Threshold of Deceit by Carol Pouliot (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

Title: Threshold of Deceit

Author: Carol Pouliot

Publication: 24 September 2019

Format: Kindle eBook

Amazon Description: 

On a sunny spring day in 1934, local lothario Frankie Russo is murdered in broad daylight. It seems no one saw anything, but things are not always what they seem in this small New York town.
Tackling the investigation, Detective Steven Blackwell discovers Frankie’s little black book, a coded list of dozens of flings, affairs, and one-night stands−and a solid motive for the widow. Soon, what appeared to be a straight-forward case gets complicated. A witness goes missing, a second body turns up, the victim’s cousin disappears, and an old flame surfaces. Faced with conflicting pieces of evidence, lies, and false alibis, Steven creates a psychological portrait of the killer. He realizes he’s looking for someone wearing a mask. But the killer is not the only one in disguise.
Two months ago, Steven came face-to-face with 21st-century journalist Olivia Watson when time folded over in the house they share−80 years apart. They’ve experimented within the safety of its walls and proven Einstein was right: there is no past, present, or future. All time exists simultaneously. Now, Steven and Olivia test the boundaries of time travel, risking the exposure of their secret. Olivia travels to Steven’s time, where she is embraced by the community, unaware of who she really is. She unwittingly falls in with Steven’s main suspect, an action that threatens her life.
Can Olivia outsmart a killer before becoming the next victim? Can Steven and Olivia solve the case of the poisoned philanderer in time to protect her true identity and their time-travel secret?

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

I started Threshold of Deceit immediately after completing Doorway to Murder. Well, within a couple of hours at least. I was anxious to see if any of my lingering questions were answered and to find out what was going to happen with Steven and Olivia next.

Yes, this is where I urge you to pick up and read Doorway to Murder before this one. You really need the background from the first book. Really. Do it.

The basics (which does not get you out of reading) : Steven lives in 1934. Olivia lives in 2014. In the same house. Sometimes at the same time because of Einstein and time stuff. They've traveled back and forth to each other's times but never left the confines of the house until now. It started with a simple dinner in 1934 at the pub that exists in both times. It went quite well ... and then the next morning a body was found. Dead, of course.

Olivia has her own mystery to deal with -- finding out what happened to the twin of her dear elderly friend Isabel who was born in the very pub Olivia and Steven had dinner at in 1934. She is especially eager to help since she was indirectly involved with Isabel's life in 2014 being not quite what it was (... would have been... was supposed to be???) before Olivia and Steven met. 

I know. I'm confused, too.  This is one of those "you really have to read the first one" situations.

Oh, heck. 

There will be a lot of those. Just read that one and then read this one and then, I'm fairly certain, I'll be telling you to read the next one.  And don't be surprised if Olivia annoys you a bit. It's still a worthwhile read and Steven, thankfully, makes up for it.

"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two
of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. 

"Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two
from anywhere in the book currently being read.

I will likely not be posting the third book here. It fell way flat for me ... and the book that I now have lined up for Friday's post? Oh man ... kleenex and ugly crying and all of the good stuff.