Speak EZ by Elle E. Ire

Description Author’s Note: The dog does NOT stay dead. On New Year’s Eve, in 1923, someone walked into Michelle “Mickey” McFadden’s queer speakeasy hidden beneath the Big City Little Theater and shot her and her dog, EZ, dead. Or . . . sort of, mostly, kind of dead, maybe? Because instead of crossing over, they become trapped within the bar’s cinderblock walls. And though EZ eventually manages to wriggle his way free, Mickey remains, her spirit frozen in time. In 2022, employees of the Big City Little Theater begin encountering a stray dog sneaking in and around the premises. When Ciara, the theater’s bookkeeper, saves the dog from being hit by a truck, she begins to suspect there’s something odd about the mysterious canine and makes it her mission to catch him and either return him to his owners or keep him as her own. That is until Ciara and her friends happen upon the sealed-up speakeasy in the theater’s subbasement —and find the dog inside. But how did he get in there when the door was locked? And why are there bullet holes in the otherwise beautifully preserved bar? Their discovery launches them on the investigation of a lifetime, complete with an ancient murder to solve, strange occurrences to explain, and a missing person to find. When Mickey’s spirit, which has been trapped in the mysterious in-between limbo for the past hundred years, begins to find her way out, she and Ciara finally come face-to-face. And it’s more than the speakeasy’s old wiring that makes sparks fly. Ciara’s falling hard for Mickey and Mickey for her. Can they solve the murder and figure out how EZ returned to the world of the living before the clock strikes midnight on the next New Year’s Eve? Because if they don’t, they’re pretty certain Mickey’s time will finally be up—this time for good. “Intriguing and thought-provoking, Speak EZ is Elle E. Ire at her best; she blends paranormal and romance like nobody else. Easily a five-star read for me. Plus, ghost dog? Hell yes, I’m in!” —Kristen Zimmer, author of The Gravity Between Us “Elle E. Ire’s characters know that kind of queer love that conquers not only time but death itself. This book is a love letter to both our history and our future.” —J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing “This is a crackerjack of a story and I was completely sucked in. Elle E. Ire has a wonderful talent for weaving romance, mystery, and paranormal elements. Speak EZ is an engaging tale set in a richly developed world populated with characters you not only root for but want to hang out and drink with.” — Cathy Pegau, author of A Murderous Business, coming from Minotaur Books When she isn’t taking shooting lessons, paying to be mock-kidnapped, or cave swimming with bats overhead, Goldie award winner Elle Ire writes paranormal romance and science fiction featuring kickass women who fall in love with each other. Elle has nine novels currently in publication including the Storm Fronts series, the Nearly Departed series, and three standalone novels: Vicious Circle, Reel to Real Love, and Harsh Reality. She is also an accomplished speaker, presenting on panels and teaching workshops at conferences all over the country including the GCLS annual conference, Gulfport ReadOut, Florida Writers Association, Georgia Romance Writers conference, WorldCon, Nebula Con, MegaCon Orlando, Tampa ComicCon, QueerFX, Rainbow Space Magic, and many more. She is represented by Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary Agency.