The Corpse with the Ruby Lips

by Cathy Ace

  Our flight was called, so I was saved from having to say more than, “I’m absolutely certain. From my point of view, the most impactful aspect of having the chance to work on this book with her is that Zsófia said the advance for the book was half a million dollars. Half of that is a lot of money. So, yes, to be fair to you, and to us, I could at least take a leave of absence and think about doing something other than staying at UVan, I suppose.”

  “You do that. You’re good at thinking things through.”

  “Sometimes I am.”

  “You’re right about that,” said my husband.

  Acknowledgments

  ONCE AGAIN I SIT HERE with a list of people to thank for helping me with this book, and, once again it includes the stellar team at TouchWood Editions, and a few people who have told me they’d rather remain nameless. So, to Taryn, Frances, Cailey, Pete, Tori, and Renée at TouchWood Editions, and the nameless informants: thank you.

  This tale is set in Budapest, a city rich in history, art, architecture, music, food, and contradictions. It’s a wonderful place that confounds most expectations, yet delights at every turn. I’ve spent many months there over the years, and have been fortunate enough to stay not only at wonderful hotels, but also in the homes of people who have lived there through “interesting” times.

  To Ilona, who allowed me to use her name; John and Shirley, who spoke with passion about their Hungarian upbringing; Peter, who first invited me to work in Budapest back in the mid-1990s; the members of the Hungarian diaspora here in British Columbia, who have delighted me with their tales of characters from “the old country”—I thank you all.

  Thanks to you for choosing to join Cait Morgan as she spends time in Budapest, and to the reviewers, bloggers, booksellers, and librarians who might have helped you find her.

  Welsh Canadian mystery author CATHY ACE is the creator of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, which include The Corpse with the Silver Tongue, The Corpse with the Golden Nose, The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb, The Corpse with the Platinum Hair, The Corpse with the Sapphire Eyes, The Corpse with the Diamond Hand, and The Corpse with the Garnet Face. Born, raised, and educated in Wales, Cathy enjoyed a successful career in marketing and training across Europe before immigrating to Vancouver, Canada, where she taught in MBA and undergraduate marketing programs at various universities. Her eclectic tastes in art, music, food, and drink have been developed during her decades of extensive travel, which she continues whenever possible. Now a full-time author, Cathy’s short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, as well as on BBC Radio 4. In 2015 she won the Bony Blithe Award for Best Canadian Light Mystery (for The Corpse with the Platinum Hair). She and her husband are keen gardeners who enjoy being helped out around their acreage by their green-pawed Labradors. Cathy is also the author of the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries. Cathy’s website can be found at cathyace.com.

  Copyright © 2016 by Cathy Ace

  TouchWood Editions

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For more information, contact TouchWood Editions at 103–1075 Pendergast Street, Victoria, BC, Canada V8V 0A1. Or visit our website at www.touchwoodeditions.com.

  Designed by Pete Kohut

  Edited by Frances Thorsen

  Proofread by Claire Philipson

  Cover image by Krivinis, istockphoto.com

  LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

  Ace, Cathy, 1960–, author

  The corpse with the ruby lips / Cathy Ace.

  (A Cait Morgan mystery)

  Issued in print and electronic formats.

  ISBN 978-1-77151-195-7

  I. Title. II. Series: Ace, Cathy, 1960– . Cait Morgan mystery

  PS8601.C41C666 2016 C813'.6 C2016-903369-4

  We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and of the province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.