Book Title: DEADLY OBSESSION - Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe Murder Mystery Book 6
Character Name: Lily (I ain’t got no last name that I know of, but Lady Montgomery says as how I can choose wotever one I want now - Forsythe or Brodie!)
How would you describe your family or your childhood?
My childhood? That’s a good laugh. I was with a rag picker until I was nine years. I left cause I figured I should e able to keep the money I earned with a few pence to her for the roof over my head. After that I went to work for Madame at the ‘Church’; only it wasna a church at all, but a brothel. I was a maid there until recently.
What was your greatest talent?
I s’pose ye could say it was servin’ the ladies wot worked at the Church. I’ve always been a fairly good at pickin’ pockets and rememberin’ things. It comes in handy when hidin’ from the police.
Significant other?
That’s a might personal, doona ye s’pose. I’m only fourteen years as near as I can remember. I never worked at the Church, if that is wot ye mean.
Biggest challenge in relationships?
I’m not given to trustin’ folks; I seen too many bad sorts out on the street. Mademoiselle is the only one wot treated mean better than most; that is until Miss Mikaela.
Where do you live?
Like I said, I lived mostly at the Church until recent; that is until Miss Mikaela brung me to London, sayin’ as how she’s gonna see that I have an education and such;
Do you have any enemies?
Enemies? I just got here, tho I spose there might be one or two back in Old Town wot didna like me much after they tried to steal from me. I doona have no likin’ for thieves or liars.
How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place?
I mostly live at a place called Sussex Square. It’s easier to have my lessons with Miss Mikaela workin’ with Mr. Brodie. It’s a grand place, like a palace! And there’s a sword room with all sorts of weapons from her great aunt’s ancestors. I never seen such things before!
Do you have children, pets, both, or neither?
Wot sorta question is that? Bein’ only fourteen years I doona children! As for a pet? I never had nothin’ like that, but I s’pose Rupert the hound might be called a pet. He’s right mangy and smelly. He’s off the streets and right smelly, a lot like myself. Except for the smelly part. Lady Montgomery, Miss Mikaela’s aunt, sees to it that I wash regular.
What do you do for a living?
Since comin’ to London, I do my studyin’, music, and art lessons which is boring. But Lady Montgomery says as how I need some schoolin’ to better myself. As a reward when I done good, we have battles with the swords in the Sword Room. I like that a lot.
Greatest disappointment?
I s’pose that would be never knowin’ me mother and father; but I got a family now!
Greatest source of joy?
Joy? Wot is that? I hear about that in the singers out and about this time o’the year in London. Maybe it’s all the new things that come my way recent.
What do you do to entertain yourself or have fun?
Most likely that would be the battles in the Sword Room, or possibly lookin’ through all the books that Lady Montgomery has in her library at Sussex Square. I never had much use for learnin’ beyond countin’ coins that I received. And Miss Mikaela writes books too! Then there is the theater that she’s promised to take me to see her friend in a play. I never done nothin’ like that before.
What is your greatest personal failing, in your view?
That might be a friend on the street in Edinburgh wot died on the streets. I tried to help her, but she was sickly. She worked the streets and suffered a lot. I tried to get her to go to work for Madame but she said she needed all the coin she could earn. I miss Lottie.
What keeps you awake at night?
I sometimes canna sleep because I’m afraid where I’m at now is all a dream. Ye know the kind that goes away when ye wake up. But Miss Mikaela keeps tellin’ me that it won’t go away.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment? Crivvens! It’s gotta be tryin’ to keep everythin’ I’m learnin’ straight in me head. Everythin’ used to be real simple when I lived at the Church, just keep the linen’s fresh, stay outta the way, and doona speak to the customers. Now there is readin’, writin’, music and art lessons. Not certain why all that is important, but I’ll do Miss Mikaela and Mr. Brodie proud, I will.
Is there something that you need or want that you don’t have? For yourself or for someone important to you?
Miss Mikaela and Lady Montgomery see that I have everythin’ I need—food, clothes, that sorta thing, and they make me feel real welcome. It’s up to me now to make something of meself. As fer someone else, I would like for Mr. Munro to have someone special in his life. He’s been a good friend and he deserves to have a family of some kind. I heard he took a fancy to someone but they’re not together. Seein’ Miss Forsythe and Mr. Brodie together, I think that everyone needs someone they can trust and care about. Maybe that will happen fer me some day.
Why don’t you have it? What is in the way?
I’ve got a lotta learnin’ to do. I wouldna be much good to anyone havin’ worked as a maid in a brothel. Lady Montgomery says I have a good head fer things. Like I said, maybe that will happen fer me. Right now, I gotta take care of me and my new family here in London. I hear that Miss Mikaela has a way of getting’ herself into some dangerous situations Mr. Brodie called ‘em. Maybe I can help her out. After all, I know all about life on the streets and in those dangerous places.
I thank ye kindly fer the time ye gave me today. No one ever cared much about me. It’s somethin’ new to me. And be sure to call on Miss Mikaela and Mr. Brodie if’n ye got some situation ye need hel p with. Right now, they each have a case they’re settin’ off on.
I’m pretty certain that Mr. Brodie can take care of himself - he come from the streets himself. As fer Miss Mikaela, I heard that she knows all sorts of ways to protect herself. She even shot a person! Crivens! But she might need a hand from time to time. I’ll be there fer her, and Mr. Brodie too! It’s the least I can do fer the kindness they showed me.
Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe Murder Mystery #6
A photograph taken of the daughter of one of London’s most prominent citizens in a private setting sets Brodie and Mikaela off on a new inquiry case to find out who took the photograph and then sent it to the family.
The case begins simply enough until the young woman goes missing. Then, the family receives another photograph of their daughter who is obviously quite dead and that simple inquiry case has now become an investigation of murder.
But this is no routine investigation to follow the clues as another photograph is received, and another body is found.
Then another, and Brodie and Mikaela must confront the fact that the murderer is brilliant, talented with those startling even beautiful images, and quite possibly insane as the murders do not appear to be for the usual reasons of robbery, blackmail, or an assault.
What then is it that drives a cold-blooded killer to pick his victims, take those enigmatic photographs that catches them so perfectly? Then take another photograph once they are dead?
Brodie has his own thoughts from years of experience with the MP of London as an investigator, while Mikaela has an entirely different take on the murders.
Their inquiries take them from the struggling photographer who takes iconic photos around London then sells them for the stereopticons that have become so popular in Victorian London, to the casual photographer on the street with his box camera, and into the galleries where photo exhibits are shown.
All the while they are exploring the next step in their relationship.
As the murderer becomes bolder, the photograph of his next victim appears in the Times of London, setting off even more inquiries, and prominent London families fear the worst.
Then, Brodie receives a photograph of Mikaela…
Mystery Historical | Mystery Amateur Sleuth [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: December 19, 2023, e-Book, / ]
Twenty five books and counting! Or is it twenty six? Very possibly by the time this is posted. I started this crazy journey a few years ago, after reading several historical romances then declaring "I can do this!" Husband, always supportive. replied, "Then do it!" And she did, as the saying goes. Along the way, there were two romantic suspense novels and a time-travel novel, and two film options... But I digress. My current series is a historical murder mystery with a hint of romance, starting with A Deadly Affair, Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe, Murder Mystery Book 1, with Book 2 to be released soon, followed by Book 3, and... We live in the Sierra Mountains outside of Yosemite National Park and when not writing my next book, we hit the trails on our horses.
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