Gingerbread Men: a Kate Gardener Mysteries short story: Kate Gardener Mysteries, #2.5

By Gabriella Messina

Gemstones, gingerbread, and one hell of a snow storm…

A jeweler is found dead in his shop, and a parcel of gemstones is missing. It seems like a cut-and-dried burglary to the Met detectives, until a second crime scene is discovered in the bakery next door.

Crime never takes a holiday… and apparently neither does Kate Gardener.

All Forensic Photographer Kate Gardener wants for her Holidays is peace, quiet, and anise cookies. Instead, the American expat's trip to the local Italian bakery places her knee-deep in grand theft and murder two days before her first Christmas in London.

Featuring characters from the popular  Kate Gardener Mysteries series

This story takes place between books 2 and 3.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabriella Messina
• Release date: Nov 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393429364

Gabriella Messina

Always a spinner of tales, Gabriella Messina’s journey as an author began in the realm of screenwriting. Whether writing fantasy or crime fiction, short stories or full-length novels, Ms. Messina brings a fresh point of view and a snarky wisdom to her work, exploring science, justice, faith and feeling in equal measure. In addition to her creative writing, Ms. Messina helps other authors reach their goals, designing book covers and graphics, and providing proofreading and editing services.  When not writing, she enjoys indulging in her favorite “guilty pleasures”: coffee and chocolate, watching car racing with her son, and spending too much time looking at music videos online.

Book preview

Gingerbread Men: a Kate Gardener Mysteries short story

Kate Gardener Mysteries, Volume 2.5

Gabriella Messina

Published by Gabriella Messina, 2019.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

GINGERBREAD MEN: A KATE GARDENER MYSTERIES SHORT STORY

First edition. November 24, 2019.

Copyright © 2019 Gabriella Messina.

ISBN: 978-1393429364

Written by Gabriella Messina.

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Gingerbread Men | A Kate Gardener Mysteries Short Story

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Gingerbread Men

A Kate Gardener Mysteries Short Story

Dulwich, Southwark, London

December 23rd

Kate Gardener wrestled with the contents of her mailbox, struggling to dislodge a piece and hopefully ease getting the rest of it out. She’d stopped on the way in from work, setting her bags on the floor of the entry for what she’d assumed would be a quick check of the box. Instead, she’d discovered the small space jammed with envelopes and catalogs. In fact, two envelopes had literally burst out when she unlocked the box, like a prank peanut-brittle tin. She sighed... the envelopes were mostly junk, a mixture of charities asking for seasonal donations, coupons for local establishments, and credit card applications.

She bundled the mail into her bag and prepared herself for the walk up to the third floor. Just as Kate hit the bottom of the staircase, the ground floor flat door opened and its occupant, a wizened little man named Murphy, peeked out.

Evening, lass, Murphy said, his voice hoarse as always. Kate wondered with some concern if the old man had throat polyps, or worse, cancer. She’d only been in London, and here in Dulwich, for a few months, but in that time, she’d gotten used to the few residents in the building. Murphy, especially, had won a place in her heart. He reminded her a great deal