Humorous Mystery Series Set in Colorful Small-Town Minnesota

"June Bug," the latest installment in Jess Lourey's Murder by Month Mysteries, brings together the true story of a long-lost diamond with a fictitious kidnapping and a spunky amateur sleuth for an energetic and entertaining read.

Alexandria, MN (PRWEB) May 7, 2007 -- Stephanie Plum fans looking for the "latest and greatest" vivacious leading lady will be elated to find Mira James, a humorous blend of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Carrie Bradshaw, who also happens to be an amateur detective. Mira is the heroine of Jess Lourey's witty and critically acclaimed Murder-by-Month Mystery Series featuring the novel "June Bug" (ISBN 0738709123, Midnight Ink, 2007) the second installment in the series.

Mira James is an independent 30-something part-time reporter who relocated from Minneapolis to the small town of Battle Lake in west central Minnesota. She's caring, resourceful and funny, yet Mira never quite feels like she's in the right place at the right time.

In "June Bug," Mira dives into nearby Whiskey Lake to investigate the story behind a local legend claming a diamond necklace was lost there nearly a century ago. However, she soon discovers something much more sinister than jewels underwater. A troublesome kidnapping and a nemesis from Mira's past only complicate matters, and Mira must put her snooping skills to work and find the connection between the recent kidnapping and local legend before it's too late.

"June Bug" is a funny, sexy and fast-paced mystery with plenty of colorful characters to accentuate the small-town charm of Battle Lake. Mira's bouts of bad luck, interactions with Battle Lake locals and hysterical pursuit of her "hunk of crush" makes her an ideal, loveable lead character, who is sure to stand out and shine in the chic-lit genre.

"I think the very nature of human beings is funny. We think we're really important and that our actions have great meaning, when the truth of it is that we stumble through most everything," Lourey says. "Poking fun at that, looking at what is really meant by the saying, 'Well, we're only human,' is what my comic writing is all about."

Readers who are eager for more Mira James after finishing "June Bug" can look for the series' third installment, "Knee High by the Fourth of July," due out in September 2007, or pick up the series' first novel, "May Day." Check out the series that Crimespree Magazine calls "laugh out loud funny!"

About the Author:
Jess Lourey resides in Alexandria, Minnesota. She teaches creative writing and sociology at the local college. Lourey is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, The Loft, and Lake Superior Writers. For more information, visit www.jesslourey.com.

"June Bug" (ISBN 0738709123, Midnight Ink, 2007) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. Publicity contact: www.readerviews.com. Review copies available upon request.

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