om Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney. Copyright © 2025 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
Chapter 2
Moving fast, I ushered Father Patrick into the castle, tempted to bar the door behind us against Hilda and her friend. The Great Hall was empty, but I could hear Dad’s voice booming in the drawing room, which overlooked the knot garden, one of the castle’s best features.
“Want a glass of mead?” I asked Father Patrick. “And we’ve got nibbles.”
“I won’t say no,” he said, looking pleased at the prospect.
We were halfway across the hall when the front door opened and my sister, Tamsyn, slipped inside. “Hold up,” she cried, running to join us, long legs flashing.
I braced myself, since she did not approve of me renting “her” castle. “I thought you were on location.” Tamsyn had a lead role in Highland Lass, a period costume drama filmed in Edinburgh.
“We were,” she said, bestowing her famous smile on Father Patrick. We both had our late mother’s strawberry blonde waves, green eyes, and pale skin that freckled. But my sister was incredibly photogenic and I was not. “But we’re on break, so I’m here to help.”
Great. “Wonderful,” I said, thinking of a way to kill two birds with one stone. “You can be our room attendant.” That would take her down a notch plus give me more time in my garden.
My suggestion earned me a dirty glare until Tamsyn realized Father Patrick had noticed. She dimpled. “Whatever you need, my dear.”
My smile was equally insincere. “And I’ll hold you to it, my darling.”
The front door opened again and my brother walked in. To my relief, he was by himself. No Hilda yet. “You two go ahead,” I said to Tamsyn and Father Patrick. “I need to talk to Will a sec.” They scooted off to the drawing room.
“Oh, good,” Will said in a low voice as he approached. “I was hoping to get you alone.” Lean and lanky like us, and sharing our reddish hair and green eyes, my brother wore a close-cropped beard and an air of distraction. Will’s company, Monkwell Mead, produced the finest honey wine in England and we planned to feature it heavily.
“Did you get rid of Hilda?” I asked. “The nerve—after all she’s done—”
Will nodded, but then the door creaked open to reveal my nemesis and her friend. “I tried. Honestly.” He placed a hand on my arm, speaking rapidly as the two women hurried our way. “Make sure you give the Cargills the royal treatment.”
“The Cargills?” Oh, he meant the middle-aged couple now drinking mead in the drawing room. “We’ll treat them well, of course. Why the concern?”
He winced, screwing up his face in an expression I recognized. A confession was coming. “I invited them to stay. They own a chain of high-end wine shops all over the UK, you see. They’re considering taking on Monkwell Mead. It’s a big order, with national promotion.”
“Oh, I get it. You want to make sure I don’t blow your deal.” Suspicion dawned. “You didn’t comp them, did you?” I hadn’t taken the reservation. That must’ve been Janet, I thought.
He rubbed a hand over his face. “I might have mentioned that they would be our guests.”
“Will.” My whisper rose to a muffled shriek. “Don’t do that again without asking me. I’m paying the bills here.”
“Sorry,” he muttered. “I won’t.” Then his eyes widened. “Which room did you give them?”
I knew where this was going. “The red room,” I admitted. “Which we now call the King’s Chamber, by the way. But don’t worry, it’s not his time.” I was referring to Sir Percival’s haunting schedule, which was more or less reliable. Will opened his mouth to object, but before he could speak, I said, “They have to stay there. Another couple has the white room, aka the Queen’s Chamber, and our single guest is in the Knight’s Chamber.”
My brother winced. “Let’s hope the good sir keeps a low profile.” He jerked his thumb toward the front door. “I’ll go help Guy bring in the bags. See you in a few.”
He strode across the hall, nodding as he passed Hilda and Sandra. Feeling I must out of politeness, I waited for the two women to join me before going into the drawing room.
As she strutted along, pigeon chest out and tiny feet tapping, Hilda’s heavily made-up blue eyes darted around, landing everywhere except my face. I could practically see the drool forming behind her pursed, red-painted lips as she took in the hall’s tattered splendors. As the self-appointed doyenne of Monkwell—even though she’d moved here only last year—Hilda was relentless in her efforts to control what we did at Ravensea Castle. Unfortunately for her, Dad and I were skilled at digging in our heels. We had centuries’ worth of inspiring examples behind us.
The other woman stayed one step behind Hilda, faithful sycophant and friend. I didn’t know Sandra well, but she was the type to poke her finger into every village pie.
“Nora,” Hilda said when she reached me, penciled brows rising. “I had no idea that your sister would be gracing us with her presence.”
“I’m such a fan.” Sandra’s voice was a coo. “She’s so beautiful. And talented, too.”
“Isn’t she?” I said, deciding not to reveal my own surprise at Tamsyn’s arrival. Maybe her presence would prevent Hilda from voicing her views about our bed-and-breakfast. “Will you join us for a glass of mead? Or wine?”
Hilda glanced at Sandra. “Shall we? I don’t usually drink this early in the day but—”
“But we don’t usually get to rub elbows with a television star either.” Sandra wiggled in place as if eager to keep moving. “Let’s go.”
“We shall accept your kind invitation,” Hilda said loftily, as if channeling Lady Violet from Downton Abbey. She charged through the archway into the drawing room, only to stop short. Sandra bumped right into her with an “oof.”
From Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney. Copyright © 2025 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.
Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk—she’s a prime suspect.
Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.
Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .
Mystery Cozy [Minotaur Books, On Sale: May 27, 2025, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781250370051 / eISBN: 9781250370068]
Elizabeth Penney is an author, entrepreneur, and local food advocate living in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In addition to writing full-time, she operates a micro farm, a challenge in that climate! Elements that often appear in her novels include small towns, past/present mysteries, and the domestic arts. Elizabeth grew up in Maine, where family still lives, and she draws inspiration from the state’s timeless landscape and rich heritage.
Elizabeth's writing credits include over twenty mysteries, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former small business consultant, banker, and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA.
She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends. Oh, and pampering the only child still at home, a very demanding Siamese cat.
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