Friday Feature & Giveaway: A Little Sin by Sionnach Wintergreen

Title: A Little Sin by Sionnach Wintergreen
Publisher: Sionnach Wintergreen
Genre: Historical, Gay, Romance, Mystery
Length: 166 pages

Summary:

Sheriff Avery O’Rourke has tried to obey his strict Christian faith and lead a “normal” life. In 1923 in a rural East Texas town, “normal” means heterosexual. A cholera outbreak has made Avery a young widower, so he is married to his job. When a murder investigation forces him to confront his truth, will he finally be able to accept being gay?

Veterinarian Garland Sands has returned from Europe to take over his father’s practice. Struggling with shellshock (PTSD) and heartbroken by the suicide of his French lover, he resigns himself to a quiet, solitary life as a country vet. But the murder of the town doctor brings the sheriff to Garland’s doorstep looking for help with the investigation. Seeing Avery awakens dormant feelings. Can he love a man who hates what he is?

This isn’t the lavish 1920s of The Great Gatsby. This is the flip side of that coin—rural East Texas. No electricity. No indoor plumbing. No flappers. In 1923, the timber barons have left and racism, homophobia, and sexism thrive.

A Little Sin is a realistic mystery with unlikely heroes and a timeless romance between lovers caught in a world where their love is forbidden. This book contains steamy sex scenes and is intended for adults only.

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Excerpt

I need to speak with you about something.” Avery, holding his hat, tapped it against his other hand. He didn’t want to talk about the possibility of murder in front of Mrs. Flanders.

“Sorry, I don’t know where any stills are.” Merriment danced in Garland’s gray eyes.

Avery didn’t care for mischief—or mischief makers. “I do other things around here.”

“Oh, well. Of course, you do.” He took a huge swig of milk. Mrs. Flanders hovered over him, pouring him some more as soon as he put down his glass.

Avery wondered how she couldn’t see it. A good Christian woman like Mrs. Flanders. She was all agog, fussing over this miscreant when she should have been shunning him. Garland didn’t lisp like that Yankee fairy from his unit in the war. But there was something about the way he spoke, something in his manner. Even as he chugged milk, there was something refined about him, something almost elegant. Avery knew Garland was homosexual. He could just tell. Why couldn’t Mrs. Flanders?

Garland licked his milk mustache from his upper lip with a big pink tongue. Avery’s dick twitched awake. Avery took a breath and willed it down. He hadn’t been with another man since the war…. “If I could see you outside, Mr. Sands?”

“Of course, Sheriff.” Garland stood, surprising Avery a little with his height, thanked Mrs. Flanders, and followed Avery out the screen door. Avery led him up the drive to the wagon. Garland stopped to check Bluebird, something Avery couldn’t help but note with satisfaction. Avery left him feeling over the horse and went to the back of the wagon. Flies buzzed over the tarp covering the body.

“I didn’t ask you here for the horse, Garland. I want to know what you make of this body.”

Garland perked up. For a second, Avery wondered if he would spew cobbler everywhere, but Garland jumped up in the wagon. “Is this Doc Watkins?”

“It is. And that’s why I’m here. Normally, I would take a body that looked like it had met with suspicious circumstances to him.”

Garland pushed the man’s eyelids down and breathed, “Lord, shine Your grace upon this man’s soul.”

Avery reflexively said, “Amen.” Garland joined him. They sat in the wagon with the doctor’s body between them, united for a moment. Avery cleared his throat. “I cut him down this morning. He was hanged from a magnolia tree about two miles from his homestead. I don’t know what happened to his face. Aside from the blood, he doesn’t look much worse for wear.”

“Hmm. Maybe he bit his tongue?” Garland pried open the man’s mouth and revealed the maimed appendage. “Damn. They sliced his tongue to the root.” He looked at Avery. “Is there somewhere I can give him a real examination?”

Avery shrugged. “Your house?”

Author Bio

Sionnach (pronounced shuhn ukh) Wintergreen is a genderqueer author of gay romance, epic fantasy, and adult fantasy. (She uses feminine personal pronouns because she has lived most of her life responding to them, but she would love it if people used ‘they.’) Her character-driven stories usually involve misfits because she is one. Sionnach has always loved writing and animals; she was a grant writer for an animal rescue group. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and six furbabies–one sweet dog and five spoiled-rotten cats. She also has a wonderful human son.