Because of Louisa: Cathryn Harcourt Mysteries, #4
By Joslyn Chase
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About this ebook
A deadly game. An unwitting target.
In this suspenseful mystery, Cathryn Harcourt, a renowned novelist, is drawn into a perilous game of deception when her new neighbor sparks her sleuthing instincts.
Convinced he's scheming to murder his wife, Cathryn unravels a disturbing pattern of death in his past, placing her at the mercy of a relentless killer.
Will she outsmart the determined murderer and emerge unscathed from the web of danger closing in around her?
A little bit of Hitchcock with a dash of Murder She Wrote will delight fans of mystery and suspense. And it's all Because of Louisa!
Joslyn Chase
Joslyn Chase is a prize-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. Any day she can send readers to the edge of their seats, chewing their fingernails to the nub and prickling with suspense, is a good day in her book. Joslyn's story, "Cold Hands, Warm Heart," was chosen by Amor Towles as one of The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Fiction River, Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem, Mystery Magazine, and Pulphouse Fiction, among others. Known for her fast-paced fiction, Joslyn's books are full of surprising twists and delectable turns. You will find her riveting novels most anywhere books are sold. Joslyn's love for travel has led her to ride camels through the Nubian desert, fend off monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar, and hike the Bavarian Alps. But she still believes that sometimes the best adventures come in getting the words on the page and in the thrill of reading a great story. Join the growing group of readers who’ve discovered the thrill of Chase! Sign up at joslynchase.com and get VIP access to great bonuses, like your free copy of No Rest: 14 Tales of Chilling Suspense, as well as updates and first crack at new releases. See you there!
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Titles in the series (4)
The Sodden Spectators: Cathryn Harcourt Mysteries, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCromwell's Echo: Cathryn Harcourt Mysteries, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFacing the Diamond-Hard Truth: Cathryn Harcourt Mysteries, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBecause of Louisa: Cathryn Harcourt Mysteries, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Book preview
Because of Louisa - Joslyn Chase
Because of Louisa
A Cathryn Harcourt Mystery Short
Joslyn Chase
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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING...
Author Joslyn Chase has now confirmed my first impressions of her being a formidable suspense writer bound to make readers sit up and take notice.
~ Manie Kilian (reader, Amazon.com)
As always in her writing, the settings and action scenes are vividly portrayed and the relationships between the characters are seamless and authentic. Ms Chase has a talent for bringing characters to life.
~ ReadnGrow (Amazon.com)
There is a reason Chase is an award-winning author. Highly recommended.
~ Justin Boote, author of Badass
The author is a great storyteller.
~ AstraDaemon
Joslyn Chase skillfully connects subplots, then injects a few surprises, then connects things again in an interesting cycle; weave, disassemble, weave, repeat.
~ Ron Keeler, Read 4 Fun
In the movie Field of Dreams, there is a now famous line,
If you build it, they will come. Apply this sentiment to Joslyn Chase--if she writes it, we will come and read it.
~ William DeProspo, author of Unlikely Outcome
Joslyn Chase paints intriguing pictures with vivid, colorful descriptions…you feel like you have a front row seat from which to watch as everything unfolds.
~ Gabi Rosetti (reader, Amazon.com)
The flow of her writing is a delight to me, elegant and soothing, woven like fine linen.
~ Margherita Crystal Lotus, author of The Color Game
Contents
Because of Louisa
Bonus Extra
Echo
More books by Joslyn Chase
About the Author
Copyright
Because of Louisa
Cathryn stared out the bay window beside her desk, feeling her gaze go fuzzy as her thoughts turned inward. What would Edward do? How would he react in this situation? Why is he standing over the body, reaching down to pick up the murder weapon?
Because that’s what always happens when the innocent suspect finds the body. No, it just wouldn’t do. Her readers deserved something beyond this low-hanging fruit. She chewed her lip, letting her mind wander over the possibilities.
A cardinal flitted past the window, a bright scarlet blur that caught Cathryn’s attention and sharpened her gaze. She stared out at the empty house next door, a red brick colonial like her own but loftier, featuring a third story and a white-railed widow’s walk above the tall, graceful pillars of the porch. The late afternoon sun glinted off the scattering of multi-colored leaves on the well-trimmed lawn. The realty company had done an excellent job of maximizing the house’s curb appeal. An effective tactic, as Cathryn had watched the agent take down the For Sale sign a week ago, wearing a smart navy pants suit and a self-satisfied smile.
Ana, Cathryn’s salt-and-pepper-haired Cairn terrier stretched and let out a yelping yawn, looking up from her basket beside the desk. The writer in Cathryn had christened the dog with a literary term, Anaphora, and shortened it to the first three letters. Her snarky niece, Margot, suggested she might have named the dog Assonance and done the same thing.
Reaching down to scratch the beloved Ana between the ears, Cathryn pulled her attention back to her work. She glanced at the wall clock, a souvenir from one of her research trips to Bavaria, and winced. Almost four o’clock, and her agent expected to see the new manuscript in his inbox by nine tomorrow morning. Drumming her fingernails on the desk, Cathryn racked her brain, intent on Edward’s dilemma, but she stilled her fingers and leaned forward in her chair when movement from the house next door caught her eye.
Someone was finally moving in.
Cathryn watched the olive-toned compact SUV pull into the driveway and held her breath as the doors opened to reveal her new neighbors. She knew she’d scored a bonanza when Joanne had lived next door and couldn’t expect to be so lucky twice. A twinge passed through her, a trace of lingering grief over the woman’s passing.
A heart attack had taken the eccentric, vital lady. Though