Murder. Manor homes. Malfunctioning chandeliers.
Hollywood starlets are supposed to be happily on set in sunny California, and not trapped in drafty manor houses during ferocious snowstorms.
But after Cora Clarke's best friend and fellow actress elopes with an English earl, Cora visits England to help her friend brave the aristocratic disapproval of her new husband's family.
Unfortunately, the holiday turns nightmarish when a chandelier crashes down and kills somebody. When suspicion falls on her friend, Cora vows to figure out the identity of the murderer. After all, blizzards have a habit of preventing the police from arriving, and body counts have a dreadful habit of growing.
Genre: FICTION / Mystery & Detective / HistoricalCalamity under the Chandelier is the first book in my Sleuthing Starlet mystery series. It has 611 reviews and has made nearly $10000 in book sales, despite being permafree on occasion. I am not currently actively promoting it, but I plan to have two more books in the series release later this year, at which point I will promote the series heavily. When it received a BookBub last year, it had over 40,000 downloads.
hesitated.
The air in England had felt harsh ever since she’d landed. The icy wind seemed to rush toward her with a never-ending force, whipping against her skin. It wouldn’t be long before her skin was dry and weathered. Her hair already felt less silky away from the Californian climate.
But the air in the manor house felt different still. It seemed heavy, as if the statues and paintings, gilded furniture and suits of armor might weigh down on her. Unease prickled through her spine.
Dim light illuminated the hallway, its strength marred by the crystals that adorned the chandeliers. If the crystals were intended to make the light more magnificent, they succeeded only in making it cloudy.
She poked her head through the door. The room seemed empty, and she frowned. Could she have imagined Signor Palombi and Archibald’s presence?
The room was dark, but she could make out shapes: an armchair, most likely leather and luxurious, and a kidney desk that curved on two sides, like Mr. Bellomo’s.
She walked past the library door, and it was only when she reached the end of the corridor that she remembered she’d wanted to go to her room.
Voices drifted from the drawing room, and she was just about to turn around when she heard her name.
“Miss Clarke!” Lord Holt greeted her. “Come join us.”
“You can call me Cora,” she told him.
For a moment, he looked uneasy, but he soon smiled. “Splendid. And—er—Lord Holt is unnecessarily formal. Edmund will do just fine.”
Edmund and his older half-brother were sitting in the drawing room.
“You can call him, Ed,” Mr. Ardingley said.
“No!” Edmund protested.
“Eddie?” Cora asked, and Mr. Ardingley’s eyes twinkled.
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Emanuelle E. W.
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Author review: Emanuelle was wonderful to work with! An absolute pleasure. I highly recommend. |
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Spanish
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Alejandra Palopoli
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