Publication date: October 30th, 2021
Synopsis:
In the Victorian era, a cheap and popular form of entertainment has entranced the population often known by the name; penny dreadful. Costing a penny, readers purchased the stories and entered the fantastic world of superhuman men and damsels in distress.
The stories have been popular for over fifty years and Lavinia Howard is a young woman who dreams of being such a writer. Having recently lost her father, she turns to a family friend who puts her in touch with Jasper Courtenay, owner of Courtenay Publishing.
Writing under the pen name G.R. Howard, Lavinia creates a character who becomes a huge success as her penny dreadful stories are the most popular ever printed. Her character is brash and obnoxious and has no respect for authority as he solves London murders and the working classes adore him!
But strange things begin to happen as the stories Lavinia writes start to come true. Two very similar deaths mirror those she writes about, and Detective Chief Inspector Harrison Bryce is assigned to investigate. Inspector Bryce soon discovers that Lavinia has become so popular that she has also made enemies along with her legion of fans.
He realizes that everyone surrounding Lavinia has a motive to have committed the crimes. He must work fast to determine who wants to harm her as he suspects Lavinia may be the next target on the killer's list.
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Excerpt
Lavinia felt her throat constrict. "How did the woman die?"
Harrison looked into her face. "She died at the foot of some stairs in an alleyway."
Lavinia frowned. "Was she murdered?"
"Unlike your story, our woman was not married and no one had any reason to do her harm. There's no money, there's nothing really. She was quite poor. I can't imagine anyone wanting to harm her," Harrison explained.
"Yet you're here questioning me," Lavinia said slowly.
"Because there was another woman who died after that," he said.
Lavinia's eyes widened and she watched his handsome face. "In a train station on the platform?" she whispered.
Harrison nodded. "Yes."
"This--this is ludicrous!" She shook her head and stood up, walking to the window. "I don't predict the future1 I write a story. A silly story to interest people and make a little money."
He came to stand before her. "Miss Howard, no one is accusing you of doing anything. I'm simply here to question you. To find out how you write and who knows about your writing."
She turned to face him. "Well, now you know! My aunts. That's it. No, wait!" she said as a thought occurred to her. "I keep books for a solicitor and a doctor. They are both family friends. Malcolm, the doctor, was the one who first told me about Jasper. He was the one who took my work to Jasper to get his advice," Lavinia remembered.
Harrison looked confused. "You keep books for a doctor and a solicitor?"
Lavinia sighed. "My father was a successful banker. In the course of his career, he helped several gentlemen get started in their respective fields. One was a lawyer, the other a doctor. He kept books for them, which I think was more of a time to enjoy port and cigars but--" She paused for a moment. "When he died, I continued the tradition of keeping their books--minus the port and cigars, of course," she said, a slight smile on her face.
"You've known these men--" he began.
"All my life. You'll want their names," she predicted.
He nodded.
"Elazar Schulman is the solicitor and Malcolm Allsopp is the doctor. They are both fine, upstanding gentlemen. I've known them both all my life."
"Malcolm Allsopp was the one who gave your stories to Jasper Courtenay?" he clarified.
"Yes."
"Why would he do that?"
"Malcolm knew I had been writing stories for some time. He wanted to help me, I suppose. His exact motives I can't speak on. You'll have to ask him yourself." She shrugged.
"I intend to."
"What is it that you think is going on here?" Lavinia said, becoming irritated at the entire conversation. "I understand that you wanted to speak to G.R. Howard because stories that were published came true. But obviously I'm not writing stories during the day and committing murders at night, am I?"
"It was merely a direction I had to follow. I thought to find some old man with gout drinking brandy by the gallon and writing his stories. I never expected to find you," he admitted softly.
"What does that mean?" Lavinia asked.
"Just that you were a surprise," he clarified. "And I'm not a man who is surprised easily anymore."
"In your line of work, you must see a very dark side of society," Lavinia guessed.
He was about to answer when the doors opened and Jasper stepped inside.
"Ah-ha! You two are still here. So--" Jasper said, coming to stand before them. "The Inspector of Metropolitan Police and my celebrated penny dreadful writer. What else could bring you two together but a country house party?"
Lavinia looked at Harrison and then away from him.
"Miss Howard has been very obliging in answering my questions," he said. "I think we're done for now."
"And I trust this conversation will remain between the three of us?" Jasper said, looking pointedly at the Inspector.
"There's no reason why anyone else should hear of it," Harrison agreed.
"Excellent." Jasper smiled hearing the words. "We have a picnic planned for this afternoon. And croquet, I believe."
"No, I'm sorry. I must head back to London," Harrison said, suddenly changing his plans.
"If you must head back, you must head back," Jasper said, untroubled by the Inspector's early departure. "I'll have the driver take you to the station," he added, leaving the room as quickly as he had arrived.
"Were you only invited for the one day?" Lavinia turned to Harrison. "I recall you said you had been invited the weekend."
"I was invited for the weekend, Miss Howard, but as I'm finished--" he began to explain.
"I see," Lavinia interrupted. "You've spoken to me and gotten what you need."
Nicola has traveled extensively throughout Europe, China, Central America and Egypt and loves all things historical.
She has nineteen historical romance and mystery novels on Amazon.
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