Murder at the Mortuary

by Lee Strauss

  Ginger stepped out of sight and pressed against the wall, and gasped as if she had been punched in the stomach. It was happening again.

  Like Dr. Watts, Basil was devoted to his wife.

  As Daniel had been with her.

  When was she ever going to learn?

  Tears prickled at the back of her eyes as she debated what to do. Scout, Goldmine, and all the occupants of Hartigan House were enough to fill her days and her heart. She didn’t need an uncertain romance.

  Just as she was about to push away from the wall, Emelia Reed left Basil’s room. She peered at the floor, not seeing Ginger standing there. The lady’s eyes were swollen and red.

  Ginger was torn. Should she refuse to see Basil now to protect her own emotions? Or should she boldly ask him to reveal personal matters between a husband and wife? Ginger shifted her shoulders back. No matter what, Basil was still a friend. It was her duty to give him an opportunity to explain.

  Besides, she needed to know: Whom did Basil Reed love?

  Ginger wouldn’t leave this hospital until she found out.

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  Sign up for Lee’s readers list and gain access to Ginger Gold’s private Journal. Find out about Ginger’s Life before the SS Rosa and how she became the woman she has. This is a fluid document that will cover her romance with her late husband Daniel, her time serving in the British secret service during World War One, and beyond. Includes a recipe for Dark Dutch Chocolate Cake!

  It begins: July 31, 1912

  How fabulous that I found this Journal today, hidden in the bottom of my wardrobe. Good old Pippins, our English butler in London, gave it to me as a parting gift when Father whisked me away on our American adventure so he could marry Sally. Pips said it was for me to record my new adventures. I’m ashamed I never even penned one word before today. I think I was just too sad.

  This old leather-bound journal takes me back to that emotional time. I had shed enough tears to fill the ocean and I remember telling Father dramatically that I was certain to cause flooding to match God’s. At eight years old I was well-trained in my biblical studies, though, in retro-spect, I would say that I had probably bordered on heresy with my little tantrum.

  The first week of my “adventure” was spent with a tummy ache and a number of embarrassing sessions that involved a bucket and Father holding back my long hair so I wouldn’t soil it with vomit.

  I certainly felt that I was being punished for some reason. Hartigan House—though large and sometimes lonely—was my home and Pips was my good friend. He often helped me to pass the time with games of I Spy and Xs and Os.

  “Very good, Little Miss,” he’d say with a twinkle in his blue eyes when I won, which I did often. I suspect now that our good butler wasn’t beyond letting me win even when unmerited.

  Father had got it into his silly head that I needed a mother, but I think the truth was he wanted a wife. Sally, a woman half my father’s age, turned out to be a sufficient wife in the end, but I could never claim her as a mother.

  Well, Pips, I’m sure you’d be happy to know that things turned out all right here in America.

  Subscribe to read more!

  Don’t miss Murder at Kensington Gardens!

  Murder’s not a walk in the park . . .

  War widow fashionista, Ginger Gold, makes a gruesome discovery while walking her dog, Boss, through Kensington Gardens. A woman of ill-repute is dead.

  When Chief Inspector Basil Reed becomes a prime suspect, the blustery and often times pigheaded Superintendent Morris pulls him off the case. Ginger’s not about to be pushed around by the superintendent, and investigates the case on her own—taking her into the spicy world of burlesque dancers—despite his warnings: if she doesn’t butt out, she’ll be arrested for impeding a police investigation.

  Despite Ginger and Basil’s strained friendship, they agree to work together to find the killer. It’s a proposition neither one may survive.

  On AMAZON!

  Love the fashions of the 1920s? Check out Ginger Gold’s Pinterest Board!

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  About the Author

  Lee Strauss is the bestselling author of The Ginger Gold Mysteries series (cozy historical mystery), A Nursery Rhyme Suspense series (Mystery Sci-fi Romantic Suspense), The Perception series (young adult dystopian), and young adult historical fiction. When she’s not writing or reading she likes to cycle, hike and kayak. She loves to drink caffè lattes and red wines in exotic places, and eat dark chocolate anywhere.

  She also writes younger YA fantasy as Elle Strauss and sweet inspirational romance as Hope Strauss.

  For more info on books by Lee Strauss and her social media links visit leestraussbooks.com. To make sure you don’t miss the next new release, be sure to sign up for her readers list!

  www.leestraussbooks.com

  leestraussbooks@gmail.com

  Books by Lee Strauss

  On AMAZON

  The Perception Series (YA dystopian/sci-fi/romance)

  Perception

  Volition

  Contrition

  Playing with Matches (WW2 history/romance)

  Playing with Matches

  A Piece of Blue String (companion short story)

  A Nursery Rhyme Suspense (Mystery Thriller)

  Gingerbread Man

  Life is but a Dream

  Hickory Dickory Dock

  Twinkle Little Star

  Ginger Gold Mysteries (Cozy Historical)

  Murder on the SS Rosa

  Murder at Hartigan House

  Murder at Bray Manor

  Murder at Feathers & Flair

  Murder at the Mortuary

  Murder at Kensington Gardens

  Acknowledgments

  It takes a village to raise a child and a literary village to birth a book. Many thanks to out to my “villagers,” Angelika Offenwanger, Heather Belleguelle, Connie Leap, Norm Strauss, Shadi Bleiken, Tom Reale and the folks at Brown Book publishing, and most recently, Molly C. Quinn of Castle fame!

  My IRL (in real life) villagers, my parents Gene and Lucille Franke; husband Norm Strauss; kids Joel & Shadi, Levi, Jordan and Tasia; and my close friends, Donna, Shawn, Norine, Lori and Marie - thanks for keeping me sane and grounded.

  To YOU, dear reader for even reading these acknowledgments. Without you, I wouldn’t be writing a page like this. Thank you for loving Ginger Gold and for joining along for the ride!

  A special shout out to readers Jane Wagman and Phyllis Mydan for their contribution to horse names in this book, Final Verdict and Goldmine, respectively.

  And as always I’m thankful to God for his mercies that are new every morning.

  Murder at the Mortuary

  By Lee Strauss

  Cover by Steven Novak Illustrations

  Copyright © 2018

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval system
s, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  ISBN: 978-1-988677-11-8