Winter’s not over yet. There’s still snow on the ground from where I’m sitting. It’s a great time to get cozy and I’ve got the perfect way to do it! Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem magazine’s newest release is Crime in the Countryside, and it features my latest Cathryn Harcourt story, “Cromwell’s Echo.”

Set in Ely, England, the story involves international intrigue, encrypted clues, and a bit of old world charm.

Here’s a snippet from the story

“So, what brings me here?” Cathryn asked. “Not that I don’t thoroughly enjoy seeing the two of you and this green and pleasant land, but methinks there must be a sharper reason poking around beneath the surface.”

Cathryn noted the worried glance they exchanged before Margot shifted in her seat, twisting to meet Cathryn’s eye.

“A number of odd things have happened in this last week. Disturbing things, really, and I’m hoping you can help us sort them.”

“Tell me.”

Margot pulled in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring slightly. “Most mornings, Ethan jogs on a forest trail near our house. Four days ago, while he was out on a run, he saw a hooded figure in the woods. He says the man was burying a body.”

“He was burying a body.”

“Yes, of course, but—”

Ethan’s fists tightened on the steering wheel and Cathryn met his determined gaze in the rearview mirror. “I saw a man digging a hole. Beside him on the ground was a bloody body, and I don’t mean that as some kind of English swear word. I’m saying there was a dead body covered in blood. I didn’t have my phone on me, so I tried to slip away but he must have seen me. I ran home and called the police.”

Cathryn leaned forward. This was the stuff of mystery novels—the kind she wrote—so she figured she knew what was coming. “And when the police arrived, there was no body,” she offered.

“Not exactly,” Margot said. “There was a body…

An intriguing mystery with puzzles to solve

Visit Oliver Cromwell’s house with Cathryn and match your wits with hers as she cracks codes untangles riddles, and indulges in tea and scones. Will she be able to outsmart a gang of international criminals?

Grab your copy of Crimes in the Countryside and find out! The issue includes nine other fine tails of country coziness. Available through the following links:

Amazon           Apple              Nook               Kobo               Paperback

How about you? Did you enjoy the trailer? Do you love solving puzzles? Ready to curl up with a nice cozy? Tell us about it in the comments.