“As the March wind blows cold, the sun heats my black wool coat...”

 An excerpt from “Trouble and Strife,” by Johanne Levesque

As the March wind blows cold, the sun heats my black wool coat.  I am the first to enter Eleanor’s elegant home.  After the traditional kiss on both cheeks and me parting with my gift of fresh scones I made this morning, Eleanor motions me to follow into the living room.

As Eleanor sits down, she asks, “Which Agatha Christie book are you reading nowadays?”

“I’ve veered from my normal choices to read The Grapes of Wrath.”

“I’m surprised to find you reading this book Josephine; did you know that the Toronto Public Library has censored it?”

“On what grounds?”

“On account of its offensive language.”

“The language is not that bad...”

If you liked this excerpt from Trouble and Strife, you can buy the book at any of the following links:

Austin Macauley Publishers™ (my publisher)
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes & Noble
Indigo
Walmart

“I can’t see anything that could possibly be gained by this woman’s death”

 An excerpt from “Trouble and Strife,” by Johanne Levesque

“I’m with you Phyllis.  It seems to me so cowardly to hang a woman for punishment when there’s other ways to chastise her.  Besides, it will not prevent evil,” I say.

“I haven’t heard one person say a word about the victims and their relatives.  Any man or woman who poisons another causing death deserves hanging.  They should be held criminally responsible.  End of story,” says Eleanor.

“Why must we adhere to this practice of killing criminals?  We’re not allowed to hang dogs and cats.  I believe hanging is the worst method of taking a life.  Anyway, I can’t see anything that could possibly be gained by this woman’s death,” says Phyllis.

“I can.  She won’t poison anyone else,” retorts Eleanor.

If you liked this excerpt from Trouble and Strife, you can buy the book at any of the following links:

Austin Macauley Publishers™ (my publisher)
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes & Noble
Indigo
Walmart