lcrwpres Author, Marketing

N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Features Member:

Assume Nothing by Barbara-Helene Smith is a Summertime Books Event pick perfect for readers who enjoy mystery and short stories

ASSUME NOTHING is a collection of short mysteries about four ordinary women, who find themselves in extraordinary situations, while looking for the truth.

N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

Jun 24, 2026

Title: Assume Nothing

Author: Barbara-Helene Smith

Genre: Mystery, Short Stories

Book Blurb:

Do you like short, fast-moving mysteries with a unique protagonist?

ASSUME NOTHING is a collection of short mysteries about four ordinary women, who find themselves in extraordinary situations, while looking for the truth. Each story can be read in a couple of hours while on a beach, an airplane, by the pool, next to a fire on a cold afternoon or sitting in a comfy chair with a steaming cup of coffee, tea or glass of your favorite wine.

Search for Justice – Kelly Williams hasn’t seen her eight-year-old son since her husband gained custody after their divorce three years ago. Determined to find Tommy, Kelly enrolls in a class designed to locate missing persons. There she meets Roger Ross, who offers to help, but his trust falters when Kelly reveals a secret past. Will Roger follow his instincts or the evidence that never lies?

Vanished – If Holly Hall had a life most women would envy, why did she leave her husband? When Bill discovers Holly and half the money in their joint account are missing, he hires a private investigator to find her. The pursuing cat and mouse game reveals both Holly and Bill have been living different lives.

Family Matters – Lucinda Lawrence inherits a fortune from a total stranger. While attempting to uncover her benefactor’s identity, half-siblings begin to surface and then are mysteriously murdered. The evidence mounts against Lucinda, making her the prime suspect.

Fakes, Frauds and Forgeries – When Paige Jenkins learns her grandmother’s Santini portrait is a forgery, she initiates her own search to discover the truth. After identifying two more fake paintings, she contacts Byron Cruise, an insurance investigator, whose company insured the paintings. In her quest for answers, Paige repeatedly finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and unwittingly becomes involved in robbery, kidnapping and murder.

Excerpt from Search for Justice:

Kelly drove to Tommy’s school and stared at the empty playground, not sure what to do. I could go into the building, identify myself as Tommy’s mother and take him home with me. But that would be kidnapping. Mom always said, ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right’. Besides, Tommy thinks I’m dead. It would be a shock to suddenly appeared.

She waited across the street and watched as different groups of children came out to play in the yard. When she spotted Tommy’s blue-and-white striped shirt, she left the car and hid behind a palm tree. Her heart ached. She wanted to climb the fence and hug him, but resisted the urge. I found him, she thought jubilantly. I know where he is. He’s safe and happy.

She walked to the car after Tommy’s class went inside the school. A sudden wave of panic flowed over her. Maybe I shouldn’t leave. What if Buddy takes Tommy away again?

Assume Nothing by BarbaraHelene Smith is available as an e-book and paperback at Amazon.com.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Assume-Nothing-Four-Short-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07NJ755YP

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The Varied Authors of LCRW

What is LCRW, you may be asking? It’s the acronym for Lilac City Rochester Writers.

Have you visited our author page and gotten acquainted with our members? Here’s a glimpse.

Do you like to read romance novels written by a New York Times best-selling author? Kathryn Shay is one of our members, and she also gives presentations to our group on the craft of writing. It’s a privilege to learn from her.

BarbaraHelene Smith spent her career as an FDA inspector. She has published twelve books about the different types of investigations the FDA handles. The Connie Murphy Mystery series is exciting, and it teaches at the same time.

Rick Taubold writes in varied genres and hosts an online magazine: Fabula Argentia. We think his best book is Punctuation for Fiction Writers. In it, he explains and gives examples of how to use correct punctuation for dialogue, which is different from that used for regular prose.

Rick Iekel also writes in varied genres. He wrote the book The Roc – Journey through the 20th century. It’s the history of Rochester, New York’s airport. He was the best person to write it as he worked at the airport for 30-plus years.

Donna Collins’ name will pop up in your magazines where her recipes and articles about country life appear.

John Caligiuri is our resident science fiction and alternative history author. He mentions local places (near Rochester) in his stories. It makes one feel more involved in the action when they recognize the locale.

Kim Gore teaches writing classes, hosts a writing group, and has multiple books out in different genres, both fiction and non-fiction. She is also a regular presenter in our group and publishes an annual Halloween anthology. She’s our “firecracker.”

This is only a synopsis of the authors you would have the privilege of spending time with if you attend LCRW. Click over to our authors tab to read more about each one, and others not mentioned here. We love visitors at our meetings and always welcome new members who we can help advance in their writing journey.