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Thriller Thursday! Marla Cooper & Terror In Taffeta #ITWBlog

by | Jun 18, 2016 | Books | 2 comments

Chills, thrills and spills with Thriller Thursday by Amy Shojai

Chills, thrills and spills with Thriller Thursday by Amy Shojai

THRILLER THURSDAY is a new occasional feature of Bling, Bitches & Blood. As a member of International Thriller Writers and alumni of the ITW Debut Author Program, it is my honor to showcase select ITW authors and books participating in the ITW Bloggers Program. If you love reading great books as much as I do, check out my Spotlight Guest Marla Cooper! 

Hey there, Sweet Peeps! I know it’s not Thursday….but I didn’t want to wait to share about this debut from a great new writer. This fun mystery published March 22, 2016 by Minotaur Books is definitely on my summer TO-BE-READ pile. Heck, Marla’s originally from Texas and she lives with a polydactyl tuxedo kitty. ‘Nuff said.

AUTHOR BIO

Marla Cooper author headshot

Marla Cooper, Author

MARLA COOPER was astonished when she realized people could actually get paid to write things. So she switched her major from business to advertising—much to the relief of her accounting professor—and began her career as an advertising copywriter. After moving to San Francisco, she became a freelancer so she could take advantage of perks like working in her pajamas, and it was while ghostwriting a book on destination weddings that she found inspiration for her first novel, Terror in Taffeta. Originally hailing from Texas, Marla lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and her polydactyl tuxedo cat. Visit her at www.marla-cooper.com.

FIND & FOLLOW MARLA & THE BOOK HERE:

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WHAT READERS SAY…

“This mystery novel is a real roller coaster with twists, turns and dips at every corner. Just when readers feel like they know who the bad guys are, their world is rocked by more information and more suspects. The end is unpredictable but believable and readers will be all too delighted to go on this ride that the author has masterfully crafted.” – RT Book Reviews

“Feisty and funny, Marla Cooper’s debut novel shines as she encapsulates the best the genre has to offer, with a quick-witted heroine, a puzzling page turner of a plot, and a cast of quirky characters like no other. I highly recommend this terrific first in a series!” – Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author

READ A SAMPLE: TERROR IN TAFFETA-EXCERPT

Marla Cooper book

Synopsis:   Wedding planner Kelsey McKenna is just a few hours away from wrapping up her latest job: a destination wedding in the charming, colonial Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende. The reception is all set up, the tequila donkey is waiting outside, and the bride and groom are standing on the altar, pledging their eternal love. But just as the priest is about to pronounce them husband and wife, one of the bridesmaids upstages the couple by collapsing into a floral arrangement (a definite wedding “don’t”).

Kelsey soon discovers that the girl hasn’t just fainted—she’s dead.

 Losing a bridesmaid is bad enough, but when the bride’s sister is arrested for murder, the demanding mother of the bride insists that Kelsey fix the matter at once. And although Kelsey is pretty sure investigating a murder isn’t in her contract, crossing the well-connected Mrs. Abernathy could be a career-killer. Before she can leave Mexico and get back to planning weddings, Kelsey must deal with stubborn detectives, a rekindled romance, and guests who didn’t even RSVP.


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2 Comments

  1. Marla Cooper

    Hi, Amy! Thanks for the profile. My polydactyl tuxedo cat and I thank you! 🙂

    Reply

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