Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris FREE January 5-7


Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris


WINNER OF THE 2012 BONY BLITHE LIGHT MYSTERY AWARD! 

Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.

After inheriting Hammersleigh House from her eccentric great-uncle Patrick, Lyris Pembrooke makes a grisly discovery in the tower room of the Georgian-style mansion―the mummified remains of a child.

To uncover the mystery, Lyris is aided by family psychic Aunt Clematis and Leander, a spirit guide with an attitude, who prefers hanging out with Winston Churchill and John Lennon. While nurturing a new relationship with Blackshore’s Chief of Police, avoiding her controlling ex-husband’s demands, hosting this year’s family reunion and engaging in a psychological battle with the mansion's butler, Lyris is taxed to her limits.

During an oppressive summer heat wave, a tear in the gossamer veil that separates past and present forces Lyris to finally accept her psychic destiny. Driven to find out who murdered little Tommy Pembrooke sixty-eight years ago, she begins a journey back in time.

Book Details:
FREE Kindle edition - January 5-7
Editorial Reviews:
"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss." ―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion
"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue." —John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead
"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!" ―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries
"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award." ―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules
“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.” ―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat
Available at:

Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris FREE November 5-7


Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris

WINNER OF THE 2012 BONY BLITHE LIGHT MYSTERY AWARD! 

Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.
After inheriting Hammersleigh House from her eccentric great-uncle Patrick, Lyris Pembrooke makes a grisly discovery in the tower room of the Georgian-style mansion―the mummified remains of a child.
To uncover the mystery, Lyris is aided by family psychic Aunt Clematis and Leander, a spirit guide with an attitude, who prefers hanging out with Winston Churchill and John Lennon. While nurturing a new relationship with Blackshore’s Chief of Police, avoiding her controlling ex-husband’s demands, hosting this year’s family reunion and engaging in a psychological battle with the mansion's butler, Lyris is taxed to her limits.
During an oppressive summer heat wave, a tear in the gossamer veil that separates past and present forces Lyris to finally accept her psychic destiny. Driven to find out who murdered little Tommy Pembrooke sixty-eight years ago, she begins a journey back in time.
Book Details:
FREE Kindle edition - November 5-7
Editorial Reviews:
"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss." ―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion
"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue." —John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead
"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!" ―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries
"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award." ―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules
“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.” ―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat
Available at:

Cheat The Hangman by Gloria Ferris FREE September 8/9

Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris
WINNER OF THE 2012 BONY BLITHE LIGHT MYSTERY AWARD! 
Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.
After inheriting Hammersleigh House from her eccentric great-uncle Patrick, Lyris Pembrooke makes a grisly discovery in the tower room of the Georgian-style mansion―the mummified remains of a child.
To uncover the mystery, Lyris is aided by family psychic Aunt Clematis and Leander, a spirit guide with an attitude, who prefers hanging out with Winston Churchill and John Lennon. While nurturing a new relationship with Blackshore’s Chief of Police, avoiding her controlling ex-husband’s demands, hosting this year’s family reunion and engaging in a psychological battle with the mansion's butler, Lyris is taxed to her limits.
During an oppressive summer heat wave, a tear in the gossamer veil that separates past and present forces Lyris to finally accept her psychic destiny. Driven to find out who murdered little Tommy Pembrooke sixty-eight years ago, she begins a journey back in time.
Book Details:
FREE Kindle edition - September 8/9
Editorial Reviews:
"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss." ―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion
"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue." —John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead
"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!" ―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries
"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award." ―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules
“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.” ―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat
Available at:

Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris FREE July 12-14


WINNER OF THE 2012 BONY BLITHE LIGHT MYSTERY AWARD! 

Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.
After inheriting Hammersleigh House from her eccentric great-uncle Patrick, Lyris Pembrooke makes a grisly discovery in the tower room of the Georgian-style mansion―the mummified remains of a child.
To uncover the mystery, Lyris is aided by family psychic Aunt Clematis and Leander, a spirit guide with an attitude, who prefers hanging out with Winston Churchill and John Lennon. While nurturing a new relationship with Blackshore’s Chief of Police, avoiding her controlling ex-husband’s demands, hosting this year’s family reunion and engaging in a psychological battle with the mansion's butler, Lyris is taxed to her limits.
During an oppressive summer heat wave, a tear in the gossamer veil that separates past and present forces Lyris to finally accept her psychic destiny. Driven to find out who murdered little Tommy Pembrooke sixty-eight years ago, she begins a journey back in time.
FREE Kindle edition - July 12-14
Editorial Reviews:
"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss." ―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion
"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue." —John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead
"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!" ―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries
"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award." ―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules
“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.” ―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat
Available at:

CHEAT THE HANGMAN is nominated for the 2012 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award

Congratulations to Imajin Books author Gloria Ferris for her short list nomination in the 2012 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award. This is an annual juried literary prize, presented at the Bloody Words Mystery Conference in June for a “book that makes us smile.”

Short List:

Janet Bolin, Dire Threads (Berkley Prime Crime)
Alan Bradley, A Red Herring without Mustard (Doubleday Canada)
Gloria Ferris, Cheat the Hangman (Imajin Books)
Mary Jane Maffini, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder (Berkley Prime Crime)
Phyllis Smallman, Champagne for Buzzards (McArthur & Company)

Cheat the Hangman is now available in trade paperback


Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris is now available in trade paperback!

"Southern Ontario Gothic at its spine-chilling, provocative, hilarious best."
—John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead 

Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.

Available at Amazon and Createspace.

Check out the reviews so far:

"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss."

―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion

"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue."
—John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead

"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!"
―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries

"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award."
―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules

“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.”
―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat

Pick up a copy of Cheat the Hangman today!


Also available in ebook edition at Amazon and Smashwords.

New Release: CHEAT THE HANGMAN by Gloria Ferris


"Southern Ontario Gothic at its spine-chilling, provocative, hilarious best."
—John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead 

Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.

The ebook edition is now available at Amazon and Smashwords.


Check out the reviews so far:



"A refreshing and chilling paranormal mystery you won't want to miss."

―Jeff Bennington, author of Reunion

"A dazzling blend of the bizarre and the domestic, horror and humour, nostalgia and intrigue."
—John Moss, author of Reluctant Dead

"Satisfying and romantic…an excellent, enjoyable read!"
―Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries

"Entertaining and well written...No wonder it was shortlisted for Canada’s Unhanged Arthur Ellis Award."
―N.A.T. Grant, author of Race Without Rules

“A powerful, layered story told with clarity, pizzazz, and humour.”
―Eileen Schuh, author of Schrödinger’s Cat

The ebook edition is now available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Coming in 2 days! CHEAT THE HANGMAN by Gloria Ferris


Lyris Pembrooke unearths a terrible family secret in the old mansion she recently inherited. Investigating the tragedy, she delves into the psyche of a damaged WWII soldier, aided by her irrepressible spirit guide and the family psychic.

After inheriting Hammersleigh House from her eccentric great-uncle Patrick, Lyris Pembrooke makes a grisly discovery in the tower room of the Georgian-style mansion―the mummified remains of a child.

To uncover the mystery, Lyris is aided by family psychic Aunt Clematis and Leander, a spirit guide with an attitude, who prefers hanging out with Winston Churchill and John Lennon. While nurturing a new relationship with Blackshore’s Chief of Police, avoiding her controlling ex-husband’s demands, hosting this year’s family reunion and engaging in a psychological battle with the mansion's butler, Lyris is taxed to her limits.

During an oppressive summer heat wave, a tear in the gossamer veil that separates past and present forces Lyris to finally accept her psychic destiny. Driven to find out who murdered little Tommy Pembrooke sixty-eight years ago, she begins a journey back in time.

RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 25th!

The ebook edition will be available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Two Imajin Books Authors Bring Home Bony Pete Awards

We are pleased to congratulate two of our authors--Gloria Ferris and Melodie Campbell--for winning second and third place in the prized Bony Pete Awards. This special contest is only open to registered Bloody Words* attendees and consists of a blind judging of a 5000-word maximum short story.

Gloria, whose novel Cheat the Hangman will be published later this year with Imajin Books, and Melodie, whose novel Rowena Through the Wall will be released in the next week or two, were judged by their peers. They're definitely winners in out books!

Congrats, Gloria and Melodie!

*Bloody Words is an annual Canadian Mystery Conference that brings together mystery, suspense, crime and thriller writers from all across Canada, and this year it was held in Victoria, BC.