Law and Author

Praise for the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries

Book Fair and Foul

“Southern sensibilities, hidden family ties, delicious food, and a book club that has become a supportive family all highlight this lively mystery . . . This fourth in the series celebrates mysteries as much as it has fun playing with their conventions.”

—Kings River Life Magazine

“A good Southern mystery, full of witty dialogue.”

—MyShelf.com

“Ms. Chase skillfully leads us through a well-thought-out plot, with surprise curveballs that only an excellent mystery writer could dream of . . . I highly recommend this mystery to adults of all ages who appreciate good writing and creative characters . . . You won't be disappointed to spend some quality time with the Ashton Corners Mystery Book Club.”

—
Open Book Society

Cover Story

“[This] Southern-fried whodunit hits all the right regional marks, [and] offers a surprising conclusion and a cast of interesting characters.”

—
Richmond Times-Dispatch

“The characters drive this novel, and the relationships between the book club members are genuine and sweet. The dialogue is fun and spirited and will please readers looking for a lighthearted, spritely mystery.”

—Kings River Life Magazine

Read and Buried

“Destined to become a favorite with cozy mystery lovers everywhere. Full of Southern charm, excellent reading suggestions, and an engaging amateur sleuth named Lizzie Turner,
Read and Buried
will have readers clamoring for the next in the series even before they turn to the last page.”

—Miranda James,
New York Times
bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries

“A nosy book club, cozy cats, and a great whodunit!”

—Krista Davis,
New York Times
bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries

“This book is a model for how cozy mysteries should be written. There are lovable characters, an engaging plotline, and no lack of suspects and motives that will leave you intrigued until the very last page. Erika Chase is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery authors.”

—Girl Lost In a Book

A Killer Read

“This is a terrific debut! I want to join this book club, eat those cheese sticks, keep an eye on those romances, and wander around Ashton Corners. But most of all, I'd love to have Lizzie Turner as my friend. Especially if another body turns up.”

—Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams Mysteries

“Who can't love a debut novel filled with mystery references and a pair of cats named Edam and Brie? And who can't adore dedicated, saucy Lizzie Turner, a literacy teacher with high hopes for her students? Readers should have high hopes for this series. And thanks to the author's fine research, readers just might find a delicious assortment of new authors to browse.”

—Avery Aames, Agatha Award winner and national bestselling author of the Cheese Shop Mysteries

“Book a date with
A Killer Read
. Mystery-loving book club members will keep readers guessing as they page through clues to prevent themselves from being booked for murder.”

—Janet Bolin, author of the Threadville Mysteries

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Erika Chase

A KILLER READ

READ AND BURIED

COVER STORY

BOOK FAIR AND FOUL

LAW AND AUTHOR

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

LAW AND AUTHOR

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

Copyright © Penguin Group (USA) LLC

Excerpt by Linda Wiken copyright © 2016 by Linda Wiken.

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

For more information, visit penguin.com

eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-18318-6

PUBLISHING
HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / September 2015

Cover illustration by griesbach & martucci.

Cover design by Edwin Tse.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

How can an author get any writing done with so many wonderful people in her life? It helps that they're all very supportive and understand things like having to skip an event because of edits, phone calls that sound like a mad woman calling, and not getting answers to emails, phone calls, and even missing important dates.

So, thank you so very much to all you fine people in my life, and especially to my sister Lee McNeilly, a continuing support and happy reader. Thanks also to Mary Jane Maffini, half of the wicked Victoria Abbott writing team, particularly when it comes to those phone calls and road trips. And to good friend Vicki Delany, also known in the writing world as Eva Gates. Her comments are most welcomed as is her company on many travels.

I am quite honored to be part of a very creative and caring community of writers.

Thanks also to the dynamic team at Berkley Prime Crime, especially my editor Kate Seaver, editorial assistant Katherine Pelz and publicist Danielle Dill. I continue to love my covers! And, last but definitely not least, thank you to my agent, Kim Lionetti of BookEnds Literary Agency. Who knew there were so many fabulous people in publishing!

Won't it? Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Won't we?

THE CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF LIES—
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR

“I
'm telling you right now, sugar, I'm leaning toward bumping off Clyde Worsten rather than having to deal with him one minute longer,” Teensy Coldicutt said with a dramatic sigh.

Lizzie Turner almost dropped the mini triple chocolate cupcake she'd just rescued from the serving tray on the wicker patio table next to her. She shot a glance at Molly Mathews, who started laughing, much to Lizzie's surprise.

“Don't look so distressed, Lizzie,” Molly said between chuckles. “Teensy's talking about her new book, aren't you?” She shifted her glance to her childhood friend of over sixty years.

Teensy looked around at the three other women in Molly's sunroom and burst out into her own deep belly laugh. “Oh, my. Of course your mind went straight to the worst, Lizzie. Being such a great fan of mysteries, and I might add, a dynamite crime
fighter, I can see as that would happen. But Mopsy is right. Clyde Worsten was going to be the hero on my latest novel,
Divine Secrets of Desire
, but he's not cooperating at all, at all. So, he's either going to be the victim, or if he gets me really riled, I'll turn him into a murderer. Serve him right if he has to spend the rest of his life in jail.”

“Mopsy,” Sally-Jo Baker stated with a grin. “It still takes me by surprise sometimes when I hear you use Molly's childhood nickname.”

“And I didn't know you were writing a mystery, Teensy,” said Lizzie.

“Goodness gracious, of course not. My forte is romance and I'm into another hot plot I want you to know, but that doesn't mean I can't throw in a dead body or two if the characters don't shape up and cooperate.”

Lizzie shook her head. “I'd heard that writers talk about their characters taking over a story.”

Teensy leapt up from the white wicker love seat with more energy than most women her size. Her hairstyle, a dramatic wedge, had changed since the last time her friends had seen her, from a bright orange-red to a vivid dark red with a broad white streak sweeping across her brow. The black leggings, smock-necked orange and green long-sleeved blouson, and four-inch sandals contrasted with Molly's classic cream ensemble of casual pants and silk blouse. Lizzie marveled at the many differences between the two longtime friends.

“Oh, believe me, they do,” Teensy said. “And, I'm just bursting to tell you both about my news.”

Molly looked up from the
Wedding Bells
magazine she was perusing. “You have a publisher?”

“Right in one, Mopsy. Remember poor Nick Jennings, the
editor at Crawther Publishing? Well, it looked like he needed someone to talk to when he was in town after that tragedy last fall, so I befriended him, and one thing led to another.”

Molly wasn't able to suppress her gasp. “No.”

“Oh, Molly. There's hope for you yet, but that's not what I meant. We started talking about writing, and I told him of the great success my first book had garnered around here, and he said he'd take a look at my new manuscript. So, maybe it's not a done deal but I know that when he reads the first three chapters and synopsis I've just sent him, I'll be signing on the dotted line.”

Lizzie fervently hoped that would be the case. Of course, she knew nothing about Crawther Publishing and their lines, except for the mysteries they had showcased at the book fair held in Ashton Corners last fall. But, she had read Teensy's first book, which had been co-published with a local printer, and Lizzie wondered if it would have met the criteria of an established publisher like Crawther.

“We're wishing you loads of luck with that Teensy,” said Sally-Jo, choosing a pecan swirl from the tray of sweets. “This is really a nice idea, Molly, having us over for a girls' afternoon while the guys are out fishing.”

“I thought so,” Molly agreed. “It's a wonder, though, that Bob, Jacob and even Mark were all able to find a free weekend in common to get away.”

Lizzie nodded, knowing only too well that her significant other, Mark Dreyfus, didn't often take an entire weekend off from his job as police chief of Ashton Corners, Alabama. She was pleased he'd decided to go, knowing how hard he'd been working for some time now without a real break.

Teensy walked over to the table and chose a sugar cookie. Rather than eating it, she held it in her hand and started
pacing. “Well, let's just hope they have lots of luck and we can indeed have that fish barbecue they're promising when they come home tomorrow.”

“What has gotten into you today, Teensy?” Molly asked. “You've either got ants in your pants or you've had way too much coffee.”

“I have all these ideas floating around in my head and I'm just trying to shake them into some sort of order,” replied Teensy, waving her hands in emphasis. “I need to harness all this energy and do something.”

“I thought writing was taking up most of your time.”

“Oh, it is but that doesn't mean I can't do others things also. I think I write best if I'm under pressure and a deadline.”

“You also have the writing course you're running, I might remind you. How much more do you want on your plate? And how is the course going, by the way?”

Teensy perched on the edge of the love seat. “As well as it should, I guess. There are mostly women enrolled although I do have one elderly man. He's a bit too old for my taste, must be at least seventy-five if he's a day, but he does have a good sense of humor. Anyway, to most of the others in the class it's a social afternoon out. Oh sure, they do the homework exercises I give them but not many are trying their hand at writing anything else. And that's what this whole course is for. I wanted to help others find themselves and explore their inner writers.”

Sally-Jo leaned over to touch Teensy's hand. “I can see that you'd be frustrated, Teensy. I'd bet there's a lot of preparation time that goes into it, too.”

“Not really,” Teensy admitted, with an embarrassed grin. “I put the outline together by looking at other courses, and then I found tips and suggestions from a whole slew of books
on writing. It was easy, really. I think I'm even learning a few things, too.”

“Why that's just great,” Molly said with enthusiasm. “And even if you don't turn out a Pulitzer winner, at least they're all doing something they must be enjoying.”

“Oh, for sure.” Teensy sighed. “I guess I'm just being silly. There is one gal, though, who has lots of promise and she's working her way through writing a novel. I'm trying to help her as best I can.”

She sounded a bit hesitant to Lizzie.

“Well, that's all to the good,” said Molly. “Now is there anything else that's got you so bothered?”

“That's just it, I do not have an iota of an idea why I'm so antsy these days. Maybe it's a touch of spring fever. But I feel like I need something else to be getting involved in. You don't have another body hidden away somewhere that needs a heaping of justice, do you?”

Molly shuddered. “Heavens no. And don't you go jinxing us now, Teensy Coldicutt. Things have been nice and quiet with the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society for a while now, aside from the occasional verbal fracas with a certain stubborn retired police chief, that is.”

“Pshaw. I do believe you enjoy the sparring just as much as that old dog does, Mopsy.”

Lizzie turned away from them quickly before Molly could see her face. Teensy had hit the nail on the head but Molly was still in denial. Bob Miller and Molly had known each other since childhood and although their lives had taken such different paths, the ties were maybe even stronger. Much as between Molly and Teensy. That was the wonderful thing about small towns.

“What about doing some volunteer work?” Lizzie asked.
“I'm sure you'd fit right in with the reading program the school board promotes in elementary schools. You go in and read to various groups of kids. Usually they're ones having trouble with their reading skills or maybe they have short attention spans. And, you can choose the days and times you'd like to be involved. I think you'd be really good at that, Teensy.”

Sally-Jo nodded. “You'd certainly be able to hold their attention, Teensy. I think you'd give very colorful readings.”

Teensy's face lit up in a smile. “You could be right, girls. I'll look into that. Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” they answered in unison and broke into laughter.

Molly reached for the empty pitcher of iced tea. “I'm betting y'all would like some more.” She paused before going into the kitchen. “Now don't say anything important until I get back.”

“We'll just talk about you behind your back, Mopsy,” Teensy called out. “Nothing important, though.”

Molly made a face at Teensy as she came back outside. She offered to refill Sally-Jo's glass. “I know I'm real anxious to hear where you're at with your wedding plans, Sally-Jo.”

Sally-Jo flipped the cover shut on the magazine on her lap and held it up to them.
Premier Bride.
“This is about as far as I've gotten. Thumbing through all these magazines. Who knew there were so many focused on wedding planning? Jacob and I are thinking small but my folks are thinking big. I'm not quite sure what to do.”

“Well, I'm enjoying looking through all these here magazines,” Molly said. “It sure brings back memories although we didn't go searching through catalogues for a wedding dress in my day.”

Lizzie looked at her with interest. “What did you do? Go to a big city for a day of shopping?”

“Not at all. My mama had wanted me to wear her dress but it had gotten damaged over the years, despite her careful packing away of it. So, she had a local dressmaker come in, suggest a style, and take my measurements. We agreed on the material and a few months later, I had my dress. And I just loved it.”

Lizzie nodded. “It looks wonderful in your photos. Maybe that's what you should suggest, Sally-Jo.”

Sally-Jo had her finger marking a page in her magazine. She opened it and showed it to the others. “So tell me truthfully, what about the style of this dress?”

Lizzie leaned closer for a better look. She tried not to sound too critical. “I don't really think it's you, Sally-Jo. I somehow can't picture you in a mermaid look. I'd think something more elegant and flowing. Sorry.”

“That's quite all right. In fact, I was hoping you'd say something like that. My mama, however, loves this dress. In fact, she told me to go out and buy this magazine and have a look at this particular one.” Sally-Jo sighed. “It's not me but I know just how pushy Mama can be. And I'm afraid I just might end up walking or rather waddling down the aisle in this.”

“Can't you just go out shopping and buy a dress on the sly?” Teensy asked, a devilish twinkle in her eye. “We'd all be as happy as a puppy with two tails to go with you.”

Molly glanced at Teensy. “That's not being very sensitive to her mama's role in all this. It's as important a day for her as it is for Sally-Jo.” She raised her glass toward Sally-Jo and smiled. “But, honey, we would be very pleased to help you out with this.”

“Oh, no. Mama wants me to come home over Easter
break and she'll book appointments in all the bridal salons in Fort Myers. She'll summon the sisters, too. She's even offered to pre-shop for me to narrow it down and make the decision easier.”

Sally-Jo looked so gloomy and defeated that Lizzie wanted to give her a big reassuring hug. “What do you want?”

A small smile crept across her face. “I'm sort of leaning to a strapless dress on the shorter side, maybe falling just below the knees and with an empire waist.”

“Ah, sugar, that's so totally right for a petite gal like you,” Teensy said with a giggle. “And with your skin tone, the white will look perfect. That's the only problem with being a redhead of the bottle—I admit to it—the skin tone doesn't come with it.”

“I think that sounds like a wonderful choice,” Molly's voice rang with enthusiasm.

“Thanks, Molly. Maybe I can get you to brainwash my mama.”

“Maybe it's just the initial excitement. I'm sure she wants whatever will make you happy.”

Sally-Jo shrugged. “You don't know Mama. There'll be no resting until I have a dress chosen and tucked away in my closet.”

Lizzie started to say something but was interrupted by the ringing of the front doorbell. She looked at Molly, who had settled back in a lounge chair, and said, “I'll get that for you.”

“Thank you, honey.”

Lizzie went through to the foyer to the front door and peered through the peephole to see a young woman standing there. She pulled open the door.

“Hey. May I help you?”

The girl with the Miley Cyrus hairstyle looked to be in
her late teens or early twenties. She wore trendy skinny jeans and a silver distressed-style leather jacket along with a black shirt and multicolored beads around her neck. She tried to peer past Lizzie.