Astrid’s Place
"We opened the door to a murder."
by
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"Why did you close the notebook?" Astrid asked. "Because that's all there is. That's the end." Though Abram was grinning, she could see that he was just as perplexed as she was. "That's damned awful, Abram. We don't know what she did." "That's about the size of it." "Well--well--we've got to find out. We know she isn't dead, so what did she do? She kill him? Surely she wasn't capable of sending him packing." "Maybe she poured out all his liquor," Abram said. He was close to laughing, and that was annoying. He shouldn't enjoy her frustration. "You know she wouldn't do that. She was too timid. Besides, he'd have killed her if she had." "I agree there. You're really upset by this, aren't you?" "Damned right. I want to know what she did." When Abram broke into a full laugh, Astrid stuck her finger in the paint and went for him, dragging a long white smear across each cheek, while he laughed harder. "Hey," he yelled. "That's not fair. You're taking advantage of a cripple." "Cripple! You're no cripple, but you keep it up and you just may end up being one." "Don't take it out on the messenger, Astrid. I only read as far as I could. You can't blame me for that. She's the one who stopped writing. If you want to know the ending so bad, why don't you find out where she is? We can visit her." "And do what? Ask her if she's a murderer? 'So nice to meet you, Mrs. Guilford. And tell me, did you kill your husband?'" "I expect we might be a bit more tactful."
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About the Book
Introspective Astrid Thorpe sees herself as too tall, too loud and too outspoken, and is resolved to change. As she begins a reporting position in Fairchance, she buys an old Sears model house that needs restoration. For that work, she engages Abram Lincoln. However, in finishing up another job ,he is injured. With no place to recuperate, he accepts Astrid's offer to stay at her house until he can work. They discover a diary written by the former homeowner, describing the torturous treatment she suffered at the hands of her husband, a man widely believed to be a "good man." What became of the man is a mystery that Astrid and Abram set out to solve. At the same time, a long-ago neighbor returns, bringing with him a plan that shatters Astrid's life.
About the Author
Camille Mariani is the author of six novels and one non-fiction book, as well as several magazine articles. A lifetime writer, she moved from newspaper reporting to the editorship of the Canton, NY Plaindealer, and then on to the position of director of public relations and publications at the NY State college at Canton. Throughout her writing career she has received several awards and citations. A native of Belfast, Maine, she is now a resident of Florida where she wrote and published her first novel. For relaxation, she enjoys playing the digital organ among her many interests.