First Line Friday — Death in Dahlonega

Happy Friday everyone! I am at my cabin in the north Georgia mountains this weekend for some cleaning (we will see) and relaxing (definitely). My friend Tina is along for the ride. She and I were diagnosed with breast cancer the same week. This is her second go round after almost 20 years. We call ourselves twins because we have the same type of tumor, the same treatment protocol (no chemo or radiation — yeah us!), and the same very positive prognosis. After surgeries and the whole quarantine thing we deserve some time away for R&R. 🙂 In honor of our getaway to a cabin in the woods, I chose the cozy mystery set in a real north Georgia town, Death in Dahlonega by Deborah Malone, for this week’s First Line Friday. It fits with the theme of reading escapes/travel destinations, plus Dahlonega is only 30 minutes away from my cabin — I know the area well. Here is the first line:

Dahlonega, here we come! I cheered, triumphant at the 10 miles to go sign.

A friendly adventure turns to murder and mayhem in the north Georgia mountains. Historical writer Trixie Montgomery is asked to cover Gold Rush Days in the picturesque Georgia mountain town, Dahlonega. Trixie seizes the chance to mix business with pleasure and asks her best friend, Dee Dee to tag along. Their well laid plans go awry when Dee Dee is discovered standing over the lifeless body of prominent citizen, John Tatum – the very man she’d had a run in with earlier that day — holding a bloody pickax in her hands. Can Trixie find a way to finish her assignment and keep Dee Dee out of the slammer? Winner in American Christian Fiction Writers’ Category Five writing contest!

Deborah Malone has a degree in Human Services and worked in the field several years before starting her writing career. Deborah’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 and 2013 Georgia Author of the Year in Novel category and was award the Georgia Author of the Year Award in 2018 for Blooming in Broken Places. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine Georgia Backroads since 2001. She has had many article and photographs published, and her writing is featured in Tales of the Rails, edited by Olin Jackson, as well as the “Christian Communicator” and “Southern Writer’s Magazine.” She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association, Advanced Writer’s and Speaker’s Association and the American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah lives with her husband Travis in the North Georgia mountains.

What’s your first line?

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Tags: cozy mystery fiction, Deborah Malone