.

Sheila Mackey has a secret. To the world, she’s author of a blockbuster book. Her wily great-aunt, the actual author, orchestrated this mutually beneficial masquerade. Now the aunt’s retiring and Sheila must draft Act Two of her own life. This cruise is supposed to be the perfect time to do that.

Crossing the Atlantic on the Diversion, Sheila finds a dead body on deck.

She realizes she knows a whole lot more about the interactions of the victim and suspects than the ship’s officials do. She’s drawn into sleuthing, but finds herself hampered by a well-meaning but overprotective would-be Dr. Watson.

This murder mystery with humor is the first book in the Secret Sleuth series. In later books, amateur sleuth Sheila returns to dry land in the Midwest, where mysteries abound in her new home in small-town Kentucky.

"A totally unique protagonist - witty, grounded, human. An intriguing crime venue. I hope there are many more in this series." -- 5* Amazon reader

If you like mysteries about the inner world of writers, set among the insular cruise ship community, where even the sleuth has secrets she’s hiding (and a dog to come in subsequent books), then you’ll love award-winning Patricia McLinn’s newest whodunit series with humor.

Get on board to sail away with crime, clues and memorable characters.

On the spectrum of McLinn's mystery novels, the Caught Dead in Wyoming cozy series is in the middle, The Innocence Trilogy is edgier (and has more romance), and Secret Sleuth is a bit less edgy.

Secret Sleuth series
Death on the Diversion
Death on Torrid Avenue
Death on Beguiling Way
Death on Covert Circle
Death on Shady Bridge
Death on Carrion Lane
Death on ZigZag Trail
Death on Puzzle Place

More mystery from Patricia McLinn
Caught Dead in Wyoming
The Innocence Trilogy