Little Shop of Homicide
Read Little Shop of Homicide Online
Authors: Denise Swanson
Tags: #Mystery, #C429, #Kat, #Extratorrents
Praise for the Scumble River Series
Murder of a Creped Suzette
“Tongue-in-cheek humor, complex motives, and unique murders. The latest cleverly crafted tale is another entertaining mystery.”
—
Romantic Times
Murder of a Bookstore Babe
“In the latest installment in her cozy Scumble River series, Swanson serves up another irresistible slice of romance-spiced mystery.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“A fun and fast-paced mystery. Reading about Scumble River is as comfortable as being in your own hometown.”
—The Mystery Reader
“Swanson once again thrills her readers.…. The thirteenth book in the series,
Murder of a Bookstore Babe
is still as fresh and fun to read as the first book, and that’s quite a tribute to the skills of an author to keep it so.”
—Fresh Fiction
Murder of a Wedding Belle
“The latest carefully crafted installment in Swanson’s Scumble River series features a charming heroine, who is equally skilled at juggling detection and romance.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“A tightly woven mystery…. I had no idea as to who the murderer was until the final reveal, which definitely makes for a page-turning read.”
—Once Upon a Romance Reviews
Murder of a Royal Pain
“A trip to Scumble River is like visiting with old friends…. Another entry into a fine series that is sure to be on most must-read lists.”
—The Mystery Reader
“Swanson has given me many a smile and many hours of wonderful, fun reading. This is another in a long line of really great books.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
“[A] cleverly crafted plot…. with a generous dash of romance.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Top-notch storytelling with truly unique and wonderful characters.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
“Endearing…. quirky…. a delight.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Tight plotting and plenty of surprises keep this series on my must-read list.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
Murder of a Real Bad Boy
“Swanson is a born storyteller.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
“Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”
—
Kentucky Amplifier
Murder of a Smart Cookie
“Smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”
—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“[Swanson] has a lot of surprises in store for the reader.”
—
Midwest Book Review
Murder of a Pink Elephant
“The must-read book of the summer.”
—
Butler County Post
(KY)
“Current readers will appreciate the trip into Scumble River, while new readers will want to go back.”
—The Best Reviews
Murder of a Barbie and Ken
“Denise Swanson keeps getting better and better! This time, I giggled like a schoolgirl at the antics of Simon’s estranged mother, Bunny, the explanation of the two essential tools for every household, and even the very fitting character names.…. It is not necessarily the mystery that holds me riveted. It is Denise’s way with words. She
jknows ust how to add humor and warmth to her books, making them unforgettable reads!”,
—Roundtable Reviews
“Denise Swanson hits all the right notes in this brisk and witty peek at small-town foibles and foul play.”
—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick)
“Swanson continues her lively, light, and quite insightful look at small-town life.”
—
Hartford Courant
“Another sidesplitting visit to Scumble River…. with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met.”
—
Butler County Post
(KY)
Murder of a Snake in the Grass
“An endearing and realistic character…. A fast-paced, enjoyable read.”
—
Herald News
“This book is delightful.”
—Mysterious Woman
Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
“A smooth, pleasant, and ultimately satisfying book.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Another delightful and intriguing escapade”
—Mystery News
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
“More fun than the Whirl-a-Gig at the County Fair and tastier than a corndog.”
—
Charlotte Austin Review
“A magnificent tale written by a wonderful author.”
—
Midwest Book Review
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
“Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”
—Agatha Award–winning author Earlene Fowler
“A charming, insightful debut.”
—Carolyn Hart
Other Books by Denise Swanson
Scumble River Mysteries
Murder of a Creped Suzette
Murder of a Bookstore Babe
Murder of a Wedding Belle
Murder of a Royal Pain
Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
Murder of a Real Bad Boy
Murder of a Smart Cookie
Murder of a Pink Elephant
Murder of a Barbie and Ken
Murder of a Snake in the Grass
Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
Little Shop
of Homicide
A Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery
Denise Swanson
OBSIDIAN
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First Printing, March 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2012
All rights reserved
ISBN: 978-1-101-57695-3
OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
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 Web sites or their content.
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For Kelle Z. Riley
Because she is always there to help me brainstorm, listen
to my plots, and tell me when I’m going
in the wrong direction.
Because she tolerates my whining, but never lets me sink
into the quagmire of writer’s depression—especially
when I think I might have committed career suicide.
But, mostly, because she writes amazing stories with life-
affirming happy endings that everyone is going to love
once some smart editor snaps them up.
Never give up the dream!
Acknowledgments
After so many books, I sometimes forget to thank the two people who have had such a huge part in making those books possible. However, with a new series starting, it reminded me how much I owe my agent, Laura Blake Peterson, and my editor, Ellen Edwards. So, thank you for all you’ve done, and for being with me for the long haul!
Thanks also to my Facebook peeps. Your generosity in answering all my “research” questions, and your support of my books (and me) help in ways you can’t imagine—especially on the days that I wonder why I ever wanted to be a writer.
CHAPTER 1
S
tepping back from the old kitchen table I used as a workbench, I contemplated my creations. Both evoked strong feelings. The one on my left called up memories of a simpler time, filled with sunlight and innocence, while the one on my right summoned thoughts of sensual darkness and guilty pleasures.
As I examined the nostalgia basket, the one for the Gerbers’ sixtieth anniversary, I smoothed the 1952
Saturday Evening Post
, straightened the fifties music CD, and pinned an I LIKE IKE button to the sock monkey’s hat. Once I tucked in the sacks of peppermint sticks and licorice whips, a mesh bag of marbles, and a kazoo, I was ready to place my trademark—the one perfect book—in the center.
Norman Rockwell’s Faith of America
had been the clear choice.
Happy with the Gerbers’ basket, I turned my attention to the one for the Cusslers, who were celebrating their first anniversary. I studied my handiwork. It needed something to be amazing. They had asked for heat and passion; so which would sizzle more, a crimson silk blindfold or a pair of black satin panties? Already nestled in the folds of an ebony lace shawl were a bottle of cinnamon massage oil, a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a lushly illustrated copy of the
Kama Sutra
.