It's spring 1942. Caroline Graham is six months pregnant, overweight, irritable, and most decidedly bored with her "delicate" condition. She hates being tied down and resents her husband Cyril and her cousin Edward for being off on assignment and having fun while she's confined to the village. She grows more restless each day, and her good friend and confidant Leslie Atwater does his best to boost her spirits but fails miserably. What Caroline needs is a problem to solve, "something juicy" to challenge her mind. And, of course, that's exactly what she gets.<br><br>Be careful what you wish for.<br><br>First there's a rash of poison pen letters circulating in the village. Librarian Elspeth Hunter receives a letter, and is the first to die, presumably by her own hand. Other deaths follow. Are the sudden deaths connected to the letters? As weeks pass and the bodies mount, Caroline and Leslie discover a pattern that suggests something more sinister is at work. With Leslie's help, Caroline must use all her cunning and put her life at risk to uncover a cold-blooded murderer -- a remorseless killer who continues to raise the stakes in a deadly game of malice.

A Deadly Game of Malice

Mrs. Jenkins answered the door. “Come into the living room and we can chat a bit.”


Winnie asked if she could see the house, this being her first time inside, and Ivy called Ilsa and asked her to give her a short tour.


Knowing Winnie as he did, all work and no play, Leslie was positive she was on the job, checking and double-checking the conditions of the blackout curtains and looking about in general for anything questionable or out of place. Does she ever stop?


Leslie passed over the form and Ivy Jenkins quickly filled it out. Occupants: 3. Names: Ivy Jenkins, Samuel Jenkins, and Ilsa Jenkins. Leslie assumed it was easier listing Ilsa as part of their English family than adding her German surname. During wartime, villagers were especially suspicious of foreigners, though most everyone was aware of Ilsa’s situation and seemed to accept her as part of the community. Still best not to raise red flags.


Winnie returned with Ilsa who ran over and gave Leslie a warm hug.


Chapter 6