The Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries
Bats and Bones and now The Blue Coyote have been selected as B.R.A.G. Medallion honorees. Their website is BRAGMedallion.com and is owned and operated by indieBRAG, LLC, a privately held organization that has brought together a large group of readers, both individuals and members of book clubs, located throughout the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
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No. 1: bats and bones
Camping can be murder. Oh, sure, on the one hand there's the stunning scenery, socializing with old friends and new acquaintances, amazing food cooked outside, and so on. But what if a dead body turns up on one of your hikes-for-fun-and fitness?
Frannie and Larry Shoemaker, retired baby boomers, are looking forward to a relaxing Fourth of July weekend with friends in beautiful Bat Cave State Park. They begin the weekend with a wonderful meal and some laughs over the antics of nearby novice campers. But when someone kills the campground host and Frannie's group discovers the body, their favorite getaway becomes a quasi-prison, and the eccentricities often seen in a campground are viewed as suspicious behavior. A severe weather threat and the possibility that the murderer could be either a campground resident or an intruder from the outside compounds the danger. Frannie, while naturally curious, is warned off by her retired-cop husband, but still stumbles on information making her a target of the killer. At the same time, Frannie is working through the recent loss of her mother and an uncomfortable relationship with one of her own camping group.
Frannie and Larry Shoemaker, retired baby boomers, are looking forward to a relaxing Fourth of July weekend with friends in beautiful Bat Cave State Park. They begin the weekend with a wonderful meal and some laughs over the antics of nearby novice campers. But when someone kills the campground host and Frannie's group discovers the body, their favorite getaway becomes a quasi-prison, and the eccentricities often seen in a campground are viewed as suspicious behavior. A severe weather threat and the possibility that the murderer could be either a campground resident or an intruder from the outside compounds the danger. Frannie, while naturally curious, is warned off by her retired-cop husband, but still stumbles on information making her a target of the killer. At the same time, Frannie is working through the recent loss of her mother and an uncomfortable relationship with one of her own camping group.
"This is such fun to read--funny and suspenseful. The clever camping hints at the ends of the chapters add to the true-to-life sense of place. Reading this brought back many happy memories of camping with family--spiced up with a compelling mystery. It's a great story!" Lizzie Wizard, Amazon
No. 2: the blue coyote
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Frannie and Larry Shoemaker love taking their grandchildren, Sabet and Joe, camping with them. But at Bluffs State Park, Frannie finds herself worrying more than usual about their safety, and when another young girl disappears from the campground in broad daylight, her fears increase. The fun of a bike ride, a flea market, marshmallow guns, and a storyteller is quickly overshadowed. Accusations against Larry and her add to the cloud over their heads. Frannie begins to puzzle out the mystery: Are the itinerant road workers as much of a threat as Frannie thinks? What about the lone woman camper who also disappears? Or is the girl's deadbeat dad behind it all?
"Frannie and Larry gassed up the truck, packed the camper and headed out with a couple grandkids for a quiet weekend with friends. Will their trip be uneventful? Oh, you hope not. A little girl riding a squeaky bike with training wheels up and down the state park trails that tweaks Larry's nerves starts this mystery into motion (you too will want to ship Larry a can of DW40 for his next camping trip). Accusations, an abduction and a chase through a dark field spark a great story." Mythbuster, Amazon |
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No. 3: peete and repeat
A biking and camping trip to southeastern Minnesota turns into double trouble for Frannie Shoemaker and her friends as she deals with a canoeing mishap and a couple of bodies. Strange happenings in the campground, the nearby nature learning center, and an old power plant complicate the suspect pool and Frannie tries to stay out of it--really--but what can she do? After all, she is only curious, but sometimes it isn't just cats who have trouble with that!
Peete and Repeat has been named a finalist in the Chanticleer Book Review CLUE Awards for 2013.
Peete and Repeat has been named a finalist in the Chanticleer Book Review CLUE Awards for 2013.
"I have read each of Nortman's campground mysteries and each is better than the last. In this one the author really hits her stride. The characters have always been comfortable with each other, and now their roles as characters are equally so. The humor is terrific, and the mystery and daily camping activities blend well. Do read this!" -Elaine, Amazon
"This is a fun read with some quirky characters, some gorgeous settings, and a story line with enough twists and turns to keep you turning pages long after the campfire has died to embers."-J. Rump 
Maquoketa Caves State Park--the basis for 'Bat Cave.'
The Natural Bridge-Maquoketa caves
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The REAL Root River Power Plant
The Ledges: basis of Bluffs State Park
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