The new Sgt. Windflower Mystery, Dangerous Waters is now available for order from Ottawa Press and Publishing and Amazon all over the world. See below for links. Print books are also on their way and will be in bookstores for the official launch on May 26.
That’s when we’ll be having a joint book launch with our friend, Mary Jane Maffini as part of the Maple Leaf Mystery Conference. Here’s a link to that event and you have to be registered for the Conference to attend:
We have our First Review of Dangerous Waters to share as well. A Five Star review on Goodreads.
“Another enjoyable read by Mike Martin with one of my favorite characters, Sgt. Winston Windflower. He is a kind, caring, exceptional person who puts others before himself and works tirelessly to solve another case for the RCMP.
The author has created a series that is warm and comforting with memorable characters who support Windflower. I feel as if I know Windflower well and am at home each time I read a new book in the series.
The place the stories are based in Grand Bank, Newfoundland is a harsh, cold and snowy area but at the same time depicted as a family-oriented place to live and bring up one’s children. It’s a place where the people are supportive and always lend a hand for those in need.
I enjoy not only the story line of each book but also the recipes that the author shares of the local fish and seafood. It all sounds wonderful to live in a place where you can get your meal fresh from the ocean.
I look forward to more books in this series and highly recommend this book and others by Mike Martin”
Here are your links to purchase Dangerous Waters online
To celebrate the new year we are having a giveaway. Share this post with your FB/ Twitter friends and become eligible to win one of 3 prizes. All mailed to a person or an address you choose. Could be you or whomever you like. You could win:
A signed copy of Buried Secrets, the new Sgt. Windflower Mystery
or
A signed copy of Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries
or
A signed copy of the Le promeneur sur le cap. The French translation of Book 1 in the series, The Walker on the Cape.
You can find these books in paperback and Kindle on Amazon all over the world
I have now published twelve books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series (plus Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries) and each time I have chosen to give away a number of copies, absolutely free. Not only that, but I actively seek out strangers or near strangers on social media to give them away to. Now, I am not giving away all copies of my books. I am neither rich nor daft and I am not particularly altruistic, but I do believe in helping people to read my book.
And quite honestly not everyone can afford to buy a book, especially new books. Tons of people are living on a tight budget, on social assistance or on a fixed income because of disability or not being able to work anymore. It’s hard to comprehend in this world of plenty, but twenty bucks is a lot of money if you haven’t got it and one of the ‘luxuries’ that many people give up is purchasing new books. They wait until they are available from the library or get them from friends or from the second-hand bookstore. I support libraries, but why do some people have to wait?
I realize that I can’t give anybody a raise in their monthly stipend to help them with their book budget, but I can help at least a few of them enjoy my new books, fresh out of the printer’s box. I believe in an idea called Reading Equality, a radically new concept that everyone should have access to quality, new release books. That’s why I am making 25 copies of Dangerous Waters available to people on a low or fixed income. I am advertising this offer on Facebook and Twitter and as the time of writing there are still a few copies left.
If you want one or know of someone who could use one but can’t afford it, just message me with the mailing address and I will send a copy in the mail. And yes, I will even sign them. No questions asked. You can send me a message thru Sgt. Windflower Mysteries or Facebook.
Of course, if you have the money, I hope you will consider buying a copy for yourself. Maybe even one for somebody you know doesn’t have the cash. Pay it forward. It works for me.
And if you want to help get this book into even more hands, ask your local library to order a copy. They’re looking for your suggestions. And if they don’t have the budget, tell them to contact me and we’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.
You can get Dangerous Waters from these fine independent bookstores:
Ottawa
Books on Beechwood
Perfect Books
Toronto
Sleuth of Baker Street
St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador
Downhome Shoppe and Gallery
You can purchase a copy of Dangerous Waters online:
“It feels like coming home to read about Winston, his wife and children, the cozy dinners, delicious recipes of fish and meats, friendships, and the beautiful community of Grand Bank. Mike Martin has created a likable character in Winston. He is a kind, caring and dedicated member of the RCMP. The men under his command respect and look up to him for counsel. An enjoyable read that I hope will continue with the next chapter of Sgt.Winston Windflower”
“I have enjoyed each book in this series and Book 11 was no exception. The plot was topical (Covid, governmental shenanigans, girls trying to get out of the sex trade, office politics, religious interference in one of the murder investigations) and well-handled. There’s a good balance of investigation and home life. I appreciate that real world topics are sensitively addressed. The stories hold my interest, but don’t give me agita.
I am always sad when I finish a Windflower book, because it’s like leaving an old friend. I’m more anxious with this book 11 because I really want to know which path Windflower chooses and what happens in his life. I hope there are more in this series”
Buried Secrets will soon be available in these fine independent bookstores
RCMP Sergeant Winston Windflower is at a crossroads as career opportunities intrude on his near-perfect life in the blustery paradise of Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Just as the pandemic ends, the little oceanside communities are rocked by the murders of prominent figures, an RCMP Staff Sergeant in St. John’s and a minister in Grand Bank, and it’s implied that there are national security implications to at least one crime. There’s also a sinister new character hanging around doing the parish’s dirty work. Windflower finds himself a primary investigator, balancing work, potential major changes, and life with a young family while seeking guidance from his ancestral teachings and dreams.
Are the crimes connected, and can Windflower and his team find the killer before they strike again? Even as the police work becomes more complicated and even dangerous, Sgt. Windflower finds time to enjoy his family, his friends and always some great food. Come back to Grand Bank for another great adventure in Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.
And our first early review from Jem’s Books
It feels like coming home to read about Winston, his wife and children, the cozy dinners, delicious recipes of fish and meats, friendships, and the beautiful community of Grand Bank. Mike Martin has created a likable character in Winston. He is a kind, caring and dedicated member of the RCMP. The men under his command respect and look up to him for counsel. An enjoyable read that I hope will continue with the next chapter of Sgt.Winston Windflower.
In other Sgt. Windflower Mystery news…
The Walker on the Cape is already available in Spanish: El caminante del cabo. And is now being translated into French: Le Promeneur sur le Cap and Italian: “Il Camminatore di Cape”
All over the world with Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.
Buried Secrets will soon be available fromAmazon all over the world or directly from Ottawa Press and Publishing. Signed copies will be available after October 22 at:
I have now published ten books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series (plus Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries) and each time I have chosen to give away a number of copies, absolutely free. Not only that, but I actively seek out strangers or near strangers on social media to give them away to. Now, I am not giving away all copies of my books. I am neither rich nor daft and I am not particularly altruistic, but I do believe in helping people to read my book.
And quite honestly not everyone can afford to buy a book, especially new books. Tons of people are living on a tight budget, on social assistance or on a fixed income because of disability or not being able to work anymore. It’s hard to comprehend in this world of plenty, but twenty bucks is a lot of money if you haven’t got it and one of the ‘luxuries’ that many people give up is purchasing new books. They wait until they are available from the library or get them from friends or from the second-hand bookstore. I support libraries, but why do some people have to wait?
I realize that I can’t give anybody a raise in their monthly stipend to help them with their book budget, but I can help at least a few of them enjoy my new books, fresh out of the printer’s box. I believe in an idea called Reading Equality, a radically new concept that everyone should have access to quality, new release books. That’s why I am making 25 copies of Safe Harbour available to people on a low or fixed income. I am advertising this offer on Facebook and Twitter and as the time of writing there are still a few copies left.
If you want one or know of someone who could use one but can’t afford it, just message me with the mailing address and I will send a copy in the mail. And yes, I will even sign them. No questions asked. You can send me a message thru Sgt. Windflower Mysteries or Facebook.
Of course, if you have the money, I hope you will consider buying a copy for yourself. Maybe even one for somebody you know doesn’t have the cash. Pay it forward. It works for me.
And if you want to help get this book into even more hands, ask your local library to order a copy. They’re looking for your suggestions. And if they don’t have the budget, tell them to contact me and we’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.
You can get Safe Harbour from Chapters/Indigo/Coles bookstores in Ottawa and Atlantic Canada and from these fine independent bookstores:
Reviews are coming in for Safe Harbour, the new Sgt. Windflower Mystery on Amazon, Goodreads and NetGalley. Check them out on your favourite source. They are all good!!
Reviews from Canada, United States and the United Kingdom. Cozy Mystery Book Reviews and coming soon on The Midwest Book Review.
Here’s some teasers…
“Go on – take a break from gore and violence, read a mystery with some personal depth to it.”
“Well-written and well-researched. I certainly look forward to future Sgt. Windflower.”
Martin does a great job of teasing the reader and hinting to where the story will be heading in the next installment of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, and I cannot wait !!!”
“I love this character and feel like I am going home to be with family each time I read one of Martin’s books.”
“Safe Harbour may be the 10th addition to the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, but the pleasure of this and each of the other books is that they all stand alone, contributing to an expanding series without requiring prior familiarity with Sgt. Windflower’s investigations or life.”
…………………………….
“Safe Harbour may be the 10th addition to the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, but the pleasure of this and each of the other books is that they all stand alone, contributing to an expanding series without requiring prior familiarity with Sgt. Windflower’s investigations or life. The personal vignettes in the story focus as much on family developments and community interactions as the whodunit in a string of disappearances, making Safe Harbour a thought-provoking, fast-paced read.
Windflower’s adjustments to new challenges in his new life are realistically portrayed, his character is astute and clever, and the cat-and-mouse games he plays with the criminal are absorbing. Mike Martin takes the idea of safety and danger and turns the concepts on end to examine how a transplanted detective uncovers new meaning in his job, family, and interactions within the community.
Mystery readers looking for a whodunit that extends well beyond perp and his pursuers will find Sgt. Windflower a believable character that simultaneously goes after a normal home life and a safer community. The mystery woven around this home life is very nicely done, containing just the right amount of tension and development to make for an inviting leisure read.”
Excerpt from The Midwest Book Review
“I love reading these books and getting lost in the story. It doesn’t matter what is going on in the story, the reader will be thoroughly entertained and turning the pages as fast as their eyes can absorb the words and their fingers can turn the pages. Readers cannot help but love Windflower and his family and his rituals and the way he is there to help everyone. Readers will also love the family dynamic and the way Windflower and Sheila work together and how they complement each other and their relationship.
Martin does a great job of teasing the reader and hinting to where the story will be heading in the next installment of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series and I cannot wait !!!
Cozy Mystery Reviews
United States
“I also like with way that the various forces interact and work together to bring perpetrators to justice. There’s also a little history thrown into the mix, all of which combine to raise these books above the ‘cozy mystery’ genre. I fully intend to read the other books in this series, as they are seriously good. They might not be full of high-intensity action, but they are well-written and well-researched. I certainly look forward to future Sgt. Windflower.”
Joanne H.
United Kingdom
“The thing about this series is that, although each book’s investigative focus for Winston can be really difficult and in some cases, harrowing, we are totally focussed on his day-to-day life; his strength and reasoning gained from communing with the spiritual world; his daily loving interactions with his family and the wisdom of his ancestors.
Go on – take a break from gore and violence, read a mystery with some personal depth to it.”
Hazel M.
Canada
“The book has a nice balance between detailing the investigation and Windflower’s attempts to balance work with his busy personal life. The insights that Windflower gets from his dreams help point him in the right direction at key points in the investigation,
This was another enjoyable read in the Sgt. Windflower mystery series.”
Grace K.
You can order Safe Harbour from Amazon all over the world or directly from Ottawa Press and Publishing. Signed copies will soon available at:
“Christmas in Newfoundland is a special time. In the depths of long winter nights memories are made and stories are told. Of Christmas by candlelight and horse and buggy rides to church. Of shopping on Water Street in St. John’s before malls and the Internet. In later years, Sgt. Windflower came to work and then to stay in the quiet town of Grand Bank by the Atlantic Ocean where the salt air froze in the wind and the Mounties were welcomed to warm themselves by every fire. Come and warm yourself by the fire and hear their stories. Some memories and some mysteries. Enjoy some holiday time with Sgt. Windflower and all the familiar characters that you’d come to know and love. Good food, good friends and always another chair at the table.”
The early reviews are in and they are great. Here is a sampling:
Lovely, Lovely Read
Oh my – this really is the icing on the cake (or snowy Christmases in Newfoundland) for the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries. If you’ve not read any, then start at the beginning, they’re really good reads. I adored reading this collection of stories depicting St Johns and Grand Bank over Christmas periods past and present. Mike Martin paints pictures and creates atmosphere so clearly with his writing and elicits some rather emotional responses to the love and kindnesses shown at this particular time of year through his wonderful characters and memories. Goodness – when Winston saves Christmas – well, have tissues nearby.
Hazel M. Reviewer
United Kingdom
Highly Recommended
For those for whom this is the first exposure to the series, the Sgt. Winston Windflower mystery series shares tales about a Mountie who finds himself with a new family and a new life in tiny Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Many of the characters from the first volume remain and most assuredly the setting of the dramas remains a place we learn to know well, but Mike Martin has that uncanny ability to open a new story with enough mix of entertainment and magnetizing hints of the mystery to come to capture the attention and imagination. Like this section from A Grand Bank Christmas: “This is a long slow stroll through winter and Christmas past in the small Town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland, home of adventure and the famous Grand Bank schooner, and for a ten-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl, a world of magic and wonder.”
Grady Harp Amazon Top Contributor
Los Angeles, California
Other reviewers said:
“A wonderful new way to look at Christmas”
“Some really good ‘comfort food’ stories”
“A collection to be cherished and shared with children and grandchildren”
“If you like the other Sgt. Windflower stories you will love this book”
The Body on the T is the second book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series and once again it is being narrated by Frank Kearney. Frank and I met through an audition he submitted to Audible when we were producing The Walker on the Cape audiobook. He nailed the accent first time. Maybe that shouldn’t be surprising since while he now lives in North Carolina he was born and raised in Newfoundland.
Here is a link to the audiobook on Audible.com and a sample
People love the audiobook versions of Sgt. Windflower Mysteries
“This is a delightful audiobook version which I enjoyed so much that I decided to download the ebook too. The combination of Frank Kearney’s excellent narration with Mike Martin’s great dialog really won me over within the first 5 minutes.”
“I love the story because of its simplicity but at the same time the mystery enough to make you continue hearing the book.”
“The Walker on the Cape by Mike Martin is a thoroughly engaging and entertaining narration that combines mystery, good old-fashioned police work by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and wholesome romance set in the beautiful province of Newfoundland.”
Darkest Before the Dawn wins the Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award
We are still pretty pumped about Darkest Before the Dawn winning the Bony Blithe Award as the best light mystery as the best light mystery of the year. Here is a link to a previous blog post on this and a new picture of the Bony Blithe plaque that was presented along with a cheque for $1,000. The money is long gone, but this will live on forever.
Memories and Mysteries: A Windflower Christmas is a collection of short stories that will be released in September of this year. These stories started as a way to celebrate Christmas with my family and friends. Now I offer them to you and yours. Look for it this fall
New Windflower book this fall
Yes, there will be another Sgt. Windflower mystery. Coming this October, Fire, Fog and Water (title may change) continues the adventures of Windflower and the Grand Bank gang. There are changes and challenges, especially for Corporal Eddie Tizzard, but there are also some great meals and good friends to help make life more enjoyable. While you are waiting here’s where you can still get Darkest Before the Dawn
Darkest Before the Dawn is available in many bookstores across Canada including Chapters/Indigo and many independent stores.
Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries is back and we have a special offer for you from Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.
Sgt. Windflower Mysteries 