Fixing to Die: 4 (A Southern Ladies Mystery)

Author: James, Miranda

Brand: Riverhead Books

Color: Multicolor

Edition: Standard Edition

Binding: mass_market

Format: Import

Number Of Pages: 304

Release Date: 03-10-2017

Part Number: 9780399584770

Details: Product Description


The New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries and Digging Up the Dirt returns with the latest Southern Ladies Mystery...

It’s autumn down south, and An'gel and Dickce Ducote are in Natchez, Mississippi, at the request of Mary Turner Catlin, the granddaughter of an old friend. Mary and her husband, Henry Howard, live in Cliffwood, one of the beautiful antebellum homes for which Natchez is famous.
 
Odd things have been happening in the house for years, and the French Room in particular has become the focal point for spooky sensations. The Ducotes suspect the ghostly goings-on are caused by the living, but when a relative of the Catlins is found dead in the room, An'gel and Dickce must sift through a haunted family history to catch a killer.


Review


Praise for the Southern Ladies Mysteries

“Filled with Southern charm.”—
Richmond Times-Dispatch

 
“Remind[s] me of Miss Marple if she were a Southern belle senior.”—Open Book Society
 
“As charming as the day is long.”—MyShelf.com
 
“James is a master at character development.”—Debbie’s Book Bag
 
“Filled with humor [and] realistic dialogue…Excellent from beginning to end.”—Socrates’ Book Reviews


About the Author


Miranda James is the
New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries and the Southern Ladies Mysteries.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.


Chapter 1

"Do you mean to sit there and tell me you think Cliffwood really is haunted?" Miss An'gel Ducote regarded her sister with a frown.

Miss Dickce Ducote shrugged. "There've been stories about that house for decades, Sister. Anyway, you know Natchez is supposed to be one of the most haunted towns in the country."

"Yes, I know," An'gel replied with a sniff. "I just don't ever recall hearing that Cliffwood was riddled with ghosts as you put it." Her brow wrinkled as she paused to think. "At least I don't remember hearing Jessamine or her husband, Marshall, ever talk about it."

Dickce snorted. "That old goat. He was too busy running around after women to notice ghosts. How Jessy put up with him for all those years, I'll never know."

"Fifty years ago, women thought they had to put up with it for the sake of their sons," An'gel said. "Not to mention that Jessy would have starved if Marshall had left her for another woman. She was one of the sweetest girls I ever knew, but she could get lost in her own closet. She'd never have kept a job."

"That's a terrible thing to say about an old sorority sister." Dickce snorted with laughter. "Even if it's true." She laughed again.

"At least Marshall had the good sense to die before he threw away all his money; otherwise she'd have had to sell Cliffwood."

"We've wandered away from the subject." Dickce pointed to the letter An'gel held. "Mary Turner and Henry Howard Catlin are asking for our help. Even if we don't quite believe in ghosts, Mary Turner evidently does."

"I know." An'gel laid the letter aside on her desk. "I suppose we could go spend a few days in Natchez and see what's going on. I suspect there's nothing supernatural about it. Someone's playing tricks on them, I'd say."

"You're probably right," Dickce replied. "I'm game to go ghost-hunting, and I'll bet Benjy will get a hoot out of the whole thing."

"No doubt," An'gel said. Their young ward, Benjy Stephens, had a lively intelligence and a healthy curiosity, and he would enjoy seeing the antebellum treasures of Natchez, potential apparitions included. "We can't take that for granted, however, and I wouldn't want him to feel obliged to go if he's uncomfortable with the idea."

"I don't think the idea of ghosts will faze him all that much. Besides, Peanut and Endora can help, too," Dickce said. "Animals are supposed to be sensitive to ghosts. If there are any supernatural presences at Cliffwood, they'll let us know."

"Let's hope they don't run across any tortured spirits that need to be laid to rest."

EAN: 9780399584770

Package Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches

Languages: English