Reading, Writing and Catmetic

by Maxine Douglas

Genres: Animal Cozy Mysteries; YA Mysteries & Thrillers

Synopsis

Language Arts teacher Mrs. Kelsey Swan randomly has her students pick a writing assignment to be completed in two weeks from a top hat.

Seventeen-year-old Veronica "Vroni" Swan draws the legend of her two times great-grandfather having buried treasure somewhere in Swanson. Not only must she write about her family, but her partner on this assignment is the awkward Suzie Carmichael.

After reading an old journal found in Vroni's attic, Vroni, Suzie, along with Vroni's friend Max, decipher the clues in the journal and get separated in the tunnels under the school.

Simon, the school's mascot and Swan's shelter cat, and his mouse friend Crumb alert Mrs. Swan and help to find Vroni, Suzie, and Max before whoever else is looking for the lost treasure in Swanson High does.

Release date: October 5, 2023

Publisher: D.H. Fritter

Print pages: 94

Sample

Swanson High School
First Day of School

The massive, ancient wooden doors with thick glass windows of Swanson High loomed as if they would devour anyone who entered. Senior year only meant adulthood wasn’t far off and a carefree childhood was slipping away.

Veronica Swan had made it relatively unscathed her
entire life growing up in a town that was named after her great-great grandfather, Wyatt Swan. Grandad Wyatt, as Vroni referred to him, was an oil barren, adventurer, and town founding father. It was rumored he had brought
back a chest full of treasure from one of those adventures and buried it somewhere within what was now the town of Swanson.

As if that wasn’t enough to scar her for the rest of her
life, she had Mrs. Kelsey Swan for language arts this year. Shouldn’t having your own mother as your teacher be considered a conflict of interest?

. . . .

SHE’S FINALLY HERE, CRUMB, Simon casually meowed to his little friend. I don’t know what took her so long to come inside. It’s not like she’d never been here before.

Will she have food with her? Crumb squeaked.

Veronica never forgets us, you know that. Simon licked a paw before stretching out the length of the ledge. You look like you’ve found enough through the summer to eat.

Not without dodging every mousetrap that new fool janitor put out. He’s worse than a dog with a bone, Crumb squeaked, scurrying between Simon’s belly and the edge of the ledge. He had them in every corner of the basement, even in the
areas the humans aren’t allowed to be in.

New janitor? Simon mewed, lifting his head with interest. I wonder what happened to old Pete. He never bothered to go any farther than the boiler room.

Couldn’t say. He just stopped coming and then one day this new janitor showed up. Gotta go before one of those little humans screams and announces my presence. Crumb scurried farther along the ledge, down the tree, and along the ground until he found his escape door

. . . .

“We will begin with your first assignment which is due in two weeks’ time. I will be going around the room with this hat.” Kelsey held up a black top hat, showing it to the class. “Each of you will reach in and pick an assignment.
There will be no exchanging assignments because you may not like the one you’ve chosen.”

Her mom started back around the room, holding the hat up far enough so that each student couldn’t see inside.

“You can be as creative as you like. Don’t shy away
from any historical facts you may find as you research your topic. And to add a twist, there are doubles of each topic. Find your match, as this person will be your assignment partner. Each assignment must be no more less than
a thousand words, typed, and double-spaced with your names in the upper right corner,” Kelsey continued instructing as she finally made it around the room and back to her desk, setting down the top hat.

“Before you leave today, find your partner, register
your topic and your writing partner on the sheet on my
desk next to your own name.”

Vroni unfolded her slip of paper and cringed. Of all
the subjects in that hat, she pulled out the one
surrounding her family and that silly legend of the hidden treasure.

But who was her assignment partner?

Scanning the room, she watched as classmate after
classmate teamed up. When her gaze fell upon Suzie Carmichael she knew instantly.

The quiet, socially challenged girl would be working with her. Vroni couldn’t help thinking somehow Mrs. Swan had planned it to be so.