My steps echoed hollowly as I climbed the wooden staircase up to the SCR and knocked on the heavy oak door. There was no answer. I pushed it open slowly. The room was empty, a fire burning down to the embers in the grate. I saw my pink pashmina almost instantly. It was draped across the back of one of the leather wingback chairs by the fireplace. I hurried across the room, grabbed it, and was out again in less than a minute. However, as I was about to make my way back down the staircase, I heard the sound of furtive whispering.
I paused and glanced up.
The staircase continued upwards into the tower, probably to various dons’ private rooms where they would hold their tutorials. I wondered if perhaps a couple of students were huddled there, waiting to speak to their tutor. But the voices sounded too mature to be students. In fact, I realised, they sounded slightly familiar.
Curious, I turned around and mounted a few steps of the next flight of stairs, peering upwards into the dimly lit stairwell. I saw four shapes huddled on the next landing, talking in loud whispers. They sounded like they were having an argument. My eyes widened in disbelief as I realised who they were. The Old Biddies.
I ran up to join them. “What are you doing here?” I hissed.
They froze and stared at me, like rabbits caught in headlights.
“Gemma!” said Mabel Cooke at last. “How lovely to see you, dear,” she said, as if it was perfectly normal for her to be skulking about a college staircase every day.
“What are you doing here?” I repeated.
Mabel glanced at her friends and they all looked at me with equally guilty expressions. I had a sudden impression I was facing four naughty children, rather than four members of the senior generation.
“Well, you know… we just happened to see him… and we thought we’d tag behind…”
“Just a bit of curiosity…”
“Not that we were following him or anything…”
“No, no, of course not…”
“Following whom?” I said, confused.
Mabel threw a furtive look up the staircase to the next landing, then turned back to me and lowered her voice. “Detective Inspector O’Connor!”
“Devlin?”
“Shh!”
“You’re stalking the inspector?”
“Not stalking,” said Mabel indignantly. “We were just out in Oxford— it’s Seniors Night at the Old Fire Station, you know—and we happened to see Inspector O’Connor… so we… uh… followed him for a bit and saw him walking into Gloucester College. Of course, we knew all about the murdered American having come here to meet one of the professors—”
“How did you know…?” I sighed. “Never mind.”
“We were sure Inspector O’Connor must have come to interview this professor,” said Florence eagerly.
Ethel nodded. “A suspect in the murder case!”
“Yes, so we hurried up right behind him and were just in time to hear him tell the porter at the gate that he had an appointment with Professor Hughes.”
“But how did you get into the college? Don’t tell me you managed to pass yourselves off as students,” I said.
Glenda giggled. “Oh, well, the porter—Roger—is one of my beaus.”
“Your. . . beau?” I didn’t think people used that word anymore.
She nodded, giggling again like a schoolgirl. “Yes, I go dancing with Roger. Nimble on his feet, he is, for such a big man.”
“And you followed Devlin here?”
Mable nodded. “He’s just gone in.” She turned to the others. “Come on.”
“Wait—what are you going to do?” I put a hand on her arm.
She looked at me like I was stupid. “Eavesdrop on their conversation, of course!”
They began to creep up the staircase, clutching their linen handkerchiefs and lavender patent leather handbags. I stared at them. I wanted badly to hear Devlin’s conversation with Geoffrey Hughes. Was I going to be bested by four little old ladies? Yes, my mother had always hammered it into me that it was Terribly Rude To Eavesdrop—but so what?
I whirled and hurried up the staircase after the Old Biddies. I found them on the top landing, literally pressing their ears against the large oak door. It was such a ridiculous sight that I almost laughed out loud. Instead, I took my position next to them and pressed my own ear against the door too.
A Scone to Die For is the first book in the NEW Oxford Tearoom mystery series, published by Wisheart Press, January 2016. Tea with Milk and Murder is the second book in the series.
When an American tourist is murdered with a scone in Gemma Rose’s quaint Oxfordshire tearoom, she suddenly finds herself apron-deep in a mystery involving long-buried secrets from Oxford’s past.
Armed with her insider knowledge of the University and with the help of four nosy old ladies from the village (not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat named Muesli), Gemma sets out to solve the mystery—all while dealing with her matchmaking mother and the return of her old college love, Devlin O’Connor, now a dashing CID detective.
But with the body count rising and her business going bust, can Gemma find the killer before things turn to custard?
*Traditional English scone recipe included!
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Meet the author
H.Y. Hanna is an award-winning mystery and suspense author, who also writes sweet romance and children’s fiction. After graduating from Oxford University with a BA in Biological Sciences and a MSt in Social Anthropology, Hsin-Yi tried her hand at a variety of jobs, before returning to her first love: writing. She worked as a freelance journalist for several years, with articles and short stories published in the UK, Australia and NZ, and has won awards for her novels, poetry, short stories and journalism.
A globe-trotter all her life, Hsin-Yi has lived in a variety of cultures, from Dubai to Auckland, London to New Jersey, but is now happily settled in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and a rescue kitty named Muesli.
You can learn more about her (and the real-life Muesli who inspired the cat character in the story) at: www.hyhanna.com and on Facebook.
Giveaway: Leave comment below for your chance to win a digital copy of A Scone to Die For. The giveaway will end March 30, 2016 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
I Think I could just about read everyone of these kind of books I could find I really enjoy reading cozy mysteries Thanks for the chance to win a copy iamabho (at) gmail.com
I love British settings. I never knew a scone could be so deadly. I can’t wait to read this new series, Hsin-Yi. Thank you, Dru, for bringing us a new writer & a new series.
Ha! Ha! You comment about a scone being deadly made me laugh! 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy the book.
Best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
(H.Y. Hanna)
A Scone to Die For sounds like a delightful mystery! Thank you for introducing me to a new author. 🙂
A British tea room is on my bucket list. Thanks Dru Ann for including this book/author on your blog. I am very excited to add it to my to be read list. robeader53@yahoo.com
I love mysteries set in British universities, and have been to Oxford myself a few times. Add a tearoom, a cat and a great amateur sleuth, and this sounds like a fun read. Thanks Dru Ann for introducing us to this author and for the chance to win.
I have already read this awesome book, so please don’t enter me in the contest! I just want to tell everyone that you are absolutely going to love, love, love this book! Hsin-Yi writes an exciting and fun read! I have also already read her second book in the series and that one is super duper awesome as well. I just love her sweet kitty Muesli! So whoever wins a copy of this book is going to be really happy they did and will love reading it! Thanks so much to dearest Dru Ann and Hysin-Yi for sharing this new book with everyone!!! God bless you!!!! Hysin-Yi is a new author to me and I am thrilled to know her new books now!!!!
Aw, thank you, Beverly, for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the first 2 books in the series so much. Muesli says hello to Dusty and Cosmo! 🙂
Best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
(H.Y. Hanna)
Oooh a new cozy series, set in my old stomping ground and involving tea, what could be better! (dragonsteeluk @ gmail . com)
Sounds like a yummy read. Love books that are set in different parts of the world. Fells like I’m traveling away from home. Looking forward to reading this one especially after reading Beverly’s comment above.
thank you for the chance in the contest. I love about all Cozy Mysteries!
Thank you for the contest!
A Scone to Die For sounds like a good read. Thank you for this chance!
Tea and an English mystery…how delightful.
I chuckled at the image of four older ladies listening at a door! Sounds like a fun book. Thanks Dru, for introducing it to us! Thanks Ms Hanna for the opportunity to win a copy.
I could go for a scone about right now, lol. Love the title!
wfnren at aol dot com
Sounds like fun. I would love to meet the “The Old Biddies”.
Yay! Another book in the series! Love it. Thanks for the chance to win.
I’d have followed them up the stairs!
Eek! What an exciting and fun book. I can’t wait to read it.
A Scone to Die For sounds like my kind of book! Love the Old Biddies! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
Tea room and scones, and 1st in series, would love to win, ty
Sounds like a fantastic series! Thanks for the chance to win!
Like the British setting of this mystery and that it includes a tea room and scones. Look forward to reading.
This sounds fascinating and fun – a tearoom, 4 senior snoo – I mean sleuths, and Muesli – I would love to read this! Thank you for the opportunity!
Thank so much, Dru, for featuring my book! I’m very honoured to be here. And thank you to everybody for your lovely comments – so pleased that you enjoyed the excerpt – good luck in the giveaway! 🙂
best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
(H.Y. Hanna)
I love dcones, tearoom as ND all t hinges Britidh. I must have this book!
This looks like a wonderful book and I would love to win this. Even if I do not win, I am going to have to purchase so I can read this. It looks wonderful!! Thank you for the chance Dru!!
Tea, scones and a mystery, and set in Oxford – city of dreaming spires. This is a must-read. I grew up near Oxford so I’m excited to read this series – new to me. How fun. Thanks for the chance.
Great post! New author and series. “Old Biddie’s?” Looks like a delightful read. Can’t wait to find out what happens. So hoping for sooner rather than later
Sounds like a story I would eat up!!!
Thank you for the giveaway…..