Title:
Mrs. Spinney’s Secret
Author:
M. S. Spencer
Genre:
Cozy mystery
Book Blurb:
Cassidy Beauvoir, chair of the board of overseers of Amity Landing, is ready to throw the bums out; that is, until she meets Jasper MacEwan, the director of American Waterloo: the Rout of the Penobscot Expedition. It’s instant attraction until a series of deadly incidents threatens their budding romance. Are the attacks directed at the movie crew or the townspeople?
As the two search for answers, the trail leads them to long-held secrets of the worst naval defeat of the American Revolution—including betrayal, murder, and a lost hoard of English gold.
Excerpt:
Second Story Man
Just then Philip MacEwan came out, the crewman named Phalen behind him. “Oh, Sheriff, glad you’re here. I was asking this grip about last night.”
The man stepped forward. “See, Sheriff—”
Cassidy interrupted. “This is Jeff Pierce. He’s the deputy.”
“Oh. Well, I was telling Mr. MacEwan here that I was taking a walk last night and saw his son leaning out the window swatting at something—”
“A bat?”
“Too dark to see what it was, but probably. Anyway, he must have slipped or something, ’cause he fell forward and was just hangin’ there. I’d noticed an adjustable camera stand in the yard, so I ran to get it.”
MacEwan gave the man a funny look. “Camera stand? In the yard?”
Phalen’s eyes flickered, but he merely shrugged.
Jeff picked up the thread. “Why didn’t you go into the house and pull him in?”
Cassidy had the answer. “It would have taken him too long—Jasper was all the way up under the eaves. And he was three-quarters of the way out—it looked like he was hanging by his toes. He would have fallen before the firemen arrived if Mr. Phalen hadn’t reached him.”
“Let’s have a look.” Philip turned and headed back inside. “Follow me, Deputy.”
Jeff caught Philip’s elbow. “Sir, I think I should take the lead.”
“Oh? I see.” MacEwan frowned but stepped aside.
Jeff climbed the stairs two at a time, the others struggling to keep up. At one point Jasper stopped, hand to his head. Cassidy took his other hand. “Are you okay?”
“Just a little dizzy.” He smiled at her. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come along.”
“After this, we’ll get you back to bed.”
“As long as you promise to tuck me in.”
They broke apart at the sound of Philip’s voice. “Son? You coming?”
“Yes, Dad.” He started up the stairs.
After a minute, Cassidy followed.
When he reached the third floor, Jeff walked slowly down the hall looking from right to left. Another, narrower corridor led to a wing that projected at right angles to the main house. Several doors opened onto it. Turning to Jasper, Jeff asked, “Can you retrace your steps?”
Jasper shuffled forward. “I’m not sure…I heard noises and saw a flashing light—”
Phalen said, “That neighbor guy was waving his flashlight around.”
“Maybe that was it. So I decided to investigate. I…” He paused at a door. “I think I tried this one.” It opened on a small broom closet. “Oops, that can’t be it. Maybe it was this one.” The next room held a cot with a bare mattress. A ewer and basin stood on a beautiful French Empire-style walnut dresser. Sitting under the single dormer window was an old leather-bound foot locker. Several brown paper-wrapped pictures were stacked next to the bed. “This couldn’t be it either—I would’ve had to push the chest aside.” The third room seemed more promising. It had a dormer window, which was open. The ceiling sloped, so the men had to stoop. Jasper went to the window. “This looks about right.”
The grip agreed. Cassidy wasn’t sure, but then she had been much farther away. Jeff checked the window sill. “There are scuff marks on the paint—must have been your shoes.” He headed to the door. “Yup—I’m guessin’ that, like Mr. Toff-Smythe, what you most likely heard was acorns on the roof, mebbe squirrels.”
“Or bats,” put in Phalen helpfully.
Jeff paused, bent down, and pulled at a loose floor board. “You probably tripped on this.” He straightened. “I think that about clears it up, Mr. MacEwan. Mystery solved.”
Jasper was surprisingly acquiescent. “Okay, that must have been what happened. I was pretty tired. And”—he glanced at his father—“I’ve been known to sleepwalk. Thanks for investigating, Deputy. Really appreciate it. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to rest for a bit. Dad? Didn’t you have a meeting with the producer this morning?”
His father leveled a piercing look at his son. “Yes. Are you going to be in any shape for the canvass of Castine tomorrow?”
“Of course.” Jasper opened his arms expansively. “Off you go.” He smiled, a little lopsidedly.
As the rest filed out, he caught Cassidy’s sleeve. “Stay.”
“Oh, Jasper, I’d love to, but you really do need to rest.”
“It’s not that, although…” He gave her a leer which reminded her more of a kid looking at a lollipop than a man lusting after a woman. He pulled her back inside and whispered, “It’s something else. I think someone did break in and hid in one of these rooms. When I appeared, he tried to knock me out.”
“How come?”
“Jeff found scuff marks on the windowsill.”
“Yes, from your shoes.”
“I wasn’t wearing shoes.”
“You weren’t?”
“No. I was in my stockinged feet. Cassidy, someone climbed in that window before I fell out of it.”
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What makes your featured book a must-read?
You’d think a village would love to have Hollywood come to town, but Amity Landing was less than pleased—especially when it’s accompanied by murders. From a 5-star review: “Begin with well developed characters who live in a quaint coastal town in Maine, throw in an invasion of rich Hollywood actors and producers, a dash of quirky humor, some ghostly mishaps, a kiss of romance, some strange attacks, and a unique mystery storyline…stir gently and––voila––a wonderful book chocked full of entertaining hours of reading pleasure.”
Giveaway –
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Runs February 20 – February 28, 2023.
Winner will be drawn on March 1, 2023.
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