The Peabrain’s Idea
(The Peabrain Adventures #1)
by Martha Carr
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: April 11, 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Find the compass, save the world or save herself?
For Austin robbery detective Maggie Parker, dating is harder than running down a felon, even if the guy is worth it – just ask Jake. Now add in magic.
When she finds someone breaking into her garage, stealing a favorite wooden puzzle box everything changes. Did she just see a compass fly?
Can she learn how to use the magic of bubbles to chart a new course in time? The mechanics may hold the answer.
Her new quest: Rescue the passengers on an ancient ship – a big blue marble called Earth – and save herself.
Recover the compass, find the other Elementals and help decide Earth’s fate.
Simple? It’s a lot harder than it sounds. And there’s that fourth date…
Sneak Peek
Maggie felt another shudder go down her spine but there was no time to make sense out of any of it. “Have to stop eating brownies from Mom. I told her that wasn’t cool after the last time.”
Bernie’s arm was already pulled back, launching the hammer in the direction of Maggie’s head, leaning into the pitch. She ducked just as the hammer breezed past her head, tucking her chin, just for a moment. “Okay, now we’re done playing. Attacking an officer guarantees you that ride downtown.”
Maggie’s head was only tilted down for a second but when she looked up Bernie was gone, and so was the compass. “Not a chance he got past me.” She ran across the short divide, ducking behind the metal shelves but there was no sign of him. “How the hell did he get past me?”
A large moth fluttered near her head, and she swatted at it, her head still working on a swivel.
“Ow, did that thing just bite me?” She pulled in her hand and saw two small red marks. “I just got bitten by a baby mothra.” She looked back up. “What a weird day.” Out in the yard the chickens were all out of the coop, running along the fence squawking. Maggie ran to the fence, easily jumping up onto the wooden cross bar to get a better look into her neighbor’s yard. No sign of Bernie anywhere.
She ran down the side of her Caribbean-blue bungalow and out to Pressler Street, but it was sleepy this time of day. A man in a green puffy coat with the hood pulled close against the wind, hurried along the street, not bothering to look back at Maggie. A small black Labrador looked up from a front yard two doors down and started barking at Maggie till she darted back the way she came. “Damn, where could that old man have gone?”
The chickens continued to race back and forth as the moth took to higher ground, flying closer to the top of the old pecan tree. It landed in the crook of the old tree where it was hidden from view, just as a large bubble popped next to it, releasing the small compass. The moth settled on top of it, biding its time.
Maggie’s brow furrowed as she jumped down from the fence, looking for any further signs of trouble. A white and black Dorking hen nipped at the wire fencing surrounding the coop, clucking loudly. “Calm down Gertie. The trouble has already passed.” She let out a sigh, one hand on her hip. “Best alarm system there is in my own backyard and that asshole got in and got out without a peep from anyone of you. Damn, what the hell just happened?”
She rubbed the marks on her wrist. “Did a compass really fly?”
Meet Martha Carr
Hello, I’m a bestselling author from Austin, Texas. I live there with the good dog, Lois Lane and spend most of my time dreaming of Elves, Witches, Wizards and other magical worlds. I was a nerdy kid from the jump, performing magic at my little brother’s birthday party, saving up for DC comic books, inventing elaborate 3D board games or making treasure hunts with a lot of clues that led all over the house. Jeff was a very tolerant little brother who went along with my schemes. In those days, we were known as M&J.
Fast forward through writing for the Washington Post, having a nationally syndicated column on politics, a few books and FINALLY, I got back to that inner nerdy kid and started writing about Elves and Wizards and magic again in the bestselling series, THE LEIRA CHRONICLES. A little thriller, a lot of magic, some loyal friends, a swearing troll and a detective named Leira Berens who never gives up and always believes in the possibilities. All adds up to a really good time and feels like I finally came home. A lot more adventures to follow…
Giveaway time!
She got bit by a baby Mothra. That’s hilarious. I’ll have to remember that line next time a moth lands on me.