Gone Guest, page 29
“Crazy, sure, but I’m not grey,” said Missy, feigning offence.
Queenie laughed. “No, you are every shade of the rainbow, Missy, and you should never have to apologise for that.”
Although Queenie wished she could. She shot a sheepish glance towards Claire, who was smiling kindly at her now. But, oh, how Claire’s words had stung the other night, when she’d given her the lift home.
Claire was right, of course. Queenie had prejudged Missy from the start, had been as mean as Bethany, but it was not Missy who needed changing. And so Queenie had cleared her calendar and arranged another lunch with the curly-haired guy from her office. She’d also asked Simon for some long-overdue holiday leave. It was time to follow Claire’s advice and lighten up a little. She was thinking of dusting off her driver’s licence, maybe finding herself something small and sporty (Toyota’s new GR86 looked exciting).
She had to do something if she wanted to stay in this lovely book club, and she really, really did.
Speaking of which, Ronnie was now thanking the club for their hard work and dedication. “If it wasn’t for your meddling and your rattling of skeletons”—a wink at Lynette then—“we might never have found my darling boy in time. Because he is like a son, both boys are, and you brought them home to me.”
“You’re very welcome,” said Lynette.
“Ditto,” said Missy. “But enough of all that. I think we need to call this meeting open, possums. On to our chosen books.” She grinned mischievously. “Now, who wants to hear all the other similarities these two plots have to what we’ve just been through?”
Then as Missy rambled on about anniversary treasure hunts and games of hide-and-seek, fabricated diary entries versus fake texts, and lights flickering out in the middle of celebratory events, they all rolled their eyes playfully and reached for their books.
~~ the end ~~
Acknowledgements
First up, I’d like to acknowledge my husband’s beloved aunty Jan Boug, on whom the character Biddy Westera was based. Sadly, Jan is no longer with us, but she will be forever remembered as a beautiful, vibrant soul who never had a mean word, loved her arts and crafts, drank the odd shandy (it’s revolting, trust me), and yes, kept an eagle eye on the time. Jan was besotted by my hubby, who also happened to be her biggest fan and advocate, and we miss her dearly. RIP Jan.
I’d like to thank my biggest fans, Christian, Nimo, Felix and Kasper, for their unequivocal support, as well as my extended family, of whom there are far too many to name. I will, however, give an honourable mention to my own beloved nephew Ned, who is our resident “revhead” and kindly advised on Queenie’s sportscar selection. Nice work, Ned. She’ll enjoy that one!
As always, I thank my insightful first reader Elaine Rivers, my whip-smart editor D.A. Sarac, and my talented designer Nimo Pyle, who adds a sprinkle of magic to every cover.
Lastly, of course, I want to thank you, my loyal readers. I write, first and foremost, to keep you guessing. It’s all about the mystery for me, and if I happen to entertain, amuse and delight in the process, that’s even better. I hope I’ve done that and more, and thank you, once again, for your support.
About the Author
Christina Larmer is a journalist, editor, teacher and author of numerous books including the non-fiction bio A Measure of Papua New Guinea (Focus; 2008). Christina grew up in the tropics, spent many years working in London, Los Angeles and New York, and now lives on the east coast of Australia with her musician husband, two boomerang sons and one very cheeky Bluey.
Connect with Me Online
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Want to read more by C.A. Larmer?
The Murder Mystery Book Club
The Murder Mystery Book Club (Book 1)
Danger On the SS Orient (Book 2)
Death Under the Stars (Book 3)
When There Were 9 (Book 4)
The Widow on the Honeymoon Cruise (Book 5)
Ghostwriter Mysteries:
Killer Twist (Book 1)
A Plot to Die For (Book 2)
Last Writes (Book 3)
Dying Words (Book 4)
Words Can Kill (Book 5)
A Note Before Dying (Book 6)
Without a Word (Book 7)
Posthumous Mysteries:
Do Not Go Gentle
Do Not Go Alone
Sleuths of Last Resort:
Blind Men Don’t Dial Zero
Smart Girls Don’t Trust Strangers
Good Girls Don’t Drink Vodka
Plus:
After the Ferry: A Gripping Psychological Novel
An Island Lost
~~~
C.A. Larmer, Gone Guest
