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The Mystery of the Marsh Malaise: Wonky Inn Book 5

Page 18

by Jeannie Wycherley


  “Hooo-ooo,” he said, and then twittered for a little while in excitement.

  “Yes, I’m glad I didn’t have to serve you up as an owly sacrifice too,” I said, watching him perform a wobbly little dance.

  I leaned out of the window to inhale the fresh scent of the day. I thought I could smell rain in the air, but that was alright. I hoped it would rain heavily. It would help to flush the water table through. An IV drip for the countryside.

  In the distance Speckled Wood stood taller and straighter than it had done yesterday—and I felt confident that Vance had already begun working his magick.

  I stretched. “I’ll have a shower and then I’d better help Charity with breakfast,” I told Mr Hoo. And clean up after the fight. The bar and grounds, and the first floor—especially the landing outside my suite of rooms—had been left in a right state.

  I spared a thought for George and Jed as I made myself ready to face the world, hoping they’d survived their first day and night in the wild unscathed.

  “Because the goddess alone knows there’s plenty of predators out there in the big wide world,” I said, pulling on my robes and pocketing my wand, a new habit I intended to keep up.

  As I stepped outside my room, Florence whizzed past me with her carpet sweeper. “Morning, Miss Alf,” she sang. I smiled to see her so happy in her industry.

  In the kitchen, Silvan looked up at me from his newspaper as Monsieur Emietter plonked a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me.

  “You’re awake ridiculously early.” I was amazed.

  He shrugged. “You up for a spot of spellcasting practise later?”

  “I assumed you’d be heading back to London now.” I reached for the pepper. “We achieved what I asked you here for.” To find George remained unspoken.

  Silvan shrugged and returned to his paper. “I thought it might be fun to stick around for a bit.”

  “Oh,” I said, munching thoughtfully on a piece of toast, wishing my vision could drill through the paper so I could read the expression on his face.

  Zephaniah apparated into the kitchen, closely followed by Gwyn and Florence.

  “Miss Alf,” he said. “I think we may have an issue with some Japanese knotweed out the back.”

  Oh. It never rains but it pours. “What? No. Where’s that come from? That stuff is deadly!”

  “Never mind that,” interrupted Gwyn. “What are you going to do about that hole in the cellar, Alf? We need to get it filled in as a matter of urgency.”

  Florence held up her feather duster. “Miss Alf? You’ll never guess what I found in the Throne Room?”

  Charity popped her head around the door. “Alf, I’m going to have to hire a plasterer. There are some huge holes in the walls upstairs.”

  Silvan dropped his paper an inch or two so that he could smirk at me, his dark eyes glittering in amusement.

  I studied the travel company adverts on the back of The Celestine Times. “Sometimes, I think I’d just like to pack a bag and get away from it all,” I said to him, as the voices of Gwyn, Charity and Zephaniah chimed in around me, the volume becoming progressively louder and their demands more vociferous.

  Silvan nodded. “Maybe you should take a holiday.”

  “Maybe I should,” I smiled thoughtfully.

  Find out, in The Mysterious Mr Wylie: Wonky Book 6

  Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones ...

  Building work at Whittle Inn has unearthed a skeleton.

  Having recently returned from a holiday overseas, Alfhild Daemonne is horrified, but keen to find out who the unfortunate victim was and how they died. Could it have been witchcraft or some other dark magick? Or something more mundane?

  What was the victim's link to Alf's wonky inn and why were they interred within the walls?

  It soon becomes obvious that Alf isn't the only person who's interested in the discovery.

  The mysterious Mr Wylie is paying a return visit to Whittlecombe, and it quickly transpires that nothing is as it initially appears.

  Catch up on the latest chaotic adventures of your favourite witches, wizards, ghosts and villagers.

  And not forgetting Mr Hoo of course!

  Pre-order Wonky Inn Book 6 on Amazon today. Release date: 30th April 2019

  Midnight Garden

  Lisa’s mother is dying. But Lisa doesn’t care…

  Now in her early forties, and with her life disintegrating around her, she’s been forced to return to her childhood home where the memories of her father and brother have long been repressed.

  When the Victorian villa across the road goes up for sale, Lisa is naturally curious. One old woman has owned the property her whole life, and Lisa has never been allowed to step into the grounds before.

  Now an odd young stranger invites her to explore the garden … but only after midnight.

  But as everyone knows, after midnight is when the nightmares really begin.

  Soon Lisa will be all alone in the world, and that will suit her just fine. Won’t it?

  Not if her mother takes her guilty secret with her to the grave.

  Lovers of contemporary gothic horror and dark fantasy will love this chilling little tale.

  Midnight Garden (The Extra Ordinary World Novella Book 1) is available to pre-order on Amazon now.

  Please consider leaving a review?

  If you have enjoyed reading The Mystery of the Marsh Malaise, please consider leaving me a review.

  Reviews help to spread the word about my writing, which takes me a step closer to my dream of writing full time.

  If you are kind enough to leave a review, please also consider joining my Author Street Team on Facebook – Jeannie Wycherley’s Fiendish Street Team. Do let me know you left a review when you apply because it’s a closed group. You can find my fiendish team here

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  Or sign up for my newsletter here to keep up to date with what I’m doing next!

  In Case You Missed

  The story begins…

  The Wonkiest Witch: Wonky Inn Book 1

  Alfhild Daemonne has inherited an inn.

  and a dead body.

  Estranged from her witch mother, and having committed to little in her thirty years, Alf surprises herself when she decides to start a new life.

  She heads deep into the English countryside intent on making a success of the once popular inn. However, discovering the murder throws her a curve ball. Especially when she suspects dark magick.

  Additionally, a less than warm welcome from several locals, persuades her that a variety of folk – of both the mortal and magickal persuasions – have it in for her.

  The dilapidated inn presents a huge challenge for Alf. Uncertain who to trust, she considers calling time on the venture.

  Should she pack her bags and head back to London?

  Don’t be daft.

  Alf’s magickal powers may be as wonky as the inn, but she’s dead set on finding the murderer.

  Once a witch always a witch, and this one is fighting back.

  A clean and cozy witch mystery.

  Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in this fantastic new witch mystery series, from the author of the award-winning novel, Crone.

  Grab Book 1 of the Wonky Inn series, The Wonkiest Witch, on Amazon now.

  The Wonky Inn Series

  The Wonkiest Witch: Wonky Inn Book 1

  The Ghosts of Wonky Inn: Wonky Inn Book 2

  Weird Wedding at Wonky Inn: Wonky Inn Book 3

  Fearful Fortunes and Terrible Tarot: Wonky Inn Book 4

  The Mystery of the Marsh Malaise: Wonky Inn Book 5

  The Mysterious Mr Wylie: Wonky Inn Book 6

  The Witch Who Killed Christmas: Wonky Inn Christmas Special

  Beyond the Veil (2018)

  Crone (2017)

  A Concerto for the
Dead and Dying (short story, 2018)

  Deadly Encounters: A collection of short stories (2017)

  Keepers of the Flame: A love story (Novella, 2018)

  Non Fiction

  Losing my best Friend Thoughtful support for those affected by dog bereavement or pet loss (2017)

  Follow Jeannie Wycherley

  Find out more at on the website www.jeanniewycherley.co.uk

  You can tweet Jeannie twitter.com/Thecushionlady

  Or visit her on Facebook for her fiction www.facebook.com/jeanniewycherley

  Sign up for Jeannie’s newsletter http://eepurl.com/cN3Q6L

  Coming Summer 2019

  The Municipality of Lost Souls by Jeannie Wycherley

  Described as a cross between Daphne Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn, and TV’s The Walking Dead, but with ghosts instead of zombies, The Municipality of Lost Souls tells the story of Amelia Fliss and her cousin Agatha Wick.

  In the otherwise quiet municipality of Durscombe, the inhabitants of the small seaside town harbour a deadly secret.

  Amelia Fliss, wife of a wealthy merchant, is the lone voice who speaks out against the deadly practice of the wrecking and plundering of ships on the rocks in Lyme bay, but no-one appears to be listening to her.

  As evil and malcontent spread like cholera throughout the community, and the locals point fingers and vow to take vengeance against outsiders, the dead take it upon themselves to end a barbaric tradition the living seem to lack the will to stop.

  Set in Devon in the UK during the 1860s, The Municipality of Lost Souls is a Victorian Gothic ghost story, with characters who will leave their mark on you forever.

  If you enjoyed Crone or Beyond the Veil, you really don’t want to miss this novel.

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