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Murders in the Lonely Graveyard
Award-winning novelist Elizabeth Upton, renowned for her captivating romantic mystery thrillers such as "The Shaman and The Mafia" and the John Callahan Series, is back with her latest book titled "Murder in the Lonely Who's Next?"
What do a nun, her grandniece, and a prosecutor have in common? Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, this mystery satire offers a fresh take on the cozy romantic mystery genre. It illustrates how romance can blossom amidst the intrigue and murder of a lonely old graveyard.
What do a nun, her grandniece, and a prosecutor have in common? Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, this mystery satire offers a fresh take on the cozy romantic mystery genre. It illustrates how romance can blossom amidst the intrigue and murder of a lonely old graveyard.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 23, 2024
13 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Upton
25 books62 followersElizabeth Upton is a best-selling author and influential writer of gripping romantic thrillers and inspiring self-help nonfiction books.
Her best-selling books, 'Secrets of a Nun: My Own Story,' 'The Silver Woman of Fire,' and 'The Healing Swords of Love and Innocence,' helped firmly place her on the literary map.
With many novels to her credit, like her newest fiction book, released in June 2022, titled 'Lovers' Secrets and Revenge,' a gripping romantic thriller, and her nonfiction release in Feb. 2024, titled 'You Are a Sovereign Woman of Strength, Love, and Grace: Embrace Your Journey.'
The Author's favorite book she enjoyed writing was 'The Shaman and The Mafia,' as she shares,
"The creation of this story has been an exciting journey. I would love to meet all of the characters in this book in real life. Elizabeth's nonfiction books and novels are available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle and are featured on fine literary book sites and magazines.
Elizabeth was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA., until the age of sixteen, when she entered a New York State Convent and became a nun for twenty years, but she yearned for a more authentic spiritual life. Elizabeth left the convent and chose to attend Syracuse University to earn her B.A.
Returning to her native state of California, she attended and received her M.A. in psychology from Chapman University. The Author began working for over thirty years in family counseling as a social worker and probation officer, working with troubled teens and abused children. She is a speaker, spiritual mentor, and advisor.
Elizabeth is happily married and enjoys writing books for her readers and fans worldwide. When the Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay fit and healthy; she loves long walks on the beach with her husband and dog.
She enjoys reading good books by her favorite authors, such as Geraldine Brooks, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and Michael Connelly. Elizabeth and her husband reside outside Santa Barbara, California.
"EACH DAY, LIVE FROM LOVE, JOY, FORGIVENESS, AND GRATEFULNESS."
~Elizabeth
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 7, 2025
Murders in the Lonely Graveyard by Elizabeth Upton is not your average…anything. I want to call this flash fiction, but at 124 pages, it falls into the short story or novella category more precisely. But there are certainly similarities in the way Ms. Upton spins her tale. Falling into the romantic suspense genre—sort of—Murders in the Lonely Graveyard reflects the sometimes-ironic nature of life as love blooms and grows in a derelict cemetery.
Let’s examine the suspected genre for a moment: there is certainly romance here, as Autumn comes to the graveyard with her elderly aunt for an annual graveside visit and finds herself trading business cards with a very good-looking man. Bam: insta-love at its finest. In fact, readers may begin to wonder if everyone in this tale is falling in love—even the dog. The cozy mystery also wants its place here as the man, Brien, stumbles moments later over two bodies and a squalling infant.
But wait, there’s more! As Autumn and Brien strangely and quickly exchange business cards in the cemetery, then just moments later as Brien (who we learn is a District Attorney), calls his sister to take custody of the infant at the crime scene without the knowledge of the police, we realize that farcical humor has earned a spot in the genre hierarchy. This is reinforced as Autumn walks by the chief of police in his car a few minutes later and admires his tall, good looks—something she had just done with her insta-love buddy Brien as they met and did their bizarre business card exchange.
Are you getting the idea here? This novella is unique. It flies by the seat of its pants at the speed of light, and the reader learns to hang on tight, go with the flow, and not take things too seriously. However, this doesn’t mean this short story doesn’t carry weight. Within these pages, Ms. Upton is going to provide you with a compelling mystery, miniature backstories of some key characters, budding romance, and all the clues you’ll need to solve this quirky puzzle. Dialogue-driven, every word moves the reader toward the satisfaction of the mysterious murders. I truly don’t know how she did it.
Murders in the Lonely Graveyard may be just your cup of tea if you prefer to read a book within one sitting. Readers who enjoy spoofs that just can’t seem to take themselves seriously will also enjoy this madcap race of a romance. Even traditional romantic suspense fans will find this unique piece worth a gander, although given its speedster nature, it might be more appropriate to call it a romantic mystery since it could be argued that there is not enough time to build true suspense.
Regardless of how one chooses to define Elizabeth Upton’s Murders in the Lonely Graveyard, at its core it is a love story born in a neglected cemetery that blooms with new life as love grows; symbolic of Autumn herself.
Let’s examine the suspected genre for a moment: there is certainly romance here, as Autumn comes to the graveyard with her elderly aunt for an annual graveside visit and finds herself trading business cards with a very good-looking man. Bam: insta-love at its finest. In fact, readers may begin to wonder if everyone in this tale is falling in love—even the dog. The cozy mystery also wants its place here as the man, Brien, stumbles moments later over two bodies and a squalling infant.
But wait, there’s more! As Autumn and Brien strangely and quickly exchange business cards in the cemetery, then just moments later as Brien (who we learn is a District Attorney), calls his sister to take custody of the infant at the crime scene without the knowledge of the police, we realize that farcical humor has earned a spot in the genre hierarchy. This is reinforced as Autumn walks by the chief of police in his car a few minutes later and admires his tall, good looks—something she had just done with her insta-love buddy Brien as they met and did their bizarre business card exchange.
Are you getting the idea here? This novella is unique. It flies by the seat of its pants at the speed of light, and the reader learns to hang on tight, go with the flow, and not take things too seriously. However, this doesn’t mean this short story doesn’t carry weight. Within these pages, Ms. Upton is going to provide you with a compelling mystery, miniature backstories of some key characters, budding romance, and all the clues you’ll need to solve this quirky puzzle. Dialogue-driven, every word moves the reader toward the satisfaction of the mysterious murders. I truly don’t know how she did it.
Murders in the Lonely Graveyard may be just your cup of tea if you prefer to read a book within one sitting. Readers who enjoy spoofs that just can’t seem to take themselves seriously will also enjoy this madcap race of a romance. Even traditional romantic suspense fans will find this unique piece worth a gander, although given its speedster nature, it might be more appropriate to call it a romantic mystery since it could be argued that there is not enough time to build true suspense.
Regardless of how one chooses to define Elizabeth Upton’s Murders in the Lonely Graveyard, at its core it is a love story born in a neglected cemetery that blooms with new life as love grows; symbolic of Autumn herself.
January 5, 2025
A Fantastic Cozy Mystery Read!
Set against the backdrop of a lonely graveyard in San Francisco, this story offers a unique twist on cozy mysteries, filled with intrigue and murder. It features well-developed, vibrant characters and includes elements of humor and romance.
The plot is rich with layers of mystery, unraveling through a series of suspenseful events—from the discovery of bodies and a baby in a mausoleum to the intricate connections among characters that span both professional and personal realms.
This book was a delightful read, and for those who enjoy cozy mysteries!
I highly recommend it!
~Cat's Book Library
October 18, 2025
Don't Blame Virtual Voice
AI still isn't really ready to narrate audiobooks, and that's fine with me. But I picked this one up anyway, knowing "virtual voice" was the narration. It's still not good. But don't blame the author for that.,
There's a lot that goes on in this story in a very short time. How the author got as much depth into her characters in that short span is pretty amazing. Every single word of this text is important. Almost like flash fiction, every word builds on the last, creating a surprising story. Unless you're really just immune to AI narration, I'd recommend the book, though.
AI still isn't really ready to narrate audiobooks, and that's fine with me. But I picked this one up anyway, knowing "virtual voice" was the narration. It's still not good. But don't blame the author for that.,
There's a lot that goes on in this story in a very short time. How the author got as much depth into her characters in that short span is pretty amazing. Every single word of this text is important. Almost like flash fiction, every word builds on the last, creating a surprising story. Unless you're really just immune to AI narration, I'd recommend the book, though.
January 5, 2025
A Great Mix of Thrills and Romance!
I was excited to be gifted a free Kindle to read this new release by Ms. Upton!
It is a fantastic cozy mystery with many elements woven into this mystery, romance, satire, and suspenseful twists and turns. The characters are well-developed and it makes a great quick travel read. I enjoyed the slow-paced build-up of suspense until the last page.
I look forward to reading more by this eloquent writer/author.
B S Daniels
I was excited to be gifted a free Kindle to read this new release by Ms. Upton!
It is a fantastic cozy mystery with many elements woven into this mystery, romance, satire, and suspenseful twists and turns. The characters are well-developed and it makes a great quick travel read. I enjoyed the slow-paced build-up of suspense until the last page.
I look forward to reading more by this eloquent writer/author.
B S Daniels
October 24, 2025
A clever blend of mystery, wit, and heart! Elizabeth Upton delivers a refreshing take on the cozy mystery genre, weaving humor and romance into a chilling graveyard setting. The quirky characters and sharp dialogue kept me hooked from start to finish.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews