Anything But Civil. Anna Loan-Wilsey
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Praise for Anna Loan-Wilsey and A Lack of Temperance
“Ms. Loan-Wilsey writes with vivid imagery that immediately brings to life the late nineteenth century in this engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable tale. Miss Hattie Davish is a force to be reckoned with, and I’m eagerly awaiting more of her adventures.”
—Kate Kingsbury
“Fans of historical mysteries should be delighted with this debut.”
—Mystery Scene
“A wonderful read from a welcome addition to the genre. This one shouldn’t be missed—it has it all!”
—Emily Brightwell
“A Lack of Temperance shows no lack of a fresh setting, spunky amateur detective, fascinating characters, and intriguing mystery. Anna Loan-Wilsey has a real talent for pulling the reader into a past world of both charm and chaos. Heroine Hattie and her typewriter certainly travel well! I can’t wait to read her next adventure.”
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Mercy
“Eureka Springs is usually a peaceful spa resort, but when Hattie Davish arrives with her typewriter she finds the town in an uproar. Temperance ladies are attacking saloons and her new employer is missing. This is a fast-paced and fascinating read, peopled with feisty females, giving us a glimpse of how far women were actually prepared to go for the cause.”
—Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony award–winning author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries and the bestselling Royal Spyness series
Books by Anna Loan-Wilsey
A LACK OF TEMPERANCE
ANYTHING BUT CIVIL
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
ANYTHING BUT CIVIL
ANNA LOAN-WILSEY
KENSINGTON BOOKS
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Praise for Anna Loan-Wilsey and A Lack of Temperance Books by Anna Loan-Wilsey Title Page Dedication Acknowledgments 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 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 22 CHAPTER 23 CHAPTER 24 CHAPTER 25 CHAPTER 26 CHAPTER 27 CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 29 CHAPTER 30 CHAPTER 31 CHAPTER 32 Copyright Page Notes
To my mother,
Joan Suzanne Loan
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank Rachel O’Neill at the Galena History Museum for her quick and gracious responses to questions about some very minute details of Galena’s storied past. Steve Repp, historical librarian at the Galena Public Library, helped me navigate the invaluable resources in the Alfred Mueller Historical Collections.
I’m grateful for the support of the team at Kensington, including my editor, John Scognamiglio; Barbara Wild, copy editor (who’s as much of a stickler for historical detail as I am); Vida Engstrand, my publicist; and the art duo of Kristine Mills and Judy York for such wonderful covers—I couldn’t be happier.
And most of all, I’d like to thank my family, especially my husband Brian, for their votes of confidence, editorial comments, genuine interest, and love.
Deep-seated are the wounds dealt in civil brawls.
—Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, A.D. 39–65
CHAPTER 1
“Is he dead?”
“Yes,” I said, knowing he wouldn’t like the answer.
“Damn!”
Sir Arthur paused for a moment from his pacing, lifted his cigar again, and after a long inhale blew several rings of smoke, that floated toward me like dissipating halos. I sat poised with my finger on the brittle, yellow paper waiting for his word.
“Read me the details, Hattie.”
I glanced down to the paragraph detailing the officer’s demise and read, “ ‘The rebels have lately been playing a sharp game in front of a part of our line, near Appomattox. At this point there is a small creek in front of our works, across which they have built a dam, which has threatened to force back our picket line to a dangerous extent. To counteract this, Lieutenant Colonel Regan had devised works which he superintended personally.