Opera singer and part-time sleuth Philippa Beary returns in the second of a series of lighthearted mystery books. In the title story, set against the backdrop of the world of professional singing, her brother Bertram thwarts the poisoning of a beautiful prima donna during a New Year's Eve gala performance of Die fledermaus. In The mephisto waltz jump, rivalry between two young champions at the skating rink results in a catastrophic accident - or was it an accident? And an abandoned dog becomes the key to the unravelling of a deadly plot in A grim ferry tale.
Praise for The Beary Mysteries: Well-crafted stories which will delight mystery fans. Kirkus Discoveries Elwoods believable situations, natural dialogue and wit make her stories a pleasure to read. Annie Boulanger, Burnaby Now I found great enjoyment reading the stories Original and evocative. Barbara Kay, National Post columnist The Beary family returns in The Beacon and Other Mystery Stories, the third book featuring feisty city councillor, Bertram Beary, his opera-singing daughter, Philippa, and his detective inspector son, Richard. In the title story, a former opera singer who was renowned for her performance as La Gioconda becomes the prime suspect when her husbands body washes ashore near their waterfront home the same day that his mistress dies in a fiery inferno on the other side of the channel. As the book progresses, the senior members of the Beary family solve The Mystery of the Boston Teapots while walking The Freedom Trail during a visit to Massachusetts. Back at home, Philippa discovers that no one can solve a problem like Maria when she takes on the leading role in a local production of The Sound of Music. While every story presents a puzzle of its own, Philippas own story is interwoven throughout the book as she overcomes personal disappointments and forms new friendships. Ultimately, when she and her sister, Juliette, undertake a prestigious engagement at a high-society Christmas party, even the blanket of snow covering the Lower Mainland cannot quell her spirits as she realizes that someone who seemed an enemy in the past may well turn out to be a very special somebody in her future.
“The least likely person is the killer, and no one is really who they seem.” So Jordan Hope tells his cast as they prepare to rehearse Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. However, Jordan does not realize that, nearby, in the snowy streets of Gastown, a real murder has taken place. By the time the show is over, another will die and The Agatha Principle will strike again. In her fourth book featuring the Beary family, Elizabeth Elwood delivers another thoroughly satisfying collection. “The Agatha Principle” is followed by seven cleverly crafted shorter stories with a variety of settings. In “The Man in the Cage”, a child falls into deadly peril at the 2010 Winter Olympics; a dramatic historical mystery dating back to the War of 1812 is featured in “Tragedy at The Oaks”, and the book closes on a delightfully light-hearted note as the Bearys visit Vancouver’s Bright Nights and solve “The Mystery of the Christmas Train”. With intriguing puzzles to challenge the reader and an engaging story of a charming heroine whose relationship with a Vancouver detective is as captivating as the cases they solve together, The Agatha Principle and Other Mystery Stories is a must for lovers of classic mystery fiction.
Top hats and tails. Mink and murder . . . November, 1923. An invitation to a house party at the estate of Parkview Hall is a welcome respite for Olive Belgrave, a newly minted working girl who’s become the solver of high society’s trickiest problems. But when the sumptuous black tie event turns deadly, Olive’s cousin Peter becomes the main suspect. Olive must unmask a sophisticated killer before an innocent man takes the blame . . . because murder doesn’t RSVP. Murder in Black Tie is the fourth standalone installment in the High Society Lady Detective series. If you like mysteries with elegant settings, charming characters, and a whodunit that will keep you guessing, you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s series of delightful historical mysteries. Escape into an elegant country home mystery with Murder in Black Tie.
For crossword puzzlers looking to challenge their brain, not their eyes Entertain your brain and test your trivia knowledge with 100 puzzles that offer the perfect mix of challenge and relaxation. Each puzzle in 100 Large-Print Crossword Puzzles will sharpen your skills, exercise your mind, and unwind your stress—but never strain your eyes! Whether you’re new to crossword puzzles or already a pro, these puzzles will keep your brain active and improve your spelling recall while you relax and have fun. With each puzzle centered on an original theme, this collection of easy to read puzzles will have you captivated for hours! Inside 100 Large-Print Crossword Puzzles you’ll find: Clever clues—Diverse clues like “‘Michelle’ drummer,” “Moved like molasses,” and “Spain’s peninsula” will gently pull your brain in every direction. No defeat—Avoid frustration with no obscure, near-impossible clues that lead to “crossword dead ends.” Easy to use—This book’s large size helps it stay open so you can fill in the crossword puzzles effortlessly. It’s time to exercise your brain and have some fun with 100 stimulating crossword puzzles.
"Johnson is clearly striding in the footsteps of authors like Geraldine Brooks and Diana Gabaldon in her juxtaposition of the modern and historical."—New York Journal of Books Three men are trapped in time. One woman could save them all. Historian Lia Carrer has finally returned to southern France, determined to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. If nothing else, her trip could grant her perspective on the region's traditional reincarnation beliefs and resurrect her dying thesis. But instead of finding solace and insight in the region's quiet hills and medieval ruins, Lia falls in love. Raoul's very existence challenges everything she knows about life, history, and her husband's death. As Raoul reveals the story of his past to Lia, she's caught up in the echoes of a historic murder, resulting in a haunting and suspenseful journey through the romantic landscape of the Languedoc region. A remarkable and richly-developed novel, in the tradition of time-travel romances by Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon, In Another Life masterfully blends historical fiction with a love that conquers time.
11th century government official Sugawara Akitada discovers an abandoned, mute boy, and seeks his family while his faithful servant Tora tries to deal with the loss of his new bride to a powerful man. Eventually their two quests overlap.
A must for all crime aficionados, The Best American Mystery Stories 2006 spotlights the very best the genre has to offer. Notable for their dark tone, frequent plot twists, and, above all, their outright entertainment value, here are twenty of 2006's stand-out short stories by bestselling authors and newcomers alike. The veterans show us they still have new tricks up their sleeves, while the (as yet) unknowns clearly mark themselves as talents to watch.Sellected by bestselling author Scott Turrow, 2006's collection includes stories by: James Lee Burke, Jeffery Deaver, Andrew Klavan, Elmore Leonard, Ed McBain, Laura Lippman, Walter Mosely, and Joyce Carol Oates.
A chilling account of the murders of two hunters in rural Michigan—a mystery that haunted a community and baffled the police for two decades. In the bitter cold of 1985, two buddies from Detroit embark on a hunting trip to the Michigan wilderness, unaware they will soon become the hunted. The eerie silence surrounding their sudden disappearance is broken after nearly two decades when a relentless investigator inspires a terrified witness to break her silence. The witness narrates a haunting scene that had unfolded years back, pointing fingers at the prime suspects—the Duvall brothers. With no bodies unearthed, the justice system is riveted by the startling revelations during an electrifying trial in 2003. The brothers, Raymond and Donald Duvall, had bragged about the murders, evocatively explaining how they dismembered their victims and fed them to pigs. Despite the shocking confession, the case holds its ground purely on a single witness’s account, taking the courtroom through a labyrinth of dark secrets and sinister acts. This gripping thriller presents a vivid tale of crime that reveals the devastating power of evil.
