Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville

Ellen Mansoor Collier

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In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis - her half-brother Sammy's speakeasy - who's identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn't the killer. After a second vaudeville actor is found murdered, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage. To make matters worse, Sammy's old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme involving the troupe's money-making ventures. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother's innocence-so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good? A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

Book Details

Publisher: Decodame Press
Publish Date: May 19th, 2017
Pages: 212
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 9.00in - 6.00in - 0.48in - 0.70lb
EAN: 9780989417082
Categories: • Mystery & Detective - Historical

About the Author

Collier, Ellen Mansoor: - Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance writer and editor whose articles, essays and short stories have been published in a variety of national magazines. Formerly she's worked as a magazine editor and writer, and in advertising/marketing and public relations. A flapper at heart, she's the owner of MODERNEMILLIE on Etsy and DECODAME (www.art-decodame.com), specializing in Deco to retro vintage items. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism, and lived in a c. 1926 dorm her freshman year. She worked as an editor on UTmost magazine and was active in Women in Communications (W.I.C.I.), serving as President her senior year.

Praise for this book

Ellen Mansoor Collier is back with her latest Jazz Age Mystery featuring Jasmine Cross..and it was superb. A fantastic and delightful read from page one until the very last page. I couldn't put VAMPS down, which is not surprising as I have loved the other books in this series. I love the characters and the trouble that they get themselves into. Nothing is ever simple for Jazz Cross and her friends and that is what makes this series so great. Set in 1920's in Galveston, Texas, this book is rich in historical detail and humor. I always find myself laughing at Jazz's antics and admire her gumption and determination to put wrongdoers to task.

I love this Jazz Age series because it is unique and different from other historical mysteries. This series is fun and sassy and always has me on my toes. If you haven't discovered this brilliant series, then you are missing out on a fun read. I simply cannot get enough. If you want a heroine who is smart, funny, and sassy, Jazz Cross is the one for you. I loved the ending to this book and it bodes well for the future of the series.

-Kimberlee, "Girl Lost in a Book" Blog (2015)

Jasmine Cross is back in all her feisty independence. Once again, Ellen Mansoor Collier does a great job of putting us in the Roaring 20's where we experience Vaudeville, Prohibition, fashion, and Galveston. If you're ever accused of murder, you want Jazz on your side! You'll find mystery, intrigue, and a lot of fun in VAMPS.

-Amy Metz, A Blue Million Books Blog (2015)

Author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series

I love this period in history and the storylines that Ellen Collier comes up with. Sammy finds himself in all sorts of situations and has to use his wits to get out of them. I love how Jazz stands up to some of the reporters in her office and doesn't sit back and just do the fluffy articles but really wants to be taken seriously as a reporter.

VAMPS was so captivating I couldn't put it down for one second! I really was looking forward to what happens next!

-Paula Mitchell, Community Bookstop Blog (2015)

(VAMPS named Book of The Month for August & September)

I discovered Ellen Mansoor Collier's Jazz Age Mystery series while doing historical research, and I feel like I struck gold, babies! GOLD! Collier's smart and classy writing style keeps the familiar cadence of a "whodunit" novel or film noir feature. With all the moxie of Lois Lane, Jasmine Cross is the kind of strong female character you will find yourself rooting for.

FLAPPERS is full of rich historical detail and colorful 1920s slang true to the era. Galveston, the "Ellis Island of the West," jumps off the pages. A fun and entertaining mystery drives the story along, but it was the story world that really won me over. Every aspect is fully realized and I couldn't have asked for better world-building. Hardcore History and Mystery Lovers alike will fall head over heels for this series, and readers will be enlightened and entertained. -Regina Vitola Mader, ME ReadALOT Blog (2015).

The author really seems to know her stuff, gently weaving in details without overwhelming or confusing an uninformed reader. The characters all have plenty of 'moxie' and are well thought-out and likeable. There's a constant sense of mystery that keeps you turning the pages, with a pace that's spot-on. -Charlotte Foreman, BestChickLit.com Blog (U.K., 2014)