By Lizzie Turner, from the first Ashton Corners Book Club mystery, A Killer Read, coming April, 2012

Do y’all ever feel like there’s just not enough hours in the day…let alone the week? I’m not one who does a lot of complaining, especially since my hours are filled with all the things I love doing. But….

My work hours are spent mostly at the Ashton Corners Elementary School where I’m a reading specialist, there to assist teachers, students and parents with their concerns. I love the job and the people I work with, it’s just that some days I’m crowding in meetings at the school board office, consultations at the middle school, and the like. Still…I do enjoy the challenges.

Two days a week, after school hours, I tutor Andie Mason in English Lit. She’s bright. She’s bored. And she’s really digging her heels in. But I think I’m getting her hooked on reading by “enticing” her to join our book club, the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers & Cheese Straws Society. I mean, who can pass up reading a mystery?

And then there are the two evenings a week that I teach at the Literacy classes held at my good friend Molly Mathews’ home. Ah, that would be mansion which means she has the space for two groups of young adults, on track to write their GEDs. The book club also meets at Molly’s…she’s just that kind of generous spirit.

So…day job, after school tutoring, evening Literacy teaching…all of a theme.

Then there’s my passion…choral singing. That’s a Friday evening practice each week, Christmas and spring concerts, and the Christmas Eve service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, as a thank you for the free practice space.

Lately, I’ve made room for a man in my life…that is, when he’s not on duty. It took a dead body to bring me face-to-face with the guy I’d had a crush on in high school. Mark Dreyfus…football hunk, senior class, new Police Chief. Wow…he still sets my toes to tingling.

And, there’s that body, of course. I know it’s none of my business. But really, it is. I’d met the guy. His body was found outside our book club meeting. And our members, especially Molly, are on the suspect list. So, of course I’m doing some sleuthing. Wouldn’t you? Except…there’s so little time.