Table Of Content
HAPPY HOMICIDES 4:
Fall Into Crime
~*~
Joanna Campbell Slan
Linda Gordon Hengerer
Carole W. Price
Lesley A. Diehl
Nancy Jill Thames
Teresa Trent
Maggie Toussaint
Anna Celeste Burke
Randy Rawls
Nancy J. Cohen
Terry Ambrose
Deborah Sharp
~*~
~ Our Happy Homicides 4 Gift to You ~
We appreciate your interest in our work, and so we have a special gift for
you. If you send us an email to [email protected], we’ll
automatically send you a file with recipes and craft tutorials that go along
with the stories in this book. In addition, we’ll add you to our mailing lists
at no charge so you can keep up with future offerings, such as free books,
discounted books, contests, and short stories.
If you have any trouble accessing the free bonus, contact our assistant,
Sally Lippert, at [email protected]
All best from your friends,
Happy Homicides
About cozy mysteries…
A “cozy” is a nickname for a traditional mystery, much like those written
by the great Agatha Christie. Usually—but not always—a cozy is solved by
an amateur sleuth, and the puzzle is “fair play.” That means there’s a
possibility the reader could figure out “whodunit,” given both the clues and
the relationships involved. Cozies generally avoid graphic sex, graphic
violence, and foul language. In other words, they are “clean” reads.
About Happy Homicides 4…
The first book in our anthology series—Happy Homicides 1: Thirteen
Cozy Holiday Mysteries—quickly became an Amazon bestseller. Readers
told us they liked being able to sample so many authors in one, reasonably-
priced volume.
Happy Homicides 2: Thirteen Cozy Mysteries/Crimes of the Heart
followed the format of the first edition: multiple authors, cozy mysteries,
affordable price. We released it on Valentine’s Day 2016, with the theme of
love gone wrong.
Happy Homicides 3: Summertime Crimes features stories about crimes
taking place during summer. Bad behavior doesn’t care one bit about the
calendar, does it? Whatever the season, people will find a reason to commit
murder and mayhem! This volume came out before Memorial Day 2016,
perfect for reading on the beach.
Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime has stories about crimes taking place
in the fall. From back to school to Halloween, autumn is a season about
change and transition. We feature authors from the first three volumes, as
well as several new to our anthology family. Cuddle up and read more cozy
mysteries!
~*~
Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime * Copyright © 2016 – 1st Edition
Cara Mia Delgatto and the House of Refuge: A Cara Mia Delgatto
Novella * Copyright © 2016 by Joanna Campbell Slan, all rights reserved;
Dying for School Tea: A Beach Tea Shop Novella * Copyright © 2016
by Linda Gordon Hengerer, all rights reserved;
The Glass Birdhouse * Copyright © 2016 by Carole W. Price, all rights
reserved.
Bobbing For Murder: Aunt Nozzie’s Wonderful Autumn RV Tour *
Copyright © 2016 by Lesley A. Diehl, all rights reserved.
Raven House: A Jillian Bradley Novella * Copyright © 2016 by
Nancy Jill Thames, all rights reserved;
Falling for Murder: A Pecan Bayou Series Novella * Copyright ©
2016 by Teresa Trent, all rights reserved;
Dead Men Tell Tales * Copyright © 2016 by Maggie Toussaint, all
rights reserved;
All Hallows’ Eve Heist: Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #3 * Copyright
© 2016 by Anna Celeste Burke, all rights reserved;
Accident, Suicide, or Murder * Copyright © 2016 by Randy Rawls, all
rights reserved;
Haunted Hair Nights: A Bad Hair Day Mystery * Copyright © 2016
by Nancy J. Cohen, all rights reserved.
Spirit in the Rock: A Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mystery *
Copyright © 2016 by Terry Ambrose, all rights reserved;
Haunting in Himmarshee: A Mace and Mama Short Mystery *
Copyright © 2016 by Deborah Sharp, all rights reserved;
Kiki Lowenstein and a ‘Doodoo’ to Remember: A Kiki Lowenstein
Short Story * Copyright © 2016 by Joanna Campbell Slan, all rights
reserved.
Cover art and the logo “Happy Homicides” are the property of Spot On
Publishing, 9307 SE Olympus Street, Hobe Sound, FL 33455 USA
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in
any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written
permission from the authors, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical articles and reviews.
These are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
either the product of the authors’ vivid imaginations or are used fictitiously,
and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Front Cover: Dar Albert, Wicked Smart Designs
www.wickedsmartdesigns.com
Contents
~ Our Happy Homicides 4 Gift to You ~
Cara Mia Delgatto and the House of Refuge: A Cara Mia Delgatto Novella
~ Our Happy Homicides 4 Gift to You ~
Dying for School Tea: A Beach Tea Shop Novella
The Glass Birdhouse
Bobbing For Murder: Aunt Nozzie’s Wonderful Autumn RV Tour
Raven House: A Jillian Bradley Mystery Novella
Falling for Murder: A Pecan Bayou Series Novella
Dead Men Tell Tales
All Hallows’ Eve Heist: Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #3
Accident, Suicide, or Murder: A Jonathan Boykin Short Story
Haunted Hair Nights: A Bad Hair Day Mystery
Spirit in the Rock: A Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mystery
Haunting in Himmarshee: A Mace and Mama Short Mystery
Kiki Lowenstein and a ‘Doodoo’ to Remember: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story
~ Our Happy Homicides 4 Gift to You ~
BONUS - Happy Homicides 3: Summertime Crimes
~ Our Happy Homicides 3 Gift to You ~
Cara Mia Delgatto and the Empty Nest: A Cara Mia Delgatto Short Story
Dying for Graduation Tea: A Beach Tea Shop Short Story
A Fair Day for Murder: A Jess Randolph Mystery
Birthday Bash: A Jillian Bradley Mystery Novella
The Dog Days of Murder: A Pecan Bayou Series Novella
Turtle Tribbles
Surf’s Up
A Simple Case of Stalking: A Jonathan Boykin Short Story
Murder on Front Street: A Trouble in Paradise Novella
Short Order Dead
Bubba Trouble: A Mace and Mama Short Mystery
Kiki Lowenstein and the Shark Bait: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story
~ Our Happy Homicides 3 Gift to You ~
Cara Mia Delgatto and the House of Refuge: A Cara Mia
Delgatto Novella
By Joanna Campbell Slan
Editor’s Note: The House of Refuge on Gilbert’s Bar is known for its 150-
year history as a way station for shipwrecked sailors. But when Cara Mia
visits, the museum becomes the scene of a crime.
Chapter 1
Cara Mia Delgatto/Stuart, FL
I signed the guest register at Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge with a sense
of awe. After living 32 years in Missouri, I was now a resident of the
Sunshine State—and to think my relocation had happened by accident!
My unintended arrival happened when a road trip went awry, and my car
engine acted up. I was never in any real danger. My grandfather, Dick
Potter, an ace mechanic, was only one exit away.
Other travelers to Florida have fared far worse than I did, especially
those who journeyed by sea in centuries past. This house of refuge and nine
others like it were funded by the US government in 1876 as an effort to
save the lives of shipwreck victims. But today, this place, located next to a
reef called Gilbert’s Bar, is the only one left.
A loud thump from the floor above the gift shop brought me out of my
musings. The docent paused while ringing up my postcards. We both turned
our eyes toward the ceiling.
When silence ensued, she shrugged and went back to her calculations.
Scanning the rest of the page in the guest ledger, I saw that other visitors
had come from around the world to see this, the oldest building in our
county. The guest ledger showed four sets of tourists from Europe. The line
above my name held a scrawled listing for Gabriel Marciano, Camogli,
Italy.
Italy.
Wow.
One day I hoped to return to my father’s homeland and meet whatever
relatives were still there. I might even take my grandfather, so he could
