Lee Strauss's Blog, page 7
March 25, 2021
Are you a Futurist?
Are you a futurist? If you have to ask what that is, you probably aren't one. 
A futurist is someone who spends a lot of time planning and plotting what's going to happen next. I'm a futurist. I only just recently discovered that not everyone's brain works like mine does!
There are pros and cons to being a futurist. The upside is that a person who thinks ahead often can get a lot done, and also probably does a lot of things “out of the box.” The downside is it's easy to miss what's happening in the now and enjoying the present.
Being a futurist is helpful to me as a writer and publisher as it helps me to get a lot done in a short time. I'm releasing the 15th book in the Ginger Gold Mystery series, Murder at the Royal Albert Hall, next week! I'm also working on the next Ginger Gold book, Murder in Belgravia, which will be available to you in JUNE.
My planning brain goes beyond work, and Norm and I have some fun things coming in that we're excited to share with you in the future. <>
As a lot of you might know, Norm and I work together on some projects, and the Ginger Gold's Journal is one of them. I started off writing them myself, then Norm jumped in when I hit the war years. The idea for the journal came when I found myself writing about Ginger's past in the mystery books. This week's journal entry is the memory flashback Ginger had in book 3, Murder at Bray Manor.
CAPTAIN SMITHWICK
Captain Smithwick is a determined man willing to help or use people in order to accomplish his missions during the war. Ginger's respect for him dims over time, and by the end of things she quite despises him. You'll have to read the journal to find out why!
April 28, 1916Dancing with Captain Smithwick ~I’d been invited to a private party,the birthday of Madame Cousineau the wife of the former mayor of the village I presently live in, who sadly, had been killed last year in battle. Madame. Cousineau had rented the public house, and even though things like good wine and fine pastries are hard to find in occupied France, there seemed to be enough to make the evening merry. An accordionist provided music, and together with the wine and laughter, the war almost faded away for a few hours.
I sat at a table talking with Madame Cousineau when, to my astonishment, Captain Smithwick suddenly appear as if out of thin air.
“Bonsoir mesdames,” he said in perfect French.
“Ah, Bonsoir Monsieur Favreau,” Madame Cousineau replied. “This is my friend Mademoiselle Antionette Lafleur. We met only a few days ago, but have already become fast friends. Antionette this is Monsieur Andre Favreau, he is also quite new to our little town.” >>>
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE: https://www.leestraussbooks.com/gingers-journal/april-28-1916/
Password: Goldmine
What about you? Are you a futurist? Tell me about your plans in the comments.
March 18, 2021
Fascinated with Vintage Retro? I am.
“Vintage-retro.com is specialized in collecting and providing information on the history of vintage fashion from Victoria to the 1980s, providing guidance on antiques for women and men in every era, and all Look for the best classical style clothing, accessories, and jewelry on the Internet for a modern taste. At the same time, we also have a corresponding retro clothing online sales partner, which is missfoxshop.com. You can find all the clothing and accessories mentioned in vintage-retro.com on this website.
Miss Fox includes dresses from the 1950s to 20s, plus size styles, and summer bikini series. Dresses from the 1950s to the 20s are full of retro style. And those old clothes that are at least 20 years old are antiques that have recently become obsolete but are likely to make a comeback. Time will never abandon retro. We offer the most popular women's clothing this season, including a selection of vintage dresses, oversized dresses, and sexy bikinis. Miss Fox is willing to be your exclusive wardrobe and personal butler.”
Speaking of Vintage Retro, don't miss out on this contest to win a Vintage-themed watercolor painting by artist Joel Strauss (aka my oldest son and assistant at La Plume Press) inspired by the Rosa Reed Mystery series.
CLICK this link to Enter: https://upvir.al/110146/lp110146Did you see this?>>> DIARY ENTRY from Ambrosia when she was a young lady in 1871!From the upcoming release, A Ginger Gold Mystery, Murder at the Royal Albert Hall
Murder makes a scene!
Nothing ruins a night of Shakespeare faster than a duchess falling to her death. Mrs. Ginger Reed, also known by some as Lady Gold, is at the Royal Albert Hall with her husband, Basil Reed, a chief inspector at Scotland Yard, and the two of them are immediately at the scene. Was the duchess of Worthington’s fall accidental? Where was the duke?
And what does Ginger’s grandmother, Ambrosia, the dowager Lady Gold have to do with the sordid affair?
Something went terribly wrong with the dowager’s “sisterhood” of friends back in the 1860s, and it's all coming home to roost.
COMING MARCH 30!March 4, 2021
Journal news, the birthday boy, and plans for this blog.
I fully intend to write more on this blog as time goes on, but I confess that I don't feel like I have a lot to talk about besides work. Canada is lagging in vaccination rollout and so we're still social distancing and spending a lot of time at home. Norm and I play pickleball twice a week, but with covid, we're only allow to play with each other. Good thing we get along so well! We work, play and live together 24/7.
I'm thankful that we got our little (not so little) Diego last year. He's brought us a lot of amusement and much needed diversion. He turned one this week, so not a kitten anymore. Quite oblivious to the momentous occasion.
We promised him that he'd be an adventure cat, which, again due to you know what, we haven't come through with our end of the bargain. However, this is changing. We've started taking him for walks to the park, and we've ordered e-bikes! Stay tuned for more on that in the future.
In book news, Murder at the Races, A Rosa Reed Mystery #6, released this week, and the birthday boy, once again makes a fictional appearance.
Next up is Murder at the Royal Albert Hall, A Ginger Gold Mystery #5 coming the end of March. I'm excited to release this one, as we get a good inside look at what made bristly Ambrosia, bristly Ambrosia. I'll be posting an excerpt soon. In the meantime, you can PREORDER HERE.
Normally, this time of year, Norm and I would be snowbirding somewhere in Mexico. We don't like cold, but got off pretty easy this year with a mild winter. And Kelowna is lovely anytime of year with many spectacular hiking areas. I'll post more about our hiking/biking/travel adventures in the future as well.
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With another Ginger Gold Mystery on the way, I'll be posting more Journal Entries. Originally, this was a perk just for my newsletter, but since I've reduced the number of emails going out per month, I'll be posting some journal entries here as well. Here's the latest!
February 27, 1916
Bombs!
The bombardment started on the morning of the 21st at precisely 7:12 am with a shell landing on the cathedral in Verdun.
The whole hotel building where I stayed in a room on the second floor shook mightily, causing my window to shatter inwardly, spraying glass all over.
I shrieked loudly as I dove under my bed covers. The next salvo came only moments later, landing on the main train station. Since then it has been an almost constant bombardment of the city with fire crews hopelessly overwhelmed and the town’s inhabitants scrambling for any form of protection from the massive German guns, which I’m told are about twenty miles away.
It’s very hard to describe the awful, teeth rattling sound of those guns. It’s as if gigantic marching drums were being played by some ancient, angry war god gleefully pounding out his hellish cadence.
If you have trouble getting in, the password is GOLDMINE.
What about you? What are you looking forward to doing this year?
February 25, 2021
New Release + Audiobook Sale
Rosa Reed attends a charity stock car race in Santa Bonita and expects to have an exhilarating time shared with family and friends. That ends when a driver inexplicably crashes into a guard rail and dies. When local assistant medical examiner, Dr. Larry Rayburn determines the death is suspicious, Rosa once again finds herself working with the handsome Detective Miguel Belmonte in an awkward and uncomfortable alliance to solve the murder.
Click here to the get the Print Book
***
Ginger Gold Audio Sale
SALE on Ginger Gold Audiobooks for as low as $1.99!
– Sale ends on March 18th –
Get Ginger Gold Audiobook Sales
February 11, 2021
Winter fun and a Rosa Reed contest!
I don't know about where you live, but since we couldn't go to Mexico this year, Norm and I are walking on the lake in front of our condo! Beautiful but cold. We actually ventured out to make a fun, locked-down-in-covid music video, where you'll find me bee-bopping on the ice! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/eRZtaXPUtOM
<Murder at the Races. It takes place in a much warmer climate 
>>Diego is a possessive roadie!
Getting excited for the next new Rosa Reed book? Check out this new contest ~ Paperback of Murder at the Races, a pair of cute Bobby socks, and $50 cash prize!
Click here to Enter the Contest
Click here to Enter the Contest
What about you? What are you doing to pass the days of covid?
February 4, 2021
February Backlist Blast + Multi-author paperback sale
I can't believe I've been indie-publishing since 2011! In that time I've written and published 44 books (not all currently available) with more coming.
I'm so grateful for this job and for faithful readers like you!
Since 2017, I've focused on the historical cozy mystery genre, but before then I wrote Young Adult, Speculative Fiction, and Sweet Romance. Those books are considered my backlist books (series I'm no longer writing), and for those of you who are curious and would like to check them out, I've put the first in series books on sale for .99. They are all in Kindle Unlimited too, for those of you who subscribe.
If you are a diehard historical cozy mystery fan, I've got good news for you too. I've joined 11 other authors who are offering paperback versions of their books on sale for 9.99 or less. You can get Murder on the SS Rosa in paperback for just 6.99 until February 14.
Click here for Cosy Historical Mystery sales
February Backlist SalesClockwise (The Clockwise Series Book 1)
Almost sixteen-year-old Casey Donovan just wants to survive high school ~ uncontrollable trips to the 19th century do NOT help, especially when you accidentally take the cutest boy in the school back in time!
Casey Donovan’s hair is too curly, her limbs too long, and she barely fills an A cup. She can throw a ball as well as any boy, but for reasons she wouldn’t dare share, she never tries out for any team. Casey nurses a secret crush on the unattainable Nate Mackenzie.
Nate Mackenzie, super jock and quarterback at Cambridge High, hadn’t even heard of Casey Donovan until the night of the Fall Dance. That was when his buddies dared him to ask her to dance. That was when the craziness started.
Click here to get Clockwise for 99 cents
Love Song (Light & Love series Book 1)
Katja Stoltz is used to tough times—an abusive stepfather, life on the streets, a musical dream that keeps shattering—but it’s hard to compete with the ghost in Micah Sturm’s mysterious closet.
The Baroque beauty of Dresden Germany can be breathtaking, but it can also be bitterly cold. After being tossed onto the streets by her unfeeling roommates, Katja fears there’s only one recourse left for her. The oldest profession on earth.
Micah’s the one to pick her up, but he surprises her with his no strings offer — a place to stay until she gets on her feet.
If only it weren’t for this undeniable attraction between them, a gravitational pull they both struggle to resist. Katja can't help but fall in love.
But Micah has a secret that could ruin everything.
Will Katja find happiness on her quest for the truth about Micah? Or will she miss out on her Love Song?
Click here to get Love Song for 99 cents
Gingerbread Man (A Nursery Rhyme Suspense Book 1)
When that cute chick you met online is murdered – but shows up for your next internet meeting anyway.
Marlow's just a regular geeky college freshman with little to no experience with girls, so when he has a semi-flirtatious chat with a cute girl online, it's almost more than his nerves can handle.
Then the girl is murdered.
Or is she?
Marlow finds himself teamed up with intelligent and savvy Sage Farrell, a girl so far out of his league he feels blinded in her presence – literally – damned glasses! Together they work to find the identity of @gingerbreadman. Can they stop the killer before he strikes in more worlds than one?
Click here to get Gingerbread Man for 99 cents
Perception (The Perception Trilogy Book 1)
ETERNAL LIFE IS TO DIE FOR
Seventeen-year-old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property alongside other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.
Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn when her brother Liam is murdered.
The only one who can help her find out what happened is Noah Brody, the last guy on earth she should trust.
Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically. He's not sure why he's agreed to help her, but what he finds out when he does, will change his life forever.
Click here to get Perception for 99 cents
January 21, 2021
Murder at the Dude Ranch cover reveal + High Tide sale
Rosa Reed takes a much needed break from her thriving private investigative work by joining her cousin Clarence and Aunt Louisa for a weekend getaway at the Black Stallion Dude Ranch near Santa Bonita, California. It's the beginning of 1957 and Rosa is ready for a fresh start. Newly single, all she needs is time on the trails, and cuddles from her tabby cat, Diego.
The peace and quiet of ranch life is soon disrupted when a horse returns from a trail ride without its rider. When foul play is determined, Rosa finds herself thrust once again into a murder investigation along side her former flame, the handsome detective Miguel Belmonte.
Suspicion falls on many of the guests—the failed investment banker, the laundrymat owner, the heiress, and to Rosa's dismay, her own cousin Clarence.
Can Rosa prove her cousin's innocence before the cows come home?
Preorder Now What do you think of the cover? Let me know in the comments.
MURDER AT HIGH TIDE is on SALE this week for .99!
When a body floats onto the beach at a charity event hosted by Rosa's Aunt Louisa, Rosa's detective instincts kick in. Can she help solve the case and save her aunt's reputation? Even if it means working with her old flame, Detective Miguel Belmonte? Get it for .99!
January 14, 2021
Driving into Escapism – What does Rum Running have to do with Nascar?
If, during these tumultuous times, you feel like driving into a world of fiction, you're not alone! Sometimes a comfy, cozy escapism is just what a weary reader needs. The next book I have on offer will do just that with an interesting and insightful look at the early days of stock car racing.
The ‘Well Oiled' Roots of Stock Car Racing.
In the latest Rosa Reed Mystery, Murder at the Races, Rosa finds herself thrust into the world of American stock car racing. She encounters a number of pretty colorful characters and learns about the history of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Racing). Did you know that NASCAR has its beginnings in prohibition bootlegging?
During the 1930s and 40s, in order to successfully avoid Federal Agents and police, bootleggers needed to turn up the speed.
They needed to make cars that were faster, but they also needed them to look ordinary.
Keeping the outside the same, all the floorboards and backseats of the cars were removed to store as much liquor as possible. Extra suspension springs were installed to handle the extra weight, and most importantly, the engines were modified to allow for much greater speed.
The illegal liquor was often transported on the backroads at night, usually with the headlights turned off. The “Rum Runners” behind the wheel needed very strong driving skills, able to to maneuver well along various terrain (even winding mountain roads) with the speedometer cranked up.
In the process, these Runners taught themselves to be the best high-speed drivers of their time. Although Prohibition ended in 1933, illegal whiskey and Moonshine continued to be produced for years afterward to avoid taxes and regulations.
With the continual improvement of fast cars, NASCAR races were introduced in the late 40s, and most of the drivers involved had honed their skills for years transporting illegal liquor.
Some of them had even served prison sentences prior to these races, and their failures here were blamed on flat tires at inopportune moments (for this reason, several companies had developed high-quality tires specifically for the rum-running business).
The first ever winner of a NASCAR race, Red Byron, was a former Moonshine Runner.
In Murder at the Races (link), Rosa Reed attends a charity stock car race in Santa Bonita and expects to have exhilarating time shared with family and friends. That ends when a driver inexplicably crashes into a guard rail and dies. When local assistant medical examiner, Dr. Larry Rayburn determines the death is suspicious, Rosa once again finds herself working with the handsome Detective Miguel Belmonte in an awkward and uncomfortable alliance to solve the murder.
Did you learn anything new? Let me know in the comments.
Preorder Murder at the RacesThe post Driving into Escapism – What does Rum Running have to do with Nascar? appeared first on Lee Strauss.
January 3, 2021
Hello 2021. I’m cautiously optimistic to meet you.
Often, this time of year, I write a blog about my year in review, but I think I'm going to pass this time. I've never been so eager to see a year leave through the back door as I have for 2020, and I know I'm not alone.
Personally, I lost a longtime, very dear friend to cancer. I know there's been tremendous loss, and my heart goes out to everyone who is grieving right now. You are not alone. There is a time for grief, but we are never without hope.
Because of Covid, our family, like many families, couldn't be together this holiday seasons. The rules in our area state that a single person could have one other person spend Christmas with them, so Norm and I decided I would go to my daughter who presently lives five hours away. (I say presently because she is soon moving back to Kelowna where Norm and I live – yay!) It's the first time in 33 years that we as a couple have spent the holidays apart. Norm spent Christmas with two of our sons. Strange times we live in.
Spending so much more time at home, (and I'm a bonafide homebody already!) has given me more time for contemplation and reflection. Hitting my mid fifties (okay, a little beyond) has also contributed to my reflections on “How then shall we live?”
I've concluded that life is too short and too precious to waste it by being anxious or busy. I'm determined to spend more time outdoors and with my family in 2021. Though I love my work, and of course, there will be more books (!), balance in life is so important. Finding peace in turbulent times is necessary for our mental health and I hope in this year you can find your way to Peace.
Memorable for its simplicity. Tasia, my daughter, spoiled me with a pair of classy sunglasses and a wonderful, super soft scarf. I stayed for several days to help her clean and pack to move.
In book news: 4 maybe 5 Ginger Gold books are coming your way this year along with 3 Rosa Reed. I'm currently working on Ginger Gold 15, Murder at Royal Albert Hall where I delve into the mystery of Ambrosia's past. I think you'll really like this one! It's releasing the end of March. But you won't have to wait that long for a new Lee Strauss release. Murder at the Races, the 6th Rosa Reed is coming this February!
Do you have any goals or plans for 2021? Let me know in the comments.
The post Hello 2021. I’m cautiously optimistic to meet you. appeared first on Lee Strauss.
December 16, 2020
Murder In Hyde Park Chapter One
Click Here to Get Murder in Hyde Park on Amazon
Chapter One
The grand Summer Fashion Show, set in Hyde Park, was only one day away, and Feathers & Flair was abuzz with energy. In the back room of the Regent Street dress shop belonging to Mrs. Ginger Reed, last-minute details were being attended to. A red-velvet curtain hid the mayhem from the sophistication of the display room on the other side. Madame Roux, the shop manager, fussed and clicked her tongue, giving clipped French-accented instructions to Millie, the long and lithe model, to dress quickly and see to the customer standing by the tall windows awaiting a demonstration.
“A fashion show may be in our future, Miss Tatum,” Madame Roux said, “but we have customers today!”
Millie, dressed in a new, sparkling silk gown the colour of sea glass and as wispy as seaweed, passed through the velvet curtain to the vast display room with its shiny white-marble floors, high ceilings trimmed in gold, and lit with an electric chandelier. Dorothy West, the young shop attendant who lacked the model’s level of sophistication, assisted.
Ginger turned to her resident seamstress and designer, Emma Miller. A former student of fashion design, Miss Miller showed tremendous potential, and it was Ginger’s secret concern the girl would get a better offer and leave Feathers & Flair.
“They’re a whirlwind of excitement, aren’t they, Emma?” Ginger said.
For what seemed like the thousandth time, Emma scrutinised the rack of frocks—her own designs—ready for the fashion runway.
“Oh, madam, I don’t blame them. I’m quite flushed myself. Whenever I think of the show, and all the famous designers coming . . .” She ran a slender hand across her brow. “Especially Coco Chanel! Will she be there? Have you heard?”
Ginger bit her cheek to keep from grinning. Emma’s nerves shone through her uncharacteristic chattering.
“Mademoiselle Chanel isn’t one to make commitments, I’m afraid,” Ginger said. “Although, I’ve heard from the event organisers that her mannequins and designs are on their way if one can believe the French.”
Ginger often envied the joie de vivre of her French counterparts, their flair for life, and their little regard for rules or propriety. Being English could be rather dull in comparison.
Emma gasped. “Do you think we’ll see the little black dress?”
Coco Chanel had debuted the controversial frock that spring to the dismay of many and the delight of a few. Ginger counted herself among the latter.
“I certainly hope so,” Ginger replied. Her hand rounded her growing belly. The colour black created the illusion of slimness, though at the rate her little one inside was growing, she could hardly imagine that any colour could mask her condition in due time. She was thankful that the current trends were for straight lines that dropped from the shoulder. The earlier cinch-waisted gowns of the previous generation would be far less forgiving.
“I adore her, Mrs. Reed,” Emma said, her eyes glazed over as she placed her palms over her heart. “I shall simply die if she comes.”
This time, Ginger couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Well, that shall never do, Emma. We need you alive and well for this event. We have a lot of work to do.”
Ginger braced herself to face the small mountain of correspondence waiting for her on her desk in the back room’s tiny office. She held in a growing sense of frustration toward her former sister-in-law, Felicia Gold, who Ginger employed to help her in her investigative office around the corner. For this week, however, Ginger had asked for help in the dress shop, and Felicia had reassured her that she’d join in on the effort. But since she’d started stepping out with Lord Davenport-Witt, Felicia’s word had begun to mean nothing. Ginger understood the draw of new love, but that didn’t excuse one from keeping to one’s word and responsibilities.
Wanting to finish her desk work before the afternoon postal delivery and pickup, Ginger picked up her fountain pen and wrote several responses to letters waiting. By the time she’d finished her task, her hand was cramped.
Madame Roux stepped into the office, looking flushed.
“How is everything on the floor?” Ginger asked. “Is everything all right?”
“Oui, oui. It’s busy, and sales are brisk, but a new customer, one I’ve never seen before, has asked for you.” Madame Roux’s ski-jump nose pointed upwards. “She refused service from me. ‘Only the owner,’ she said.”
How odd, Ginger thought. She got to her feet, a little less gracefully than had come naturally before she was with child, and smoothed out her skirt. She wore a pretty powder-blue day frock with a floral pattern and pearl detailing, and when she walked through the velvet curtains to meet their demanding customer, she was glad she looked her best.
Before her stood a petite but formidable-looking lady in a summer hat with a narrow brim, wide ribbon, and an abundance of felt roses. A fringe of grey hair peeked out along her lined forehead. Despite her years, her posture was so straight that only a corset could be responsible. The lines on her face were plentiful and deep; however, it was clear by her high cheekbones and facial structure that she had been a beauty in her youth. And, unlike many women in their later years, this lady had a good grasp of fashion and was wearing a soft-grey silk frock with flaring, pleated leaves and a pleated, low-dropping skirt, tastefully highlighted with rose-coloured trim. Ginger recognised it as an Alice Bernard design she’d seen in a recent La Femme Chic magazine.
“Good afternoon,” Ginger said, a friendly smile pasted on her face. She’d learned to keep her voice low to keep it from carrying along the high ceilings. “I’m Mrs. Reed, the owner of this establishment.”
Ginger held out a hand, gloveless, but with fingers expertly manicured and a row of tasteful rings on her fingers.
The lady hesitated before accepting the handshake. “I’m Deborah, Duchess of Worthington. I was under the impression that a titled lady ran this shop.”
The skin around Ginger’s green eyes tightened. It was true. When she’d opened Feathers & Flair, her official legal title was Lady Gold, as widow of Lord Daniel Gold, a baron. Then she fell in love with Basil Reed. Though the grandson of a viscount, Basil worked as a chief inspector at Scotland Yard, which meant, to some, a slip down the ladder. However, Ginger had readily forfeited the title and the prestige that came with it to spend the rest of her life with him.
Most of the time, Ginger didn’t miss it.
“Yes,” Ginger answered politely. “But now it is run by me. Is there something I can help you find? We can order any of the latest fashions from all the esteemed designers, or our resident designer could help you with an original.”
Ginger didn’t bother to tell the highbrow lady that the upper floor contained racks of factory-made frocks, a new trend followed by the younger generation and those who appreciated the convenience of buying an outfit already sized, and that could be worn that very day.
“Are you new to London?” Ginger enquired. She’d encountered every lady of consequence in the city at some point.
“Until recently, my husband, the Duke of Worthington, and I lived in our villa in Morocco, but with the conflict there . . .” She flicked a hand as if she were bored with the subject. The Rif War between Spain’s colonial power and the regional Berber tribes had been ongoing for six years. Tiring of it, all of Europe hoped for an end to the conflict soon. “The Duke is busy in Barcelona, so I came here.”
She sniffed with an expression of displeasure. “London is still a rather filthy city, isn’t it?”
Propriety insisted that Ginger take the insult to her city on the chin. “There are many lovely places in London, and you might be interested in the fashion show coming to Hyde Park this Friday afternoon. It’ll be splendid.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about the event.” She glanced around the shop and then back at Ginger. “Perhaps.”
“Can I help you with your fashion needs, Your Grace?” Ginger asked, hoping to move this unpleasant encounter along.
“I think not. My driver is waiting in the motorcar. Coco Chanel’s London shop is dazzling, and near my home in Mayfair, where I’m currently staying. Good day, Mrs. Reed.”
Of course, Ginger knew of Coco Chanel’s connections in the area, particularly her alleged affair with Bendor, 2nd Duke of Westminster.
The Duchess of Worthington turned on her heel, never laying an eye on Madame Roux who’d remained several steps behind Ginger, nor the shop girls that watched, wide-eyed, at the back.
“Well,” Ginger said, facing her staff. “I doubt we’ll see her again.” To herself, she thought, good riddance.
The bell above the door rang as the postman entered.
“Dorothy,” Ginger said, “be a brick and grab the outgoing letters on my desk.”
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Reed,” the postman said, handing her a bundle of letters. He waited until Dorothy returned, handing him the outgoing post. “Very good,” he said. “Good day, ladies.”
“He’s a nice man, isn’t he?” Dorothy said with a soft sigh.
“Too short for me,” Millie quipped.
Ginger perused the post, stopping on one letter with a Paris return address. She recognised the neat cursive script. “Oh, Emma. I think it’s her.”
Emma stepped forward, her hands clasped highly in front of her frock. “Her, madam?”
Ginger removed the single card inserted inside and read aloud.
“My dearest Ginger.” Ginger paused on the next word, the pet surname written behind her name, LaFleur. Withholding that, she continued. “I’m pleased to tell you that I shall be returning to London shortly and shall attend your little fashion show along with my entourage. I look forward to sharing a glass of chardonnay with you. And a grotesque basket of your famous fish and chips!”
“You didn’t say that you and Mademoiselle Chanel were friends,” Madame Roux said. “Though I’m not surprised.”
“We met in Paris, long ago—before her Chanel N˚5 perfume shot her to fame and fortune.” Ginger’s mind went back to the moment they had met, before Ginger’s recruitment into the British secret service, during what seemed another lifetime. Ginger would hardly call them friends.
Emma gripped the edge of the sales counter. “Coco Chanel is coming. I think I’m going to faint.”
CLICK HERE to Get Murder In Hyde Park on Amazon
The post Murder In Hyde Park Chapter One appeared first on Lee Strauss.
