Table Of ContentPraise for Claudia Bishop’s
Hemlock Falls Mysteries
“Always a great reading experience … Claudia Bishop writes an
enthralling amateur-sleuth mystery.”
—The Best Reviews
“An entertaining, quirky, and offbeat mystery … A special treat
for amateur-sleuth lovers.”
—Midwest Book Reviews
“The reader can settle in Hemlock Falls comfortably.”
—The Armchair Detective
Praise for the Beaufort & Company Mysteries
by Claudia Bishop writing as Mary Stanton
“I was hooked from page one … This book should give Mary
Stanton the same kind of cult following usually reserved for
Charlaine Harris.”
—Rhys Bowen, author of Naughty in Nice
“Engaging and charismatic … Will be a breath of fresh air for
fans of paranormal cozy mysteries.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Spooky Southern charm and a wonderfully inventive approach
to the afterlife.”
—Madelyn Alt, national bestselling author of Home for a Spell
“An elegant enchantment with a delightful heroine and a historic
setting.”
—Carolyn Hart, author of Dead by Midnight
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Mary Stanton
DEFENDING ANGELS
ANGEL’S ADVOCATE
AVENGING ANGELS
ANGEL’S VERDICT
ANGEL CONDEMNED
Titles by Mary Stanton writing as Claudia Bishop
Hemlock Falls Mysteries
A TASTE FOR MURDER
A DASH OF DEATH
A PINCH OF POISON
MURDER WELL-DONE
DEATH DINES OUT
A TOUCH OF THE GRAPE
A STEAK IN MURDER
MARINADE FOR MURDER
JUST DESSERTS
FRIED BY JURY
A PUREE OF POISON
BURIED BY BREAKFAST
A DINNER TO DIE FOR
GROUND TO A HALT
A CAROL FOR A CORPSE
TOAST MORTEM
DREAD ON ARRIVAL
The Casebooks of Dr. McKenzie Mysteries
THE CASE OF THE ROASTED ONION
THE CASE OF THE TOUGH-TALKING TURKEY
THE CASE OF THE ILL-GOTTEN GOAT
Anthologies
A PLATEFUL OF MURDER
DEATH IN TWO COURSES
Dread
on Arrival
Claudia Bishop
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL,
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Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia
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(South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
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 websites or their content.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The
publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical
supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this
book.
DREAD ON ARRIVAL
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / April 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Mary Stanton.
Excerpt of A Taste for Murder by Claudia Bishop copyright © 1994 by Mary Stanton.
Cover illustration by Karen Strelecki.
Cover design by Diana Kolsky.
Interior text design by Laura K. Corless.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without
permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the
author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN: 978-1-101-56140-9
®
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin
Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
®
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was
reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received
any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
For Nate
Cast of Characters
The Inn at Hemlock Falls
Sarah “Quill” Quilliam-
owner, manager
McHale
Margaret “Meg”
master chef, owner, Quill’s sister
Quilliam
Jackson McHale Quill’s three-year-old son
Doreen Muxworthy housekeeper, Jack’s nanny
Dina Muir grad student, receptionist
Kathleen Kiddermeister head waitress
Bjarne Bjarnsen head chef
Elizabeth Chou sous chef
Mike groundskeeper
Phillip “Skipper” Bryant guest, antiques collector
Andrea Bryant guest, Skipper’s wife
Jukka Angstrom guest, antiques collector
a guest, producer and host of Your Ancestor’s
Edmund Tree
Attic
guest, Edmund’s assistant producer and
Melanie Myers
director
Marco bodyguard
Bruce bodyguard
Joseph “Belter” Barcini guest, producer and host of Pawn-o-Rama
Josepha “Mamma”
guest, producer, Belter’s mother
Barcini
Josephine Barcini guest, producer, Belter’s sister
