The author would like to express her gratitude to the following:
Robert and Bruce Hadley of Hadley Funeral Home in Windsor, Missouri. The epitome of grace and dignity.
Jerome Wareham and Kent Oberkrom, past and present sheriffs of Henry County, Missouri.
Kelley Ragland, my editor. Your faith and insight have been a true gift.
Lori Pope, my agent, Faith Childs Literary Agency, Inc. Thank you doesn't begin to express my appreciation.
Janice Young Brooks and June Rae Wood. You both give new meaning to the word
friend
.
And finally to all the florists I've had the pleasure of working with over the last twenty-five years:
MAY YOUR ROSES NEVER WILT,
MAY YOUR ARTISTRY BE EVERLASTING,
AND MAY YOUR HOLIDAYS BE SOOTHED
WITH BOWLS OF M&M's CANDIES.
Red lights flashed behind me. I released my seat belt. I had help behind me. I had help in front of me. I had a snake draped across my legs ⦠. The air inside the car was frigid. How fast could a snake bite? How fast could I slow my car and leap out? If he was poisonous, at least I had an army of police to get me to the hospital. Ditto if I broke an important part of my anatomy.
I tensed, then threw caution to the wind. In one movement, I slammed on the brakes and opened my car door. The car was still moving when I rolled off the seat and hit the pavement â¦
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“A nicely composed debut with a fine lead character. [Harrison] handles Bretta's matter-of-fact, pervasive sorrow with a generally sure hand.”
âBooklist
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“An interesting cozy that brings modern day Amish life to the forefront ⦠Janis Harrison lays out her whodone-it in a fine fashion ⦠Bretta is a fascinating protagonist ⦠The audience will want Ms. Harrison to foster more novels like ROOTS OF MURDER starring a very admirable heroine.”
âMidwest Book Review
MURDER WITH PEACOCKS by Donna Andrews
A COLD DAY IN PARADISE by Steve Hamilton
CROSSROAD BLUES by Ace Atkins
ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor
TELL NO TALES by Eleanor Taylor Bland
FAREWELL PERFORMANCE by Donna Huston Murray
DEATH AL DENTE by Peter King
JITTER JOINT by Howard Swindle
LARGER THAN DEATH by Lynne Murray
A GIFT OF SANCTUARY by Candace Robb
THE SILLY SEASON by Susan Holtzer
SEARCH THE DARK by Charles Todd
EMERALD FLASH by Charles Knief
DEAR MISS DEMEANOR by Joan Hess
AGATHA RAISIN AND THE WITCH OF
WYCKHADDEN by M. C. Beaton
THE BEST-KEPT SECRET by Les Roberts
THE IRISH COTTAGE MURDER by Dicey Deere
BIG EASY BACKROAD by Martin Hegwood
ROOTS OF MURDER by Janis Harrison
THE COMPANY OF CATS by Marian Babson
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St. Martin's Paperbacks
is also proud to present these mystery classics by Ngaio Marsh
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ARTISTS IN CRIME
BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED
CLUTCH OF CONSTABLES
LIGHT THICKENS
ROOTS OF MURDER
Copyright © 1999 by Janis Harrison.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
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eISBN 9781429931946
First eBook Edition : June 2011
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Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 99-22043
St. Martin's Press hardcover edition / July 1999
St. Martin's Paperbacks edition / July 2000