SALISBURY — Local author Jan McCanless has two new books that came out this past fall. “Murder on the Mississippi” is the sixth in her mystery series and involves some new characters. The leading character is an abbot in charge of a monastery in the mountains of North Carolina. Other characters are his misfit monks, a lazy dog named Max, the abbot’s meddlesome sister and the annoying bishop who vexes them all.
The story is about the cruise the abbot Chip and his sister take. Instead of relaxation, they discover murder, and as Chip sets about solving the crime, his sister lets loose with some high living. The monks left behind at the Monastery of the Blue Ridge try to keep the place from falling apart in the abbot’s absence.
Back home in the North Carolina mountains, evil is afoot, as the murder appears to rear its ugly head once again, putting Chip and the federal agent in charge of the case in mortal danger. Along the way, the brothers are introduced to some familiar Beryl’s Cove residents, and, of course, Dawg and Elvis. This is the latest installment of the Beryl’s Cove mystery series.
“Tire Patch Cookies are Good for the Soul” is McCanless’ second book of 2013, and it is a sequel to her first, award-winning compilation of funny columns, magazine articles and humor presentations. McCanless writes about her wacky family and outlandish situations.
Both books are available in bookstores and libraries nationwide. They’re also available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, the publisher, xlibris or from McCanless.
She will sign her books Saturday, Jan. 18, from 1-3 p.m. at Literary Bookpost, 110 S. Main St.
Robeson County Community College is the site for the 2014 Book Em festival in Lumberton on Feb. 21-22. McCanless will chair two panel discussions on various aspects of writing, plus have a book signing. Featured will be four of her books, including “Wyatt Earp, G.A.P Pickles and Thoughts of Home,” which won the Mother Vine Award for best short stories of the year from Barnhill’s in Winston-Salem.