Obits and Deadlines by Theresa Jensen Lacey

OBITS AND DEADLINES: A Murder Mystery

Kirby Austin is a half-Ute who leaves her abusive rodeo-circuit-riding husband Nick--and her Native heritage--behind, taking her two children and her guitar with her. She is determined to try and make a life for her and her children in Music City, USA--but Nashville gives her a lot more than she expects.

After spending months playing on street corners, Kirby takes a job with a local newspaper to make ends meet, writing their Obituary column. Suddenly death--and love-- become much too close for comfort.

Kirby is pursued by Sports Editor Bob Green, while becoming friends with Johnny Pale Moon, a Cherokee fighting for repatriation of Native American artifacts and protection of ancient burial sites. In Nashville, she learns, there is a major conflagration over the proposed building of an entertainment arena which would threaten ancient burial grounds.

Kirby becomes perplexed, then alarmed, when she begins finding mysterious postcards. She learns that there is a disturbing pattern to the postcards: every time she finds one depicting a famous Nashville tourist spot, someone is found murdered there shortly afterward.

Kirby becomes more involved with Johnny Pale Moon and his Native American organization, and because of this the police begin to suspect Kirby, as the murders stack up and begin to delay the building of the arena. The closer she begins to feel toward Pale Moon, the more her motives are questioned.

Kirby herself begins to suspect that Pale Moon may have something to do with the murders, and determines to stay close to him to see if he is behind it so she can clear her own name. Followed by detectives, and fearing when and where the next postcard will appear, Kirby becomes alarmed when not-yet-ex-husband Nick shows up in town, threatening her with her life.

When the killer murders Nick, Kirby realizes that she is probably next and finds herself in a situation where she must choose heritage over history, love over loss, and life over death in what becomes a desperate race for time for herself and her children.

This story is approximately 40,000 words in length, a novella, but I can add to it. This story is available for printing now! Interested publishers, please contact me!