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Masked danger…
Lady Alkmene Callender has always loved grand parties, but when she receives an invitation to a masked ball thrown by Franklin Hargrove – oil magnate, aviation enthusiast and father of her best friend, Denise – she’s never seen such luxury. The estate is lit up with Chinese lanterns in the gardens, boats operated by footmen float across the pond and the guest list features the distinguished, rich and powerful!
But below the glamour, evil is lurking. When a dead body is discovered, it forces Lady Alkmene to throw off her mask and attempt to find the true killer before Denise’s family are accused. If only her partner, Jake Dubois, weren’t hiding something from her…
This case might just be more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.
Available from Vivian Conroy
A Lady Alkmene Callender Mystery series
A Proposal to Die For
Diamonds of Death
Deadly Treasures
Fatal Masquerade
A Country Gift Shop Cozy Mystery series
Dead to Begin with
Grand Prize: Murder!
Written into the Grave
Cornish Castle Mystery series
Death Plays a Part
Rubies in the Roses
Fatal Masquerade
Vivian Conroy
ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES
VIVIAN CONROY
discovered Agatha Christie at thirteen and quickly devoured all the Poirot and Miss Marple stories. Over time, Lord Peter Wimsey and Brother Cadfael joined her favourite sleuths. Even more fun than reading was thinking up her own fog-filled alleys, missing heirs and priceless artefacts. So Vivian created feisty Lady Alkmene and enigmatic reporter Jake Dubois, sleuthing in 1920s London and the countryside, first appearing in A Proposal to Die For. Vivian also writes the contemporary Country Gift Shop Mysteries, set at a British gift shop in smalltown Maine, and the contemporary Cornish Castle Mysteries, about a costume designer from London and her perky dachshund taking a summer job at a castle on a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. For the latest bookish news, with a dash of dogs and chocolate, follow Vivian on Twitter via @VivWrites.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Thanks to all editors, agents and authors who share insights into the writing and publishing process.
Thanks to my fantastic editor, Victoria Oundjian, for her continued enthusiasm for Lady Alkmene’s adventures, and to the design team for the fabulous cover.
A special thanks to all book bloggers and readers who have left reviews for the first three books in the Lady Alkmene series or have reached out to say how much they love the character dynamics. Nothing makes me happier than to know my books bring the same sleuthing fun to readers as I experience myself when I dive into a mystery.
Note
Writing mysteries set in the 1920s, I’m grateful for all online information – think dress, transportation, etiquette and much more – to ensure an authentic period feel. Psychology plays a significant part in this story, and although some scenes and theories discussed are inspired by real-life developments at the time, Lady Alkmene’s world is fictional and the characters and their behaviour – whether ethical or unethical – the fruit of my imagination.
‘Can’t this thing go any faster?’ Denise Hargrove snapped at the driver. During the ride she’d consulted her watch over and over again, exuding a nervous energy Lady Alkmene Callender found hard to place.
It