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Two months later Monica and Haggis were relaxing in a sunny corner of her living room when a clunk at the front door signaled the arrival of the mail. Haggis jumped up, trotted over to the pile and brought back three letters in his mouth. He leapt onto the sofa, dropped them on Monica's lap and sat down to read them with her. She looked at the postmarks and return address stickers and opened the most interesting one from the Opawonga Resort. She read out loud to Haggis.
Dear Monica, Erin, Patrick, Wickens, Van Dyck and Haggis:
Such a lot has been happening since you all left so I wanted to fill you in on the news. I scattered poor Bertha's ashes in the bay by the resort; she loved to sit on the benches on her day off and watch the boats come and go. Abella's ashes were taken out to sea and scattered to the four winds as were Mrs. Law's. Jennifer, Adrian and Sean are in jail awaiting trial on the mainland at the Stevenville Penitentiary.
Leo is back working on the boats and has promised not to take bribes from suppliers. I felt the death of Abella was enough for him to deal with. Wiley is also on the payroll and comes in five days a week to do gardening under the watchful eye of an island newcomer called Mike Campbell with a degree in horticulture. Wiley is blossoming with a regular job and he is the first to arrive and the last to leave each workday. He still writes down all the daily happenings and his detailed planting map will be a huge help from season to season. Thanks to the local library has become an expert on plants and weeds!
The resort, far from going downhill after the deaths and drama this past summer, has seen a resurgence in popularity and bookings. Iris, the sous chef has been promoted to head chef and is doing a wonderful job with a fresh menu that is attracting attention beyond the resort. Many of the island residents are coming for lunches and dinners. We even had a write up in a travel and leisure magazine about the new updated menu, but of course they also included some bits and pieces about the not so pleasant summer events. The media had a field day, of course, and were here for weeks. I now have two scrapbooks full of clippings and computer print outs from the Internet, and I was interviewed for radio, tv and magazines.
There is a mystery writer's group who want to hold a seminar here next summer, a mystery dinner theatre group who have already booked four dates for early fall, and the bookings for next summer just keep on coming in every day. A prominent thriller writer has been at the resort for two weeks interviewing people, employees and anybody remotely involved with the murders. I have also hired an events coordinator to manage all the extra functions and weddings being booked. And there was I afraid that the resort might have to close.
You know you are always welcome here and your visits will be 'on the house.'
Best wishes
Pamela
Monica patted Haggis, smiled and picked up the phone.
"Erin, how are things at the store?"
"Busy day. I sold the massive pine armoire, the Blue Willow pattern soup tureen, and the wingback chairs this afternoon."
"Well done. I heard from Pamela and things are going really well at the resort. Come up after work and read the letter for yourself."
At 5:15 pm Erin walked through the cottage door and Haggis ran to meet her wiggling his body with frantic joy. One of his jobs at the house was as official greeter.
"How are you feeling?" asked Erin seeing Monica stretched out on the sofa.
"Better today. In fact, much better. And you must be feeling great after selling so much at the store."
"I am feeling over the moon," exclaimed Erin. "I have something to tell you. Wickens finally popped the question! Look!" and she held out her left hand where a sapphire and diamond cluster sat on a band of gold.
"Oh, heavens! Finally! He finally asked you!" yelled Monica so loudly that Haggis began to bark.
"We went for a walk along the lake last night and he was so romantic. Got down on bended knee at sunset. I can't believe it. I wanted to tell you in person. I have been bursting all day! Let's have some champagne to celebrate. I brought along a bottle."
"None for me," said Monica with a smile.
"What," replied Erin, her face falling, "Not happy for me?"
"Of course, I am silly, but I have something to tell you too. This flu I have had for the past few weeks isn't the flu at all."
"No? What is it? Nothing serious I hope."
"Nothing serious unless you consider a little pink or blue bundle of joy serious....and wonderful and exciting."
The room erupted as the two girls hugged each other and wiped away a few tears of joy. Haggis joined in the fun and excitement by running madly about the living room barking as loud as he could. His sixth sense told him that in time there would be another little person in the house that needed loving, guarding and greeting! And he was just the dog for the job!!
Book 1 in the Coppin’s Locks Mysteries
If you like small town flair and flavor, eccentric characters, secrets from the past, and two successful snoops, don’t miss this mystery with the most!
Elderly Dr. Bill Whitehall died in the churning waters of the mill at the bottom of his garden in Coppin’s Locks. But was he alone?
Monica Goodwood and her business partner, Erin O’Malley, owners of Rocking Horse Antiques, dive into discovering the truth about the demise of the old curmudgeon, a man whose best bedside manner was reserved for animals in need and not people in pain.
The idyllic village of Coppin’s Locks with its British style pub, cozy tea shop, trendy boutiques and colourful characters is abuzz with curiosity. Who wanted the grumpy old man dead? Was it one of the locals, who all seem to have alibis tinged with lies, or is the death linked to the past with hidden details kept secret for decades? And why does the old black and white photograph found in a bureau seem so important to somebody?
At least one person in town knows the truth, but nobody is talking! And, the biggest fear in this quiet backwater is, will the killer strike again?
Larissa Reynolds writes: “Loved this little mystery set in the quaint town of Coppin's Locks. Lots of delightful and quirky characters led by antique shop owners and amateur sleuths Monica and Erin. Looking forward to more in this series!”
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Will to Live
Book 2 in the Coppin’s Locks Mystery Series
If you like your village mysteries full of twists, turns, dead ends, and some old and very dead secrets then don’t miss reading Will to Live.
A stable full of dusty memories. One small dead body. One big secret.
Monica Goodwood and Erin O’Malley, owners of Rocking Horse Antiques, make a disturbing discovery while antique hunting at a deserted estate. The box full of bony secrets certainly wasn’t what they expected! There are no clues or suspects and it takes an antique buying trip to Lexington, Kentucky to rattle some cages, and blow old dust-off past sins that some people want to forget, and others claim not to remember.
Back home in their idyllic village of Coppin’s Locks complete with British style pub, cozy tea shop, and trendy boutiques, things are no quieter and just as disturbing. An elderly man is leaving cryptic messages for help, and the disappearance of patients from a hospital has the girls looking into the past and present lives of more than a few suspects. Somebody knows the truth and it’s going to require some dirty digging and lots of tough questions to unearth it!
With Monica’s boyfriend, attractive detective Patrick Lawson, and Police Chief Van Dyck on hand to assist — and sometimes admonish — Monica and Erin, along with Haggis, the West Highland terrier, poke and pry with the help and hindrance of an assortment of quirky and colorful village characters.
Their biggest challenge is solving these mysteries before they both become the next target of an unhinged mind!
Dee Cohen writes: “They (Monica and Erin) have a passion to find answers and I like the way they analyze situations. There are also lots of great descriptions of places and eccentric people too! I plan on reading more by Lucinda Davis.”
Death in Devon
Book 3 in the Coppin’s Locks Series
featuring Goodwood and O’Malley
Britain calling! If you like your mysteries tinged with a dash of British intrigue featuring a Lord and Lady of the manor, a picture-perfect English village, and an Edwardian style murder with a point, you will enjoy this mystery with trouble and travel thrown in as a bonus!
Monica Goodwood and her business partner and sleuthing sidekick Erin O’Malley are back in action. This time, they are leaving their idyllic village of Coppin’s Locks for an antique buying trip overseas in the delightful English countryside of Devon on the south west coast of England also known as the English Riviera.
They get their first hint of trouble when they find a body – a very dead body – inside an Edwardian kitchen in a vast estate. They were last to see the man alive so suddenly they are suspects in the death of none other than estate owner Lord William James Delmar. Then throw in the discovery of an old and very valuable antique mysteriously placed in their room of their rambling Victorian hotel, and the girls are in double trouble.
Should they leave the investigating to the local and very attractive police officer, shop for antiques, and enjoy their teas with scones and Devonshire cream? Never! The girls, known for their sleuthing success, aren’t much good at sitting on the sidelines. They jump into the fray and deal with secretive and eccentric villagers, Lady Felicia Delmar, the Honourable Alan Delmar, and some interesting history involving a famous horse, a King, and a suffragette. The gentry can’t seem to get their stories straight, and the locals, although not born with silver spoons in their mouths, believe that silence is golden.
The thatched cottages, rolling hills, stone walls, and golden beaches may be beautiful, but Torquay isn’t so quiet or quaint anymore! Murder has come to town!
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Lucinda D. Davis's Coppin's Locks series brings a touch of England to the Canadian countryside!
The stories introduce readers to Monica and Erin, owners of an antique shop in a trendy town in Ontario, Canada that could have been plucked from the English landscape, quirky characters included! Take the essential and quintessential British tea shop, pub and antique shop, throw in two female sleuths, add a Police Chief left shaking his head and you've got the ideal cozy mystery. While the girls may roam from home from time to time as they do in Resort to Death, their hearts are firmly set in Coppin's Locks!
Lucinda D. Davis has been reading and loving mystery stories since she was old enough to haunt the narrow rows of books at the small Canadian village library where she spent her summers.
After decades of penning ad copy, marketing, and freelance writing she decided to do what people had been telling her to do for years: write some books!
Visit her website https://www.lucindadavisauthor.com/ and like her on Facebook
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
All characters in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
