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A Fatal Twist by Tracy Weber
A Downward Dog Mystery #4
Midnight Ink
January 8, 2017
Yoga instructor Kate Davidson’s life takes a chaotic turn once she agrees to not only be the doula for her pregnant best friend, but also play foster mother to two puppies. The chaos only gets worse when Kate finds the dead body of a philandering fertility doctor and Rachel, one of her yoga students, fleeing the scene.
Kate is convinced her student is innocent, and she sets out to find the real killer before her testimony condemns Rachel to a life behind bars. But her hands are full with caring for three dogs, teaching yoga classes, and gaining an unexpected crime-solving partner. If she’s not careful, Kate’s next yoga pose may be a fatal one.
Of Life and Birth and Mysterious Journeys
-Tracy Weber
I never wanted to have children of my own. Scratch that. I had a passing urge in my twenties. I got a
cat and it went away. I do, however, enjoy helping other mothers and mothers-to-be. Still, it’s hard to authentically advocate how much prenatal yoga can help with childbirth and recovery when you’ve never been pregnant, much less given birth.
So I did the only think I could think of to learn about the childbirth experience: I became a doula.
At least on paper.
I’ve taken doula training twice. I never thought I’d actually end up in a delivery suite, but I figured the more I knew about childbirth, the more I could be in help my students plan for it. I was immediately struck in the training by how strong people’s opinions were about the “right” way to give birth. The topic seemed to be as contentious as recent presidential elections. But I digress….
I graduated and integrated my learnings into my prenatal yoga classes. A student even asked me to attend her birth, but she needed an emergency c-section, and I wasn’t allowed in the surgical suite. Years went by. I forgot everything I ever learned about being a doula, except as it related to my yoga classes.
Then my best friend got pregnant and told me that she thought she should have a doula at her first birth. I agreed. Hiring an experienced doula was a fabulous idea.
“You don’t get it,” she said. “It has to be you.”
Gulp.
I tried to convince her that I was utterly incompetent. I assured her that that she could hire thousands of doulas who would be better than me. She refused to consider anyone else. So back to doula school I went.
Attending that birth will always be one of the greatest highlights of my life. My friend’s labor was a difficult one, over twenty hours long. I was, as I’d feared, pretty much incompetent. But my friend didn’t seem to mind. And I’ll never forget her son’s hand reaching toward me as he entered the world.
So how did I connect that experience with murder? I didn’t. At least not directly. But I was moved by the stories I’d heard in training, perplexed by the controversies, and transformed by my own experience bumbling through such an important life event. And of course my protagonist, Kate, would do anything for her best friend, Rene. So when Rene became pregnant with twins in A Killer Retreat, I knew I’d eventually write about her birth.
The result is A Fatal Twist.
I hope you read and enjoy it.
About Tracy Weber
Tracy Weber is the author of the award-winning Downward Dog Mysteries series featuring yoga teacher Kate Davidson and her feisty German shepherd, Bella. Tracy loves sharing her passion for yoga and animals in any form possible. Her first book, Murder Strikes a Pose won the Maxwell Award for Fiction and is a 2015 Agatha award nominee for Best First Novel.
Tracy and her husband live in Seattle with their challenging yet amazing German shepherd Tasha. When she’s not writing, Tracy spends her time teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at her favorite ale house.
Author Links
http://tracyweberauthor.com/
http://www.wholelifeyoga.com/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/tracywe
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7148442.Tracy_Weber
https://twitter.com/TracyWeberTypes
i can’t wait to “meet” Rene’s Babies!
They’re little cuties!
I love this series, even trying a bit of Yoga myself. I enjoy Kate and the prospect of her BFF’s new baby is a nice addition. Thanks, Brooke, for bringing out this book.
Thanks, Kathleen!
Love the series can’t wait to get this book.
Thank you, Nancy! I hope you love it!
I like this series and I like hearing about Tracy’s fur baby on her Facebook page!!
Isn’t Ana a sweetie?
I love your photo updates!
It’s easy, because she’s so photogenic!
Keep sharing photos!
Will do!
Wow! The story seemed authentic but I just figured that was the result of your great writing and intense research. What a fascinating, amazing and terrifying experience. The books was beyond excellent!
Thank you. I’m SO DELIGHTED you liked it!
It’s great that you’re able to share your real life knowledge in your stories.
Thank you!
Great story about your doula training. I can’t wait to read the book.
Sounds like such an exciting read! Especially for someone like me, who enjoys both yoga and puppies! lol 🙂