Murder by the Book Mystery #2
Kate Rowan, a Canadian bookstore owner living in England, used to love a good murder-mystery book, but after falling for an actual killer, she can’t even crack the spine on a cozy. But when her Aunt Roselyn is found holding a bloody knife at a crime scene, she must use the skills she’s learned from fiction and turn them into reality.
Read a Sneak Peek
Beside the door, the keypad on the alarm system flashed red. How long before the police showed up?
Hardwood floors gleamed. The scent of lemon cleanser hung in the air. Kate’s fingers tightened on the handle of the flashlight. She crept down the narrow, dark hallway. The siren pulsed in her ears.
Up ahead, the wooden floorboards gave way to the sheen of white tiles. The kitchen?
Dread caught at her. She hesitated. It was just a dark room. She’d tackled worse. Holding on to that thought, she stepped through the door.
A dark silhouette spun toward her.
Kate raised the flashlight, the best weapon she had. The light sparked off metal, lethal and tapered to a point.
A knife.
Fear slammed into her throat. She tore her eyes away from the blade. And saw who held it.
“Roselyn?” The light picked up crimson smears on the woman’s hands. “Are you hurt?” Kate stepped forward. The beam skated over white tiles. A dark pool.
Blood. A lot of it.
The siren throbbed. Kate swept the beam over the floor, arcing over a shape. Her heart drummed against her ribs. Swallowing hard, she trained the beam on the crumpled heap.
A body.
And Aunt Roselyn was holding a knife.
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About Vanessa Westermann
Vanessa writes mysteries that combine the heartbreak of murder with the joy of romance.