When the Crow's Away (An Evenfall Witches B&B Mystery, Band 2) - Softcover

Wallace, Auralee

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593335856 ISBN 13: 9780593335857

Verlag: Penguin Publishing Group, 2022

Inhaltsangabe

The ghost of a recently deceased chocolatier believes he was murdered, and it's up to young witch Brynn Warren to use her magical gifts and old-fashioned sleuthing skills to find out how he really met his bitter end in this enchanting new Evenfall Witches B&B Mystery.

After spending months unable to use her powers, Brynn Warren is once again using her gift and working at her family's bed-and-breakfast. Her heart is full, and although one of her aunts wonders if it might be a little more full with a bit of romance in her life, Brynn is certain that finding love again is not in her future. In fact, she can’t imagine anyone being more certain of anything…except for maybe, the recently deceased Mortimer Sweete. He’s certain he’s been murdered, and he wants Brynn’s help to bring his killer to justice.
 
Mort is positive he knows who killed him: his business partner's wife, Cookie, who had been trying to get them to sell the candy shop for months. But Brynn doesn't share his conviction. After all, the coroner ruled his death natural causes, and Mort did have health problems in life. But with Cookie putting up a For Sale sign for the shop already, Brynn knows she can't just let it go. 
 
Trying to solve a might-be murder while attempting to stop her aunt from meddling in her personal life seems like a recipe for disaster. If Brynn wants to bring Mort's spirit peace, she'll have to rely on all her skills—both magical and mundane—to uncover the truth.
 
 

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Auralee Wallace is the author of multiple novels, including the Otter Lake mystery series. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Master's degree in English literature, and she worked in the publishing industry for a number of years before teaching at the college level. She lives in Ottawa with her family.

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Chapter 1

 

Pink and peach clouds, fiery in the sun's dying rays, rolled slowly across the baby blue sky. A riot of birdsong rang out from the trees as a gentle breeze twirled fluffy seedpods in the air. Spring had finally come to Evenfall, Connecticut.

 

"I just love this time of year," the woman beside me said. "That feeling of warm sunlight on your face. The sight of all the flowers popping up their sleepy heads. The smell of rich, fresh earth bursting with new life." She sighed happily. "Isn't it just magical?"

 

"I've never cared for it."

 

I darted a look over to the woman seated on my other side, doing my best to suppress a smile. Some things never changed. While my aunt Izzy tended to see the very best in everyone and everything, my aunt Nora, well, she made an art form out of being perpetually unimpressed.

 

Then there was me. I was right in the middle. Literally.

 

I was seated between the two of them on the back porch of our family's Queen Anne tower house, Ivywood Hollow Bed and Breakfast. My aunts had suggested we come outside to enjoy the spectacular sunset. It was hard to say if we were succeeding in that particular goal just yet.

 

"But it's spring," Izzy persisted. "What is there not to like about spring?"

 

"Quite a bit actually," Nora said, flashing her long, crimson fingernails in the air. "Where should I begin? The sun is blinding in the early morning hours. You can't work in the garden without getting completely covered in mud. And then there is all this nonstop twittering." She cast a disapproving glance at the trees.

 

In fairness, she was more of an autumn person.

 

Izzy sat up in her seat. "Well, all that may be true, but-"

 

"Then there's the people," Nora went on, not quite through with her rant. She propped an elbow on the armrest of her chair and pointed at us. "Everyone behaves so nonsensically this time of year. They're practically overflowing with hope and excitement. And for what? A mild breeze and a bit of sunshine? Ridiculous." Suddenly a bluebird swooped in out of nowhere and landed on Nora's finger. She blinked at it. "You, my tiny feathered friend, are only proving my point."

 

The bird twittered prettily, then flew away.

 

"But, Nora," Izzy said with a nervous laugh, "wasn't it your idea for us to come out here to enjoy all that spring has to offer?"

 

"Oh no, Sister. Don't you dare try to pin this on me."

 

I frowned. Pin what on who now?

 

Izzy huffed a breath. "I knew I shouldn't have included you in this." Her eyes widened when she caught me looking at her. "In this viewing of the sunset," she added awkwardly before looking back at Nora. "You haven't liked spring since high school. Wasn't it your junior year when-"

 

"Absolutely nothing happened." Nora pulled down her oversized black sunglasses to give her sister a ferocious look. "And I do not hate spring." She pushed her sunglasses back up and laid her forearms delicately on the armrests of her chair. "I simply think it's overrated."

 

Izzy held up her hands in defeat.

 

"Wait, what are we talking about?" I asked, finally getting a word in. There was clearly a great deal being communicated under the surface here. I had a lot of questions, but I opted to start with, "What happened junior year?"

 

"Absolutely nothing," Nora repeated in a clipped tone.

 

I twirled my long black braid between my fingers as I looked back and forth between my aunts.

 

The two of them painted a contrasting picture. Nora was looking rather elegant this evening-if not a touch severe-in her black silk jumpsuit. She had her fiery red hair twisted up into a tight bun on the top of her head, accentuating her long neck and perfect posture. Izzy, in comparison, appeared fresh and sweet in her pink floral dress with ruffled hem. Her strawberry blond hair sat loose and curling about her shoulders, wavering charmingly in the breeze.

 

I had to admit I felt a bit shabby in my wrap sweater and jersey leggings. But, in fairness, no one had told me I needed to dress for the occasion. Not that this was an occasion. We were just taking in the sunset. At least I thought that's what we were doing. Suddenly I wasn't so sure.

 

"Why are we even talking about spring? Or unremarkable junior years?" Nora asked grumpily. "I thought we were supposed to be out here talking about Brynn?"

 

And there it was. I should have known.

 

I gripped the armrests of my wingback rattan chair to force myself up into a less relaxed posture. "And what is it exactly about me that needs discussion?"

 

"I have no idea what your aunt is talking about," Izzy said, forcing an overly bright smile. "Have you tried the tea, darling?" She reached for a cut glass mug. "It's a ginger and jasmine mix. I flavored it with honey, cloves, orange slices, blackberries, and just a touch of red pepper for heat."

 

I eyed the tall pitcher filled with amber liquid, sparkling in the slanted rays of the setting sun. Beside it sat a plate covered in freshly baked tarts with ruby-colored filling.

 

"They're raspberry," Izzy prodded, following my gaze. "Your favorite."

 

They looked delicious. I could practically feel the flaky crust breaking apart in my mouth. But we both knew those weren't just any old tarts. I pinned my aunt in my gaze. Her eyes widened again, this time to unparalleled levels of innocence. It was pretty adorable. But I wasn't about to be distracted by her cuteness. "Izzy? What is going on?"

 

"Oh, just tell her why you've dragged us out here," Nora said with an exasperated sigh. "I'm about to spontaneously combust in all this golden sunlight."

 

"Are you sure you don't want to try the tea first, darling? Or the tarts?" Izzy asked hopefully.

 

I raised an eyebrow. "I think I'll wait."

 

My aunt sighed, then cleared her throat. "This wasn't quite how I wanted to bring the subject up," she said, cutting her sister a look. "But, well, Brynn, your aunt and I have noticed that you seem distracted lately. Like something might be bothering you."

 

Was that all this was about? I chuckled with relief.

 

"And Izzy here has a theory on what that something might be," Nora said with a sniff. "She also has some ideas about how to fix it."

 

My chuckle died a swift death. My aunts speculating on my well-being was always disconcerting, but the idea of their fixing any of my theoretical problems was downright terrifying. Time to nip this in the bud. "You don't have to come up with any theories. Or ways to fix anything." I stared off into the endless sky beyond the sorbet-colored clouds. "And you don't have to worry. I know I've been a bit distracted lately, but I promise you it's nothing."

 

"What's nothing?" Nora asked sharply.

 

I could feel her studying me, but I kept my gaze on the sky. "It's hard to explain, but I've had this funny feeling lately. I think it's the changing of the seasons. Spring fever maybe."

 

In fairness, I could see why my aunts might be concerned. A few days ago, I had been kneading dough with Izzy, and she had caught me staring off into space. I had been quite still for several minutes without realizing it. Then a day or two after that, I may have snipped the side of my finger with gardening sheers helping Nora trim the dead branches off of a rosebush. It was a little strange. I wasn't normally so careless. When the feeling came on, it was like...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Penguin Publishing Group
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0593335856
• ISBN 13: 9780593335857
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 304
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: BERKLEY; https://www.penguin.com/?s=BERKLEY; ; Unit 2 Limavady Business Park; Limavady; County Londonderry; BT49 0HR; Vereinigtes Königreich
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland