The first seed of the idea for this book came during a trip to Bury St. Edmunds, where the people are so friendly and the history just a little mind-boggling to an American like me. The Angel Hotel is an amazing place to stay. I have my daughter to thank for letting me tag along and for introducing me to the lovely people she works with in Bury.
Readers familiar with the location will recognize some real sites: The Angel Hotel, the sugar factory, Abbeygate Street and of course the Abbey ruins, gardens and cathedral. Certain actual businesses are used, but the ones central to the story—the Trahorn Building, The Knit and Purl, and several others—are purely fictional. The police station, newspaper office, museum and other real places have been altered by my pen to serve the purposes of this fictional story. I do not know if Louisa’s haunted sites tours exist—if so, they probably do not resemble the one I made up for this story—but the ghosts mentioned by name do come from local lore and most certainly do exist, for those who believe.
As always I am thankful for my husband Dan who has stuck with all the ups and downs of my writing career, through eighteen books over the last twenty-two years. My longtime friend and editor, Susan Slater, is there for my impossible deadlines and always comes through in a pinch. My dear friend Margaret Norrie was very kind in reading the early manuscript and giving me the British perspective on the characters and story. My everlasting thanks to her for pointing out the things that an English person would never do—I saved those bits for my uncouth American characters.
And of course there are my readers, many of whom take the time to send me encouraging notes and to so considerately spread the word by recommending my books to their friends. My heartfelt thanks to all of you!
Connie Shelton
May, 2012
Books
by Connie Shelton
The Charlie Parker Series
Deadly Gamble
Vacations Can Be Murder
Partnerships Can Be Murder
Small Towns Can Be Murder
Memories Can Be Murder
Honeymoons Can Be Murder
Reunions Can Be Murder
Competition Can Be Murder
Balloons Can Be Murder
Obsessions Can Be Murder
Gossip Can Be Murder
Stardom Can Be Murder
Phantoms Can Be Murder
Holidays Can Be Murder - a Christmas novella
The Samantha Sweet Series
Sweet Masterpiece
Sweet’s Sweets
Sweet Holidays
Sweet Hearts
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Phantoms Can Be Murder: Charlie Parker Mystery #13 (The Charlie Parker Mystery Series) Page 21
