Pack of Trouble, bk 5, The Adventures of Xavier & Vic

Book 5
of the Adventures of Xavier & Vic
 Pack of Trouble 

PACK OF TROUBLE

by 

Liza O'Connor

While Xavier’s plan to take a holiday in Europe for Vic to have her baby incognito works well enough, complications during the birth almost takes both mother and child. Dr. Connors performs his first cesarean ever. While successful, it Vic takes months to recover. A prisoner to the bed, she spends her time encouraging marriage between two of their employees. Unfortunately, Xavier’s original negotiations with Tubs prevents the giant from acting upon his heart. While Xavier chases ladies enjoying the sun, Vic convinces Tubs to resign his service.

When Xavier and Vic return to England, the head of Scotland Yard awaits them at the dock. A great change in Parliament has occurred due to the fallout of their last investigation. England is crumbling beneath an outbreak of crimes and their help is desperately needed before lives are ruined and jobs are lost.

Once inside his surgical room, Dr. Connors ordered everyone but Xavier out. All but Tubs complied.

“Thank you, Tubs, you can go,” Connors snapped.

“All the same with you, I’ll stay.” He then focused on Xavier. “He shouldn’t be cutting to set bones. He should be able to do that by feel. And if he can’t, I can.”

“You can set bones?” Connors challenged.

“I’ve set my own all the time, and I can clearly walk and they don’t hurt, so I’d say I can do bones really well.”

“Yes, your nose is inspiring.”

“My pa kicked me in face when I was three. Nobody set that one ’cause I hadn’t learned how yet.”

“Enough!” Xavier snapped. “Connors, will you at least allow him to try? Tubs has never once overpromised on something he says he can do.”

“He can try setting the right leg. If he can’t, I’ll repair it surgically.”

Tubs grabbed Vic’s leg, pulled, causing her to growl, then released it.

“Damn it, Tubs! I didn’t mean now! Turn around while I get Vic’s pants off so I can see to the damage you just did.”

Tubs glared at him. “I didn’t do no damage. I set the leg like it needed. There’s no reason Vic has to suffer pain while you undress him. He don’t need to be naked to set bones.”

Once the pant leg was cut off above the injury, Connors examined the bone. He continued to feel the leg until Xavier lost patience. “Connors, what is your finding.”

He stepped back and shook his head. “The leg is so well set that I can barely detect the break.” He focused on Tubs. “Have you ever set an ankle?”

Tubs nodded. “Takes longer, due to all the little bones, but I can do it.”

Connors pointed to the bones he believed were broken.

Tubs did his own feel. “There’s another one further down.” He closed his eyes and allowed his fingers to see for him.

Vic growled.

Xavier petted her forehead. “Turns out we can add bone setting to Tubs’ long list of valuable skills.

Book 5

Pack of Trouble

Free with Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Need to catch up?

Book 1

The Troublesome Apprentice

Book 2

The Missing Partner

Book 2.5

A Right to Love

Book 3

The Mesmerist

Book 4

Well Kept Secrets

All Xavier & Vic books are Free with Amazon Unlimited

Liza O’Connor was raised badly by feral cats, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved normally. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous romances. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.

You have been warned.

Mostly humorous books by Liza:

Ghost Lover—Two British brothers fall in love with the same young woman. Ancestral ghost is called in to fix the situation. And there’s a ghost cat that roams about the book as well. (Humorous Contemporary Romance)

Untamed & Unabashed—The youngest of the Bennet sisters, Lydia, tells her story. A faithful spinoff from Pride & Prejudice.

A Long Road to Love Series: (Humorous Contemporary odd Romance)

Worst Week Ever — Laugh out loud week of disasters of Epic proportions.

Oh Stupid Heart — The heart wants what it wants, even if it’s impossible.

Coming to Reason — There is a breaking point when even a saint comes to reason.

Climbing out of Hell — The reconstruction of a terrible man into a great one.

The Hardest Love — Is to love oneself. Sam’s story.

The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Sleuth series: (Late Victorian/Mystery/Romance)

The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman.

The Missing Partner — Opps! The greatest sleuth in Victorian England goes missing, leaving Vic to rescue him, a suffragette, and about 100 servants. Not to mention an eviscerating cat. Yes, let’s not mention the cat.

A Right to Love — A romantic detour for Jacko. Want to see how amply rewarded Jacko was when he & Vic save an old woman from Bedlam?

The Mesmerist — The Mesmerist can control people from afar and make them murder for her. Worse yet, Xavier Thorn has fallen under her spell.

Well Kept Secrets — Far too many secrets are being kept and as we all know, secrets have a way of coming out.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

LIZA O'CONNOR

Investigate these sites:

Liza's Blog and Website   Facebook   Twitter

The Hardest Love, Book 5 of A Long Road to Love

Coming May 5^th, 2015

The Hardest Love

Book 5 of A Long Road to Love
By

Liza O’Connor

The Hardest Love

A Long Road to Love Series

By Liza O’Connor

BLURB

THE HARDEST LOVE IS TO LOVE YOURSELF.

Sam Lancaster is a lost man. Since returning from the war in Iraq, his life has been spiraling out of control. Attempting to escape his troubles, first he moves to a small town of Denton, Iowa, where he becomes the sheriff and beats up the local trouble. When that ceases to work, he seeks peace at a Vermont hunting lodge, where he gets arrested for shooting fish rather than throwing them a line. After spending five months in a work camp to pay for his many crimes, he gets out only to discover Carrie is in danger—again. Convinced he’s the only one who can keep the little Pint Size safe, he rushes back to NYC.

During his absence, Mars has turned the Lancaster estate into a sanctuary for injured vets. Sam agrees to take a test that proves he has Swiss cheese memories that are inaccurate and dangerous. Even knowing this, his PTSD continues to worsen. While he’s deemed to be a poor candidate for a new method of self-correction, his many friends will try anything to save him.

When danger shows up at the Sanctuary, Mars gives him a mission to evaluate the potential threat from certain staff members. On top of his list is Sam’s new girlfriend. Figures!

EXCERPT

“Well, if you want cheered up on my days off, I’d be glad to kick the hell out of your demons.”

Aggie’s comment brought Sam to a halt. No way would Mars share his history with his new staff. So who did? Carlos?

A second later, Aggie pulled up and returned to him. After an intense stare down, as if she were reading his mind, she ruffed up his hair, which had probably been pre-ruffled since he forgot to brush it before leaving. “I was offering to spar with you.”

That wasn’t happening. “Sorry, there are only a few people I can safely spar with. I would never risk hurting someone already debilitated with the name of Agnes.”

He couldn’t wait to see how she took his refusal. Inexplicably, he hit the floor hard a second later and her foot pressed on his neck.

“Easy!” he yelled. She gleamed with pride at her achievement, which had been nothing more than a lucky, underhanded blow.

When she removed her foot and reached down to help him up, he grabbed her hand, intending to flip her onto her back so she could appreciate how hard the floor was. Incredibly she managed to deflect his every move. Finally, by feigning a move which required her to respond by shifting her balance, he yanked her down onto his chest.

She laughed. “You are too good not to realize that was a bonehead move if I wanted to kill you. So, I’m thinking you’re tired of sparring and wish to try something else.”

Her gorgeous smile hovered inches above him. Her strong body pressed against his. Feeling a need to possess her, he gripped the back of her head and brought her lips to his as he rolled her over, so he was on top.

Just as his brain was about to overheat from one of the finest kisses he could recall, a familiar throat clearing doused his fire. He broke away and helped her up before facing Mars. “This was totally my doing. I knocked her off her feet and kissed her.”

After a stern glare at Sam, Mars turned to Aggie. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said, all the while smiling.

“Do you want to press charges?”

She stared up at the ceiling, considering the matter. “I’m off duty today and tomorrow. Can we have Sam confined to my quarters?”

BUY LINKS

Released May 5, 2015

A Long Road to Love

The Hardest Love

Amazon

Book Five

Other books in the A Long Road to Love series

Book One

Worst Week Ever

Amazon

“Love this book and couldn't stop laughing from beginning to end.” 5 stars – Alves - Amazon

Book Two

Oh Stupid Heart

Amazon

“Be warned though, this book is completely different from The Worst Week Ever. Yes, there is still humor, dry wit, situations that you would think...NOT AGAIN but this one humanizes Trent more.” 5 stars - Brian’s Mom – Amazon

Book Three

Coming to Reason

Amazon

Once again, Ms. O’Connor has written a brilliant book about the complexities of relationships, good and bad. Again, to me, the book is the best break up book EVER and it left my heart singing in the end. Best.Book.Ever…

Book Four

Climbing out of Hell

Amazon

 “In typical @Liza0Connor fashion, crazy things happen which make you laugh outloud.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Liza O’Connor

Liza lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. She loves to create interesting characters, set them loose, and scribe what happens.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT 

LIZA O'CONNOR & UPCOMING BOOKS:

Liza's Blog and Website   Facebook   Twitter

Meet the Characters

Sam

&

The ladies he's loved...

She dumped him

 because he was always saving Carrie 

She loved Trent far longer than she should have, but when it ended, she didn't run to Sam. 

No she fell for her current boss.

Nice Guy, but Sam hates 

him all the same.

Then he storms off to

Denton Iowa and 

rescues a lady from a thug.

And for a short while, Dani was his, but she was an innocent, so he hooked up with town pro who turned out to be Dani's arch nemesis, which blew their relationship up and she falls in love with the only friend he had in the entire town.

So he returned to NYC, once he got out of jail...

His PTSD is taking over his life.

Then he meets an angel incarnate:

Sadly, she breaks up with him three and a half hours after they met. 

A new record!

Aggie won't get involved 

unless Sam agrees to see a shrink.

Even worse, the DeCannons are sending hit-men to get rid of Carrie, Sam and Mars. 

(They'd go after Trent, but they think he's dead.)

They are formidable villians. 

However, Sam is a natural born hero, 

if only he can get beyond his PTSD. 

Mars has turned the Lancaster estate into a

Sanctuary for Veterans.

He and his staff will do whatever they can 

to save Sam. 

But will it be enough?

Well Kept Secrets (Book 4 of The Adventures of Xavier & Vic) by Liza O'Connor

Available at  Amazon

THE ADVENTURES OF

XAVIER & VIC

BOOK 4

WELL KEPT SECRETS

A humorous, Late Victorian, Mystery Sleuth Novel

 Well Kept Secrets

By

Liza O’Connor

∞

Cases to be solved:

A Trust Misplaced

Death is a Poor Thank You

To Bedlam Did She Part

A Truth Hidden with Love

The Bump That Dare Not Be Ignored

∞

The great Victorian sleuth Xavier Thorn and his partner Vic Hamilton take a case close to home. Their youngest staff member, L’il Pete, discovers his mother murdered in the alley. Jacko is called up from the country to assist in solving the crime. The good woman’s murder proves to be tangled up with a much larger and shocking list of crimes perpetrated by a powerful man who may truly be above the law. Making matters more complex: Vic discovers her recent weight gain may be the result of a condition that could destroy her life and everything she loves.

“No!” Pete yelled. “I have to help find me mum’s murderer.”

“No, you have to find the charming young man you once were. Vic and I will find the murderer.” He leaned forward. “This isn’t to punish you, Pete. I’m trying to save you from a bad blow. Vic lost both his parents in one blow.”

“And I was very angry,” Vic added.

“And Gregory turned him into a fine young man. 

The best I’ve ever met.”

“I wouldn’t have made it without his firm but loving guidance,” Vic added.

Pete sniffed and stared at her. “How long do I have to stay?”

“Until the anger is gone. That probably won’t happen until after we find the murderer.”

Pete nodded and stared out the window. “What if I don’t like it there?”

“Then step outside and recall the temperature. 

There are worse things than bossy people who wish to make you into a better person. Freezing to death is a painful way to die.”

Pete grimaced. “I’ll do my best not to get thrown out.”

“Then you’ll succeed,” Vic assured him.

When they arrived and Gregory let them inside without a scold or lecture, Vic felt like it was sign from above. “Gregory, this is Pete. He lost his mum this morning and has no one but us to grow him into a fine young man. Xavier has decided since you did such a fine job helping me get rid of all my anger when my parents died, that you can do the same with Pete.”

“And what will you be doing in the meantime?” Gregory demanded.

“Finding the man who killed Maggie,” Vic replied. God! Why couldn’t she have a butler that just did as he was told?

“Excellent!” He then eyed Pete. “How old are you?”

“Nine,” Pete muttered as he stared at the front door as if contemplating an escape.

“Speak clearly, young man.”

“I’m nine.”

Gregory’s right eyebrow rose an inch.

“I’m not lying. I am nine. I’m just small because me mum didn’t have much food to eat when she made me up in her tummy.”

“I see,” his voice softened. “Well, with proper food, we will try to ameliorate that situation.”

Pete frowned and looked at Vic. “I don’t understand half what he says. How’s this gonna work?”

Vic knelt down and hugged the boy. “You’ll tell Gregory when he says something you don’t understand and he’ll keep talking until you do.”

Pete turned back to Gregory. “Is that true?”

With his fingers squeezing the bridge of his nose, 

Gregory managed to reply, “Yes.”

Amazon

Free to KindleUnlimited 



Characters who wish to meet you:

This is L'il Pete (once he gets a new home) When the book begins, he's very, very sad. Someone has killed his mum

You originally met her in book 2. She didn't want Pete to work for Jacko, but she did allow him to work for Xavior. Here are some other people you might remember

This is Alice Bienora, Jacko's wife (she's pregnant with his 2nd child...or is she?)

This is Jacko now that he's become a gentleman My peeps prefer his picture before gentrification better:

And of course you know my fabulous Sleuths Oh, Vic wants me to point out she's a partner now.

Someone poisons Xavier, and he's rushed to Dr. Connors

And when Pete's mom is murdered Chief Inspector Stone is called

Unfortunately, he's told to leave the case alone. The reason why is the crime is ongoing and the person in charge is a powerful.... Oh wait, I should let you find that out for yourself. Have fun, my editor thinks this is best book yet.

Lydia Bennet's Story: Untamed & Unabashed.

Jane Austen enchanted us with Elizabeth and Jane's story in Pride and Prejudice. 

Now Lydia Bennet shocks and intrigues us in Untamed and Unabashed.

Elizabeth Bennet told her story in Pride and Prejudice. Now Lydia Bennet tells her side of her whirlwind marriage to Lieutenant Wickham and what happens afterwards. As the youngest of five daughters with a pittance of a dowry and no hope for a good marriage, it appears her life is doomed from the start. But Lydia refuses to accept such a possibility. She learns how to set herself apart from her sisters and gain the attention of young men. She hones charm and flirtation to an art. Willing to take risks, she manages to acquire a substantial dowry and marries her beloved Wickham. Yet, her life remains on the brink until she gains the patronage of a wealthy Duke trapped in a loveless marriage.

“Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy and fearless.”

—quote by Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Excerpt

The moment Lydia saw Wickham’s friend Robert, she froze in horror. He was a middle-aged, potbellied man, wearing a suit two seasons out of fashion. Worse yet, his scraggly beard seemed to have captured much of what he had eaten for lunch.

Carmella gave her a cold smile. “There she is now. Isn’t she lovely Mr. Hanson?”

His eyes swept over her with clear contempt. “She’ll do.”

Oh no, I won’t! Lydia pressed her hand to her beating heart. “You must forgive me, Mr. Hanson, but I am unwell.” She turned and hurried upstairs.

“Here now!” Carmella screeched and ran after her. She snared Lydia’s arm, turning her around. “You can’t back out now, miss.”

Lydia shook off her grip. “You are not the master of me, Mrs. Younge. If you think so highly of the man downstairs, then you go out with him. I find him ill-dressed, uncouth, and repulsive. I would not be seen in his company for all the tea in china.”

“But—”

“Good night, Mrs. Younge.” Lydia entered her room and slammed the door behind her, locking it to ensure their privacy.

Wickham looked up from the desk. His eyes rounded in puzzlement. “Is my friend late?”

He looked so sincerely surprised at her return, she now suspected he had never met his ‘friend’.  Now certain Mrs. Younge had procured the vile man, she said, “Perhaps he was down there and I missed him. Describe him to me?”

Wickham closed his book and rose from the desk. “Lydia, what is wrong?”

She bared her teeth in the facsimile of a smile. “We are about to have our first fight, I believe.”

“Because I cannot recall what Mr. Hanson looks like?”

Upon walking to the window, she stared out at the street below. Still too angry to speak, she remained silent. In this matter she wished to be decidedly clear with Wickham. She could never allow this to happen again. Never!

When twenty minutes passed, she sensed Wickham grew more nervous with her silence. She refused to face him, but she could hear him pacing with heightened breathing. Finally, he evidently could bear it no more.

“Lydia, I don’t recall his manner. Was he truly so repulsive?”

“It makes no difference if you can describe him or not. If you can, then you set me up with a lowborn, disgusting old man you knew would repulse me beyond endurance. If you cannot, then Mrs. Younge chose this man to humiliate me, and you supported her in this connivance. Either way leaves me outraged.”

Wickham came behind her and placed his hands around her waist. She turned and kneed him in his groin, sending him to the floor.

BUY LINK

AMAZON

The Troublesome Apprentice by Liza O'Connor

THE ADVENTURES OF

XAVIER & VIC

BOOK 1

THE TROUBLESOME APPRENTICE
is 99 cents until 12/20

A humorous, Late Victorian, Mystery Sleuth Novel

Mysteries included:

The Key to Aunt Maddy’s Death

The Missing Husband of Mrs. Wimple

The Disappearing Scarlet Nun

The Clever Butcher’s Wife

The Rescue of Lady Anne

While investigating the death of a friend and client, Maddy Hamilton, Xavier Thorn (reputed to be the greatest sleuth in England) is greatly impressed with Maddy’s nephew, Victor, and offers him a job as his secretary. Aware of Xavier’s history of firing secretaries, Victor garners a promise that for three months he cannot be fired. Vic then proceeds, in Xavier’s view, to be cheeky and impertinent at every turn. 

Xavier endures the impudent pup because Victor is most skilled in extracting the truth from clients and intuiting facts with little evidence to assist. 

As they solve a string of cases, Xavier discovers a few more important details about his troublesome apprentice, such as her true gender, and the realization that she has awakened his long dormant heart.

Fully dressed, Vic laid down on her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her sister’s parting words haunted her. What if Xavier Thorn did uncover her secret?

Aunt Maddy had allowed her to ‘become a boy’ when she and Claire arrived in England, orphans in need of a home. Victor’s initial reason to change her gender had been because she never wished to wear a dress after seeing her mother drowned at sea, pulled to the bottom of the ocean by her heavy skirts. However, her new life soon became the only one she could imagine.

As a male, she could travel about town on her own, attend lectures closed to Maddy and Claire, and ride astride spirited stallions. As a young man, she could do anything, learn anything, and be anything. As a gentleman, she had endless opportunities. How could she ever go back to being a girl? The idea was unthinkable.

When Victor first attended Oxford, she had been terrified someone would notice differences and guess her secret, but a great many studious young men at the college had no interest in young ladies and drink. She fit in perfectly with them.

She no longer worried about people seeing through her disguise. For all practical purposes, she was a young man of twenty-two. She had no ‘tells’ to give her away. Her small breasts were crushed flat by the muslin undergarment that also thickened her waist, giving her a straighter masculine line. A modestly stuffed muslin roll attached to the bottom of the garment filled in the crotch of her pants.

No, after ten years of being a male, she was confident her secret would remain secure, even under the scrutiny of the renowned Xavier Thorn.

The Troublesome Apprentice

Blog Tour begins July 24

TWO $25 Gift Cards up for grabs! Blogs sites will be listed as they go live.



Meet the Characters

Xavier Thorn

Greatest Sleuth of all of Great Britain 

Victor Hamilton
The troublesome apprentice

Vic's dead Aunt Maddy
She was murdered.

Claire, Vic's younger sister.
She's very bossy

Davy, Xavier's driver
He's spent time in prison
but he's a very good man

Jacko B. Goodnow
A gypsy, former pirate
 and current thief
Only he steals for
Xavier Thorn now.

Chief Inspector Stone 
of Scotland Yard
Works closely with Xavier
is highly impressed with
Xavier's new hire, Vic.

Gregory - Vic's butler
Lover of Aunt Maddy
Taught Vic to be a proper gentleman
Treats him more like a son 
than the master of the house.