Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery

(Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
2nd in Series
Setting: New Mexico
by Kris Bock
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Publication Date: July 30, 2025 

She can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before…

After solving the mystery of her predecessor’s death, geologist Petra Cloch wants to focus on her new job as the rocks and minerals curator at a quirky, small-town New Mexico museum. But her friend and colleague Liberty is suspicious of the “accidental” death of Frank Underwood, a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who unexpectedly died while hiking. Frank acted odd and secretive in his last weeks—mumbling about an incredible find in the desert and aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work?

Petra agrees to help excavate the truth, and soon, instead of meeting for book club, she and her friends become amateur investigators. Petra uses her gift and her brains to sort through the contradictory stories and confusing clues as she and her friends dig for answers.

Did Frank’s heirs decide to hasten their inheritance? Or did his rock shop business partner decide to go solo? Petra joins the local geological club to discover whether someone there acquired a taste for murder, because they’ll need rock solid evidence to catch a killer.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild Mysteries and Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters!

If you love supernatural sleuths, small-town intrigue, and mysteries with a geological twist, Death at Rock Bottom is your next must-read! Grab your copy today!

Amazon * Barnes & Nobles * Apple * Kobo * GooglePlay

“You think Vanessa had something to do with her husband’s death?” I asked.

“I really don’t know. I need to think about it.” Liberty gazed into the distance, clearly already thinking about it, not necessarily cutting me out but not expecting anything from me.

I hesitated. She wasn’t asking for my help. But then, she wouldn’t. Not when I’d stumbled upon evidence of a murder only two months before and put myself in danger. I hadn’t intended to tell anyone I had nightmares for weeks after that, along with daytime anxiety that had me tensing any time someone came into the rocks and minerals wing. Granted, that was the least popular part of the museum at the moment, but it was still open to the public, and strangers wandered in every day. But Liberty kept checking in on me, stopping by my office with mugs of tea and gently talking about it all until I finally admitted I was struggling. That had helped.

Finally, I asked, “Do you want to talk it out?” I was still new at adult friendships, but that seemed like a thing a friend would offer. I hadn’t called anyone a friend since I was a teenager, and those friends had let me down badly. But Liberty had helped me when I was in serious trouble, and she’d kept my secrets, even from her friends. She showed me what I was missing by cutting everyone out of my life. I’d protected myself from backstabbing but also prevented any chance of kindness and laughter with people who knew and accepted me.

Also, I was curious now—about the murder, or possible murder, or whatever was up with Frank’s death and Vanessa’s odd behavior.

Liberty studied me. “That might help, if you’re up for it.”

I nodded. My heart raced a bit at the thought of getting involved in other people’s problems, but I told myself it was excitement rather than panic. Too bad I knew I was lying.

“I’m having drinks with Haven,” Liberty said. “Join us?”

I liked Haven. She was bouncy and friendly and, I suspected, a little jealous of my friendship with Liberty, since they’d been friends first. But I hadn’t been willing to tell Haven about my psychometry yet, which meant I felt awkward and guilty around her. It wasn’t a matter of trust, exactly. I’d never found the right time, and—oh, who was I kidding? I was used to hiding my true self and the mere thought of telling someone else about the psychometry was about as appealing as stripping off my clothes and riding the mechanical bull at the Rough Riders bar. (To be clear, that is not something I’d ever do. It would be both embarrassing and unsanitary.)

I shoved down my anxiety. I could hardly ask Liberty to break a date with Haven, and I didn’t want to be left out of the discussion. “Of course,” I said. “Thanks.”

Winner will receive Digital Copies of all Six Accidental Detective Books

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more. As for Kris’s romance stories, the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves.

Website * Newsletter * Goodreads * Bookbub * Amazon Page * BlueSky