Shape of Revenge

Shape of Revenge –––––––– Georgia Rose 1st Edition Published by Three Shires Publishing ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-915665-03-4 ISBN: (hardback) 978-1-915665-04-1 ISBN: (eBook) 978-1-915665-02-7 Shape of Revenge copyright © 2023 Georgia Rose Georgia Rose asserts the right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the express written permission of Georgia Rose. www.georgiarosebooks.com Edited by Alison Williams Alison Williams Writing (wordpress.com) Proofread by Julia Gibbs [email protected] Cover and map design by Simon Emery [email protected] All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. OTHER BOOKS BY GEORGIA ROSE The Grayson Trilogy A Single Step (Book 1 of The Grayson Trilogy) Before the Dawn (Book 2 of The Grayson Trilogy) Thicker than Water (Book 3 of The Grayson Trilogy) The Joker (A Grayson Trilogy Short Story) The Ross Duology Parallel Lies Loving Vengeance A Shade Darker A Killer Strikes Table of Contents A Map of this part of Melton Spoiler Alert! Prologue 1: Out of the Darkness 2: Mistress of All She Surveyed 3: Out of the Darkness 4: An Honourable Man? 5: Daisy Doesn’t like Mondays 6: When Punctuality Throws a Curveball 7: How Did That Make You Feel? 8: Unsupported Talents 9: Friday Haunt 10: Out of the Darkness 11: Steak Pie and Buttery Mash 12: Ripe for New Beginnings 13: One Ms Honey Blossom, at Your Service 14: A Spot of Light Housework 15: Keys in a Bowl 16: The Extent of Her Mother’s Ambition 17: Out of the Darkness 18: A Valentine’s Flower Mystery 19: The Fountain Pen Decider 20: Revenge Served Cold 21: Glad to Be Alive 22: You Had Me at You’re 23: Previous Normal 24: How Many Beans Make Five? 25: The Longed-for Meeting 26: Straight to Voicemail 27: A Dangerous Animal 28: Laura – Her Favourite Person 29: Out of the Darkness 30: Trapped! 31: Knight in Shining Armour 32: The Morning After the Night Before 33: With Friends Like That... 34: Due Diligence 35: Call the Doctor! 36: A Day for Penitence 37: Being More Judy 38: No Way Out 39: What Was She Waiting For? 40: Into the Fire? Get Free Exclusive Content by Signing up to the Georgia Rose Newsletter Acknowledgements Contact details A Map of this part of Melton For Ruby So long a part of our lives, now lost we see fleeting glimpses of you everywhere. Spoiler Alert! Please note that while Shape of Revenge is a standalone story it is the second book in the A Shade Darker series and I have written these books to be read as a series. I do not rehash what happened in book 1 A Killer Strikes or provide long explanations. From the beginning of this novel, there are spoilers that will affect your enjoyment of book 1 A Killer Strikes. Once seen those things can never be unseen. So, if you haven’t read A Killer Strikes already you can find it HERE. Reading the first in the series before reading Shape of Revenge will mean you won’t have missed out on meeting those who live and work in The Stables in Melton and Laura’s view of someone who takes centre stage in Shape of Revenge. Thank you Georgia “You learn a lot about people when they don’t get what they want.” Unknown Prologue She swept black liquid eyeliner across her lid, took it to the corner, and beyond; finished with an upward stroke that, when she checked, mirrored that on her other eye perfectly. Practice, and confidence, that’s all it took to create the desired effect. Happy with the result, she took her lip liner and outlined lips that required little more than a touch of lipstick to make them plump and shiny. She sat back, looked at the overall effect and, pleased with what she saw, smiled. She’d see him soon. Couldn’t wait. Butterflies took flight in her stomach in anticipation of the evening ahead. Of their future together. Mid-February 1: Out of the Darkness He stood in the shadows. His eyes adjusted to the night. All the better to see her with. He could still be inside in the warm, but, keen to discover if his plans had paid off, he waited here instead. Out of sight. Obviously. He couldn’t risk being seen with her. Or by her. He heard her first. His favourite boots of hers clipping along the pavement. His breath caught in his throat in anticipation. She came into view. Looked frozen, collar up. Hands buried deep in pockets as she drew her coat around her. She had a thicker one. He knew that. But she’d worn this one for him, because it flattered her. That knowledge Two weeks earlier 2: Mistress of All She Surveyed To lose one husband may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looked like carelessness. This was what occupied Sharon Beesley as she laid out the morning papers. The reminders on every front cover, rubbing it in her face. One week on. Laura Percival, owner of The Stables and general village do-gooder, centre of attention, once again. The news was all round the village, of course, the only thing most people could talk about. Not that she’d partake in tittle-tattle, naturally. But it was unsurprising others did, she supposed, given how little happened here most of the time and how small-minded the locals were. Sharon caught her reflection in the shop