Scent to Her Grave

When nasty Lydia Wang, the winner of a local beauty pageant, turns up dead in her aunt's bath and beauty store, Venus Envy, with a valuable artifact, the Mirror of Aphrodite, missing, amateur sleuth Persia Vanderbilt goes into action to find the culprit and to clear the name of one of the shop's leading employees who has become the prime suspect. Original.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Foreword

 

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

The sweet smell of success . . .

My fragrance counter sat to the far right of the shop, next to the hall leading to Auntie’s office. We’d planned it so that I’d be out in the open, to encourage clients to ask about custom-blended fragrances. From where I sat, I had a good view of Venus Envy.

Lydia was waiting, impatiently tapping her foot. I sighed as I slipped into my chair. Blending specific fragrances wasn’t simply a matter of dumping several oils into a bottle, giving it a shake, and then slapping a name on it. I found the process fascinating—a dance of scent and reaction. It was up to me to make certain that the fragrances worked in rhythm with both my client’s body chemistry and personality, not always an easy task when I was working with someone who was abrasive. Considering Lydia’s character, I’d have to be careful or I’d end up with a fragrance that smelled like skunk cabbage. Or maybe just the skunk itself . . .

Bath and Body Mysteries by India Ink

SCENT TO HER GRAVE
BLUSH WITH DEATH
GLOSSED AND FOUND

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

 

SCENT TO HER GRAVE

 

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

 

PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / October 2005

 

Copyright © 2005 Yasmine Galenorn.

 

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-01053-2

 

BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME and the BERKLEY PRIME CRIME design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

 

 

Dedication

“It’s the friends you can call up at 4 AM that matter.”
—Marlene Dietrich

 

 

With that thought in mind, I dedicate
this book to Alexandra Ash.

Acknowledgments

As always, I owe so much to my beloved Samwise, who, through the years, has proved a stalwart, loving, and faithful friend and husband, giving me the best encouragement that I could hope for. I love you, don’t you ever forget that. And a fuzzy thank-you to my four “gurlz,” who purr me to sleep, meow me awake, and generally make life livable.

Thank-yous go out to: my critique partner, Carolyn Agosta; my agent, Meredith Bernstein; my editor, Christine Zika; all my beloved WWBW Warpies; and friends who have encouraged and supported my efforts.

And lest I forget, thank you and a gentle nod to Aphrodite and Venus, who embody the essence of Beauty and all that it encompasses. And as always, to my beloved Mielikki, Tapio, Rauni, and Ukko.

To my readers: I hope you enjoy this new series, and though I write it under an “alter ego,” India Ink is just another mask of mine. You can reach me via my Web site: www.galenorn.com.

~ the Painted Panther~

Yasmine Galenorn, a.k.a. India Ink

Foreword

The recipes in this book are my own concoctions. I’ve spent many years blending magical oils, and here I give you—perhaps not magical recipes—but ones to heighten your senses, and bring new experiences into your lives.

Essential oils can be expensive, so yes, you may use synthetics if you can’t afford the pure ones, but bear in mind the fragrance may end up differing slightly. However, this should not be a significant problem. Also, some oils may irritate the skin, so if I make a note to the effect of “do not get on your skin,” I mean it. Cinnamon can irritate the skin. Black pepper and other oils can burn delicate tissue.

The oil and other bath recipes are obviously not for consumption, but I am stating it here to clear up any potential miscommunications: Don’t eat them or drink them. They’re meant to be used as fragrances, for dreaming pillows, sachets, potpourris, and the like.

“. . . thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty . . .”
—Lord Byron, 1788-1824

From the Pages of Persia’s Journal

Lite Dreams Oil

Created a great blend for a relaxation oil this week. Works like a charm and invigorates the spirit while calming the nerves. My insomnia has decreased ever since I started using it. I’ve been using Lite Dreams oil to scent dreaming pillows, homemade bath salts, unscented soap, sachets, potpourri. Aunt Florence thinks it will go over big, so we’re marketing it with a checklist of hints for restful sleep:

• Change your sheets and pillowcases and add a vase of fresh flowers to your nightstand.

• Dot your dreaming pillow or a sachet with Lite Dreams Oil and let set for an hour to absorb the oil. Tuck inside your pillowcase.

• Take a long, warm bath in lavender bubble bath.

• Spend ten minutes on slow, even stretching to relax the muscles in your body.

• Read a soothing book or magazine while sipping a cup of lemon tea.

• Cover closed eyes with slices of chilled cucumber for ten minutes.

• Slip into bed before...