Murder in Fairy Falls

Hart Stewart did whatever he needed to do to survive after the murder of his mother.

His mother, Catherine Stewart, found out early in life that the objects she touched talked to her. What she didn’t know was that her gift of Psychometry would eventually be the catalyst to her murder, leaving behind a son with the same ability.

Catherine was very young when Hart was born. Her boyfriend, Tony, wasn’t exactly the type of man who would ever take care of his wife and child. Catherine depended on her ability to listen to the stories of the objects she touched. The money she earned at the fairs and markets protected young Hart and her until a murderer caught up with her.

Fairy Falls Holds Hope

Hart eventually learns about his Aunt Gertie, the woman who raised Catherine after her mother died in a Subway accident. He travels to Fairy Falls to save himself from the streets. What he encounters is even more dangerous.

I loved Hart’s character. He found a way to hide his inability to read. But, he has decided he doesn’t want to follow his mother’s disastrous life journey by divulging his Psychometry abilities to anyone.

The kid is resourceful even when desperate to save himself. The friends he makes will provide any teen with hope in a world that doesn’t seem as kind as Fairy Falls.

Diana MacGregor has also lost her mother to murder, and she believes she can help Hart with his problems in exchange for her helping him learn to read.

The murder mysteries unfold in spite of a plan to bring a massive resort to the small town.

I truly wanted to see more of Aunt Gertie. As I read the book, I wanted her to become an even more significant presence, but Diana’s little sister Nancy filled that gap quite nicely.

How Many Murders?

Sharon Ledwith has written an engaging mystery with Blackflies and Blueberries. There are lessons and inspiration we all want to share with our children. Adults will love this murder mystery as much as their teens will, however. You will enjoy the small-town atmosphere of Fairy Falls.

It is the perfect destination for the city folks (cidiots as the locals call them). I refuse to provide any spoilers, but I will tell you that Diana and Hart’s mothers aren’t the only ones who meet a sudden end in this book. You need to pick up a copy to find out how it all fits so perfectly together.

Let’s Chat with the Author

One of the things I enjoy most about being an author is the ability to chat with other authors. I’ve known Sharon for several years now. Her title and cover were enough to convince me to read her murder mystery, Blackflies and Blueberries.

Sharon, I love the blueberry season in Wisconsin each year. However, I’m down on the Gulf Coast where the “No-See’ums” are constantly biting. So, your title is one I absolutely fell in love with. How did you decide to bring blueberries and blackflies into the story?

Oh, I’ve heard of those dreaded ‘No-See’ums’ and that they’re nasty beasts! Pretty much like the blackflies, we dealt with each May when we lived in Ontario’s cottage country for almost twelve years. In fact, I owe the experience of living in a small, tourist town environment, soaking in the culture, the rhythms of the seasons, and the local people to creating the Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series. The second book in the series, Blackflies and Blueberries, came about while I volunteered to be a tutor at the local literacy council. I’ve always been drawn to the occult, paranormal, and supernatural, so I got the idea of a teen psychometrist (the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them) who could ‘read’ objects, but was essentially illiterate and couldn’t read most words.

I wanted the book to span through a summer season in the fictional tourist town of Fairy Falls, so I started with the blackfly season (May) and ended with the blueberry season (August). The title fits in so well with the theme of blackflies pollinating blueberry bushes to yield fruit, so I went with my intuition. Plus, like you, I absolutely love blueberries! Blackflies—not so much. Wink.

How has your life been touched by fantasy stories?

Well, as I mentioned, I love anything to do with the occult, paranormal, and supernatural, so I’ve always been drawn to fantasy-type books. Time travel is another go-to genre I enjoy (think Outlander series), which influenced me to write a young adult book series called The Last Timekeepers. In a way, I think fantasy stories nurtured me for the future, made me believe that anything, any dream was possible. I loved going on those adventures with the characters, cried along with them, and cheered for them. I guess fantasy stories have essentially made my life better, and less lonely.

Aunt Gertie is such a colorful character. Will we see more of her in Fairy Falls?

Definitely! She’s such a colorful character, and is loosely-based on my British mother-in-law with a Canadian spin. Since each book is set in Fairy Falls, but with a different cast of characters dealing with a psychic ability, I write in cameos for the characters of my previous book. After all, it takes many characters to create the essence and environment of a small, tourist town like Fairy Falls, so I want readers to expect the unexpected every time they pick up one of my books.

Diana MacGregor’s little sister Nancy is a perfect sidekick for this story. Her addition was truly brilliant. Were you as curious as Nancy when you were a child?

Yes. I always wondered what went on beneath the surface, and always asked questions. Once a guidance counselor suggested that a career as a detective might be a good fit. Can you imagine? LOL! I guess I had been very intuitive as a child but didn’t realize this until I started writing a book in my mid-thirties. It took me a long time to uncover my intuition again, and thankfully I found it through feeding my imagination.

What is your favorite of all the books you’ve written and why?

I would have to say, Lost and Found hands down, and for good reason. You see, during my year-long stint as an animal care attendant, I learned so much about the procedures and daily routines of working in an animal shelter, that I found myself wondering what the animals would say if they could talk? How they would act and sound? What did they really think of humans? So, chasing down the animal voices frolicking in my head, I decided to write their story. The result is, Lost and Found, the first book in my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls.

Is there one thing you’d like our readers to know about you?

I love to uplift people, even if I just get a smile out of a person. I use humor in all my books as a way of connection, and to hopefully make a reader’s day better and brighter. I guess it’s the way I can serve authentically and just be myself!

Thanks so much for inviting me to your hot-seat today, Peggy. I really appreciate you sharing my thoughts and books with the people in your world! Cheers for your support and kindness!

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book #2 Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book #1 Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend of the Timekeepers, prequel Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost and Found, Book One Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies and Blueberries Synopsis

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved murder in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of Psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world-threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

About the Author

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador, and a moody calico cat.

You can also find out more about The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith on her website.

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