Murder Cuts the MustardIn the lean years following World War I, brash American adventuress Beryl Helliwell and prim and proper Brit Edwina Davenport form a private inquiry agency to make ends meet, hoping that crime does indeed pay . . . The latest occurrence to disturb the peace in the quaint English village of Walmsley Parva hits rather too close to home—in fact, the prime suspect has taken up residence in Edwina's potting shed. Her elderly gardener Simpkins has been secretly sleeping there after a row with his disreputable brother-in-law and housemate, Hector Lomax. When Hector is found murdered in the local churchyard, Constable Gibbs comes looking for Simpkins, who was last seen arguing with his kin in the pub the night before. Based on the sad state of her garden, Edwina has grave doubts that the shiftless Simpkins could muster the effort to murder anyone. The two sleuths throw themselves into weeding out suspects and rooting out the real killer. But this is no garden variety murder. The discovery of a valuable ring, a surprise connection to Colonel Kimberly's Condiment Company, and a second homicide all force Beryl and Edwina to play catch-up as they relish the chance to contain the culprit . . . |
Contents
Chapter 3 | |
Chapter 4 | |
Chapter 5 | |
Chapter 6 | |
Chapter 7 | |
Chapter 8 | |
Chapter 22 | |
Chapter 23 | |
Chapter 24 | |
Chapter 25 | |
Chapter 26 | |
Chapter 27 | |
Chapter 28 | |
Chapter 29 | |
Chapter 9 | |
Chapter 10 | |
Chapter 11 | |
Chapter 12 | |
Chapter 13 | |
Chapter 14 | |
Chapter 15 | |
Chapter 16 | |
Chapter 17 | |
Chapter 18 | |
Chapter 19 | |
Chapter 20 | |
Chapter 21 | |
Chapter 30 | |
Chapter 31 | |
Chapter 32 | |
Chapter 33 | |
Chapter 34 | |
Chapter 35 | |
Chapter 36 | |
Chapter 37 | |
Chapter 38 | |
Chapter 39 | |
Chapter 42 | |
Authors Note | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alma Alma's Armitage Beeches believe Beryl asked Beryl felt Beryl thought chair Chapter Charles Chester White churchyard Clifford Hammond Colonel Kimberly consider Constable Gibbs cottage Crumpet door drink Edwina asked Edwina felt Edwina found Edwina nodded Edwina thought Edwina wondered enquiry agency exactly expect eyes face fact Fanhurst father feel Frank Prentice front garden Geraldine gin fizz glance hair hand happened Hattie head heard Hector Lomax Hector's murder hope imagine Jack keep Kimberly's knew leaned lessons looked matter mind Miss DuPont morning mother motorcar Muriel never night Orelia Perhaps Pettigrew potting shed private enquiry Prudence realized seemed shoulders Sidney Poole Simpkins Simpkins's simply someone sort suppose sure surprised telephone office tell thing told took Tunbridge turned typewriter vicar village voice Walmsley Parva wish woman young