Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen : Innocence Lost

Innocence Lost by Sherilyn Decter

Publication Date: February 21, 2019

eBook & Paperback; 339 Pages

Series: Bootleggers’ Chronicles Series, Book One

Genre: Historical Fiction/Crime/Women's Fiction

In a city of bootleggers and crime, one woman must rely on a long-dead lawman to hunt down justice… Philadelphia, 1924. Maggie Barnes doesn’t have much left. After the death of her husband, she finds herself all alone to care for her young son and look after their rundown house. As if that weren’t bad enough, Prohibition has turned her neighborhood into a bootlegger’s playground. To keep the shoddy roof over their heads, she has no choice but to take on boarders with questionable ties.

When her son’s friend disappears, Maggie suspects the worst. And local politicians and police don’t seem to have any interest in an investigation. With a child’s life on the line, Maggie takes the case and risks angering the enemy living right under her nose. Maggie’s one advantage may be her new found friend: the ghost of a Victorian-era cop. With his help, can she find justice in a lawless city?

Innocence Lost is the first novel in the Bootleggers’ Chronicles, a series of historical fiction tales. If you like headstrong heroines, Prohibition-era criminal underworlds, and just a touch of the paranormal, then you’ll love Sherilyn Decter’s gripping tale.

Available on Amazon

Sherilyn Decter is a writer, researcher, and lover of historical fiction. Her work is set in the Roaring Twenties and if you like feisty and determined heroines, complex cover-ups, Prohibition stories about criminal underworlds, police and political corruption, then you’re going to love Sherilyn’s grand gangster tales.

For more information, please visit Sherilyn Decter's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Although she’s still a young woman, time and fate have scoured away much of Peggy’s youthfulness. The shock of losing Jack, the crushing burden of never having enough money, the strain of raising Tommy on her own, and the relentless anxiety about the future have dulled sparkling eyes and carved deep worry lines into her forehead. Bouncing ringlets have been squeezed into a practical knot at the nape of her neck, and traitorous threads of gray are starting to appear. She’ll go gray early, like many of the women in her family. Today, Jack would be hard-pressed to find the carefree scamp of a girl he had married seven years ago.

Peggy pulls her threadbare cardigan tighter. The last four years following Jack’s death have been difficult. They’d had only three years together before he died. She’d been a coy sweetheart, a young bride, a young mother, and then suddenly a young widow, but grief and hard times have taken their toll.

What she wouldn’t do to see Jack’s smile. He was always in good spirits; nothing ever got him down. But if she’s being honest, he’s not in her thoughts as much as he should be. There are many days when worry and exhaustion drive everything but the harsh day-to-day reality from her mind. Thank goodness for Tommy, who’s the spitting image of Jack.

And thank goodness she has the house. She and Jack had jumped at the first house they could afford, especially with the baby on the way. They hadn’t thought about the false economy of what a cheap purchase price might actually cost them. The ongoing maintenance and repairs on their cut-rate house—albeit a large house—were ruining her now. And they certainly hadn’t thought that it would be just her left holding the bills. Thank goodness she owns it free and clear; one more bill would be the end of her.

Friday, February 15 Review at Passages to the Past Excerpt at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen Saturday, February 16 Review at Pursuing Stacie Excerpt at Bookish Rantings Review at A Chick Who Reads Sunday, February 17 Excerpt at Maiden of the Pages Guest Post at Jennifer Silverwood's Blog Monday, February 18 Review at 100 Pages a Day Excerpt at Old Timey Books Feature at What Is That Book About Tuesday, February 19 Review at Peppermint Ph.D. Review at Reader then Blogger Wednesday, February 20 Interview at The Old Shelter Guest Post at Let Them Read Books Thursday, February 21 Review at Macsbooks Review at The Old Shelter Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots Friday, February 22 Review at A Book Geek Review at Coffee and Ink Review at CelticLady's Reviews Excerpt at Spellbound by History

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away two prize packs of a copy of the book, a set of Paper Dolls, and a Jazz Age Fashion Coloring Book! To enter, please use the Gleam form below:

Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.