by Ellen Kirschman
November 11 – December 6, 2024 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery
Police therapist Dot Meyerhoff helps a young woman find her birth parents and unburies dark family secrets in this psychological thriller.
Police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff’s caseload is usually filled with cops—which is why she’s hesitant to help an adopted teenager locate her birth parents. But the teen’s godmother is Dot’s dear friend Fran and a police widow to boot. How could Dot possibly say no?
Once Dot starts digging into the case, though, she’s drawn into a murky world of illegal adoptions and the choices a young pregnant woman might make as a last resort. Soon there’s only one thing Dot knows for sure: the painful truth of what happened all those years ago might heal one family—but it’s certain to destroy another.
Praise for Call Me Carmela:
“Ellen Kirschmann’s front row criminal justice insight is woven throughout the mystery, and in Dot Meyerhoff, she’s created a hero the world needs: smart, big-hearted, and complex. This is a story that will stick with you long after you close the book.”
~ Edgar-nominated author Jess Lourey
“Have a seat in Fran and Eddie’s Café and you are among friends who care about what happens to a teen desperately seeking the truth of her adoption. Ellen Kirschman seamlessly brings her expertise and empathy as a therapist for first responders in creating her fully realized amateur sleuth, Dr. Dot Meyerhoff. Call Me Carmela is like the perfect morning coffee, rich, smooth, and nuanced and leaving you craving for another cup.”
~ Naomi Hirahara, USA Today bestselling and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author of Clark and Division and Evergreen
“Ellen Kirschman sees into people’s hearts: not just those of the victims, or of the good guys, but the hearts of all her characters. With a rare delicacy of language she lets us know that no one’s innocent, but no one’s past redemption, either — except those who refuse to try.”
~ SJ Rozan, best-selling author of The Mayors Of New York
“Call Me Carmela is a firecracker of a read, a tour de force that immerses you in the characters’ lives with empathy and insight. I couldn’t put it down until I reached the very last page–I will be back for more Dot Meyerhoff. Highly recommended!”
~ Deborah Chrombie NYT bestselling author of the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novels
“This latest in the Dot Meyerhoff series gets everything right, as we’ve come to expect from author Ellen Kirschman. Psychologically astute, its blend of intriguing mystery, topical subject matter and well-rounded characters make this a must-read for anyone who loves a great story.”
~ Dennis Palumbo, psychotherapist and author of the Daniel Rinaldi mysteries
Book Details:
Genre: Psychological/Domestic Suspense
Published by: Open Road Media
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Number of Pages: 292
ISBN:
9781504095754 (ISBN10: 1504095758)
Series: A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery, #5
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Open Road Media
Read an excerpt:
Guest Post
I write the Dot Meyerhoff mystery series. Dot (I named after my mother), Meyerhoff (named after my maternal grandmother), is a police psychologist. I’ve been a police psychologist for forty years and I’m still working.
Dot is younger and thinner than I am. When it comes to helping her KPD cop clients, she takes way more risks than I ever would. Some times readers ask, “Did you ever do what Dot does? My answer is always “Of course, not. I would have lost my license.”
Dot solves most crimes using her brain and her training as a psychologist. But when more is called for, she’ll do whatever it takes, impersonating a public official, breaking into her ex-husband’s office, and assault with a deadly weapon.
She’s tough. Doesn’t back down when tangling with a badge heavy cop named Eddie Rimbauer (Burying Ben). She’s also tender and eager to help rookies like Randy Spelling (The Right Wrong Thing) deal with sexism, harassment, and tragedy. She coaches veteran officers to manage the wear and tear of the job on family life (The Fifth Reflection). And struggles to keep believing in herself and her work as a psychologist (The Answer to His Prayers).
I started out writing non-fiction. Writing fiction is therapeutic and way more fun. I get to take pot shots at incompetent psychologists, bumbling police chiefs, nasty cops, and a few of my ex-husbands.
While Dot and I are different in many essential ways, we do share some less than admirable traits. Dot overworks and never gives up on anyone, even when she should. She’s stubborn and takes orders from no one, including her chief who threatens to fire her every other month. She’s a terrible patient with her own therapist (I had a lot of fun writing those scenes) and has a serious case of cold feet when it comes to falling in love with Frank, the best man she has ever known. (I plagarized my current and forever husband’s entire life for this character).
Dot’s at it again in Call Me Carmela, my most recent book (available now for pre-order). It has all the same quirky secondary characters shaking their heads as Dot stubbornly persists in helping Ava, the temperamental adopted teenage god daughter of KPD’s only police widow, find her birth parents. Drawn into the dangerous world of illegal adoptions, Dot pushes ahead spurred by recollections of her own adolescent struggles and chased by the memory of a young officer whose death she tried to prevent. What she discovers as she tries to support Ava, will help one family and destroy another.
Author Bio:
Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. is a police psychologist. and clinician at the First Responders Support Network. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, The American Psychological Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Public Safety Writers Association. She is the recipient of the California Psychological Association’s award for distinguished contribution to psychology as well as the American Psychological Association’s award for outstanding contribution to the practice of police and public safety psychology. Ellen brings her expertise and decades-long experience to both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of three non-fiction books and a five-book mystery series featuring police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff.
Catch Up With Ellen Kirschman:
EllenKirschman.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @EllenKirschman
Instagram – @ellen.kirschman.copdoc
Facebook – @ellen.kirschman
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