A snippet from my new Belia Lawrence cozy mystery 
ILLUSION OF DEATH. For 2017. 
Keep watching MY BLOG for more details and publication details.:-)

“Did you notice some of the blood had dried?” said Hazel, as she added a dollop of sour cream to her bowl of deep ruby Borsch. It was the night after the discovery of the body. The group had all been interrogated and fingerprinted and advised that no one was to leave the city while awaiting further questioning and the result of an autopsy. 
“Meaning he’d been wounded before the blow that killed him?” said Belinda, topping up their glasses with a vigorous, crimson Shiraz. 
“Yes. So, he was being held captive.”
“And whoever held him captive had tortured him.”
“But why?”
Belinda shrugged. “Who knows?”
Hazel toyed with her soup spoon, making circles in the Borsch.
“Tortured him and then killed him?” she asked.
“Assuming it was one person did both.”
Hazel glanced at Belinda. “You think there was more than one?”
Belinda pushed her soup bowl away. Suddenly she didn’t feel hungry. “It’s possible. After all, the group…”
“You mean someone in the group is guilty?”
“Well, it was hardly a robbery gone wrong. The fact he was tied up proves that. And it seems no one in the group had seen him for some time, just assuming he was on holiday.”
“Or so they say.”
Belinda nodded. “Right. One of them could be lying.”
“Or all of them?”
“If so, why?”
“Unless there’s something about his private life that they and we don’t know?”
Belinda grinned. “Really, Hazel. Life isn’t always like some of the books you read. What was it, Fifty Yards of Gray Flannel?”
Hazel gave a deprecating smile. “There are stranger things on earth, you know. But seriously, was he involved with someone in the group? Was there conflict between them?” 
Belinda took a sip of wine. “It’s possible. But I think there’s something else.”
(C) 2016 Brian Kavanagh
https://kavanaghsmysterybooks.blogspot.com.au/