Out of Circulation

“[A] promising new cozy series.”

—Lorna Barrett,
New York Times
bestselling author

PRAISE FOR

File M for Murder

“Readers who have come to love Charlie and Diesel and the small-town ambience of Athena will find
File M for Murder
another pleasant diversion, complete with an intriguing plot in which the silence of the library threatens to become the silence of the grave.”

—Richmond Times-Dispatch

Classified as Murder

“Bringing local color to life, this second entry in the series…is a gentle, closed-room drama set in Mississippi. Ideal for Christie fans who enjoy a good puzzle.”

—Library Journal

“Readers will enjoy this entertaining regional whodunit as the librarian and the cat work the case.”

—Genre Go Round Reviews

“A hit with bibliophiles and animal lovers, not to mention anyone who likes a well-plotted mystery. The characters are unique and often eccentric. Having a male amateur sleuth with a subplot that explores his relationship with his adult son brings a fresh twist to the genre.”

—RT Book Reviews

Murder Past Due

“Combines a kindhearted librarian hero, family secrets in a sleepy Southern town, and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart. A great beginning to a promising new cozy series.”

—Lorna Barrett,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Courtly librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat, Diesel, are an endearing detective duo. Warm, charming, and Southern as the tastiest grits.”

—Carolyn Hart, author of the Bailey Ruth Mysteries

“Brings cozy lovers an intriguing mystery, a wonderful cat, and a librarian hero who will warm your heart. Filled with Southern charm, the first in the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries will keep readers guessing until the end. Miranda James should soon be on everyone’s list of favorite authors.”

—Leann Sweeney, author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries

“
Murder Past Due
has an excellent plot, great execution, and a surprising ending. This book is a must read!”

—
The Romance Readers Connection

“Miranda James begins the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries with a bang…[An] absolute breath of fresh air.”

—
Fresh Fiction

“Read
Murder Past Due
for the mystery and an enjoyable amateur sleuth…You’ll find yourself wishing for the next book to catch up with Diesel.”

—Lesa’s Book Critiques

Please visit Diesel the cat at
facebook.com/DieselHarriscat.

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Miranda James

MURDER PAST DUE

CLASSIFIED AS MURDER

FILE M FOR MURDER

OUT OF CIRCULATION

Thanks, as always, to the usual suspects. First, my wonderful, supportive editor, Michelle Vega, and my amazing agent, Nancy Yost. This ride was bumpier than usual, but thanks for cushioning it as much as possible.

My fellow critique group members gave helpful advice as always. Thanks to Amy, Bob, Heather, Kay, Laura, Leann, and Millie for their judicious critiques. Thanks also to the Soparkar-Hairston family for their continued support and the use of their lovely home for meetings.

A special thanks to coworkers Philip Montgomery and M. J. Figard for their expert advice on archives and rare books. Another coworker contributed the title for this book, and she insisted she didn’t want her name in the acknowledgments. She didn’t say I couldn’t put it in the book somewhere, though!

Patricia Orr, Julie Herman, and Terry Farmer continue to cheer me on, and I appreciate them more than they can ever know.

Acknowledgments

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-one

Twenty-two

Twenty-three

Twenty-four

Twenty-five

Twenty-six

Twenty-seven

Twenty-eight

Twenty-nine

Thirty

Thirty-one

Thirty-two

Thirty-three

Thirty-four

Thirty-five

“Charlie Harris, what are you doing
hiding
in the kitchen? Stiffen up that spine, young man, and get yourself in there where you’re needed.”

Miss An’gel Ducote didn’t wait for a response. The grande dame of Athena society turned and strode back toward my living room. She had been telling the citizens of Athena what to do for more than seventy of her eighty-odd years. Far be it from me to cast aside my Southern upbringing and defy her—even if the last place I wanted to be this Wednesday night was my own living room. Confrontation unsettled me, and I had taken refuge in the kitchen, ostensibly to brew fresh tea. I wasn’t going to avoid the unpleasantness that easily, however.

The tea forgotten, I scurried after Miss An’gel as fast as my fifty-two-year-old legs could move. My feet tangled together just inside the living room, and I grabbed at the door frame to steady myself.

Miss An’gel had resumed her place on the sofa with her younger sister, Miss Dickce. Her fire-engine red, vintage Chanel woolen dress provided a startling contrast to her sister’s sober black. I didn’t ordinarily pay much attention to women’s clothing, but my actor daughter, Laura, waxed ecstatic whenever we encountered one of the Ducote sisters. Evidently they’d inherited a considerable wardrobe of designer clothing from their mother and grandmother. Laura practically swooned over the creations of Worth, Chanel, Balenciaga, and Dior she’d seen them wear, and I’d picked up enough detail to identify the designers’ work. I drew the line at shoes.