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Jill McLeod California Zephyr Series Books 1-4 Kindle Edition

by Janet Dawson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 341 ratings
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ALL FOUR JILL McLEOD CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR MYSTERIES IN A BOX SET.

Zephyrette Jill McLeod is armed with good instincts and her knowledge of human nature, skills that serve her well when murder rides the train.

DEATH RIDES THE ZEPHYR

A COLD-BLOODED KILLER. A COLD, REMOTE CANYON. A MURDERED PASSENGER.

Zephyrette Jill McLeod spends her working days answering questions, taking dinner reservations, or providing first aid. She can usually solve any problem. But she wasn’t counting on a missing passenger—and a body in a sleeper car.

DEATH DEALS A HAND

WHO GETS THE DEAD MAN’S HAND? A HIGH-STAKES POKER GAME. DEATH HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

Zephyrette Jill McLeod is back on the rails, riding the sleek silver streamliner west from Chicago to San Francisco. She can deal with almost anything, from an unexpected reunion with a long-lost relative to a troublesome passenger who likes to play poker—and has a shady past.

THE GHOST IN ROOMETTE FOUR

A GHOST ABOARD THE CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR?

Zephyrette Jill McLeod tells herself that shimmering light couldn’t possibly be a ghost. She doubts the evidence of her own eyes. But she can’t explain it. Does it have something to do with that body Jill found two months ago?

DEATH ABOVE THE LINE

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION—MURDER.

Jill McLeod is playing a Zephyrette in a film noir. Dark conflicts swirl around cast and crew. A studio executive's visit brings hidden emotions boiling into view.

PRAISE FOR THE SERIES:

“Death Rides the Zephyr brings the golden age of rail travel back to thrilling life while providing more twists and turns than an express ride through the Sierra Nevadas. If you have a taste for mysteries or history, it’s a trip you won’t want to miss!”
—Steve Hockensmith, author of Holmes on the Range

“Janet Dawson takes the reader back to the 1950s and does an admirable job of capturing the spirit of a time when World War II was a recent memory and the Korean War was an all-too-vivid reality ... Death Rides the Zephyr is an engrossing and suspenseful adventure. Readers will be thrilled to take the ride.”
—Judith Van Gieson, author of the Neil Hamel and Claire Reynier mystery series

“Death Rides the Zephyr is an entertaining tale… [that] captures nuances of a transcontinental train trip in the early ’50s.”
—Railfan & Railroad

“With a nod to Agatha Christie, Dawson has created a historical that’s perfect for Western Collections ... a must-purchase for any library with historic-train aficionados.”
—Library Journal

“Fascinating… Dawson writes so convincingly, she could have been a Zephyrette.”
—Mysterious Women

“This historical mystery is really a love song to a bygone way of life, when the luxury train known as the California Zephyr was in its heyday… the real star is the train ... That’s worth the price of admission.”
—Roberta Alexander, Oakland Tribune

“A storied train rushes toward a date with death… Jill is a charming and intelligent heroine.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Another terrific read for any and all dedicated mystery buffs… Clearly establishing Janet Dawson’s mastery of the genre, Death Deals a Hand is very highly recommended.”
—Midwest Book Review

“There is a strong sense of riding the rails with Jill McLeod in Death Deals a Hand. The atmospheric setting is drawn perfectly. The murder mystery is solidly developed ... a memorable step back in time to the not-so-distant past that many readers, even if they never traveled by train, will certainly enjoy revisiting.”
—Mysterious Reviews

“A nostalgic, wonderfully detailed look at an era when trains were still a major mode of transportation and life.”
—Kirkus Reviews
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  1. Print length
    1011 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    March 22, 2022
  5. File size
    6467 KB
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  7. Word Wise
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09WCTZQ7B
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bodie Blue Books (March 22, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 22, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6467 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1011 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 341 ratings

About the author

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Janet Dawson

Janet Dawson

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Janet Dawson is the author of the long-running series with Oakland private eye Jeri Howard, who has sleuthed her way through 14 cases. The most recent is the forthcoming The Things We Keep. The first book in the series is the award-winner, Kindred Crimes.

She also writes the Jill McLeod series, with her inquisitive Zephyrette riding the rails on the California Zephyr in the early 1950s. The first in the series is Death Rides the Zephyr and the most recent, Death Above the Line. Another series features Kay Dexter, a geriatric care manager who works with elderly clients and their families in a small mountain city in California. The first in that series is The Sacrificial Daughter. Other publications include What You Wish For, a novella, But Not Forgotten, and numerous short stories.

She calls California home and has ties to Colorado. She worked as a reporter and later, as a Navy journalist. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes full time. She enjoys gardening, the theatre, music and museums. She also denies being a crazy cat lady.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
341 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

C. Hunter
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth The Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
I'd previously read Book 3, so when I was able to get 1-4, I jumped on it. I read them all in about three days. Well worth it. If you like Agatha Christie, then you'll be crazy for Janet Dawson. In the very beginning, I was a little put off with so much scene building and the constant descriptions. But it didn't take too long to realize how much research went into these stories. The background info, the geography, and railroad history bring so much realism to the plot, that you feel like you are right there.
Our heroine is a sweetheart. She's smart, articulate, and very logical. It's a wonderful way to spend an afternoon
6 people found this helpful
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Ro Quintal
4.0 out of 5 stars Great stories
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2023
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Great storyline, characters are believable. Author has done a lot of research. I enjoyed what iveead so far and will try to get more ofthem.
One person found this helpful
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pam
5.0 out of 5 stars A series of wild rides
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
I loved these books! Always a rail fan, my first train trip was from Chicago to Roanoke in the late 1960's. The writing in this series is so fresh and enjoyable, I am planning to ride the rails again to recapture the experience. Ms. Dawson's describes the scenery and related the history from the California Zephyr so eloquently, II felt like I was on the train along for the ride. The stories are sharp and fun to read, the mystery solving abilities of jill, the Zephyrette, are logical and refreshing. All Aboard!
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Well written but a little too much too
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
The storyline is really good and interesting, but there is a lot more detail than we need and as you continue from book to book, it does get a little repetitious. A lot of that may be for anyone who reads these out of order, but I am thankful that by the time book 3 came around, the heroine was off the train more than on it. Jill was smart, but too reckless. She constantly put herself in the path of the murderer with no thought to how she would extricate herself and at times, thanks to others for coming to her rescue and through luck that she manages to get the attention of others to help her. I did like the setting where you do learn a lot of the history of the CZ and its route from CA - Chicago, but because of the "historical" setting and the details provided throughout the route of the train, it reads a little slow. The last 2 books were my favorite with the inclusion of the "ghost" and the Hollywood of the 50s movie and characters.
4 people found this helpful
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Shariwn
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Books
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
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Janet does a lot of research before writing her books and it makes for a great read
2 people found this helpful
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AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging series!
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I loved the boxed set as it's so easy to go right to the book. Janet Dawson writes so well and her characters are so well developed that you feel you are right there with them. I sure hope Ms Dawson will continue to bring us more adventures as I feel there's more Jill McLeod stories to tell....at least one more to bring some closure to our heroine!! Now I'll soon be reading her Jeri Howard series!
3 people found this helpful
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CrossFire
4.0 out of 5 stars lots of details
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I can’t imagine the amount of research that went into these books. There were times when reading that I skipped over some of the history and details. I just wanted to get to the story. I did like the stories and would read more of them.
2 people found this helpful
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AJ Norton
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightfully different cozy mystery series
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2023
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Loved the "recent history" of the 1950s, when my parents were young. The train is a fascinating setting, and it was fun to imagine being a Zephyrette. Clean, classic fun. Enjoy!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Rosemarymee
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting novel about the Golden Age of American trains
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this novel because of the entertaining way the author slipped in information about the running of luxury trains in the mid twentieth century. The who-dunnit mystery was interesting but the trains were the real stars.
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