Миранда Джеймс: Dead With The Wind

Praise for the Southern Ladies Mysteries

BLESS HER DEAD LITTLE HEART

“[A] classic and classy whodunit, but also a romp filled with Southern charm, Southern eccentrics, and, of course, the antics of the engaging Diesel.”

— Richmond Times-Dispatch

“James is a master at character development, as well as weaving a complex and well-layered mystery. Filled with tons of Southern charm and humor . . . James pulls it off with style.”

— Debbie’s Book Bag

“This series gets off to a brilliant start . . . Filled with humor, realistic dialogue, and oozes with charm . . . Excellent from beginning to end.”

— Socrates’ Book Reviews

“James’s characters are perfect . . . Bless Her Dead Little Heart kicks off a charming series with humor and heart.”

— Lesa’s Book Critiques

“Elderly characters in cozy mysteries . . . always seem to be so feisty and fun. A prime example is An’gel and Dickce Ducote from Miranda James’s amazing Cat in the Stacks mystery series . . . I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. One of the best new series of 2014!”

— Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries & Meows

“What a clever spin-off . . . The Ducote sisters . . . are the perfect characters for a series of their own, and I couldn’t put the book down. As charming as the day is long, this story with its many complex characters and threads kept me glued to my seat as I turned page after page. You won’t want to miss this debut in a brand-new series, and you’ll fall in love with Diesel and want to read all of the Cat in the Stacks books, too!”

—MyShelf.com

Praise for the New York Times Bestselling Cat in the Stacks Mysteries

OUT OF CIRCULATION

“Humor and plenty of Southern charm . . . Cozy fans will hope James . . . keep[s] Charlie and Diesel in action for years to come.”

— Publishers Weekly

“The old Southern charm recollects Rita Mae Brown’s Sneaky Pie series (without the talking animals), while Charlie’s investigative techniques may bring some of Agatha Christie’s characters to mind.”

— Library Journal

FILE M FOR MURDER

“Readers who have come to love Charlie and Diesel and the small-town ambience of Athena will find File M for Murder another pleasant diversion, complete with an intriguing plot in which the silence of the library threatens to become the silence of the grave.”

— Richmond Times-Dispatch

“This charming, classic cozy features full-on Southern charm . . . Charlie and Diesel are a delightful detective team, and the idea of a male amateur sleuth/librarian with a cat is a refreshing twist on an old trope.”

—RT Book Reviews

CLASSIFIED AS MURDER

“Bringing local color to life, this second entry in the series . . . is a gentle, closed-room drama set in Mississippi. Ideal for Christie fans who enjoy a good puzzle.”

— Library Journal

“A hit with bibliophiles and animal lovers, not to mention anyone who likes a well-plotted mystery. The characters are unique and often eccentric. Having a male amateur sleuth with a subplot that explores his relationship with his adult son brings a fresh twist to the genre.”

— RT Book Reviews

MURDER PAST DUE

“Combines a kindhearted librarian hero, family secrets in a sleepy Southern town, and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart. A great beginning to a promising new cozy series.”

—Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author of the Booktown Mysteries

“Courtly librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are an endearing detective duo. Warm, charming, and Southern as the tastiest grits.”

—Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author of the Death on Demand Mysteries, the Bailey Ruth Ghost Novels, and What the Cat Saw

“Brings cozy lovers an intriguing mystery, a wonderful cat, and a librarian hero who will warm your heart. Filled with Southern charm, the first in the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries will keep readers guessing until the end. Miranda James should soon be on everyone’s list of favorite authors.”

—Leann Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries

Please visit Diesel the cat at facebook.com/DieselHarriscat.

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Miranda James

Cat in the Stacks Mysteries

MURDER PAST DUE

CLASSIFIED AS MURDER

FILE M FOR MURDER

OUT OF CIRCULATION

THE SILENCE OF THE LIBRARY

ARSENIC AND OLD BOOKS

Southern Ladies Mysteries

BLESS HER DEAD LITTLE HEART

DEAD WITH THE WIND

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

DEAD WITH THE WIND

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

Copyright © 2015 by Dean James.

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME design are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

For more information, visit penguin.com.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-14829-1

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / October 2015

Cover illustration by Dan Craig.

Cover design by Lesley Worrell.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Version_1

For Teresa Sims Taylor, beloved cousin, who welcomed me home and made me feel I am where I need to be.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, thanks go immediately to my wonderful editor, Michelle Vega; her assistant, Bethany Blair; and the rest of the amazing team at Berkley Prime Crime for the many great things they do to help these books be a success. Thanks as well to my inimitable agent, Nancy Yost, and her team: Natanya Wheeler, Adrienne Rosado, and Sarah E. Younger. It’s amazing to have all these talented women in my corner, and I appreciate them all tremendously.

During a time of great transition, my critique pals in Houston made it possible for me to continue with them, even four hundred and fifty miles away. Thanks to Bob, Julie, Kay F., Kay K., Laura, and welcome back to Amy! I swear one day I’m going to bring you more than a few chapters of a book before I have to turn it in! Special thanks as always to the Hairston-Soparkar clan for opening their home (and most recently, Susie’s laptop) to help the group.

To my family at Murder by the Book: Brenda, John, Sally, Jack, and McKenna. Thank you for making a difficult time in my life much easier to bear. It meant more to me than you can ever know. I miss you all!

Finally, thanks to the two dear friends who cheer me on in my mad dashes toward the completion of every book, Patricia Orr and Terry Farmer. Your words keep me going even when I think I’ll never figure out what happens next.

CONTENTS

Praise for Miranda James

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Miranda James

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgments