Tuesday, August 26, 1873
Of all the most monstrous of occurrences! It would appear that the true purpose of that miserable shooting last night was to provide a distraction for the murder of my former brother-in-law, Mr. Henry Wilcox. It is utterly vexing. I had thought that being in my beloved Boston would provide me with a respite from the violence I find so often in Los Angeles, but no. I am once again immersed in finding a killer.
Even more galling is that the detective who has been tasked with the search dismissed me out of hand simply because I am a woman. Imagine, he even spouted that nonsense about poison being a woman’s weapon and that women don’t shoot! What folly. It would be a treat to see the good detective come across Mrs. Glassell on a dark night.
And yet, I was able to determine the most likely time that Mr. Wilcox was killed, and the probable weapon. It’s a derringer that I found under Mr. Wilcox’s bed. Then I found the set of derringers that Mr. Wilcox had, and one was missing, and the remaining gun matched the one I’d found. Whoever shot Mr. Wilcox could quite well have shot young Mr. John Wilcox. (Mr. John was entirely correct in his assertion that there are far too many Mr. and Mrs. Wilcoxes involved.) The bullet I pulled from Mr. John’s leg last night looks to be the correct size for a derringer.
I have grave concerns regarding the competence of Detective Markham, and given those concerns, I fear I shall have to find the killer myself. And Mr. John did ask me to do so quite nicely and with such touching sincerity. There is far more to the rogue than one would suspect based on his teasing and banter. He has quite the lively intellect, too. His uncle was quite correct to warn me of his breaking of tender, young hearts. I have naught to fear from that quarter, thanks be to God. No. Mr. John may be quite the charming rascal, and the more amusing because of that. But I remain firm in my resolve not to ever again place myself in the debasing yoke of matrimony.
DEATH OF A PROPER BOSTONIAN
Series: An Old Los Angeles Mystery, Book 6
Genre: Historical Mystery 1870s
Release: June 2026
Format: Print, Digital
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A deadly homecoming
It’s August 1873, and at long last, physician and winemaker Maddie Franklin Wilcox makes the journey home to her beloved native Boston. Her business is to deliver her ward and apprentice, Elena Ortiz, to the local women’s medical school, and that also includes visiting her father, her sister and her family.
But at a dinner with the family of Maddie’s late and very much unlamented (at least, on her part) husband, young John Wilcox, a cousin there to entertain the guests with his nature talk, is shot. Then the next morning, the eldest of the Wilcox brothers is found shot in his bed. Maddie quickly concludes that the shooting of the oh, so charming naturalist was but a distraction for the shooting of her former brother-in-law.
Chased by a corrupt Boston police officer, confronted again and again by the relentless prejudice of the city’s medical practitioners, and in danger of losing her heart to young John Wilcox (who had plenty of reasons to want his cousin dead), Maddie’s happy homecoming becomes a morass of suspicion with someone willing to kill her and the people she loves.
About the author
Author Anne Louise Bannon’s husband says that his wife kills people for a living. Bannon does mostly write mysteries, including the Old Los Angeles Series, the Freddie and Kathy series, and the Operation Quickline series. She has worked as a freelance journalist for magazines and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times. She and her husband, Michael Holland, created a wine education blog, and she co-wrote a book on poisons. She and her husband live in Southern California with an assortment of critters. Visit her website at AnneLouiseBannon.com.