You Read It Here First

In Chapter Eight of The Summer Wedding Murder, Joe, his mind distracted by the murderer’s machinations, as usual, is on his way to meet Sheila and Brenda, when he bumps into a slightly eccentric woman.

She’s taking photographs of gravestones, and introduces herself as: “Madeleine Chester. Most people call me Maddy.”

Well, Maddy Chester is to get a series of her own.

That’s the statement of intent. Saying it and making it happen are two different things, but the opening of Maddy’s first case, The Body in the Graveyard is now written.

Let’s meet her, shall we?

***

Maddy Chester drove home the final, large screw, and stood back to admire her handiwork.

She was now the proud owner of a rustic timber slice, the bark left on its oval outer edge, its surface deep-varnished, the legend Stilldiggin burned into it and painted a rich, dark brown.

Standing alongside Maddy, Clem Trevis, the postman, screwed up his face in an impossible vision of surprise and puzzlement. “Stilldiggin?”

“It’s better than boring old number 96 Cliff Road, isn’t it?” Maddy suggested.

“I suppose so,” Clem agreed, “but what does it mean?”

“Well, you know how some people call their houses Dunroamin?”

Clem nodded. “We have a few Dunroamins round here, Mrs Chester.”

“It’s Ms Chester, not Mrs,” Maddy scolded him. “Well, I’m a genealogist, so—”

“You chisel bits of rock off the cliffs,” Clem interrupted.

“No. That’s a geologist.” Maddy sighed and tried to think of a simple way of explaining herself. “I dig into peoples’ pasts. Find out who they’re related to.”

The postman stroked his chin. “Shouldn’t think you’ll have much trouble here, then.  I reckon if you go back three generations, everyone is related to everyone else.”

Maddy gave up the effort. “Yes, well, I can tell them that for sure, can’t I? Anyway, as I was saying, people eventually settle down in the house where they intend to stay for the rest of their lives, and they’re Dunroamin. You see?”

With a slow nod, as if expecting some startling revelation, Clem nodded.

“Well, if I’d given it all up and retired, I would have called my house Dundiggin, but I haven’t given it up. I’m still doing it, so it’s Stilldiggin.”

***

I told you she was eccentric, didn’t I?

Maddy is not just a genealogist. She’s also something of a TV personality, having fronted a series helping well-known people trace their ancestry (I wonder where that idea came from) and she has a weekly slot on a local breakfast program.

Naturally all this, plus her calling as a family history researcher, makes her an ideal detective.

It’s way too early to say that it will be published by Crooked Cat, but they deal with so much of my work that they will be given first refusal. When will it be released? That’s anyone’s guess.

But remember; you read it here first.

***

The Summer Wedding Murder, STAC Mystery #8 is published by Crooked Cat books and available as an e-book download from:

Amazon UK (Kindle)

Amazon Worldwide (Kindle)

Smashwords (all formats)

Crooked Cat Books (EPUB, MOBI, PDF)

And in paperback from:

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide