G.M. Malliet - Death of a Cozy Writer

"The traditional British cozy is alive and well. Delicious. I was hooked from the first paragraph.

Rhys Bowen, award-winning author of Her Royal Spyness

Death of a Cozy Writer, G. M. Malliets hilarious first mystery, is a must-read for fans of Robert Barnard and P. G. Wodehouse. I'm looking forward eagerly to Inspector St. Justs next case!

Donna Andrews, award-winning author of
The Penguin Who Knew Too Much

A house party in a Cambridgeshire mansion with the usual suspects, er, guestsa sly patriarch, grasping relatives, a butler, and a victim named Ruthven (what else?)I havent had so much fun since Andersons Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy. Pass the tea and scones, break out the sherry, settle down in the library by the fire and enjoy Malliets delightful tribute to the time-honored tradition of the English country house mystery.

Marcia Talley, Agatha and Anthony award-winning author of
Dead Man Dancing and six previous mysteries

Death of a Cozy Writer is a romp, a classic tale of family dysfunction in a moody and often humourous English country house setting. A worthy addition to the classic mystery tradition and the perfect companion to a cup of tea and a roaring fire, or a sunny deck chair. Relax and let G. M. Malliet introduce you to the redoubtable Detective Chief Inspector St. Just of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary. Im sure well be hearing much more from him!

Louise Penny, author of the award-winning
Armand Gamache series of murder mysteries

DEATH
of a
Cozy Writer

FORTHCOMING BY G. M. MALLIET

Death and the Lit Chick

A St. Just Mystery

DEATH
of a
Cozy Writer

G. M . Malliet

Death of a Cozy Writer: A St. Just Mystery 2008 by G. M. Malliet. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Midnight Ink except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Edition First
Printing, 2008

Book design and format by Donna Burch
Cover design by Gavin Dayton Duffy
Cover art Polk Dot Images / Punch Stock
Gargoyle Cover Element Jorge Mascarenhas
Editing by Connie Hill

Midnight Ink, an imprint of Llewellyn Publications

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Malliet, G. M.

Death of a cozy writer : a St. Just mystery. G.M. Malliet. 1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-7387-1248-2

1. PoliceEnglandCambridgeshireFiction. 2. Cambridgeshire
(England)Fiction. 3. MurderInvestigationFiction. I. Title.
PS3613.A4535D43 2008
813'.6--dc22

2008013803

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Midnight Ink
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Dept. 978-0-7387-1248-2
Woodbury, MN 55125-2989 USA
www.midnightinkbooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

For my husband.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many people helped this book into existence, but it might not have made it at all but for the early encouragement of playwright Terryl Paiste.

My sincerest thanks also to the tireless volunteers of the Malice Domestic conference, who further midwifed this novel via their generous award of the Malice Domestic Grant (now renamed in memory of the beloved William F. Deeck).

The members of Sisters in Crime, particularly those of the Chesapeake Chapter, were there when I needed them, which was often.

I would also like to offer heartfelt thanks to the staff of Midnight Ink, beginning with Barbara Moore.

Many thanks also to Muir Ainsley, who patiently and correctly answered all my questions about British arcana without once asking me to please leave him alone. Any mistakes in the novel are entirely mine.

And as always, thanks to my husband, for his patience, love, and support through what must have seemed to him an endless and everlasting process.

AUTHORS NOTE

While the city and University of Cambridge, England, are of course real, as are Scotland and Cornwall, I have entirely invented the characters in this book who act out their imagined lives against these beautiful backdrops.

Peterhouse likewise exists, but DCI Arthur St. Just is not a real-life alumnus of that hallowed seat of learning.

In some cases, I have invented a village or manor house, such as Newton Coombe and Waverley Court, and placed them somewhat randomly in Cambridgeshire.

And there is now a castle in Scotland that exists only in my imagination.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Ruthven Beauclerk-Fiskeldest son of Sir Adrian, ruthless Ruthven was heir-apparent to his fathers vast fortune, until his father unexpectedly announced plans to remarry.

Lillian Beauclerk-FiskRuthvens social-climbing wife, she mostly found murder frightfully inconvenient.

Sarah Beauclerk-Fiskfuddled and unhappy, she inherited her fathers gift for penning best-selling books. Did she inherit his mean streak, as well?

Albert Beauclerk-FiskSir Adrians youngest son. A failed actor and designated black sheep of the family, Alberts one remaining ambition was to protect sister Sarah from suspicion of murder.

Chloe, Lady Beauclerk-FiskSir Adrians former wife, and the mother of his unhappy brood. Did life with Sir Adrian drive her to drinkor to murder?

Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fiska famous writer of mystery novels in the cozy genre, Sir Adrian had a devilish talent for making noirish mischief.

Jeffrey SpencerSir Adrians secretary, an earnest American expat in search of his roots. His attentions to Sarah Beauclerk-Fisk enraged his employer.

Maria RomanoSir Adrians long-time cook, she was the only person at Waverley Court who seemed to have a soft spot for the cantankerous author.

William WattersThe elderly gardener of Waverley Court saw no eviluntil someone tried to frame him for murder.

Jim TannerProud proprietor of the local Thorn and Crown.

George Beauclerk-FiskNeer-do-well son, failed entrepreneur, and playboy, his siblings death increased Georges chances in the inheritance sweepstakes.

Natasha WellingsGeorges latest girlfriend: slim, dark, and beautiful. People wondered: Whatever did she see in George?

Paulo RomanoButler to Sir Adrian, Mrs. Romanos son spent little time butlering and vast amounts skulking about Waverley Court.

Violet MildenhallNotorious in her heyday, her marriage of convenience to Sir Adrian proved less than convenient when it thrust her into the middle of a murder investigationagain.

MarthaMrs. Romanos daily help.

Constable Porter, Sergeant Garwin Fear, and Dr. Malenfant Loyal aides-de-camp to Detective Chief Inspector St. Just of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

DCI Arthur St. JustCrime halted his plans for a ski holiday when Sir Adrians devious machinations snowballed into murder.

Mrs. KetchenElderly maid to Chloe, Lady Beauclerk-Fisk.