Poisoned Heart: A Lady Marmalade Mystery

By Jason Blacker

Lady Marmalade's first mystery. Visiting some friends, Lordy and Lady Appleby turns out to be a dangerous affair. For the kitchen maid at least, who ends up dead.

How did she die and who would want to kill her is up to Lady Marmalade and Inspector Devlin Pearce to determine. Making their work even harder are the five suspects who all had reason to kill her.

The Lord of the manner who was having an affair with her. The Lady who was upset at her cheating husband. Her bastard son, her low life of an ex-husband or the butler who she had spurned.

One of them did it, though they all might have wanted to. In the lineage of Agatha Christie, this cozy mystery is set in the late 1940s.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lemon Tree Publishing
• Release date: Dec 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781301642182

Jason Blacker

Jason Blacker was born in Cape Town but spent most of his first 18 years in Johannesburg. When not grinding his fingers down to stubs at the keyboard he enjoys drinking tea, calisthenics and running. Currently he lives in Canada.  Under his own name he writes hard boiled as well as cozy mysteries, action adventure, thrillers, literary fiction and anything else that tickles his muse. Jason Blacker also writes poetry and daily haikus at his haiku blog.  You can find his haikus and other poetry at his website www.haiqueue.com.  For FREE books and to stay up to date and learn about new releases be sure to visit www.jasonblacker.com where you can find more information about his writing and upcoming projects.  If you enjoy space opera in the tradition of Star Trek then take a look at Jason Blacker’s pen name “Sylynt Storme”. It is under the name Sylynt Storme where you can find both sci-fi and vampire fiction written by Jason Blacker.  “Star Sails” is the space opera series and “The Misgivings of the Vampire Lucius Lafayette” is his vampire series.

Book preview

COPYRIGHT © 2016 Jay Beezles

PUBLISHED BY: Lemon Tree Publishing

Visit www.JasonBlacker.com to get FREE books and other cool stuff!

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Editing: Andrea Anesi

ONE

Poisoned Heart

THE Abernathy Castle is one of England’s smaller castles. Located just outside of Ashley in Hampshire, it is run by Lady Alys Apleby. Her husband is Lord Godfrey Apleby who made his money in the import business. Of course, they are not as well off as they used to be. First, was The Great War which almost decimated Godfrey’s import business. Then, on top of that, came the Second World War which is barely behind us. This was almost the knock out punch. Godfrey had never looked more haggard.

The Abernathy Castle is one of the smallest castles in England that still has a moat around it. Though of late, it has started to fill with algae due to lack of care. The grounds, nevertheless, are still quite well kept considering. And the moat, well, if you were a good high school long jumper you might be able to jump clear across.

Lady Frances Marmalade was crossing the bridge into the castle in her red Triumph Renown. Forward thinking and forthright in approach, Fran was on the cutting edge of the women’s movement.

She pulled in front of the main entrance as the Apleby’s butler Eustace Parris opened the front door. Fran took off the scarf that covered her head and shook Eustace’s hand.

How are you today, Eustace? she asked.

Very good, my lady, he replied. Please, come this way.

The Aplebys were having a gathering of some friends, as they usually do. It was mid afternoon and in the large sitting room were a few clumps of wealthy and aristocratic folks.

Eustace brought Fran right up to Godfrey, then bowed and led himself away.

So good of you to come, Fran, said Godfrey.

My pleasure, how are you, Godfrey? asked Fran.

Just marvelous, simply marvelous, he lied.

Have you met Lord Louis Mountbatten? asked Godfrey.

Certainly. How are you Louis? asked Fran, taking his hand.

Well, quite busy as you can imagine, Fran. They want me to take the governorship of India next year. In the summer. Really, who wants to be in India in the summer.

He winked at her and chuckled. His mustache dancing on this upper lip like a furry caterpillar.

Well, we couldn’t have hoped for a better man for the job, replied Fran.

"You’re always too