Lady Hawkeye: Book Tour { Excerpt & Giveaway } Death by the Book by Julianna Deering

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Death by the Book

by Julianna Deering

Christian Mystery

Paperback, 320 pages

March 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers

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.

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 2

With a determined smile, Drew turned toward Farthering Place and then slowed, puzzled at what he saw. Unless he was mistaken, that was Nick standing there at the side of the road, waving his arms like the flagman for a railway, his sandy hair sticking up and his hazel eyes wide. Drew pulled over.

“Nick, old man, what in the world—?”

“I just managed to slip out the back way.” Nick jumped into the car and wiped his sweating face with his handkerchief. “Madeline. She said I had to warn you.”

“What’s happened? Is she all right?”

“No, no, she’s fine,” Nick panted. “Perfectly fine. It’s you she’s worried about.”

Drew let out the air that was pent up in his lungs and put the car back into gear. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on without all the melodrama?”

“I’ve just had the tongue-lashing of my life, I can tell you that much.”

“Really? Why?”

“Accusations of a rather forceful nature, I must admit, and insinuating all manner of impropriety.”

Drew chuckled. “What exactly have you been up to?”

“Yes, go on and laugh now, but you might want to turn round, you know. Before it’s too late.”

They were at Farthering Place by then, and Drew pulled up at the steps, glad to see his family’s ancestral home was still standing in the grove of oaks at the end of the drive in all her imposing, respectable glory. From what Nick had said, Drew had half expected to find the old manor house nothing but rubble around his feet.

Hadn’t you better—?”

“Too late,” Nick breathed, nodding toward the formidable middle-aged woman dressed entirely in black, who, despite her cane, came sailing along the garden path round to the front of the house like an ocean liner in open water.

“There you are!” Steely eyes blazing, she pointed one accusing finger at Drew. “Finally man enough to show your face, are you?”

Drew blinked at her. “I beg your pardon?”

“And well you should, young man. Stand to your feet when addressing your elders. Now, where have you been hiding yourself?”

“Hiding?”

“Stand up, I say!”

She thumped her cane against one of the tires. Drew scrambled out of the car, removing his hat and feeling horribly guilty. Guilty of what, he did not know.

“I was just at the bookshop and—”

“A very likely story. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?” She turned her head sideways, peering at him over her wire-rimmed spectacles as if she were some enormous parrot in full mourning.

“I, uh—”

“Yes, of course. There is no excuse you could possibly offer. I’m glad we can agree on that much. I hope you realize that the situation cannot continue as it is.”

“I don’t—”

“Well, I didn’t think you would, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Look here—”

She put up a hand to silence him, looking the perfect image of saintlike patience in the face of great provocation.

“No amount of contrition will be sufficient at this late hour. I have already arranged for a taxi to come take us to the train station and told one of your housemaids to have everything packed up before he gets here. This little episode will soon be nothing more than a shameful memory. For you and for Madeline, I trust.”

“Me and—” Then it all made sense. Drew smiled. “Aunt Ruth, it must be. How lovely to meet you at last.”

Julianna Derring 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).

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