Death at the Fireside Inn: 1920s Historical Mystery (Veronica Vale Investigates)
Historical British Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – 1920s London, England
K.E. O’Connor Books (January 16, 2024)
Number of Pages: 225
ABOUT THE BOOK
A fading star, a puzzling death, and a mystery that must be solved!
Veronica Vale spent a turbulent few years serving her country during the Great War – doing more than her role in the exchange network suggested! Now back on British soil and adjusting to life as an obituary writer for her uncle’s newspaper, while caring for her ailing mother, Veronica has gotten used to a slower (and safer) pace of life.
Excitement comes from fun parties, walks with Benji, her beloved rescue dog, and volunteering at the Dogs’ Home.
When an old family friend, and former superstar of the theatre, Florence Sterling, is discovered dead in her dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre in London, Veronica is curious to discover what happened to the sweet, funny, ruthlessly ambitious beauty.
Much to the dismay of her sometimes nemesis Inspector Templeton, Veronica is tasked with writing Florence’s obituary. And what she learns will blow the roof off the theatre! That’s if she survives to tell the tale.
***
If you love witty dialogue, historical glamour, intrigue, and a fast-paced cozy mystery set in 1920s England, then you’ll adore Kitty Kildare’s unputdownable whodunits.
CHARACTER GUEST POST
Good day to you!
I’m Veronica Vale, and am adjusting to life following the Great War, doing more than my role as a telephone exchange operator suggests. But that’s a story for another time!
1920s London is a fascinating place. Everyone is full of hope and joy, enterprise is everywhere, and there’s a buzz to this great city that has been missing for years. But there are still a few trials we all must endure.
I’m a born and bred London girl who enjoys a simple life involving long walks with my rescue dog, Benji, and attending parties with my best friend, Ruby Smythe. But I somehow find myself embroiled in the most mysterious of cases.
It’s partly due to my job as an obituary writer for my uncle’s newspaper, the London Times. I often find myself around the recently deceased, and sometimes, they didn’t go quietly into the good night. Some were given a bullet in the gut, a whack over the head, or shoved down a set of stone steps.
And that won’t do! One thing I’m not afraid of is ensuring justice is done. Often to the frustration of the local police, and in particular, my sometimes nemesis, Inspector Jacob Templeton. He’s as handsome as he is stubborn, but I won’t let him stop me from ensuring wrongs are righted.
My home in an up-and-coming part of London is rarely quiet. I live with my ailing mother, Edith Vale, and my voluntarily housebound younger brother, Matthew. I tried to convince them to move to somewhere smaller and more practical, but they won’t hear of it. And to be honest, I don’t want to leave the place, even though it costs a small fortune to heat. We use the extra rooms to take in foster animals. There are many abandoned or lost animals looking for homes following the Great War. People who lost everything or were bombed out were unable to look after their precious animals, so I stepped in. I’m happy to say it’s a passion of mine.
Between my work at the newspaper, busy social life thanks to Ruby, keeping an eye on my eccentric family, my volunteer work at the dogs’ home, and my sleuthing activities, I rarely have a moment’s peace. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you wish to step back in time and enjoy the delights of postwar London, explore the surprises and mysteries hiding behind some of the grandest front doors, and help me ensure the police know what they’re doing, then you’d be most welcome to join me in my latest adventure.
Now, I must fly. I’m treating Ruby to an afternoon tea at the Ritz!
Yours truly,
Veronica Vale
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Immerse yourself into Kitty Kildare‘s cleverly woven historical British mysteries. Follow the mystery in the Veronica Vale Investigates series and enjoy the dazzle and delights of 1920s England. Kitty is a not-so-secret pen name of established cozy mystery author K.E. O’Connor, who decided she wanted to time travel rather than cast spells! Enjoy the twists and turns.
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