The Murder at Teapot Chapel: A Huddlestone Cozy Mystery, #2

By Aya Mughal

Huddlestone, the epitome of a quaint Yorkshire village, boasts a peculiar place of worship: the Teapot Chapel mosque. Amidst swirling gossip and steaming cups of tea, its ladies are known for their warmth, not their investigative prowess. Yet, when beloved madrassa teacher Fatima is murdered right inside the mosque, Aisha Khan, the heart-of-gold head dinner lady, and her quirky crew become accidental detectives. Known as the Spice Squad, they trade recipes for clues, determined to serve up justice. But as they dig deeper, hidden tensions simmer within the mosque, and they uncover a fight against far more than a single killer. Can they solve the mystery and mend their community, all before the next Friday prayers?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Qasas.Pub
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224648412

Book preview

Aya Mughal

The Murder at Teapot Chapel

Copyright © 2024 by Aya Mughal

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

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Contents

1. The Teapot Cracks

2. Whispers in the Spice Jars

3. Simmering Tensions

4. A Recipe for Suspicion

5. Secrets in the Madrassa

6. Trouble Brews

7. Stirring the Pot

8. A Tangled Trail

9. The Steam Rises

10. Clash of Cultures

11. Unmasking the Killer

12. Crumbling Facades

13. A New Brew

14. Spicing Up the Future

15. A Simmering Peace

1

The Teapot Cracks

The air crackled with a mix of anticipation and piety as Aisha Khan made her way towards Teapot Chapel. It was a Friday, the holiest day of the week, and the heart of Huddlestone’s tight-knit Muslim community thrummed with its usual pre-prayer buzz. The mosque itself, a converted Victorian church, was a quirky jumble of stained glass and Islamic calligraphy. Its teapot-shaped stone sculpture atop the mosque, had earned it its affectionate nickname.

Aisha, head dinner lady at the madrassa and a warm presence within the mosque, felt a familiar affection for the chaos. Children chased each other around the cobblestone courtyard, their giggles mingling with the soft murmur of Quran recitations. Groups of women, vibrant in colorful headscarves, caught up with old friends, while their husbands headed straight into the old pub’s taproom-turned-prayer-hall.

As always, Aisha headed for the women’s section – a smaller, less ornate space off to the side. In its familiar embrace, she spotted her friends already gathered. Razia Begum, with her perpetually raised eyebrow and phone glued to her ear, was a fountain of local gossip. Beside her, Zara Patel’s rapid fingers flew over her tablet, no doubt updating some spreadsheet, her modern ways contrasting with Razia’s old-school charm.

Aisha’s heart skipped a beat when she didn’t see the fourth familiar face. Where’s Fatima? she asked, her voice laced with concern. Fatima, a beloved teacher at the madrassa and a recent fixture in their little group, was never one for tardiness.

Stuck with the mullahs, no doubt, Razia huffed, disapproval evident in her voice. Ever since those old fossils on the committee started whispering about her classes, she’s always getting called away.

Classes? Aisha was intrigued. Beyond the regular madrassa lessons, she was unaware of Fatima’s other activities.

Zara looked up, a frown creasing her brow. "Extra sessions for some of the older girls.