Murder in the Movies was first published by Port Town Publishing in 2003. It was picked up for hardback and trade publication in 2006 by Hilliard & Harris. In September of 2010, it was released in paperback by Harlequin WorldWide Mysteries. L&L Dreamspell obtained publishing rights in 2012. The new release has been updated (land phones are now cell phones, Diana Sawyer on Good Morning, America is now Ann Curry on the Today Show, that sort of thing), but the story is the same.
The story is set in Topeka, Kansas, particularly in historical Potwin where turn-of-the-century mansions line both sides of brick streets. While some of the scenes move into the Westport area of Kansas City, Missouri, it is really a Kansas mystery. Paxico is featured extensively. Tiny as it is, this little pioneer town is known as the Antique Center of America. Very pictureque. Lends itself perfectly to a backdrop for Invitation to a Murder.
I drew on my own MGM days to set the atmosphere in Murder in the Movies. The Florida house described in the book is actually where I lived after California and before moving to Kansas. The LA homes and apartments described are all ones I lived in during my long studio days on the West Coast. And the people...well, like they say, it's best to write about what you know. Wonder if that takes in who you know as well?
Leigh Maxwell refuses to believe the strange things happening to her are the result of an obsession of a young, emotionally unstable maintenance man at the electronics factory where she works. Her former fiancee, attorney Mark Hollingsworth, doesn't agree. He urges her to hide away in his isolated lakeside cabin. Assured that her whereabouts are a secret from all but Mark, she follows his advice. The peace of mind she sought, however, turns to terror when a storm, and a killer, strike at once.
"Katlin Wallace knows the film business and the highways and delis of the Sountern California movie-metroplex. Her story is told with such vibrancy and intimacy that I felt like the author plopped me into the passenger seats of Katie's rental cars to experience with her this blur of action and noshing. I can't wait for Kate's next adventure. This is a solid and witty romp of a book. My ultimate compliments to Ms. Luttrell. I wish I had written it."
Paula C. Acconcia
The NEW Murder in the Movies will be released in the June of 2012.
Amazon still has a few of the original editions available.
EXCLUSIVE E-BOOK MYSTERY
A chilling suspense that delves into the heart and mind of the innocent, the prey, and the killer. Atmospheric settings, believable characters and unexpected plot twists will keep the reader spellbound. An intriguing and eerie psychological mystery.
