Every Trick in the Book
Read Every Trick in the Book Online
Authors: Lucy Arlington
Tags: #Suspense, #(¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
PRAISE FOR
Buried in a Book
“Cheer up—there’s no middle-aged malaise for Lila. This cozy debut, written by a pseudonymous
duo, excels at describing bucolic North Carolina. Think Kate Carlisle for her intergenerational
ensemble style or Mark de Castrique’s series for regional Tar Heel flavor.”
—Library Journal
“
Buried in a Book
provides a charming new protagonist and cast of characters, and promises rewarding
exploits in future series novels. Keep your eyes peeled for the next Novel Idea Mystery.”
—Mystery Scene
“Snappy, funny, and charming, with delightful characters and a cozy plot.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A witty, captivating read that mystery fans will enjoy. I’m looking forward to my
next visit to Inspiration Valley.”
—Novel Reflections
“This is the start of a new series by Lucy Arlington and it has great potential. As
a fan of cozy mysteries, I enjoyed this book about the crazy cast of characters at
a literary agency.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“
Buried in a Book
will appeal to anyone who loves reading, especially anyone who loves discovering
a new author…A satisfying first mystery.”
—The Mystery Reader
“Lucy Arlington has a winner with this debut…A first-rate whodunit all cozy fans will
enjoy!”
—Escape with Dollycas Into A Good Book
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Lucy Arlington
BURIED IN A BOOK
EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK
EVERY TRICK
IN THE BOOK
Lucy Arlington
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, business
establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not
have any control over
and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their
content.
EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / February 2013
Copyright © 2013 by Lucy Arlington.
Excerpt from
Books, Cooks, and Crooks
by Lucy Arlington copyright © 2013 by Lucy Arlington.
Cover illustration by Julia Green.
Cover design by Lesley Worrell.
Interior text design by Tiffany Estreicher.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy
of
copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized
editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN: 978-1-101-61913-1
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are
trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
| ALWAYS LEARNING | PEARSON |
To all librarians.
Thank you for inviting us to enter the world
of books time and time again.
BY THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER, THE HEAT AND LASSITUDE
of a Southern summer had finally loosed its hold over the quaint, artsy town of Inspiration
Valley. Cool air traveled down from the foothills and encouraged the people of North
Carolina to search their closets for lightweight sweaters and to spend their weekends
at football games or strolling through pumpkin patches in search of the perfect gourd.
Signs of fall were everywhere. Advertisements were stapled to nearly every telephone
pole, enticing the public into taking hayrides, attending apple festivals, and purchasing
potted mums from the local plant store, the Secret Garden. An electric charge was
present in the crisp mornings, and a bowl of warm grits or a cup of hot cider never
tasted better. Folks went about their business with a spring in their step.
Although I loved autumn and welcomed the brisk breezes and the harvest moon hung from
a canvas of deep indigo, I was too busy to enjoy the season. Having been promoted
from a lowly intern two months ago to the position of full-fledged agent at Novel
Idea Literary Agency, my schedule was full. I have cherished each and every day in
this career. There’s no other job in the world that would give me the chance to discover
captivating new voices, unforgettable characters, must-read plotlines, or settings
so original and alluring that I long to be transported to the author’s fictional realm
on the spot.
And those are just the query letters! I also get to sit at my desk, sipping hot caramel
lattes brewed to perfection by Makayla, the talented barista who works downstairs
at Espresso Yourself, and delve into a fat pile of manuscripts. Because I represent
traditional mysteries and romantic suspense, much of my day is spent reading about
intrigues, secrets, and schemes. You’d think that I’d quickly grow tired of those
themes, but I haven’t. I love a good murder mystery, no matter what its form.
This autumn, working in conjunction with the town of Inspiration Valley, Novel Idea
was on the verge of hosting the area’s first Book and Author Festival. The entire
town was dedicated to art in all its forms, and the literary agency, located at the
heart of the burg, was one of Inspiration Valley’s most enthusiastic supporters. I
was in charge of registration for both the participants and the guest speakers. In
addition to this time-consuming assignment, I had to find our agency a new intern,
because the woman I’d hired in August to take my place as intern had been forced to
accompany her husband in an abrupt job transfer to Minnesota.
This meant that come Monday, my desk and email inbox would be crammed with unfulfilled
tasks. Thank goodness today was Saturday and the work I had before me was of
the kind I’d been looking forward to for months. Today was moving day.
Most people view this activity as a miserable one. True, it involved plenty of hard
labor and emotional stress, but I was giddy with excitement when my son, Trey, pulled
up in front of my mother’s house in a borrowed pickup truck.
“Ready to put these guns to good use?” he asked and then flexed his biceps. As usual,
he was wearing a T-shirt. Freezing rain could cover the surface of Inspiration Valley
and my son would insist that he wasn’t cold.
“Manual labor suits you,” I told him. “If you still have energy after a day of shoveling
out the goat pens or chopping wood, you could always hike down the mountain and mow
my lawn.”
Trey puffed out his chest, pleased that I’d noticed how strong he’d become since joining
the co-op up on Red Fox Mountain. “You won’t have a man around, Mom. So if there’s
anything you need, just say the word and I’ll totally be there.”
Touched by his offer, I smiled at my only child. Trey was tall with the wide shoulders
of a football player and had brown eyes that were prone to twinkle with mischief.
His chestnut hair was too long for my taste, but I reached up and ruffled it fondly.
He squirmed away from my touch, readjusting his shaggy locks while introducing me
to two young men from the Red Fox Mountain Co-op who’d be helping us transfer the
furniture and boxes stacked in a Dunston storage unit into a charming cottage located
minutes away from Novel Idea.