Vivian Conroy - Rubies in the Roses

Welcome to Cornisea Island, where you can spend your summer holidays in a Cornish Castle.

Guinevere Evans has a dream summer job: cataloguing books at a castle on a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. With her perky dachshund Dolly by her side she explores the island’s colourful history, tries fabulous local food and sees the gorgeous sunsets.

But when an old friend of her employer drops in, claiming a rare bejewelled wedding goblet is hidden in the castle gardens, strange events start to take place: several people turn up claiming they have a right to the elusive goblet, and a dead body is found on the beach.

An unfortunate accident, or does this death relate to the struggle for ownership of the goblet? Is there even a goblet?

Guinevere and Dolly dig in and discover plenty of motives to lie, steal and yes, maybe even kill. Can they prove what really happened to the victim and what became of the precious rubies that are at the heart of the mystery?

Praise for VIVIAN CONROY Contents Cover Blurb Praise Book List Title Page Author Bio Acknowledgements Author’s Note Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Excerpt Copyright

‘This book is a cross between Downton Abbey and Miss Marple … Perfect for the long winter nights ahead where comfort becomes a key word in everyone’s vocabulary.’

Katherine (Goodreads), A Proposal to Die For

‘ A Proposal to Die For is wonderfully smooth and glamorous, in the style of Agatha Christie combined with the beauty of Gatsby.’

The Storycollector Blog

‘When it’s as charming as A Proposal to Die For mystery and history make the most wonderful combination.’

Little Bookness Lane

‘ Dead to Begin With is a charming, entertaining and absorbing cozy mystery and a great start to a new series.’

Mystereity Reviews

‘ Dead to Begin With by Vivian Conroy is a wonderful story, perfect for fans of Murder, She Wrote , and I cannot wait for the next in the series!!’

Books of All Kinds

‘What a cosy story featuring a cozy murder, and some cute dogs!’

Rachel’s Random Reads, Dead to Begin With

Available from Vivian Conroy

A Country Gift Shop Mystery series

Dead to Begin with

Grand Prize: Murder!

Written into the Grave

A Lady Alkmene Callender Mystery series

A Proposal to Die For

Diamonds of Death

Deadly Treasures

Coming Soon:

Fatal Masquerade

Cornish Castle Mystery series

Death Plays a Part

Rubies in the Roses

Rubies in the Roses

Vivian Conroy

Copyright Contents Cover Blurb Praise Book List Title Page Author Bio Acknowledgements Author’s Note Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Excerpt Copyright

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2017

Copyright © Vivian Conroy 2017

Vivian Conroy asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © August 2017 ISBN: 9780008257521

Version: 2018-04-17

Contents

Cover

Blurb Welcome to Cornisea Island, where you can spend your summer holidays in a Cornish Castle. Guinevere Evans has a dream summer job: cataloguing books at a castle on a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. With her perky dachshund Dolly by her side she explores the island’s colourful history, tries fabulous local food and sees the gorgeous sunsets. But when an old friend of her employer drops in, claiming a rare bejewelled wedding goblet is hidden in the castle gardens, strange events start to take place: several people turn up claiming they have a right to the elusive goblet, and a dead body is found on the beach. An unfortunate accident, or does this death relate to the struggle for ownership of the goblet? Is there even a goblet? Guinevere and Dolly dig in and discover plenty of motives to lie, steal and yes, maybe even kill. Can they prove what really happened to the victim and what became of the precious rubies that are at the heart of the mystery?

Praise Praise for VIVIAN CONROY Contents Cover Blurb Praise Book List Title Page Author Bio Acknowledgements Author’s Note Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Excerpt Copyright ‘This book is a cross between Downton Abbey and Miss Marple … Perfect for the long winter nights ahead where comfort becomes a key word in everyone’s vocabulary.’ Katherine (Goodreads), A Proposal to Die For ‘ A Proposal to Die For is wonderfully smooth and glamorous, in the style of Agatha Christie combined with the beauty of Gatsby.’ The Storycollector Blog ‘When it’s as charming as A Proposal to Die For mystery and history make the most wonderful combination.’ Little Bookness Lane ‘ Dead to Begin With is a charming, entertaining and absorbing cozy mystery and a great start to a new series.’ Mystereity Reviews ‘ Dead to Begin With by Vivian Conroy is a wonderful story, perfect for fans of Murder, She Wrote , and I cannot wait for the next in the series!!’ Books of All Kinds ‘What a cosy story featuring a cozy murder, and some cute dogs!’ Rachel’s Random Reads, Dead to Begin With

Book List Available from Vivian Conroy A Country Gift Shop Mystery series Dead to Begin with Grand Prize: Murder! Written into the Grave A Lady Alkmene Callender Mystery series A Proposal to Die For Diamonds of Death Deadly Treasures Coming Soon: Fatal Masquerade Cornish Castle Mystery series Death Plays a Part Rubies in the Roses

Title Page Rubies in the Roses Vivian Conroy

Author Bio VIVIAN CONROY discovered Agatha Christie at thirteen and quickly devoured all the Poirot and Miss Marple stories. Over time Lord Peter Wimsey and Brother Cadfael joined her favourite sleuths. Even more fun than reading was thinking up her own missing heirs and priceless artefacts. Discover the glamour and secrets of the roaring Twenties in Vivian’s Lady Alkmene Callender Mysteries and open up shop, with murder in the mix, in the contemporary Country Gift Shop Mysteries. Also contemporary, but set at a location full of history and folklore, are the Cornish Castle Mysteries, in which a London costume designer and her perky dachshund take a summer job at a castle on a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. For news on the latest releases, with a dash of dogs and chocolate, follow Vivian on Twitter via @VivWrites