A Spot of Murder

By Meyari McFarland

A spot of tea… and a fascinating bit of murder.

 

Visiting was one of Vivian's favorite tasks. So much gossip. So many fascinating bits of news about her neighbors. Of course, it was frequently irritating as all get-out when her childhood rival Mackenzie pranced about like an animate pumpkin in her obnoxious orange dresses, but that was fine. All the better to gather gossip that Vivian could weaponize against Mackenzie.

 

Getting a visit from Constable Royal Moors because Mackenzie had been murdered was a bit out of the ordinary since Grandfather died. Not bad, really. Vivian enjoyed a good bit of murder, especially when her brother wasn't about to be all stuffy about it.

 

How could she resist poking about, especially with Mackenzie's brother Charlie and Vivian's cousin Remington finally getting past the awkward pining stage? And really, it was such a fascinating murder, too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MDR Publishing
• Release date: May 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224893072

Meyari McFarland

Meyari McFarland has been telling stories since she was a small child. Her stories range from SF and Fantasy adventures to Romances but they always feature strong characters who do what they think is right no matter what gets in their way. Her series range from Space Opera Romance in the Drath series to Epic Fantasy in the Mages of Tindiere world. Other series include Matriarchies of Muirin, the Clockwork Rift Steampunk mysteries, and the Tales of Unification urban fantasy stories, plus many more. You can find all of her work on MDR Publishing's website at www.MDR-Publishing.com.

Book preview

A Spot of Murder

A Spot of Murder

MEYARI MCFARLAND

MDR Publishing

Contents

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

1. Taking Tea

2. Early Caller

3. Stanford House

4. Fresh Paint

5. Fairburn Legacy

Author's Note: Secrets in the Prayers

1. Slipped Moorings

2. Tent Walls

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

Afterword

Author Bio

Special Offer

Cover of collection Iridescent

The rainbow has infinite shades, just as this collection covers the spectrum of fictional possibilities.

From contemporary romances like The Shores of Twilight Bay to dark fantasy like A Lone Red Tree and out to SF futures in Child of Spring, Iridescent covers the gamut of time, space and genre.

Meyari McFarland shows her mastery in this first omnibus collection of her short fiction. Twenty-five amazing stories, all with queer characters going on adventures, solving mysteries, and falling in love are here in the first Rainbow Collection.

And now you can get this massive collection of short queer fiction, all of it with the happy endings you love, for free!

Sign up here for your free copy of Iridescent now!

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

Day Hunt on the Final Oblivion

Day of Joy

Immortal Sky

A New Path

Following the Trail

Crafting Home

Finding a Way

Go Between

Like Arrows of Fate

Out of Disaster

The Shores of Twilight Bay

Coming Together

Following the Beacon

The Solace of Her Clan

You can find these and many other books at www.MDR-Publishing.com. Please sign up for our mailing list to get regular updates on the latest preorders and new releases and a free ebook!

Copyright ©2024 by Mary Raichle

Print ISBN: 978-1-64309-133-4

Cover image

Deposit Photos ID# 403643726 by mubus7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be emailed to [e-mail].

This book is also available in TPB format from all major retailers.

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This story is dedicated to Kay, my best friend.

1. Taking Tea

Vivian stepped out her front door, snapping her forest green umbrella open before shutting and locking her door. There was a huge scratch in the center of the fresh emerald green paint, darn it. And after she'd spent so long making sure that the paint went on smoothly despite the cast hairs coming off her ancient paintbrush.

She huffed. Must have bungled bringing her groceries in last night. That new teapot with the green and white glaze had been a terrible thing to juggle against the fresh scones she'd gotten from her cousin Remington's bakery.

What's taking so long? Vivian's very best friend in the whole world Leighton Akers called from the lane. Goodness, you didn't forget your keys again, did you, Vivian?

No, no, I've got them, Vivian called back with a sharp shake of her head that made her bonnet scuff against the heavy thatching that overhung her door. Just scratched the door last night.

Leighton stared at Vivian with lips pursed and eyes narrowed so scoldingly that Vivian blushed. Again?

Yes, again, Vivian snapped at her.

The gate to the lane wasn't scratched, thank goodness. Same green paint on both, bought on the cheap from Ashton Fairburn, the village's young widow that Vivian always took time to talk to on a daily basis because she had such lovely gossip on everyone. Ashton had sworn that she'd bought it special for her front parlor and then decided that it made her look sallow. Which that shade of green absolutely would. The question was why Ashton would ever choose emerald green when she only looked good in seafoam green and barely even with that.

Probably that wastrel of a fiancé of hers, Jaiden Sackville. He wasn't at all good enough for Ashton, always lounging about when he should be working and forever losing jobs that he'd just gotten. The man would pull Ashton down with him, but she wouldn't hear a word of criticism of him. Vivian would know. She'd tried and tried and tried to no avail.

Ah, well. Ashton was free to make her own mistakes. Her family was gone, dead and buried, so she had no one to guide her. And no one to restrict her heart if she gave it away to a fool. Vivian could wish Ashton had some family left, only the family Ashton had been given was better off dead. There was only so much Vivian and Leighton could do for Ashton as friends and neighbors, no matter how much Vivian wanted to meddle.

Still, it had netted Vivian a pot of lovely green paint that was perfect for her gate and her front door. A bit stinkier than most paints, but Vivian had no intention of painting it inside so it hardly mattered.

Leighton, at least, hadn't questioned why Vivian had snapped up the green paint. Every