by Dawn Brookes
Now Christmas Day was here at last and the seas were relatively calm, considering the time of year, although whether that would continue when they reached the Bay of Biscay, no-one could know. Rachel spent most of the morning on the telephone, calling family while there was still a phone signal. Carlos had joined her for a room-service breakfast, and then left to call his own family and get ready for the big Christmas lunch.
Marjorie called just before noon.
“Felicity phoned me this morning to thank me for tipping you off and she has asked me to thank you again on their behalf.”
“Pleased to be of assistance,” Rachel replied, good naturedly. “How did Harry take it? I haven’t spoken to Waverley since yesterday.”
“Badly, I’m afraid. It’s hard to believe someone you love wants you dead. It will take time, but at least he isn’t angry with his parents.”
“That’s good. They are a lovely couple.”
“Speaking of parents, have you spoken to yours?”
“Not long got off the phone, as a matter of fact. The vicarage is feeding sixteen today.”
“My goodness! How are you, dear? It must be difficult with Carlos away.”
“He’s not. He managed to wrap up his case and joined us yesterday. We’re having Christmas dinner soon with Sarah, Jason and her family.”
“Oh that is good news. I wondered who the two handsome young men Felicity mentioned were, I assumed one was Jason and knew the other couldn’t be Chief Waverley. We’re a few hours behind you and I’m about to go for breakfast. Jeremy sends his love. Happy Christmas, Rachel. See you when you get back.”
“Happy Christmas, Marjorie.”
After putting the phone down, she answered a knock at the door. Carlos was beaming from ear to ear.
“What is it?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Then it’s a good thing I haven’t arranged anything.”
Rachel was bemused, but decided she wasn’t going to get anything out of him, so she might as well let him have some fun.
They made their way down to the main atrium where pre-dinner cocktails and champagne were being served to every guest. Carlos led her to where the Bradshaws were already gathered, along with the medical team who were chatting to other guests. Waverley stood nearby.
Jason called the group to attention. “I would like to propose a toast.”
Danielle gave Rachel and Sarah wide smiles and held out a tray of champagne. Before Jason had the opportunity to say anything, Sarah took a drink with her left hand and all jaws dropped open as the diamond shone brightly from her ring finger.
“To my fiancée, Sarah Bradshaw.”
Rachel’s heart burst with happiness and she gazed around at the joy before her. This was what Christmas was all about.
Rachel hugged Sarah. “Now that’s the sort of surprise I like.”
“I’m so happy, Rachel. I could burst. He asked my parents last night apparently and brought me a champagne breakfast this morning.”
Rachel knew there would be plenty of time for the details, but for now she wanted to leave the happy couple to the congratulations of parents and friends.
Carlos took her hand and gently lifted his glass to hers, holding her gaze lovingly. “Happy Christmas, darling.”
They were going to be alright after all.
“Happy Christmas, Carlos!”
THE END
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading A Christmas Cruise Murder, the fifth book in my Rachel Prince Mystery series. If you have enjoyed it, please leave an honest review on Amazon and/or any other platform you may use. I love receiving feedback from readers and can assure you that I read every review.
Keep an eye out for Book 6 in the Rachel Prince Mystery series. Murderous Cruise Habit is due for release in 2020.
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A Cruise to Murder
#Book 1
A ruthless hitman and an elderly woman in danger; only a damaged, off-duty policewoman stands in his way.
Rachel Prince is twenty-five years old, and appears to have everything. She’s beautiful, bright and recently qualified as a police woman. The problem is her fiancé has ditched her for another woman!
Rachel is in desperate need of rest and relaxation. Her best friend Sarah is a nurse on board a cruise ship, and offers the solution. Surely a Mediterranean cruise will help?
When Rachel befriends an elderly woman in her eighties, the titled, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe appears concerned about something. Danger and menace seem to be closing in on her. Meanwhile, Rachel finds herself falling under the spell of the charming and attractive Carlos. Who is he and why is he so secretive? What could he be up to?
When one of the passengers meets with a tragic accident while onshore with Lady Snellthorpe, the tension builds. With danger threatening at every turn, Rachel needs to get to the bottom of this mystery before someone else is killed. She is putting herself in danger. Could she be the next victim?
You don't have to like cruising to enjoy this book but if you do you might get a double dollop of pleasure. A great debut, by an emerging talent.
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Deadly Cruise
#Book 2
Just when you thought it was safe to cruise again...
PC Rachel Prince returns to cruising after giving evidence in a difficult trial. She wants to recharge her batteries and re-evaluate her future after receiving threats from the man she helped put away.
Taking Queen Cruises up on their offer of a free luxury cruise aboard the Coral Queen, she opts for a sailing to New York.
Rachel's best friend and cruise nurse, Sarah is also returning to the ship to start a new nine-month contract so the timing is perfect.
Almost immediately, Rachel meets a cruise tour leader who invites her to join him and his Russian group for some of their planned activities. These activities should help pass the time during the sea days.
A crew member is found dead in his cabin - could this be another mystery brewing? Rachel's eagle eye spots some curious goings on among the Russian tour group that she finds enticing. Chief Security Officer Waverley wants Rachel to leave things alone - will she listen?
Sarah has problems of her own as conflict develops in the medical team when a new nurse is brought in at short notice.
Rachel can't resist doing a bit of snooping, but will she get to the bottom of a mysterious death and untangle this complex case before they reach New York?
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Killer Cruise
#Book 3
A body in the water. A plethora of suspects. Rachel Prince must be on another cruise!
Plus, by popular demand, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe returns...
Crew aboard the fictional Coral Queen find themselves stretched to the limit by the antics of a Queen tribute act, a troublesome stag party and a group of excitable female cheerleaders.
Rachel is accompanying Lady Marjorie on a cruise around the Baltics. The older woman is hoping for a mystery while Rachel seeks peace and quiet.
PC Rachel Prince, cruise ship sleuth can't believe it when a man dies under suspicious circumstances. The probable homicide occurs shortly after an unpleasant encounter with a Freddie Mercury lookalike. Rachel and Marjorie find themselves absorbed by the man's untimely death, and surrounded by suspicious characters with ample motive for killing the unpopular victim.
The Chief of Security wavers between involving Rachel in the investigation and keeping her away from it. Sarah, Rachel's best friend and cruise ship nurse is keen to keep her out of harm’s way, b
ut it's a case of the irresistible force meets the immovable object when there's a mystery to be solved. Rachel is spurred on by the incorrigible Marjorie who is keen to interfere and test her own sleuthing skills.
Chief Waverley and Sarah are fighting a losing battle, and become more and more exasperated by Rachel's involvement. In addition to this they both have problems of their own.
As the dead man appeared to have more enemies than friends, this mystery tests Rachel to the limit. She finds herself in danger as she tries to keep Lady Marjorie safe while solving the crime.
Join the crew and passengers aboard the Coral Queen for another exciting adventure at sea!
What Readers say about Killer Cruise
"The best yet!"
"Another amazing plot with riveting characters. Can't wait for Book 4."
"An exceptional writer who writes unputdownable books!"
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Dying to Cruise
#Book 4
The only thing worse than getting stuck aboard a cruise ship with a murderer, is discovering that your ex is on board...
A ruthless killer intent on revenge. Can Rachel get to the bottom of an intriguing mystery before it's too late?.
Rachel Prince is drawn to investigate when the body of the leader of a Bucket List tour party is discovered in the library on the first day of her Antipodean cruise. Can this seemingly harmless group of elderly people have a killer among them?
Rachel thinks she is living the dream. Taking a cruise around Australia and New Zealand as a guest lecturer and meeting up again with her best friend, cruise ship nurse, Sarah. The scene is set for the holiday of a lifetime!
Difficulties abound for everyone when an interim chief of security causes countless problems and appears to take an intense dislike of Sarah. Not trusting the new chief to get to the bottom of the murder, Rachel investigates on her own, soon discovering that the dead woman from the Bucket List tour party had been receiving anonymous threatening emails. To make matters infinitely worse, Rachel's ex turns up on board, and things start to go horribly wrong.
The cruise ship sleuth needs to work fast to find out if one of the gentle elders on the bucket list tour is a murderer while avoiding her ex like the plague.
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to my editor Alison Jack, as always, for her kind comments about the book and for suggestions, corrections and amendments that make it a more polished read.
Thanks to my beta readers for comments and suggestions, and for their time given to reading the early drafts. Thanks too to the readers who take time to peruse the post-edited manuscript and highlight any errors that sometimes creep in!
Thanks to my immediate circle of friends, who are so patient with me when I’m absorbed in my fictional world, for your continued support in all my endeavours.
I have to say thank you to my cruise loving friends for joining me on some of the most precious experiences of my life and to the cruise lines for making every holiday a special one.
About the Author
Dawn Brookes is author of the Rachel Prince Mystery series, combining a unique blend of murder, cruising and medicine with a touch of romance.
Dawn has a 39-year nursing pedigree and takes regular cruise holidays, which she says are for research purposes! She brings these passions together with a Christian background and a love of clean crime to her writing.
The surname of her protagonist is in honour of her childhood dog, Prince, who used to put his head on her knee while she lost herself in books.
Bestselling author of Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s and Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling, Dawn worked as a hospital nurse, midwife, district nurse and community matron across her career. Before turning her hand to writing for a living, she had multiple articles published in professional journals and co-edited a nursing textbook.
She grew up in Leicester, later moved to London and Berkshire, but now lives in Derbyshire. Dawn holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honours and a Master’s degree in education. Writing across genres, she also writes for children. Dawn has a passion for nature and loves animals, especially dogs. Animals will continue to feature in her children’s books as she believes caring for animals and nature helps children to become kinder human beings.
Other Books by Dawn Brookes
Rachel Prince Mysteries
A Cruise to Murder
Deadly Cruise
Killer Cruise
Dying to Cruise
A Christmas Cruise Murder
Memoirs
Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s
Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling
Hurry up Nurse 3: More adventures in the life of a student nurse
Coming in 2020
Book 6 in the Rachel Prince Mystery series
Murderous Cruise Habit
Look out for New Crime Novel Series in 2020
Murder in Chaddesden Wood
Picture Books for Children
Ava & Oliver’s Bonfire Night Adventure
Ava & Oliver’s Christmas Nativity Adventure
Danny the Caterpillar
Gerry the One-Eared Cat
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