Saturday, June 14, 2014

A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan Wilsey Guest Post, Giveaway & Review


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A Sense of Entitlement
by Anna Loan Wilsey

I like the whole concept of a single woman finding this way to travel and have adventures back in the day.
~Rantin’ Ravin and Reading
…if you are looking for a well developed trip back in time, you want to pick up A Sense of Entitlement. I’m certainly glad I got to meet Hattie.
~Carstairs Considers
I loved this book and can’t wait to see what happens to Hattie next!
~Queen of All She Reads
I really enjoyed this book especially the time period….Definitely a great series and we give it 4 paws up!
~Storeybook Reviews
…I was captivated by the engaging characters of this mystery …
~Books-n-Kisses
This is the kind of mystery that I really enjoy, interesting characters, a clever and engaging heroine and a plot that’s easy to follow.
~Carole’s Book Corner
I love historical mysteries, and the Hattie Davish series is looking to be become one of my favorites.
~A Chick Who Reads
I loved this book, I loved the setting and the story. I loved how the author pulled you into the story and kept you there reading until the late hours.
~Shelley’s Book Case
a sense of entitlementA Sense of Entitlement
(A Hattie Davish Mystery)

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Kensington (June 24, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0758276389
ISBN-13: 978-0758276384
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Synopsis
Traveling secretary and dilettante detective Hattie Davish is bringing her talents to a small New England town whose wealthy residents have more secrets than they do money. . .
When Hattie Davish’s job takes her to Newport, Rhode Island, she welcomes the opportunity for a semi-vacation, and perhaps even a summer romance. But her hopes for relaxation are dashed when she learns that members of the local labor unions are at odds with Newport’s gentry. Amidst flaring tensions, an explosion rocks the wharf. In the ensuing turmoil, Mr. Harland Whitwell, one of Newport’s most eminent citizens, is found stabbed to death, his hands clutching a strike pamphlet. All signs point to a vengeful union member bent on taking down the aristocracy, but Hattie starts digging and finds a few skeletons in the closets of the impeccable Whitwell mansion. As she strikes down the whispers spilling out of Newport’s rumor mill, she’ll uncover a truth more scandalous than anyone imagined–and a killer with a rapacious sense of entitlement. . .
Loan_Wilsey_headshot
About The Author
Hardin-Baylor, Texas A&M University-Commerce and most recently, Iowa State University, publishing in several scientific peer-reviewed journals. A Lack of Temperance, her first novel and first in the Hattie Davish Mysteries series, was the #1 bestselling historical mystery on Amazon.com. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. A Sense of Entitlement, the third in the series, is due out in June. Anna lives in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa with her inquisitive four year old, her old yellow dog and her very funny, very patient husband, where she is happily working on Hattie’s next adventure.
Guest Post:
Thank you to Deal Sharing Aunt for hosting this stop on my blog tour for A Sense of Entitlement, book three in the Hattie Davish Mystery Series!
I have lots of readers ask me why I set each book in my series in different places, especially since starting over each time requires not only lots of new characters but all new research (which takes almost as much time as writing does).   The first answer I always give is that I love the research aspect of writing historical fiction and getting to do that in a new location every time makes it fresh and fun.  However, if I’m honest, it is also because I love to travel.  By setting each story in a new location, not only does Hattie travel there but I get to go too!  And this was no more true than for my latest book, set in Newport, RI.  
I live in Iowa; Hattie grew up in St. Joseph, MO.  In my mind, both of us were in need of seeing the ocean.  For me it would be a return to a place and a state of mind I crave when I’ve been away too long.  I grew up in Upstate New York and took at least two trips a year to the seaside, either to Cape Cod, Ocean City, MD, or Myrtle Beach.  For Hattie, on the other hand, going to Newport and seeing the vast ocean stretch beyond the horizon would be life-changing.  Up until then, the largest body of water she had seen was the Missouri River after a flood.  But there was a problem (or in writer’s speak, “a good source of conflict”)- Hattie is afraid of boats.  She had two relatives die on a boat: one while fishing the Great Lakes and the other in the famous explosion of the Sultana after the Civil War.  She loved to hike along the Missouri River as a child but never learned to swim.  And unlike in the modern era where I could fly into a nearby airport, rent a car and drive across Narragansett Bay, Hattie would have to travel the way they did in 1893, by train or by boat.  So of course I chose to send her by boat.
Train travel for me is the most civilized way to travel.  When I lived in Finland and Montreal, we took the train everywhere (even our big black dog came along).  It was fast, on time and cheap. We didn’t have to worry about traffic, weather (except for extremes) or directions.  And we could read or work while we traveled.  It was wonderful and something I miss about not living near a passenger train route now.  Hattie would also have traveled by train.  In every book I try to incorporate a train voyage but it always ends up in the delete file. Oh well.  At least I got to experience stream engine travel while researching the books. But coming from Richmond with Sir Arthur, Hattie would’ve travel by train only as far as New York City.  She would then have to brave the ten hour steamboat trip to Newport.
 It’s what everyone did.  In fact the Fall River Line steamboat “pleasure and business” route between New York City and Newport was a booming business in the summer of 1893. The boats, with names like “Providence” and “Pilgrim” were known as “floating palaces”, large, luxurious ships that reflected the quality of passengers that most often traveled between New York and Newport- America’s wealthiest citizens.  However, Hattie couldn’t have cared less.  All she wanted was for the trip to be over and her feet back on dry land.  Me, on the other hand, I relish being on the water and a voyage on such as ship would have been a highlight of the trip.  But alas, I flew, which I hate as much as Hattie hates being on a boat. (As my mother would say, “What goes around, comes around.) But like Hattie, it was all worth it when I hiked on the Cliff Walk, climbed down the Forty Steps or peered into the shallow inlets near Ocean Drive.  Like Hattie, given the reward of travel (or in her case, new plants specimens), I would do it all again!  Can’t wait to see where I get to…I mean, Hattie gets to goes next!


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Purchase Links
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 My Review:
This book was set in the 1890's in Rhode Island, and as I read I was definitely drawn to this town. I loved the gossiping ladies, and I loved how Hattie did not care about "fitting in" with the rich. She was more concerned with solving a murder. I really enjoyed the time period and how the author included the fight for unions. I think that unions are sometimes taken for granted, and not many people remember the fight it was. I highly recommend this book to history fans. There is also some romance that adds to Hattie's character. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
Tour Participants
June 2 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview, Giveaway
June 3 – Carstairs Considers – Review, Giveaway
June 4 – Queen of All She Reads - Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
June 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Spotlight, Giveaway
June 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Giveaway
June 6 – Back Porchervations – Review
June 7 – Books-n-Kisses – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
June 8 –  Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
June 9 – Carole’s Book Corner – Review
June 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – Review
June 11 – Mystery Playground – Interview, Giveaway
June 12 – A Chick Who Reads – Review
June 13 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Giveaway
June 14 – Deal Sharing Aunt -  ReviewGuest Post, Giveaway
June 15 – The Reading Room – Review
Each blog will be able to giveaway 1 print book – U.S./Canada

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