{"product_id":"fixing-to-die-isbn-9780399584770","title":"Fixing to Die","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ethe Cat in the Stacks Mysteries\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Digging Up the Dirt \u003c\/i\u003ereturns with the latest Southern Ladies Mystery...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s autumn down south, and An'gel and Dickce Ducote are in Natchez, Mississippi, at the request of Mary Turner Catlin, the granddaughter of an old friend. Mary and her husband, Henry Howard, live in Cliffwood, one of the beautiful antebellum homes for which Natchez is famous.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Odd things have been happening in the house for years, and the French Room in particular has become the focal point for spooky sensations. The Ducotes suspect the ghostly goings-on are caused by the living, but when a relative of the Catlins is found dead in the room, An'gel and Dickce must sift through a haunted family history to catch a killer.\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Southern Ladies Mysteries\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Filled with Southern charm.”—\u003ci\u003eRichmond Times-Dispatch\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Remind[s] me of Miss Marple if she were a Southern belle senior.”—Open Book Society\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “As charming as the day is long.”—MyShelf.com\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “James is a master at character development.”—Debbie’s Book Bag \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Filled with humor [and] realistic dialogue…Excellent from beginning to end.”—Socrates’ Book Reviews\u003cb\u003eMiranda James\u003c\/b\u003e is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries and the Southern Ladies Mysteries.Chapter 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Do you mean to sit there and tell me you think Cliffwood really      is haunted?\" Miss An'gel Ducote regarded her sister with a frown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Miss Dickce Ducote shrugged. \"There've been stories about that      house for decades, Sister. Anyway, you know Natchez is supposed to      be one of the most haunted towns in the country.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yes, I know,\" An'gel replied with a sniff. \"I just don't ever      recall hearing that Cliffwood was riddled with ghosts as you put      it.\" Her brow wrinkled as she paused to think. \"At least I don't      remember hearing Jessamine or her husband, Marshall, ever talk      about it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce snorted. \"That old goat. He was too busy running around      after women to notice ghosts. How Jessy put up with him for all      those years, I'll never know.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Fifty years ago, women thought they had to put up with it for the      sake of their sons,\" An'gel said. \"Not to mention that Jessy would      have starved if Marshall had left her for another woman. She was      one of the sweetest girls I ever knew, but she could get lost in      her own closet. She'd never have kept a job.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That's a terrible thing to say about an old sorority sister.\"      Dickce snorted with laughter. \"Even if it's true.\" She laughed      again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"At least Marshall had the good sense to die before he threw away      all his money; otherwise she'd have had to sell Cliffwood.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We've wandered away from the subject.\" Dickce pointed to the      letter An'gel held. \"Mary Turner and Henry Howard Catlin are      asking for our help. Even if we don't quite believe in ghosts,      Mary Turner evidently does.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I know.\" An'gel laid the letter aside on her desk. \"I suppose we      could go spend a few days in Natchez and see what's going on. I      suspect there's nothing supernatural about it. Someone's playing      tricks on them, I'd say.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You're probably right,\" Dickce replied. \"I'm game to go      ghost-hunting, and I'll bet Benjy will get a hoot out of the whole      thing.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No doubt,\" An'gel said. Their young ward, Benjy Stephens, had a      lively intelligence and a healthy curiosity, and he would enjoy      seeing the antebellum treasures of Natchez, potential apparitions      included. \"We can't take that for granted, however, and I wouldn't      want him to feel obliged to go if he's uncomfortable with the      idea.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't think the idea of ghosts will faze him all that much.      Besides, Peanut and Endora can help, too,\" Dickce said. \"Animals      are supposed to be sensitive to ghosts. If there are any      supernatural presences at Cliffwood, they'll let us know.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let's hope they don't run across any tortured spirits that need      to be laid to rest.\" An'gel grimaced. \"I'll call Mary Turner and      tell her we'll come on Monday. That ought to give you enough time      to pack.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce rolled her eyes at her sister. \"I'm not the one who has to      have a different pair of shoes for every outfit I take.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If you wore anything other than dark colors in the autumn months,      you might see the need.\" An'gel reached for her cell phone. \"Why      don't you go tell Benjy about the trip and see what he thinks of      the idea of ghost-hunting?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce nodded and walked out of the study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An'gel skimmed through Mary Turner's letter again. Given the      contents, she wasn't surprised that the young woman had chosen to      write a letter, rather than simply calling. An'gel appreciated      having the time to think about Mary Turner's story rather than      having to respond immediately during a live conversation. She did      wonder, however, why Mary Turner hadn't e-mailed her after all.      She decided she would ask during the call.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She picked up her cell phone and tapped out the number. After      three rings, a high, light voice said, \"Hello, Mary Turner Catlin      speaking.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An'gel identified herself. \"Sister and I were discussing your      letter, and of course we'd be happy to help you in any way we      can.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Before An'gel could continue, Mary Turner broke in. \"Oh, Miss      An'gel, bless you and Miss Dickce. Henry Howard and I are about to      go stark raving mad, and we didn't know whom else to turn to.      Grandmother always said the Ducote sisters never lost their heads      in a crisis, no matter what.\" She paused for a moment. \"And if      this isn't a crisis, I don't know what is. We're completely booked      for Thanksgiving in two weeks, and if word gets out about this, we      stand to lose a substantial amount.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An'gel heard a strangled sob. \"Your grandmother was a dear friend,      and Sister and I will do our best to live up to her confidence in      us. I'm sorry that you and Henry Howard are so upset by all this.      There's got to be a perfectly rational explanation behind what's      happening there.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mary Turner sobbed again, then choked it off. \"I pray every day      and night that there is, but we . . .\" Her voice trailed off.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An'gel frowned. Had Mary Turner hung up? Or had her darn cell      phone dropped the call? She waited a moment for Mary Turner to      come back on the line, but when she didn't, An'gel ended the call.      After about ten seconds she called again. Mary Turner answered      immediately.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm so sorry,\" the young woman said. \"But that's the kind of      thing that's always happening. Phone calls get cut off, our      e-mails don't go anywhere, all kinds of odd things. That's why I      wrote you an actual letter instead of e-mailing you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Heavens, this really is a mess,\" An'gel said, shocked by Mary      Turner's words. \"I wondered why you chose a letter. I can't      remember when I last received an actual handwritten letter from      anyone.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mary Turner sounded grim when she responded. \"So far the ghosts      haven't been able to stop the post office from working.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's no wonder you and Henry Howard are at your wit's end,\"      An'gel said. \"Sister and I will be there around lunchtime on      Monday, if that's convenient.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That's wonderful,\" Mary Turner said. \"We'll never be able to      thank you enough.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're glad to help,\" An'gel replied. \"Now, there is one thing.      We'd like to bring our ward, Benjy, with us, along with our dog      and cat, Peanut and Endora. Will that be all right?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You bring whomever you want,\" Mary Turner said. \"The more help,      the better. I've heard that animals are especially sensitive to      the supernatural.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You and Sister,\" An'gel muttered. Then she spoke so Mary Turner      could hear properly. \"Thank you, my dear. Help is on the way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"See you on Monday.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As An'gel laid the phone aside, she reflected that, by the end of      the call, Mary Turner had a new note in her voice. She sounded      hopeful, An'gel decided.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She was glad she'd managed to make Mary Turner feel better, but      she wondered whether she and Dickce had committed themselves to      solving a problem that would turn out to be more than they could      handle. She figured a real live human being was playing tricks on      the Catlins for some unknown purpose, but Cliffwood was an old      house. Many sad and unpleasant things had happened there,      particularly before, during, and right after the Civil War.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An'gel didn't believe in ghosts-not really-but there had been odd      things that happened at Riverhill over the years. Doors closing on      their own, the occasional cold spot in a room, small objects moved      from their accustomed spots-nothing all that frightening, An'gel      reflected, but odd. Definitely odd.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She and Dickce, along with Benjy, would have to keep their wits      about them at Cliffwood, she decided. She wouldn't let odd things      frighten her away.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The moment Dickce mentioned the word ghosts to Benjy, he grinned.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Awesome.\" He looked down at the Labradoodle at his feet. \"What do      you think of that, Peanut? Are you ready to track down some      ghosts?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The dog gazed adoringly into the young man's face and barked      twice. Benjy patted his head. \"That means yes.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce smiled and continued to stroke the Abyssinian she held in      her arms. \"What about you, Endora?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The reddish-brown feline yawned and stretched, then began to purr.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sounds like they're both in,\" Benjy said. \"How long do you think      we'll be there?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I hope it won't take more than a week to get to the bottom of      what's going on,\" Dickce replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A snort sounded from the direction of the stove. Dickce looked      over to see the housekeeper, Clementine Sprayberry, arms folded      over her chest, frowning at her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You and Miss An'gel don't need to go hunting ghosts anywhere,\"      Clementine said. \"Especially Natchez. I reckon you've heard how      haunted it is. You're just asking for trouble if you go and stir      things up.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That's even more awesome.\" Benjy laughed. \"A whole town that's      haunted.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You laugh all you want to,\" Clementine said. \"I bet you'll be the      first one out the door ten seconds after some horrible thing wakes      you up in the middle of the night and tries to get you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What kind of horrible thing?\" Dickce felt a chill at the      conviction in the housekeeper's voice. She knew Clementine      believed in spirits, and she herself had never made up her mind      about them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No telling.\" Clementine shook her head. \"Terrible things happened      all over that town for three hundred years, and you don't know      what might still be lurking.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Benjy's expression of amusement faded, Dickce noticed, in the face      of Clementine's unrelenting certainty. He turned to Dickce. \"How      bad can it really be? I don't know anything about Natchez.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"There are a few books on Natchez in An'gel's study,\" Dickce said.      \"The town has a fascinating history, and you might want to do some      reading before we go. Terrible things happened during the Civil      War when the Union Army took over the town, and Natchez was a      violent place in its early days. The books will give you all the      details that I can't remember.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Benjy brightened. \"Would Miss An'gel mind if I went in there right      now to look for the books? If she's really busy, I don't want to      disturb her.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm sure she wouldn't mind, even if she is busy.\" Dickce knew her      sister was as pleased about Benjy's interest in reading as she      was. They had high hopes for him when he started Athena College      the coming spring semester.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Awesome.\" Benjy rose from his chair, his sang-froid seemingly      restored. \"Come on, Peanut, you know Miss An'gel always likes to      see you.\" The dog loped after the young man as Benjy headed out of      the kitchen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Whereas you, Missy,\" Dickce said to the cat still nestled in her      arms, \"are another story. An'gel can't get over the fact that you      prefer me.\" She chuckled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Gracious, the way y'all talk to those animals.\" Clementine      laughed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce shot the housekeeper a pointed glance. \"I've heard you talk      to them both plenty of times yourself.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, I reckon so.\" Clementine turned her attention back to the      stove and picked the lid up from a pot of chicken and dumplings.      \"If y'all are going to treat 'em like people, I guess there's no      reason I shouldn't do it, too.\" She stirred the pot for a moment.      \"Lunch is just about ready. Ten more minutes.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce sniffed appreciatively. \"The perfect thing for a cool fall      day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Clementine looked up from the stove. \"Miss Dickce, y'all ever told      Benjy about the things that go on here sometimes?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce stiffened, and Endora squeaked a protest. Dickce forced      herself to relax. \"What do mean, the things that go on here?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You know what I mean,\" Clementine said. \"Doors closing all by      themselves, things moving around after I've dusted, and you know I      know to put things right back in the exact same place they've been      the last hundred years.\" She sniffed. \"Unless you and Miss An'gel      are going around behind my back, trying to play tricks on me, you      know ain't no earthly thing doing that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"An'gel and I would certainly never play that kind of trick on      you, and you know it.\" Dickce shook her head at the housekeeper.      \"I don't have any better explanation for it than you do, and to      answer your original question, no, I haven't said anything to      Benjy. I don't imagine An'gel has either. Since he has his own      quarters above the garage, he probably might not ever notice      anything here in the house.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Maybe so.\" Clementine focused her attention on the stove again.      \"Still, y'all might better tell that boy, 'specially before y'all      go hunting spirits in Natchez.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You might be right. I'll discuss it with An'gel.\" Dickce set the      cat on the floor. \"Come on, Endora. After I wash my hands, we're      going to set the table.\" To her amusement, the cat, after a yawn      and a stretch, padded after her to the powder room under the      stairs and waited until Dickce finished her ablutions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While Dickce set the table, Endora sat in the doorway and watched.      After a couple of minutes, apparently bored, she disappeared down      the hall. Dickce figured she had gone in search of Peanut and      Benjy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dickce performed her task without giving much thought to what she      was doing. Her thoughts focused on the upcoming trip to Natchez,      and their reason for going. She hated to admit it-and she doubted      she would admit it to An'gel-but Clementine's dire warning had      spooked her a little. As had the housekeeper's reminder about the      occasional unsettling experience here at Riverhill. She and An'gel      really should tell Benjy, she decided. He ought to know, because      someday he would most likely be the owner of the house, since she      and An'gel had no blood descendants to inherit from them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The last piece of cutlery in place, Dickce gazed at the table. Had      she forgotten anything?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Looks fine to me,\" she murmured.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As she continued to think about the housekeeper's words, Dickce      felt a prickle on the back of her neck.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What if Clementine is right? What if we stir up something in that      house we can't handle?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Benjy braked the car gently to a halt, shifted into Park, and      switched off the ignition. His shoulders ached lightly from the      long drive, as did his head, but he figured a little pain was a      small price to pay for having arrived at Cliffwood in one piece.      Miss Dickce had pouted for a few minutes when Miss An'gel asked      him to drive them all the way to Natchez. Miss An'gel refused to      budge over her sister's protests. Miss Dickce acted like a good      sport and hadn't sulked for long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If Miss Dickce had driven them, Benjy reckoned, she would have      received several tickets coming down the Natchez Trace. The speed      limit was only fifty miles an hour, and Miss Dickce had trouble      driving less than eighty no matter where she was going. He enjoyed      the more leisurely pace because it afforded him the opportunity to      appreciate the hues of the fall foliage-rich golds and yellows,      vibrant reds, browns, and greens. Where he grew up in Southern      California, there was nothing like this panoply of autumn colors.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302616453349,"sku":"NP9780399584770","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399584770.jpg?v=1767727426","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/fixing-to-die-isbn-9780399584770","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}