The Mummers Curse

In her new novel starring Philadelphia schoolteacher Amanda Pepper, Gillian Roberts once again mixes mystery and mirth. This time Roberts explores Philadelphia's unique flesh and blood "historical monument"-- the Mummers, who live (and perhaps are willing to die) for a few hours of glory every New Year's Day. The famous Mummers' Parade is an extravaganza that draws enormous crowds who cheer through chattering teeth, as more than thirty thousand clowns, string bands, and fancy brigades strut their stuff up Broad Street. But this year, while the music blares and the Mummers dance, a reveling Pierrot suddenly sinks to the ground, shot dead. Amanda is, at first, only a horrified spectator. But when the prime suspect--her friend and fellow teacher at Philly Prep--falsely claims to have been with her at the time of the murder, Amanda can no longer stay on the sidelines. Is the murder a flare-up of deadly rivalries? Is it connected with the disappearance, the week before Christmas, of another Mummer, the heir to a meat-packing family? Does someone disapprove of the Mummers' feathers, sequins, and string bands? And why is no one in the tight-knit world Amanda investigates willing to tell the truth about anything? With Amanda on the scene, the who in whodunit doesn't stay secret for long. In The Mummers' Curse, Gillian Roberts is, as always, at the head of the parade.

"ANOTHER FUNNY PHILLY PUZZLER . . . Notable for how comfortably it occupies the space between cozy and city-grit crime fiction." --Publishers Weekly When a reveling Pierrot is shot dead at the Mummers' Parade in Philadelphia, schoolteacher Amanda Pepper is first just a horrified spectator. But then the prime suspect--her friend and fellow teacher at Philly Prep--falsely claims to have been with her at the time of the murder. Amanda can no longer stay on the sidelines, as she plunges into the Mummers' tight-knit world, where no one seems willing to help her find a dangerous killer. . . . "Entertaining . . . A fun read." --West Coast Review of Books "Delightful." --San Diego Union-Tribune

In her new novel starring Philadelphia schoolteacher Amanda Pepper, Gillian Roberts once again mixes mystery and mirth. This time Roberts explores Philadelphia's unique flesh and blood "historical monument"- the Mummers, who live (and perhaps are willing to die) for a few hours of glory every New Year's Day. The famous Mummers' Parade is an extravaganza that draws enormous crowds who cheer through chattering teeth, as more than thirty thousand clowns, string bands, and fancy brigades strut their stuff up Broad Street. But this year, while the music blares and the Mummers dance, a reveling Pierrot suddenly sinks to the ground, shot dead. Amanda is, at first, only a horrified spectator. But when the prime suspect-her friend and fellow teacher at Philly Prep-falsely claims to have been with her at the time of the murder, Amanda can no longer stay on the sidelines. Is the murder a flare-up of deadly rivalries? Is it connected with the disappearance, the week before Christmas, of another Mummer, the heir to a meat-packing family? Does someone disapprove of the Mummers' feathers, sequins, and string bands? And why is no one in the tight-knit world Amanda investigates willing to tell the truth about anything?

Three tales of murder in Philadelphia featuring the English teacher and amateur sleuth by the award-winning “Dorothy Parker of mystery writers” (Nancy Pickard, author of the Jenny Cain series). The Mummer’s Curse “Philadelphia’s New Year’s Day Mummers’ Parade, a splashy, fiercely competitive affair, turns murderous” when a parade clown is shot dead and one of Amanda’s Philly Prep colleagues is suspected “in yet another funny Philly puzzler for schoolteacher Amanda Pepper” (Publishers Weekly). The Bluest Blood Amanda looks forward to an ultra-elegant fundraiser in a fabled Main Line mansion to benefit Philly Prep’s library. But the fairytale evening takes a dark turn thanks to a protest group vehemently opposing any books that “pollute the mind.” When the conflict becomes deadly, Amanda takes “another swift and intriguing spin through the sometimes murderous precincts of Philadelphia” (Publishers Weekly). Adam & Evil When a high school senior shows signs of mental illness, Amanda attempts to get him help, but she’s rebuffed by his parents. Then, when the same boy becomes the prime suspect in a murder at the Philadelphia Main Library—and runs away—Amanda has no choice but to run after him. Even if it means running headlong into a killer’s path. Adam & Evil includes a new introduction from author Gillian Roberts and an exclusive interview with Amanda Pepper herself!

In 'A Vagabond in the Caucasus. With Some Notes of His Experiences Among the Russians', Stephen Graham transports readers to the rugged and mysterious Caucasus region, capturing the essence of his journey through vivid descriptions and captivating storytelling. The book combines elements of travelogue, adventure, and social commentary, offering a unique perspective on the people and landscapes of the Caucasus. Graham's immersive writing style and keen observation of human behavior make this work a standout in early 20th-century travel literature. Stephen Graham, a well-traveled British author and journalist, drew inspiration for this book from his own experiences exploring remote regions of Russia. His deep fascination with different cultures and his adventurous spirit led him to embark on daring journeys, resulting in the insightful narratives found in 'A Vagabond in the Caucasus'. I highly recommend 'A Vagabond in the Caucasus. With Some Notes of His Experiences Among the Russians' to readers who appreciate immersive travel literature and insightful observations on social dynamics. Stephen Graham's evocative writing will transport you to the heart of the Caucasus and leave you with a newfound appreciation for this enigmatic region.

The next title in New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter's Song series. Sir Bishop of Lythe has come to Penwyth for his royal reward—the keep and young Merryn's hand. But he wonders if a curse will prove his undoing.

No matter the season, the Philadelphia private school where Amanda Pepper teaches English is never a center of tranquility. But with Halloween and the annual Mischief Night party only days away, the hope is that nothing more than old-fashioned vandalism and pranks will take place. No such luck. Trouble erupts long before the witching hour, as the school is plagued by a series of mishaps ranging from the trivial to the potentially deadly–and most of which seem to center on a group of popular seniors. A fire alarm rings during a test; all the orange and black paint is stolen from the art room; the mustard packets are taken from the cafeteria. Perhaps more serious: chemicals and equipment disappear from the science lab, as does one of Amanda's exams and her attendance book. And the dapper new science instructor, Juan Reyes, receives a threatening message recalling that a teacher was once flayed to death by his students. As Amanda juggles teaching, moonlighting as a private investigator with her husband, C.K. Mackenzie, and coping with C.K.'s visiting sixteen-year-old high school-dropout nephew, she tries to find out what, or who, is behind the ominous events. Before she can unmask the tricksters, the turmoil in the school increases when students rise up against the administration's censuring (and censoring) of a campus poet. Then unrest escalates into a lethally explosive menace, and Amanda receives a warning that there is more–and far worse–to come.

Books four through six in the award-winning Amanda Pepper mystery series are now available in one volume! This collection includes: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE Well-known Broadway playwright and TV producer Lyle Zacharias is throwing himself a lavish birthday party in his hometown of Philadelphia. Guests include his current wife, ex-wives, friends, former partners—not to mention Amanda Pepper and her own irrepressible mother, Bea. Yet when Lyle drops dead in the middle of a speech, it appears the likely perpetrator is none other than Bea, whose gift was fifty delicious, but apparently poisoned, tarts! It's up to Amanda to clear her mother's name and find the real murderer…before he or she strikes again! But Amanda herself may be the next target! Who says teaching isn't exciting? With any more excitement, Amanda will have to retire before she hits thirty-one…if she lives that long! HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION Amanda Pepper's friend Sasha has a photography assignment in Atlantic City, and she invites her broke schoolteacher friend to come along for a free mini-vacation. But the two quickly discover there's more to lose than money at the shore when Sasha finds a stranger bludgeoned to death in her bed. When a witness identifies Sasha as having been at the scene, she Goes Directly To Jail and does not pass "Go." Under the boardwalk and between the slot machines, and sometimes with the help of a motley crew of gamblers, Amanda works to unearth the truth and free her friend. IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER Mellow old Philadelphia, where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have flourished for centuries, now has a new claim to fame. The City of Brotherly Love has been proclaimed number one in the nation...for hostility. English teacher Amanda Pepper, crabbily gearing up for summer school at exclusive Philly Prep, feels she fits right in with the hostility mode. And it's going to get worse. Amanda gets her first prickling of unease in her own classroom, where a reading of Romeo and Juliet activates some very strange chemistry. Then the computer science teacher begins receiving anonymous "go-back-to-Africa" phone calls. A young Vietnamese boy dies in a drive-by shooting. And late one night, outside a Chinatown massage parlor, student April Tuong is kidnapped. Random violence? Perhaps. But Amanda refuses to let gentle April vanish without at least asking a few questions, starting in her own classroom. Gillian Roberts's Philadelphia is the real thing. So, too, are her wit and humor, and her gripping story of Amanda's tenacious search for the missing girl--along the brick streets of historic Philadelphia, in exotic Chinatown, and through the shady, sinister back alleys of the impoverished. The truth, when she finds it, is appalling, deadly, and much too close to home.

Amanda's friend Sasha's stepmother has just committed suicide—although, according to Sasha, Phoebe Ennis would never have killed herself, especially not while having a drink and wearing a red silk blouse and red sandals with four-inch heels. Amanda isn't persuaded, but reluctantly agrees to help investigate the woman's demise, though the evidence for foul play is slim. True, the middle-aged compulsive collector of knickknacks wasn't universally loved. Phoebe's own son hated her, and she bored her friends to death with hints of her "royal" lineage. And with four marriages behind her, she was already preparing to announce her renewed availability on the Net. But when another woman is found dead in Phoebe's house, it becomes clear that something is indeed murderously amiss, and much closer to home than Amanda or anyone else could have imagined.

Have you ever thought about writing a mystery, and gave up the idea because you didn’t know where to begin? Now is your chance to write the mystery of your dreams. You Can Write a Mystery, written by Gillian Roberts, author of the Anthony Award-winning Amanda Pepper series, will help you start your mystery, and guide you through to the end. With this book you'll learn how to build your story from the ground up, based on what Roberts calls the "Seven Cs." Examples and exercises will help you complete your story—filled with cliffhangers, intriguing characters and hooks. This book offers practical suggestions for handling problems likely to arise during the writing process. You will learn: ·The Seven Cs your book can't do without—characters, conflict, causality, complications, change, crisis and closure ·The Fifteen Commandments for mystery ·How to design your sleuth ·How to hide clues and exploit red herrings ·Research techniques ·How to develop a style, find a tone and construct a killer plot In addition to practical writing advice, Roberts offers expert guidance for editing, revising and submitting a top-notch manuscript, whether for traditional or independent publishing. With its easy-to-understand format, You Can Write a Mystery will help take you from writer…to accomplished mystery writer.