How to describe a day in my life? Well, I guess I’ve come full circle in some ways. I’m Charlotte Jones, known to everyone as Charlie. I was born in the South West of England and had a happy childhood with my parents and my sister Suzanne – she’s younger than me but, as the sensible one, has been known to look after me on occasion.

I was a bit of a rebel as a teenager and left home as soon as I finished school. A stint in the army led to the offer of a job in MI6. Boy, that was a wild time. Lots of undercover jobs; plenty of travel, and rather too many secrets I had to keep from the people I care about. Suzanne had a fair idea what I was doing, but my parents spent years under the illusion I was a layabout that couldn’t hold down a job!

But that all changed when I met Annie. Time to calm down and settle down. We’ve been together for more than fifteen years now and have an eight year old daughter called Suzy. Last year we left behind the noise and bustle of London to take over The Falls, a gastro-pub with rooms in the small village of Coombesford back in my home county of Devon.

Village life is very different from what we’ve been used to. There’s no anonymity here; everyone knows everyone else’s business. But on the other hand, everyone looks out for their neighbour, which is wonderful.

We live in The Folly, an inverted building in the grounds of the pub. The bedrooms are on the ground floor, while upstairs, our lounge has windows on three sides and wonderful views of Dartmoor and the Haldon Hills. I could sit and gaze through those windows all day.

But of course, I don’t.

Annie and I split the morning pub work and the childcare between us. So I start the day either by opening up the kitchen before the chef arrives, and preparing tables for our guests’ breakfast; or coaxing Suzy out of bed and into her school clothes. The primary school is only just across the green from here, so she lives closer than all the other pupils, but I swear she’s the last to arrive most days.

Mid-morning, we plan menus, visit the wholesaler or just take a breath before the lunchtime rush. We’re the only pub for a few miles around here, so we have quite a few regulars come in for a pasty and a pint. We both work lunchtimes.

There’s another quiet period mid-afternoon and we might pop into Cosy Corner Café for one of our friend Celia’s cream teas; or take Suzy swimming when she gets home from school. Then we have an early supper and make sure she’s settled down in The Folly before we start the evening shift. We’ve got a great rota of local girls who sit with her each evening until we close up.

A good pub can be the hub of a community and that’s what we aim for at The Falls. People often talk to the person behind the bar like they would to a priest or a therapist. Plus, it’s amazing what you overhear while serving diners or collecting empty glasses. I reckon we know more about the Coombesford folk than anyone else in the village. And there are times when that comes in very handy.

In the summer, the customers spill out across our beer garden; but in the winter, everyone stays inside and we have a real fire going in the grate most of the time. The smell of burning wood and the buzz of conversation tell me I’ve finally found a home I can be happy in, with my little family and all the friends we’ve made.

No matter what time of year, we end up chatting over the day’s happenings and gazing out over the garden at the stars. I’ve never seen stars so bright as those over the Devon sky. And nine times out of ten, we’ll be drinking hot chocolate stuffed with tiny marshmallows. Homely bliss!

Murder at Mountjoy Manor, A Coombesford Chronicles Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: October 2021
Purchase Link

Lots of people have reason to hate Simon Mountjoy. But who hates him enough to kill him?

Simon Mountjoy is the local boy made good. Returning to Coombesford after making his fortune in London, he spends thirteen years renovating his family home. He brings employment and prosperity to the village; but he also has a talent for upsetting people. Lots of people have reason to hate Simon; but who hates him enough to leave him dead at the bottom of the waterfall?

Charlie Jones gives up chasing villains and moves her family to Coombesford in Devon. But there are villains in Devon too!

Meet the author
After thirty years as an international manufacturing consultant, Elizabeth Ducie gave up her globe-trotting lifestyle in 2012 to become a full-time writer. She calls herself an authorpreneur and has independently published five novels, three collections of short stories and The Business of Writing series on business skills for writers and indie publishers. Her latest novel, Murder at Mountjoy Manor was published on 19th October.

All comments are welcomed.