Lady Bernhardt’s diamond necklace is stolen. More jewelry is missing.
Suspicions and accusations fly among the passengers of the ship Garipoola.
Then the thief dies in a freak accident, proof of his theft in hand.
Will Isabella locate his accomplice and the missing jewelry before they reach the next port?
“Silver Web” is the fourth short story in the collection Sailing with Mystery, published on this date in 2023.
The collection continues the mystery adventures of the artist Isabella Newcombe Tarrant, featured in the Into Death series. Her introduction is in the novel Digging into Death.
Read the opening two sections of the short story at this link (and purchase the story here, too!) :
One Novella and 3 Collections of Short Stories: stories with the people and outlaws sheltering in Sherwood Forest f
firefly flying in green forest
rom the corruption of the leaders in the town of Nottingham and across the dales.
If you wish to read the stories in order, follow the order of the collections, with The Hooded Outlaw occurring immediately after the 2nd Collection of short stories.
1st Collection ~ Into Wild Sherwood
Dangerous Faeries Lurk in the Forest
all Covers by Deranged Doctor Design
“Tod the Fox and the Faeries in the Ring”
Never enter a Faerie Ring. The Faeries like to play.
When Robin Hood escapes a trap set by the Sheriff of Nottingham, he never expects to meet the love of his life, Lady Marianne d’Airsey.
Then a greedy baron and the crooked sheriff plot to steal d’Airsey Manor. How can Robin, Marianne, and his men prevent Prince John from granting the manor away from her family?
~ the 3rd Short story with Isabella Newcombe Tarrant!
Cover design by Deranged Doctor Design
Pranks and tricks cause inconvenience, misery, and embarrassment.
After one prank goes too far and injury occurs, will Isabella locate the trickster before the next mishap turns deadly?
“Black Heart” is the third short story in the collection Sailing with Mystery. The collection continues the mystery adventures of the artist Isabella Newcombe Tarrant, featured in the Into Death series. Her introduction is in the novel Digging into Death.
~ What’s Up with “Black Heart”? ~
Writing “Black Heart”
This story–with pranks revealing evil hearts–kept stumping me for a while. I launched into the writing without a clear idea of the types of pranks. The only clear idea was that I hate pranksters.
You see, I taught teen-agers for a long, long time. I loved their energy. I also loved their welcoming and compassionate hearts. Their idea of fun gave me lots of fun as a spectator of it …. unless that idea of fun was more about laughing at other people, setting them up for ridicule, and mocking them when the results of their “fun” developed. Mild pranks were never the problem. Hurtful pranks, embarrassing pranks, pranks intending to hurt people or their property merely for a laugh: those pranks are ones that I despise.
During the writing of the Sailing with Mystery collection, in the week before I started this story, I spent an hour mapping out an itinerary for the collection. Isabella boards the ship Nomadic in Southhampton, England. The ship stops along the French and Spanish coasts. The first story occurs on the approach to Gibraltar; the second, into the Mediterranean. This third is set in Port Said, Egypt … except it isn’t.
I decided to visit the pyramids, and that gave me the first prank and the launching point of the story.
Everything developed from the launch point along with additional pranks and the black heart required for a prankster.
A couple of twists developed. A research-based conversation changed a planned event to one that had more reality.
Then the ending was upon me. With the last words, I leaned back in my chair. “Whoo! That was fun!”
I hope you enjoy it as well.
How to Purchase
Sailing with Mystery ~ Mystery and Peril are dangerous shipmates for an ocean voyage.
Spring is bursting forth, birds are twittering around,
… and allergies have started.
Time for April Book Birthdays!
discover with one click!
Who doesn’t want chocolate cake? Image free from Wikimedia Commons, see alt text for attribution
On April 1st ~ Writing Craft!
Discovering Your Writing
The epic journey for all writers is discovering the many areas of our writing craft.
Characters.
Plot.
Branding.
Sentence Craft.
A ready-reference to build your writing career. Designed for writers at any skill level.
One-click link for the book description, trailer, and purchase.
April 5 ~ Fantasy!
Spells of Air
On a mission for the Wizard Enclave, Orielle ventures into the Wilding, a strange frontier filled with magical creatures. There she discovers sprites and wraiths, gobbers and wyre, and the mysterious Dark Fae called the Kyrgy.
All view her as prey.
What can you expect from this trilogy? Elemental magic. Dangerous Dark Fae allies. Treacherous shape-shifted. A twisted sorceress.
This book bundles the three novellas, To Wield the Wind, To Charm the Wind, and To Curse the Wyre.
Amazon has the ebook and paperback options. Worldwide is ebook only.
What can possibly go wrong in an idyll? Arson uncovers a baffling murder from the past.
When Agatha’s lover abandoned her years ago, she poured herself into her family’s property, Helmes Farm. Mismanaged by three stewards, the estate suffers financial trouble. Agatha needs someone honest to help.
Jess Carter evaded arrest for smuggling. The smuggler’s fence offers him a job at Helmes Farm. When Agatha hires Jess as her new steward, his loyalties are divided.
Then hatred burns into a fire in the night. The arson reveals an old murder. The vanished fiancé didn’t leave—he was murdered.
Who is the arsonist? Who is the murderer? Are the arsonist and the murderer the same person? Or have two people been poisoned by hatred?
Troubles past and present swirl around destructive hatred in this twisty romantic mystery.
Conrad Hoppock works with the Bow Street Runners to locate a French master spy. His search sends him undercover in a firm of solicitors.
Phinney Darracott wants justice for the murders of her sister and brother-in-law. Clues lead her to a firm of London solicitors. Disguised as a cleaning maid, Phinney prowls for the evidence. There she encounters Conrad.
Then the lawyer at the center of the tangle of clues is shot dead while they watch from hiding.
Will Phinney and Conrad discover the connection between past and present murders ~ or will they face two bullets?
Download your pick of our freebie — or take all 3. We hope you enjoy every one.
Historical Mystery from M.A. Lee
Jack Portman had never forgotten Filly Malvaise. Then she walked into his local pub and into the clutches of a loan shark. Can he rescue her before she falls victim to evil?
The Lion’s Den is connected by a single thread to the Into Death series, which features the artist Isabella Newcombe. Jack and Filly first appeared in the mystery Christmas with Death.
“The Poisoner and the Faerie Huntsman” ~ Never reveal weakness to a Faerie.
Escaping a false accusation of poisoning, Melly and her hound seek refuge in Sherwood Forest ~ yet the Nottingham guard who accused her is on her trail.
That night, she encounters the black hounds of the Wild Hunt. Then the Huntsman arrives.
Has she fallen into greater trouble?
Read this short story with this link from Book Funnel, no requirements.
This is one of M’s favorite Wild Sherwood stories [Edie has a different story that she loves, but she’s in love with the image of the guy =) . ]
Fantasy from Remi Black, a novella, first in the Spells of Earth trilogy.
bk 1 in the Spells of Earth trilogy of fantasy novellas
Elemental Earth is a life-potential power. Can it be wielded to kill?
Wizardry burnt out and memory gone, Desora re-built her life in an isolated corner of the Northern Reaches. She only wields the life-growing power of elemental Earth.
She has nothing of Fire, Air, or Water. No fiery bolts, no whirlwinds, no drowning spheres: nothing for defense or attack.
Shape-shifting wolfen threaten her, able to transform out of Moon-turn.
And strangely gory deaths in the High Meadow mean a mysterious monster prowls, looking for life to consume.
With death menacing, Desora has no protection except her wards.
Wolfen and the eldritch monster kill the defenseless. Can Desora discover new ways to wield Earth before she becomes prey?
Dangerous Gold ~ 
