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Down Came a Blackbird: Camelot West Virginia Book 2 - An Appalachian Gothic Mystery
It’s John Wayne Orkney’s first week as a cop. There’s already one dead body, two old flames, a half-feral foster brother, and a murder suspect who once slept with him… and recently ran over the police chief with a mobility scooter.
Welcome back to Camelot, West Virginia—a down-but-not-out Appalachian town full of ghosts, grudges, and folks trying to claw their way back. Some with magic. Some with moonshine.
John Wayne never wanted a badge. He’s already juggling EMT runs, trying to launch a business, and keeping tabs on his three wild brothers. Then there’s Gallagher Lance—his newest half-feral foster sibling, who’s either emotionally damaged… or planning to murder him in his sleep.
Now Myrtle Lard—Camelot’s most hated citizen and one unforgettable mistake from John Wayne’s past—has a corpse in her front yard. The suspects? Too many to count. The crows? Watching everything. And the case? About to drag up a whole lot of secrets John Wayne thought he’d buried for good.
To solve the murder, he’ll have to survive small-town politics, supernatural signs, and a past that won’t stay buried. Oh, and rescue a cat. Because there’s always a cat.
This is the latest installment in the Camelot West Virginia series—a gritty, funny, Southern Gothic mystery saga where the King Arthur legend gets a modern Appalachian twist.
Written by real-life Appalachian crime journalist Cyn Mackley, who turns true police reports into story gold and mines her own mountain roots for magic.
If you love murder with a touch of mysticism, found family, and flawed heroes with big hearts and bad timing—start reading Down Came a Blackbird today.
While John Wayne is busy juggling murder suspects, feral brothers, and a town full of secrets, Misty Avalon is stumbling into an investigation of her own.
Still reeling from the murder of her beloved bartender Gwennie in Book One, Misty’s sworn she’s done with dead bodies. She’s got a comeback to plan. Once a Manhattan restaurant mogul, a cheating husband and a brutal bout with cancer brought her empire crashing down. She slunk home to Camelot in defeat, forced to sell off her beloved Avalon Castle—the literal fairytale on the hill—and start over slinging bar food at Misty’s Roadhouse.
But Misty’s plotting her rise. She’s revamping the bar, fighting to bring fresh food into a town where grocery store shelves are mostly dust, and trying to ignore the shady network of good ol’ boy businessmen standing in her way. Then Clay Kirby—her least favorite customer—winds up dead, and once again, Misty finds herself surrounded by secrets, suspects, and small-town scandal.
She’s got her hands full one castle-owning suitor in the form of older, wealthy newcomer Colonel Merle Emery, one upright younger contender in Sheriff Rickie Bearscamp, and bar patrons threatening to fistfight over Bigfoot sightings at the breakfast buffet. With her sister-in-law, Mayor Dreama Avalon, at her side and a few pitchers of margaritas at Casa de Enchilanda, Misty’s asking the questions the good ol’ boys hoped no one would.
And if the rumors are true, Camelot’s magic may not be just moonshine and mountain legend after all—and Misty’s about to find out if she believes in curses, crows, and a little backwoods faerie mischief.
Welcome back to Camelot, West Virginia—a down-but-not-out Appalachian town full of ghosts, grudges, and folks trying to claw their way back. Some with magic. Some with moonshine.
John Wayne never wanted a badge. He’s already juggling EMT runs, trying to launch a business, and keeping tabs on his three wild brothers. Then there’s Gallagher Lance—his newest half-feral foster sibling, who’s either emotionally damaged… or planning to murder him in his sleep.
Now Myrtle Lard—Camelot’s most hated citizen and one unforgettable mistake from John Wayne’s past—has a corpse in her front yard. The suspects? Too many to count. The crows? Watching everything. And the case? About to drag up a whole lot of secrets John Wayne thought he’d buried for good.
To solve the murder, he’ll have to survive small-town politics, supernatural signs, and a past that won’t stay buried. Oh, and rescue a cat. Because there’s always a cat.
This is the latest installment in the Camelot West Virginia series—a gritty, funny, Southern Gothic mystery saga where the King Arthur legend gets a modern Appalachian twist.
Written by real-life Appalachian crime journalist Cyn Mackley, who turns true police reports into story gold and mines her own mountain roots for magic.
If you love murder with a touch of mysticism, found family, and flawed heroes with big hearts and bad timing—start reading Down Came a Blackbird today.
While John Wayne is busy juggling murder suspects, feral brothers, and a town full of secrets, Misty Avalon is stumbling into an investigation of her own.
Still reeling from the murder of her beloved bartender Gwennie in Book One, Misty’s sworn she’s done with dead bodies. She’s got a comeback to plan. Once a Manhattan restaurant mogul, a cheating husband and a brutal bout with cancer brought her empire crashing down. She slunk home to Camelot in defeat, forced to sell off her beloved Avalon Castle—the literal fairytale on the hill—and start over slinging bar food at Misty’s Roadhouse.
But Misty’s plotting her rise. She’s revamping the bar, fighting to bring fresh food into a town where grocery store shelves are mostly dust, and trying to ignore the shady network of good ol’ boy businessmen standing in her way. Then Clay Kirby—her least favorite customer—winds up dead, and once again, Misty finds herself surrounded by secrets, suspects, and small-town scandal.
She’s got her hands full one castle-owning suitor in the form of older, wealthy newcomer Colonel Merle Emery, one upright younger contender in Sheriff Rickie Bearscamp, and bar patrons threatening to fistfight over Bigfoot sightings at the breakfast buffet. With her sister-in-law, Mayor Dreama Avalon, at her side and a few pitchers of margaritas at Casa de Enchilanda, Misty’s asking the questions the good ol’ boys hoped no one would.
And if the rumors are true, Camelot’s magic may not be just moonshine and mountain legend after all—and Misty’s about to find out if she believes in curses, crows, and a little backwoods faerie mischief.
- GenresMystery
443 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2025
21 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Cyn Mackley
24 books17 followersCyn Mackley is turning all of the crazy things she saw and heard in her award-winning career behind-the-scenes in TV news into funny, sexy, and twisty mystery novels. She's the author of "American Goth," "What The Chat Dragged In," and "Killer Clowns From Out Of State." Plus the upcoming sequels, "A Maze & Grace," "Best Served Cold," "The Girl Of His Dreams," and "Vegas Vexation."
In addition to writing thrilling mysteries, she'll also help you with your PC and tablet as part of her job as a tech writer. You should check out her book: Windows 10: You've Got This.
She lives in Ohio with her husband, her cats, and the cast of characters in her head.
In addition to writing thrilling mysteries, she'll also help you with your PC and tablet as part of her job as a tech writer. You should check out her book: Windows 10: You've Got This.
She lives in Ohio with her husband, her cats, and the cast of characters in her head.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 2, 2025
So much delicious Orkney goodness in this one I don’t know where to start! If you are looking for a great mystery with a lot of heart then you’ve come to the right place. I love getting to spend so much time with JWO and getting to learn so much about his relationships with these characters we’ve all come to know and love. I’m also a huge fan of the Gallagher character development in this one 🥹 we’re rooting for you man. Top it all off with some good old Appalachian folk magic and you’re in for one heck of a ride with this one!
August 23, 2025
Many Chapters that Kept Me Listening
Cyn captured my interest from Chapter 1. This was better with no actual sex happening just a reference to sex in the past. Therefore, more action to keep me listening as frequently as I was able to make time.
Looking forward to the next book.
Cyn captured my interest from Chapter 1. This was better with no actual sex happening just a reference to sex in the past. Therefore, more action to keep me listening as frequently as I was able to make time.
Looking forward to the next book.
October 20, 2025
Fabulous Appalachian story!! And FUNNY!
the that chapter was hysterical!! Terrific story and definite re-read material. Anyone who's spent more than six minuts in the region can attest to the correctness of things in this book - the characters, the dialect, the settings, the events, the crows, and the ghosts. All real. Loved it and going to buy more from this author.
the that chapter was hysterical!! Terrific story and definite re-read material. Anyone who's spent more than six minuts in the region can attest to the correctness of things in this book - the characters, the dialect, the settings, the events, the crows, and the ghosts. All real. Loved it and going to buy more from this author.
November 13, 2025
I need more from this series now!
December 26, 2025
DNF! Boring. Computer generated audio narration was terrible
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews