by Kelly Ethan
Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Boxed set
Book #1-3
Kelly Ethan
Copyright © 2021 by Kelly Ethan
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
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Contents
The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg
Kelly Ethan
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
The Dastardly Dragon Killer and the Poison Breath
Kelly Ethan
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
The Murderous Monster and the Stony Gaze
Kelly Ethan
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
About the Author
Also by Kelly Ethan
Paranormal Romance
Non Fiction
Love and hugs to Bronwyn Stuart, Alexis Fleming and Sarah Williams. Sometimes it takes a village to produce a book baby.
Books in the Boxset
The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg
Book 1
There’s a murder in the library, a killer knight stalking victims and a nosy librarian turned sleuth.
Let the mayhem begin…
Xandie Meyers thought all her troubles were over when she moved to Point Muse, Maine. Instead, she inherited her Great-aunt’s supernatural library and a snarky, talking cat. Not to mention a family of chaos-causing witches, furry law enforcement and a card-carrying demon from hell…and a dead body.
Xandie Myers is suspect number one and she has no clue who’s targeting her. Sherlock librarian needs to swing into action and sniff the real killer out before she becomes the next victim—or ends up in jail for murders she didn’t commit.
Can Xandie survive long enough to navigate her freaky new world? Or will things that go bump in the night have her for a midnight snack?
If you like snarky dialogue, murder and mayhem then you’ll love the next instalment in Kelly Ethan’s Point Muse Mysteries, a new cozy paranormal mystery series.
The Dastardly Dragon Killer and the Poison Breath
Book 2
There’s a murder in the art gallery, a dragon slayer on the loose and a nosy librarian turned sleuth.
Let the mayhem begin…
Xandie Meyers thought she’d found her place in the supernatural world when she moved to Point Muse, Maine. She even made new friends in the form of one Priss Makepeace. But instead of settling into a peaceful new life, Xandie’s dealing with rampaging zombie gnomes, bad luck, and now a poisoned dragon body has turned up in the art gallery.
The Dragon clan is snarling for vengeance and her new friend is the prime suspect.
Xandie has no choice but to let Sherlock librarian swing into action before an innocent woman is jailed for a crime she didn’t commit and Point Muse dissolves into chaos.
Can Xandie survive long enough to navigate her freaky new world? Or will things that go bump in the night have her for a midnight snack?
If you like snarky dialogue, murder and mayhem then you’ll love the next instalment in Kelly Ethan’s Point Muse Mysteries, a new cozy paranormal mystery series.
The Murderous Monster and the Stony Gaze
Book 3
There’s a murder at the pet show, a monster on the loose and a nosy librarian turned sleuth.
Let the mayhem begin…
Xandie Meyers and Point Muse had settled into a peaceful routine after a spate of supernatural murders and mayhem. But the peace is upset with the grand opening of Point Muse Springs Resort and its drawcard event, the Supernatural Pet and Familiar Show—S.P.A.F.S for short.
Not everyone is happy with the resort opening and the pet show coming to town. A series of accidents, hoof and horn disease and gastro plagues the contestants. But when the competition favorite is turned to stone and the show takes a fatal turn, the prime suspect is Amelia Harrow. Witch, Vet, pet show hater and Xandie’s Aunt.
Xandie has no choice but to turn Sherlock librarian and go undercover at the pet show with a trash-talking pug named Colin.
Can Xandie survive long enough to navigate her freaky new world? Or will things that go bump in the night have her for a midnight snack?
If you like snarky dialogue, murder and mayhem then you’ll love the next instalment in Kelly Ethan’s Point Muse Mysteries, a new cozy paranormal mystery series.
The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg
A Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery. Book One
Kelly Ethan
One
“Let me guess. The feline knocked my great-aunt Sera off?” Alexandra ‘Xandie’ Meyers glared at the evil, murderous feline locked away in his cat cage jail. The black monster hissed and stuck a paw out with claws extended, waving in her direction.
“Of course not. Theo’s a placid animal. But he’s taken a mild dislike to you.” The lawyer mopped his shiny brow and offered a weak smile.
“Mild?” Xandie winced as she tracked the red, angry scratch trailing from her wrist to halfway up her arm. “I don’t remember him being this nasty when I visited Aunt Sera last.”
“I’m sure Theo’s disturbed by the events of the last week. Your great-aunt’s death shocked the town. Point Muse loved Sera.” The lawyer rifled through his bag until he found an old-fashioned set of heavy keys. “Here you go. Keys to the house. Any questions please call my office.” He shoved the keys at Xandie and hustled off the front porch.
Anyone might think he was desperate to leave. “Ah, thanks, Mr. Essam.”
“It’s Neville,” he yelled over his shoulder as he clambered into his car and roared out of the driveway, spraying dust along the way.
“Who could forget Mr. Neville ‘Run Away’ Essam? You’d think I had the plague.” Xandie contemplated her inheritance. The house was lovely, red brick and wood, gables galore and a long wide porch on the front, the whole thing set on two lovely green acres. What wasn’t nice was the spitting, murder-
minded cat she’d inherited from Sera. Xandie stepped toward the front door, avoiding the clawed minefield next to her. She inserted the old-fashioned key marked front and turned it. At least she tried. “Great, perfect. Three hours traveling on a small, smelly bus and now the keys don’t work.” Her current location, Point Muse, Maine was only three hours away from Andrews, a small college town near Portland. Squeezed in next to a salami-guzzling elderly man wasn’t the perfect start to her new life. But here she was, locked out of the only place she now called home.
Theo hissed and Xandie swore he laughed at her. Baring her teeth back, she walked to the end of the porch and peered around the side. There was a gate set into the side of a stone fence. Maybe it led somewhere? The cat meowed as she deserted him. Xandie pushed the gate open and slipped into the back yard, ignoring the murderous feline’s high-pitched whine.
“Wow, hope Sera had a gardener.” Xandie stared at the lush manicured spread. An old-fashioned stone path wound its way from the gate to the side of the house where a window and a heavy, wood-framed door with ornate carvings gave access to the interior. The path curved back out and down to the middle of the yard where a circular gazebo sat, with several statues dotted around it. Xandie moved toward it, inhaling as she went. The brine of the bay enveloped her senses and a light wind tangled her long brown hair. The house stood on a bluff and looked over the bay and the township of Point Muse.
“And Sera died before I found time to visit her.” Xandie shook her head and traced her steps back to the carved door. She wished she’d seen Sera more, but her father disliked his weird aunt. Once her mom had disappeared, he’d wanted nothing to do with Sera again. He blamed her for his wife leaving, disappearing, whatever had happened to her mom. Xandie shook off her melancholy and tried the door. Shut up tight like the front. She looked the bundle of keys over and picked out a dull silver one with the same weird carvings etched into it. She fitted the key, but it refused to turn. Xandie gave up and peered in a window. Dust and brine congealed on the glass, obscuring most of the inside except for little wooden table and chair in the middle of the room.
“No help there.” Xandie headed back to the front of the house and pursed her lips. “Well, monster. How the heck are we getting inside?” Theo growled, and she swore he muttered useless librarian. She snickered at her imagination. Xandie had driven her father crazy with the magical worlds and creatures she made up as a child. Every time her mother had taken her for a visit to his aunt, her practical academic father disappeared. Always some important duty interfering with his ability to travel with them. Xandie tried a window at the front of the house and it moved under her hand. “Bingo cat. We have a winner.” She pulled the window open and measured the distance. Thank god she was skinny; she should be able to climb in and unlock the door.
She dropped her bag and stooped under the window. With a bunny hop to get her front half in, Xandie gripped the timber frame and hauled herself over, squeaking when her shirt caught on the latch. Stuck halfway in, she leaned toward the floor and tried to wiggle the shirt off the latch, with no success. “I’m jinxed. Someone will find my starved rear end hanging out the window.” This time she was positive the cat laughed. She shook a fist at the cat as she hung upside down. “Yeah, it’s funny until you realize you’re stuck in the damn cage until someone finds my decomposing body.” Theo shut up.
“Is the cat your look-out?” A husky male voice came from behind Xandie.
She jerked up and scraped her exposed stomach on the latch of the window. “No, he’s the potential murder victim when I get free. Now how about some help?” Heavy steps ambled toward her. From her upside-down position, the only bits visible were men’s black shoes and dark pants.
“Well, Miss. I don’t think the Police Chief of Point Muse should aid and abet a break-in. Think it’s against the law.”
Xandie ground her teeth together. Small town idiot policeman. “Who breaks into a house with their cat? And has the keys?” She flapped a hand over her back. “Have a look on the porch. I own this house now. I inherited it when my great-aunt Sera passed away. Now get me the heck out of here.” She hissed the last few words.
“This is a classic case of breaking and entering and cat napping. I have to call this into my officers.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Xandie squealed and thumped the window frame. “My purse is in my bag. Check my name out. I’m Xandie Meyers from Andrews, Maine. Sera Meyers was my great-aunt. Now get me free.”
The policeman snickered but covered it with a cough. “Ah, this identification has a different name on it.”
“Xandie is a nickname. My full name is Alexandra. And why would I take this torturous cat anywhere if I didn’t have to? The damn feline hates me to the point of drawing blood.” She waved her scored arm in the air to make the point. Who the hell was this idiot?
“Theo clawed you? What did you do to him?” The policeman grabbed Xandie around the waist and freed her shirt from the latch. With a quick tug, he pulled her down and out of the window.
Xandie fell against her rescuer and they both collapsed in a pile of legs and arms. “The cat? I haven’t touched him. Mr. Essam, the lawyer, dumped the cage on the porch, threw me the keys and bolted. The animal hates me.” She raised her head from the policeman’s hard chest and glared at him through the mess of her unruly hair. The man might be a pain in her rear end, but he was easy on the eye. Short light brown hair that curled at the ends, laughing blue eyes and a narrow face topped off with a chiseled jaw.
“I can send you a picture.”
Shame about his mouth and ego. Xandie growled and shoved herself off the policeman. It was just too bad her bony knees caught him in a painful area. “Not funny. I prefer it if you’d unlock my house. Before I make a complaint to your superior.” She stomped to the door and stood out of claw zone, waiting.
He rolled to his feet and rubbed his side. “Police Chief Zachery Braun at your service and I am my superior.” He brushed off his pants and grimaced at her. “Sorry, I ran late and had to field calls about someone breaking into a private residence.”
“Oh, I see. Funnier to embarrass and humiliate your newest resident. Perfect.” Xandie gritted her teeth and turned her back on the damn man. The whole time he’d known who she was.
“Sorry. It was more amusing when you were upside down.” He rubbed his hands through his hair and grabbed the keys from the porch. “Did you try the front door first before you broke in?”
Xandie stomped her foot. She pointed to the door. “I. Am. Not. An. Idiot.”
Chief Braun slid the key into the lock and turned it. The door creaked open, and he gestured inside to a gaping Xandie.
“I swear it wouldn’t open. The house and the cat hate me.” She sagged against the doorframe. Her father might be right. She should sell the house, but Sera had wanted her to stay for a minimum of three months. She’d wanted to see where Sera lived, anyway. And find out why her mother had to visit Sera on the day she disappeared. Xandie wanted answers and hoped Point Muse had them.
“Most houses don’t have opinions on their owners and Theo wants inside and out of the cage.” Braun handed the keys to Xandie as she stormed past.
She stopped in the foyer and stared. The lawyer had explained there were four-bedrooms with two bathrooms, an updated kitchen along with a private library and living room. People came from all over to consult her great-aunt’s collection of supernatural and occult texts. Since Xandie had lost her job as a librarian and she’d been stuck working for her dad, this was a godsend of an opportunity. Even if it horrified her staid, academic, librarian father.
Xandie spun around and took in the house. Antique white walls jostled for attention with polished wood floors. The staircase for the upper level swept down and intersected the foyer in the center. Rooms stood off to either side, and she noticed the kitchen behind the staircase. Light poured in from the large front windows and warmed the living room. The house was well worth the delay in getting inside
. Xandie lifted her face and closed her eyes for a moment. The hole she hadn’t known she had filled with an almost audible click. She was home. Whatever she found out about her mother, even dealing with the cat, it didn’t matter. Xandie was home.
“I think your fur baby wants out.” Braun carried the cat cage in, nudged Xandie aside and placed it on the floor. He patted the cage then stood and handed her a business card. “Here, call me if you have any problems.”
Xandie left him standing with the card outstretched for as long as she could without looking petty. Then she grabbed the card and let it fall to the table near the entrance. “Thanks for your help. But I’m sure I’ll be fine now.” She walked toward the Chief making him walk backward. He stumbled outside onto the porch and Xandie shut the door in his face with a decisive click. Take that, police chief pain in the bottom. Xandie rested her back against the door and ignored Theo’s loud yowling. She’d made it inside the house and away from that embarrassing man. Caught upside down, entering a house from the window, wasn’t the way she wanted to introduce herself to the residents of Point Muse, Maine.