Stabbed in the Solarium

Book 2: A Moorecliff Manor Cat Cozy Mystery

by Leighann Dobbs

Genres: Cozy Mystery; Amateur Sleuth

Synopsis

When the Moorecliff clan gathers at Moorecliff mansion for Archie’s memorial service, no one expects gossipy aunt Shirley to end up stabbed in the solarium. It’s not really a big surprise though, pretty much everyone in the family had reason to want her dead.

With those closest to her at the top of the suspect list, Araminta and her mystery solving cats Arun and Sasha vow to find the answers to the questions that could lead them straight to the killer. How did mice get into the mansion? Where did the killer stash the murder weapon? What secret did Shirley know that someone would kill for? What is going on in the gardening shed at night?

As Araminta and the cats get closer to the answer, Araminta discovers that even those she calls her closest family have been harboring secrets of their own. P.S. Will Araminta make peace with Jacob and as for his help with the case? What is going on between Stephanie and Ivan?

Release date: January 26, 2021

Publisher: Leighann Dobbs

Print pages: 156

Sample

Sometime after midnight:

The solarium was kind of creepy at night. The plants of all shapes and sizes were mere shadows in the dark, lurking in every corner of the large room. The air was heavy with humidity and the scent of moist earth. A cricket had gotten inside, and he chirped mechanically in the corner.

Vines had grown up along the tall arched windows that made up three of the walls. There were so many vines and plants that one could hardly even see outside. Still, a sliver of moonlight had managed to filter in, and Shirley could see the stars through the tops of the ten-foot-tall windows.

It was an odd place to meet. Shirley took a sip of her margarita for liquid courage. Not that she needed courage; she was used to clandestine meetings. 

The door creaked open, and Shirley swung around, sloshing the margarita over the rim of her glass. “Ha! So you came!” 

The figure stayed in the shadows, giving Shirley pause. Was it the person she had been expecting or someone else? Why didn’t they say something?

She leaned forward and squinted, trying to make out who it was. “Did you bring the money?”

The person didn’t answer. Shirley took another sip of her drink. It didn’t really matter who it was. Any money was good money, and she’d discovered most would pay plenty of it to keep their secrets. And Shirley knew a lot of secrets. 

“Why are you lurking in the shadows? No one can see in here. The windows are covered with vines and leaves.” Shirley gestured around the room, sloshing more of her drink. “Just give me the money, and let’s get this over with.” 

The person stepped forward, and Shirley could see who it was. “Oh! It’s you. You sent me the note?”

“Yes, it was me.”

“Okay, well get on with it, then.”

The person lifted their arm, and Shirley wondered for a split second if they were going to go on a long tirade. She hoped not—she wasn’t really up for it, and she should be getting to bed. But then she saw the moonlight glinting off the blade of the knife.

Too late, she tried to dodge the blade arcing down toward her chest. The margarita glass slipped out of her hand and smashed to the floor. Shirley quickly followed it. The last thing she heard was the solarium door banging shut as her killer fled out into the woods.