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A suspicious death, two missing medicine bottles and an absent son.

Eliza Thomson Investigates…

June 1900: Eliza Thomson is delighted to be back in Moreton after nearly thirty years away. To cap it all, she has a job in her husband’s surgery … and her best friend, Connie lives next door!

Connie is eager to introduce Eliza to the villagers, but their excitement vanishes when they bump into an old neighbour, Mrs Milwood.

As head of the family business, Mrs Milwood isn’t afraid to use the money and power she acquired from her late husband. Even against her own family.

When a body is found, the evidence points to murder, but with only the hapless village police to lead the investigation, Eliza and Connie are determined to help … whether the newly arrived Inspector from New Scotland Yard wants them to or not…

Eliza Thomson closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the carriage trying unsuccessfully to suppress a grin. As the horses slowed to a walk, she straightened up again hoping her husband hadn’t noticed. But who was she fooling? Of course he had.

“What’s the matter with you?” he asked.

Smiling at his soft Scottish lilt, she placed a gloved hand on his. “Oh, my dear, I do hope you grow to love this place as much as I do. Just promise me that whatever happens in the next half an hour, you won’t go scurrying back to London.”

Archie studied her, his dark brown eyes causing her stomach to flutter as they always did when he looked at her that way. “Why would I do that?”

Eliza stared out of the left-hand window as the carriage approached the surgery. “Because our private lives will soon be a thing of the past. I must have seen at least half a dozen sets of curtains twitching as we drove down the street, and my guess is that before we can climb down from the carriage, Connie will be out in the street to meet us.”

Archie’s brow furrowed. “She’s your oldest friend, you’ll be pleased to see her, won’t you?”

“Of course I will, I can’t think of a better person to be living next door to, but the speed with which she greets us will show you how quickly news travels around here.”

“It’s hardly got far to travel, we’ll be stopping outside her house. Besides, I expect she’ll be glad of the company now she lives alone.”

Eliza peered through the window to catch a glimpse of the small terraced cottage nestled alongside the village surgery. “She will although she’s used to it by now. It’s over two years since Mr Appleton died. Besides, this is Moreton-on-Thames, not London. Everyone knows everyone around here; it’s difficult to be on your own even if you want to be.”

Her husband squeezed her hand. “That’s good then, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so, for Connie at least, but I worry about you. After living in London for so many years, becoming part of such a close-knit, not to mention nosy, community will take some getting used to … if you ever do.”

“It was my decision to come if you remember. We wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t happy about it.”

Before Eliza had a chance to respond the carriage came to a halt and an attractive woman wearing a navy bonnet over dark blonde hair hurried down the garden path to meet them. A smile highlighted the faint lines around her turquoise eyes.

“You’re here!” Connie’s eyes sparkled as the driver helped Eliza from the carriage. “I’ve been looking out of the window for you since two o’clock. What kept you? Your horse and carriage arrived over an hour ago.”

Eliza laughed. “We couldn’t come in our little carriage. We had bags we wanted to bring ourselves, so one of the removal men drove it over for us. By the time we’d loaded everything up, we didn’t leave London until ten. Then we had to stop in Richmond and join Father for luncheon. You should be thankful we’re here already. It’s not four o’clock yet. Is the kettle on?”

Connie raised a hand to her lips, stifling a gasp, but Eliza grinned. “Don’t look so worried, I’m teasing. We sent word to Iris, our new maid, that we’d be here around this time. Will you join us?”
Eliza linked her arm through Connie’s, but her friend hesitated as Archie appeared from the far side of the carriage.

“I’d love to, as long as I’m not intruding. Don’t you and Dr Thomson want to get settled in first?”

“Of course you’re not intruding, we won’t be doing anything until we’ve had a cup of tea, will we, dear?”

Archie rolled his eyes at his wife. “You might not be but I’m sure I’ll be able to find something to do.” He extended his hand to Connie. “Good afternoon, Mrs Appleton. It’s nice to see you again. It looks like the removal men are finished.”

A smile lit up Connie’s face. “They are, they left about half an hour ago. I imagine the maid will have everything unpacked.”

“I doubt it,” Eliza said. “Didn’t you see the number of crates we had delivered? Now, come along. The sun might be bright, but it isn’t warm. I need to get inside and you can bring me up to date with all the gossip.”