Authors: Erika Chase
A Killer Read
“This is a terrific debut! I want to join this book club, eat those cheese sticks, keep an eye on those romances, and wander around Ashton Corners. But most of all, I’d love to have Lizzie Turner as my friend. Especially if another body turns up.”
—Mary Jane Maffini, author of
the Charlotte Adams Mysteries
“Who can’t love a debut novel filled with mystery references and a pair of cats named Edam and Brie? And who can’t adore dedicated, saucy Lizzie Turner, a literacy teacher with high hopes for her students? Readers should have high hopes for this series. And thanks to the author’s fine research, readers just might find a delicious assortment of new authors to browse.”
—Avery Aames, Agatha Award winner and
national bestselling author of the Cheese Shop Mysteries
“Book a date with
A Killer Read
. Mystery-loving book club members will keep readers guessing as they page through clues to prevent themselves from being booked for murder.”
—Janet Bolin, author of the Threadville Mysteries
ERIKA CHASE
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
A KILLER READ
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / April 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Linda Wiken.
Excerpt from
Read and Buried
by Erika Chase copyright © 2012 by Linda Wiken.
Cover illustration by Griesbach/Martucci.
Interior text design by Laura K. Corless.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN: 978-1-101-56135-5
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
There are many people to whom I am grateful, and I’m certain to miss some, but please know, if we’ve met, you’ve played a role in my writing life.
My special thanks go to:
My agent, Kim Lionetti, who started me on this journey with invaluable advice and encouragement. To editor Kate Seaver for her thought-provoking questions, guidance and support. To Katherine Pelz, editorial assistant and person of great patience. To my anonymous copyeditor, the one with the eagle eye.
Mary Jane Maffini. Without her, this book would not have happened. She was the conduit; she was the constant source of encouragement, my go-to person for any and all questions; she is a dear and true friend. I probably owe her a spa weekend by now.
My longtime writing group, The Ladies’ Killing Circle—Joan Boswell, Vicki Cameron, Barbara Fradkin, Mary Jane Maffini and Sue Pike—who, despite the name, have provided friendship and help as I’ve honed my writing skills.
Lee McNeilly, my sister and first reader. As in all aspects of my life, she’s there for me, and she reads with a critical eye and a love of mysteries.
Tammy Rushing Lynn, for agreeing to be my “Southern” connection.
My two Siamese cats, despite the many attempts at “editing” by slinking across the keyboard at critical moments in a scene.
And, of course, to mystery readers everywhere. You’re the ones we do it for.
Chapter One
Some say life is the thing, but I prefer reading.
RUTH RENDELL
“I
’ve got an idea, Lizzie… why don’t you just do, like, brain surgery or something on me. Slice me open, pull out my brain, squish all this Shakespeare stuff into it, put it back and sew me up like new. Maybe that way I’ll finally get it!” Andrea Mason punctuated her proclamation with a long groan.
Lizzie Turner internalized her own groan. She knew that Andie felt like she was being tortured, but Lizzie felt little remorse about the pain she’d inflicted. It was for her student’s own good.
“Okay, Andie. I guess that’s enough for today. I’ll see you next Thursday, same time, same place, same English lit.”
Andie groaned again, stroking her silver nose ring. She shifted from her terminal slouch to a more upright position and stuffed her book, notepad and pen into her black skull-and-crossbones backpack. “This sucks. It’s so not what I want to be doing, Lizzie. Couldn’t you just tell my folks I know it? Or I’m illiterate. Or something?”
“Listen, kiddo. You’re not illiterate. Just undermotivated.” Or totally nonmotivated was more like it. “I hate to restate the obvious, but you need your English in order to pass. And that means reading what’s on the curriculum and hopefully, understanding some of it.”
“Like that’s going to happen.” Andie pushed out of the chair and reached the door in record time. “This Shakespeare guy’s just so boring, ya know? And I hate reading.” Her lower lip slid out into a childish pout as she slammed the door.
Lizzie gritted her teeth and shoved her books into her tote. Words of dismay to a literacy teacher.
What’s it going to take?
she wondered. Maybe she should give up tutoring, stick to the behind-the-scenes basics.
No, don’t go there.
This was just one rebellious adolescent, not a critique of her skills. But it really bothered her. After two months of tutoring sessions, once a week, that girl was still a mystery.
“Yikes… that’s it. I’ve got it! A mystery.” Lizzie dashed out the door and caught up with Andie as she stood on the front porch, pushing her iPod earbuds into her ears.
“Andie, wait a minute.” Lizzie touched Andie’s arm to get her attention. She waited until the earbuds disappeared into the girl’s pocket. “Have I got a book for you. Actually, tons of them. I want you to come to my mystery book club meeting tonight. I won’t take no for an answer. Consider it part of your tutoring. In fact, for each meeting you attend, we’ll skip the next tutoring session.” She knew she was grasping at straws at this point. “Deal?”
Andie narrowed her brown eyes, already sinister-looking with layers of thick black eye shadow and liner surrounding them. “You mean, like read a mystery? Can I deep-six Will Shakespeare?”
Uh-oh.
“Not instead of, not yet anyway.”
Andie thought for a moment. “Okay.”
“Great. Be back here at Molly’s tonight at seven
P. M.
”
Andie pulled her earbuds out, reattached herself to the iPod and left.
Wow, it actually worked.
Lizzie gave herself a mental pat on the back.
Hope springs anew.