Three Days To Forever ~ Lauren Carr

Title: Three Days to Forever

Author: Lauren Carr

Publisher: Acorn Book Services

Pages: 466

Genre: Mystery

Format: Paperback/Kindle

Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series

detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. 

Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren 

Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends 

(including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and 

Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s 

daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the 

team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday 

vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday 

and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the 

social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and 

Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the 

groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police 

force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been 

targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything ... 

FOREVER!

“Lauren Carr’s mystery novels are indeed one of my go-tos when I’m looking for 

a good whodunit.” –Reviewer: Shana Benedict, ABookVacation Book Reviews.

“Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with 

an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are 

and who the bad guys are until the end." - Reviewer: Every Free Chance Book 

Reviews.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Three Days to Forever is available at Amazon.

• Watch the book trailer at YouTube.

• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

How many years have I lived here, and I still don’t know where Archie puts the  scissors?

After closing the drawer in the nightstand on his side of the bed, Mac gave up and twisted around to grasp the designer tag hanging from under his armpit. Hoping to not tear a hole in the new blue sweater that his daughter, Jessica, had given him for Christmas, he gave it a sharp tug.

The tag gave way, but the plastic “do-hickey” that kept it attached to the sweater didn’t.

Rats!

From where he was sprawled out in the center of the bed, Gnarly cocked his head at him.

“I don’t suppose you could bite it off without putting a hole in this sweater, huh, Gnarly?”

Mac studied the label he had torn off. Dolce & Gabbana. Never heard of them. But if Jessica bought it, it has to be expensive, and she’ll have a fit if I put a hole in it. Mac went into the master bathroom in search of nail clippers.

Gnarly’s bark, and then his jump between the bed and the door, prompted Mac 

to forget the do-hickey hanging under his armpit. After grabbing his gun from

the drawer in the nightstand, he followed Gnarly down the stairs to the two-

story foyer, out the cut-glass front door, and onto the front porch. Mac clutched his weapon behind his back. When Gnarly, sitting at his side, uttered a low growl, Mac tightened his grip and watched the sedan slowly make its way around the circular driveway before coming to a halt at the bottom of the porch steps.

When the elderly driver stepped out of the car, Mac placed her and the car.Agnes Douglas. Archie’s mother.No wonder Gnarly had growled. He never had liked her very much ... and the feeling was mutual. Shoving aside his fears about the safety of Archie, his family, and their friends, Mac forced a wide grin onto his face. After shoving the gun into the back waistband of his pants and covering it up with his sweater, he hurried down the steps to take the white-haired woman into his arms. Like her only daughter, she was petite. She fell two inches short of five feet tall, and Mac had to bend over to hug her. In her heavy dark blue winter coat and thick snow boots, she resembled a blue snow man.

Shouldn’t she be with Archie and the bridesmaids getting their hair done at the salon? Oh well, Agnes goes and does what she wants when she wants. Best not to question.

“Agnes, I’m so glad to see you.” Mac clasped her arm, slipped his other arm 

around her waist, and guided her across the slick ice, up the steps, and inside.

At the top of the steps, Gnarly backed away. Agnes had made it quite clear to Gnarly that he was only allowed to look at, but not touch, her. “I told her that I had one of my headaches.” At the top of the porch steps, she turned to Mac. She tilted her head back to peer up at him from over the top of 

her glasses. She paused to look him up and then down, and then she noticed 

that he was wearing only his bedroom slippers without any socks. “What are you doing outside in two feet of snow and ice without boots on?” “I heard you coming and didn’t want you to slip on the ice.” Agnes’ head bobbed up and down while she chastised him. “Do I look like I 

need your help? I haven’t broken a hip yet. Archie depends on you. What good are you going to do her dropping dead from pneumonia?” Unable to come up with an answer, Mac shrugged.

Willing Gnarly out of her way, she opened the front door.  “I hope you have the tea ready.” Grabbing him by the elbow, she ushered him inside. Gnarly was barely able to slip inside before she slammed the door. “Actually,” Mac said as gently as possible, “I was on my way out.” 

Her head snapped up to glare at him. “What do you mean you were on your way out?”

“One of my groomsmen and I have an appointment with the tailor.” Mac looked  down at the tiny elderly woman who stood before him in the middle of the  living room. She clasped her handbag with both hands in front of her. Like a referee at a boxing match, Gnarly sat between them, looking from one to the other. 

“Did I do something to upset you, Agnes?”

“I think it’s best if we lay out our ground rules before you marry Archie,” she said.

Sensing a battle, Mac folded his arms across his chest. He was physically setting up a barrier. 

“Okay, Agnes. Shoot.”

“To be blunt,” Agnes said in a tone devoid of emotion, 

“I’m giving this marriage five years. Archie refuses to tell me how much you’re paying for this huge three-ring circus, but I hope you’ll think it’s worth it when you only get five years on your ivestment.”“Five years? Investment?” Mac chuckled. “With all due respect—”

Agnes’ hand shot up. She shook her head. “Don’t give me that all-due-respect crap. I’ve had seven children, six boys.  Archie’s daddy keeled over with a heart attack when she was only five years

old. Since that time, I’ve been ’round the block so much that I wore a rut in it 

and”—she shook her finger at him—“I learned ages ago that when someone says to me ‘with all due respect,’ they’re not giving me an ounce of it.”

“I don’t consider Archie to be an investment,” Mac said through gritted teeth. 

“And to be blunt, I don’t think you know enough about our relationship to be in a position to make any sort of prediction about the success or lack of success of our marriage.”

“Archie has spent the last dozen years of her life hiding out in this mansion, 

taking care of your mother,” Agnes said. “Then, she’s spent the last few years in your bed. Now,” she glanced him up and down, “you’re a very attractive man, and I’m sure Archie wouldn’t want to 

marry you if you weren’t good in bed. I’m sure all of that money adds to your appeal, but there’s more to lifelong happiness than sex and money. There’s character, and marriage with a man who has no character—”Mac stepped toward her. “What gives you the right to comment on my character?”

As if to voice his agreement, Gnarly barked.

From Baghdad, Irag to Deep Creek Lake, MD the danger and excitement increases in volime.
For those unfamiliar with this series, author Lauren Carr provides a brief introduction to characters at the beginning. It is convenient to refer back to when things get complicated.

The tone of the Prologue is very dark, ugly and complicated.
Move ahead 18 months to part one, and while still complicated, it is easier and faster paced to read. The suspense begins building.
The focus seems to be on the upcoming nuptuals of wealthy, retired Mac Faraday and his betrothed, Archie Monday. Archie is off with herbridesmaids for prewedding pampering, which proves to result in obstacles and misfortune. (Forboding)
Before Mac can leave home for his tux fitting, his day becomes unwelcomely exciting when a professional hit squad pins down his estate, including Gnarly, Mac's shepherd, and Archie's mother, who showed up unexpectedly, and groomsman Josh.
I really enjoyed what Agnes, the mother, brought to the story.
She provided some comic moments among the danger.

Most of Mac's friends have special military training and even in civilian life they have occupations that create enemies. Anyone could be the target of the attacks through the course of this book. This wedding is drawing celebrities, the rich and powerful, the well connected to Deep Creek Lake.
To further complicate things, Mac's daughter is almost kidnapped, Josh's wife IS kidnapped, Mac is implicated in a murder, and the body count keeps rising.
Did I mention terrorists and a tarantula?
How can there possibly be a satisfying ending? Who will survive to attend a wedding? 

Included in the plot are the grown children of Mac and his friends.
We learn more about each of them and I believe they will play larger roles as this series continues.

I did receive a copy of this book in eschange for my honest review.
I will read more of this series.

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which

takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth 

installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written 

the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with 

homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, 

the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in 

The Lady Who Cried Murder.

For More Information

• Visit Lauren Carr’s website.

• Connect with Lauren on Facebook and Twitter.

• Visit Lauren’s Goodreads page to find out more about her books.

• Visit Lauren’s blog.

• Contact Lauren.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager,

consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for 

independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written 

by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn 

Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. 

Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth 

groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has 

learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and 

teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers 

Ferry, WV.