The Book
Book 2 of the Drew Farthering Mystery series
Genre: historical mystery
About Death By The Book:
Drew Farthering wanted nothing more than to end the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement. Instead, he finds himself caught up in another mysterious case when the family solicitor is found murdered, an antique hatpin with a cryptic message, Advice to Jack, piercing his chest.Source: Info in the About Death By The Book was from the press kit from the publicity team.
Evidence of secret meetings and a young girl's tearful confession point to the victim's double life, but what does the solicitor's murder have to do with the murder of a physician on the local golf course? Nothing, it would seem--except for another puzzling note, affixed with a similar-looking bloodied hatpin.
Soon the police make an arrest in connection with the murders, but Drew isn't at all certain they have the right suspect in custody. And why does his investigation seem to be drawing him closer and closer to home?
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Excerpt:
“Hello there.”
They both turned at the decidedly American voice, and Madeline’s face was all-over smiles.
“Well, hello to you. What are you doing here? Oh, let me introduce you to Drew Farthering. Drew, this is Freddie Bell. I met him yesterday when I was out.”
Bell was one of those hearty-looking outdoor types, tall and blond and brashly good-natured. Drew offered his hand but not a smile.
“How do you do, Mr. Bell?”
“Call me Freddie.” Grinning, Bell pumped Drew’s arm as if they were long-lost friends who hadn’t had a falling out. “And how are you today, Miss Parker? I took your advice and came to buy some picture postcards and a guidebook.”
“It’s a pretty area, isn’t it? Of course, Drew is always telling me there’s nothing to see here.”
“Tourists generally prefer somewhere a bit more exciting, don’t they?” Drew shrugged. “What can I say about dear Farthering St. John? ‘An ill-favored thing, sir, but mine own.’”
“You’re too modest, Mr. Farthering.” Bell had the audacity to wink at Madeline. “I’d say your little village has some very attractive features.”
Drew managed not to sneer. “How long before you have to leave? I’m sure there are many things you’ve yet to see here in England, and I’d hate for you to miss any of them. York or the Lake District perhaps? Hadrian’s Wall?”
Bell seemed unaware that these charming destinations were about as far from Farthering St. John as one could go and remain still in England. He only grinned.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry. My idea of a nice vacation is to go where you want when you feel like it and stay there as long as it’s fun. I think I’m going to like Hampshire.”
Madeline beamed at him. “Oh, I’m sure you will. I love it here.”
Drew was certain she had absolutely no idea how perfectly intoxicating her smile could be. Obviously, Bell had noticed.
“Would you care to have lunch with me?” The American turned a little red. “Both of you, of course. Then you could tell me what I should see that’s not in the guidebooks.”
“Actually,” Drew began, “we’re due at—”
“We’d love to.” Madeline looked up at both of them. “We don’t really have to hurry off, do we, Drew? I’d love to hear some news from America. I’ve stayed here in Hampshire longer than I was expecting to, you know, and even though it’s wonderful here, I can’t help missing the States.”
Drew knew when he’d been defeated. “If you like, darling. Far be it from me to part countrymen far from the shores of home.”
“That’s great,” Bell said. “My treat, of course.”
Typical American. He would try to impress Madeline with his money.
“I won’t hear of it,” Drew said. “You’ll be our guest.”
Bell shook his head. “Oh, no, I couldn’t—”
“Of course you will.” Madeline took each of them by an arm. “You’re the visitor here, Mr. Bell.”
“But I invited you,” Bell protested.
“I know just the thing. Drew, you call over to the house and have Nick pick us up in the car, and then we can all go up to Winchester for lunch. Won’t that be fun?”
“But, darling, suppose Mr. Bell has something—”
“He doesn’t have something else to do. You don’t, do you, Mr. Bell?”
“No, come to think of it, I don’t.” Again, Bell grinned. He seemed to do little else.
Drew managed a slight smile. “Well that’s settled then."
They both turned at the decidedly American voice, and Madeline’s face was all-over smiles.
“Well, hello to you. What are you doing here? Oh, let me introduce you to Drew Farthering. Drew, this is Freddie Bell. I met him yesterday when I was out.”
Bell was one of those hearty-looking outdoor types, tall and blond and brashly good-natured. Drew offered his hand but not a smile.
“How do you do, Mr. Bell?”
“Call me Freddie.” Grinning, Bell pumped Drew’s arm as if they were long-lost friends who hadn’t had a falling out. “And how are you today, Miss Parker? I took your advice and came to buy some picture postcards and a guidebook.”
“It’s a pretty area, isn’t it? Of course, Drew is always telling me there’s nothing to see here.”
“Tourists generally prefer somewhere a bit more exciting, don’t they?” Drew shrugged. “What can I say about dear Farthering St. John? ‘An ill-favored thing, sir, but mine own.’”
“You’re too modest, Mr. Farthering.” Bell had the audacity to wink at Madeline. “I’d say your little village has some very attractive features.”
Drew managed not to sneer. “How long before you have to leave? I’m sure there are many things you’ve yet to see here in England, and I’d hate for you to miss any of them. York or the Lake District perhaps? Hadrian’s Wall?”
Bell seemed unaware that these charming destinations were about as far from Farthering St. John as one could go and remain still in England. He only grinned.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry. My idea of a nice vacation is to go where you want when you feel like it and stay there as long as it’s fun. I think I’m going to like Hampshire.”
Madeline beamed at him. “Oh, I’m sure you will. I love it here.”
Drew was certain she had absolutely no idea how perfectly intoxicating her smile could be. Obviously, Bell had noticed.
“Would you care to have lunch with me?” The American turned a little red. “Both of you, of course. Then you could tell me what I should see that’s not in the guidebooks.”
“Actually,” Drew began, “we’re due at—”
“We’d love to.” Madeline looked up at both of them. “We don’t really have to hurry off, do we, Drew? I’d love to hear some news from America. I’ve stayed here in Hampshire longer than I was expecting to, you know, and even though it’s wonderful here, I can’t help missing the States.”
Drew knew when he’d been defeated. “If you like, darling. Far be it from me to part countrymen far from the shores of home.”
“That’s great,” Bell said. “My treat, of course.”
Typical American. He would try to impress Madeline with his money.
“I won’t hear of it,” Drew said. “You’ll be our guest.”
Bell shook his head. “Oh, no, I couldn’t—”
“Of course you will.” Madeline took each of them by an arm. “You’re the visitor here, Mr. Bell.”
“But I invited you,” Bell protested.
“I know just the thing. Drew, you call over to the house and have Nick pick us up in the car, and then we can all go up to Winchester for lunch. Won’t that be fun?”
“But, darling, suppose Mr. Bell has something—”
“He doesn’t have something else to do. You don’t, do you, Mr. Bell?”
“No, come to think of it, I don’t.” Again, Bell grinned. He seemed to do little else.
Drew managed a slight smile. “Well that’s settled then."
Meet The Author
JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, Summer 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, Spring 2014) and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House, Summer 2014). She is represented by Wendy Lawton of the Books & Such Literary Agency (www.booksandsuch.biz).
www.deannajuliedodson.com | blog | amazon | twitter | facebook | goodreads | novel crossing | bethany house
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Julianna Deering
P. O. Box 375
Aubrey, Texas 76227
Giveaway
Print copies of The Rules of Murder and Death by the Book and a Tea Gift Basket (US ONLY)
March 10th - 28th
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