Monday, June 30, 2025

Lucky Secrets

 

 

Young Adult Cozy Mystery

Date Published: 6/23/25

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press


College student Sara Donovan is in the homestretch of graduating when a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive contest. One that will drastically change the winner’s life. Included are unsettling photographs from forgettable chapters in her life and a threatening note strongly suggesting she participate.

With no good options, Sara enters the contest and finds herself at a fabulous mansion up against eight formidable opponents, each with a dark secret and all racing to solve seven levels of riddles and puzzles.

After a contestant’s body is discovered, Sara contemplates dropping out when another package arrives, its chilling contents making clear she’s at the center of a dangerous game with deadly consequences if she quits. But what it doesn’t say is—what happens if she wins?


READ AN EXCERPT below... 



About the Author

 


 B.T. Polcari is a graduate of Rutgers College of Rutgers University, an award-winning mystery author, and a proud father of two wonderful children. He’s a champion of rescue pups (Mauzzy is a rescue), craves watching football and basketball, and, of course, loves reading mysteries. Among his favorite authors are Richard Osman, D.P. Lyle, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly. He is also an unapologetic fantasy football addict. He lives with his wife in scenic Chattanooga, Tennessee.



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Lucky Secrets excerpt...

The white-haired man, holding a blue folder, addressed everybody from the same open end of the seating arrangement as Percy had ten minutes earlier. “Thank you for coming. I am Creighton Winston, attorney for the contest’s founder, whose name shall remain confidential. However, rest assured, this person is a generous philanthropist, scholar, and respected citizen.” The attorney’s gaze traveled along the occupied sofas and chairs. “Has everybody brought their envelopes per the instructions?”

Some nodded their assent, others held up letter and manila envelopes, all looking daggers at the man. I pulled my envelopes out and held them up.

“Very good,” Winston said. “Full disclosure, my firm only prepared the invitation. The founder provided me with the sealed envelopes to go with each specific invite. Only you and the founder know the contents of your second envelope.”

That statement confirmed the so-called founder was the blackmailer. And assuming he owned El Sueño, he was also extremely wealthy. It made sense. With wealth comes power. I studied the attorney. The man oozed money. Could he be the person behind all this? Was he just pretending to be the founder’s attorney and in fact, I was staring at my blackmailer?

A smallish middle-aged woman with toned arms and perfect makeup raised a manila envelope like the one I received. Small dark-brown eyes that appeared even smaller behind oversized black-framed glasses glared at the attorney. “Are you telling me you had nothing to do with this sordid envelope and the despicable allegations it contains?”

“That is correct, Ms. Fantucci. All I know is, the founder believed some of you might have needed a little—push—to attend this meeting. And hence, your second envelopes.”

“More like a swift kick in the britches,” Scooter complained.

Mumbles and grumbles rolled through the room.

Winston forced a smile. “The founder imparted to me that every contestant was personally selected because each of you has a secret that absolutely must remain—a secret. Especially from law enforcement.” He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. “Since the winner of the contest will become fabulously wealthy, it would seem, everyone is here because of a potentially—lucky secret.”

Zoe’s head whipped toward me. With eyes wide, she mouthed law enforcement. I threw her a little headshake, even as my body exploded in tingles. I have no such secrets—anymore. I think. A picture popped in my head of the open safe-deposit box with the gold artifact, gold bar, and emeralds. With my name on the signature card. Somebody obviously manufactured a secret for me. But why? And is it the same for all the contestants? Were they also blackmailed into coming for something they didn’t do? Or were they…

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