Authors: Joyce and Jim Lavene
Treacherous Toys
Praise for the Renaissance Faire Mysteries
H
ARROWING
H
ATS
“The reader will have a grand time. This is an entertaining read with a well-crafted plot. Readers of the series will not be disappointed. New readers will want to glom the backlist so they don’t miss a single minute.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“The Renaissance Faire Mysteries are always an enjoyable read…Joyce and Jim Lavene provide a complex exciting murder mystery that amateur-sleuth fans will appreciate.”
—Midwest Book Review
D
EADLY
D
AGGERS
“The Lavene duet can always be counted on for an enjoyable whodunit…Filled with twists and red herrings,
Deadly Daggers
is a delightful mystery.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“Will keep you entertained from the first duel to the last surprise…If you like fun reads that will let you leave this world for a time, this series is for you.”
—
The Romance Readers Connection
“Never a dull moment! Filled with interesting characters, a fast-paced story, and plenty of humor, this series never lets its readers down…You’re bound to feel an overwhelming craving for a giant turkey leg and the urge to toast to the king’s health with a big mug of ale as you enjoy this thematic cozy mystery!”
—
Fresh Fiction
G
HASTLY
G
LASS
“A unique look at a renaissance faire. This is a colorful, exciting amateur-sleuth mystery filled with quirky characters who endear themselves to the reader as Joyce and Jim Lavene write a delightful whodunit.”
—
Midwest Book Review
W
ICKED
W
EAVES
“Offers a vibrant background for the mysterious goings-on and the colorful cast of characters.”
—Kaye Morgan, author of
Celebrity Sudoku
“This jolly series debut…serves up medieval murder and mayhem.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Fast-paced, clever, delightful.”
—John J. Lamb, author of
The Treacherous Teddy
“A creative, fascinating whodunit, transporting readers to a world of make-believe that entertains and educates.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“[A] new, exciting…series…Part of the fun of this solid whodunit is the vivid description of the Renaissance Village; anyone who has not been to one will want to go…[C]leverly developed.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“[A] terrific mystery series…A feast for the reader…Character development in this new series is energetic and eloquent; Jessie is charming and intelligent, with…saucy strength.”
—MyShelf.com
“I cannot imagine a cozier setting than Renaissance Faire Village, a closed community of rather eccentric—and very interesting—characters, [with] lots of potential…[A] great start to a new series by a veteran duo of mystery authors.”
—
Cozy Library
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries
PRETTY POISON
FRUIT OF THE POISONED TREE
POISONED PETALS
PERFECT POISON
A CORPSE FOR YEW
Renaissance Faire Mysteries
WICKED WEAVES
GHASTLY GLASS
DEADLY DAGGERS
HARROWING HATS
TREACHEROUS TOYS
Missing Pieces Mysteries
A TIMELY VISION
A TOUCH OF GOLD
A SPIRITED GIFT
T
REACHEROUS
T
OYS
Joyce and Jim Lavene
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) • Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) • Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
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 authors’ 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.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
TREACHEROUS TOYS
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the authors
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / September 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene.
Cover illustration by Ben Perini.
Cover design by Lesley Worrell.
Interior text design by Laura K. Corless.
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 authors’ 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.
ISBN: 978-1-101-58955-7
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 PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
One
C
hristmas at Renaissance Faire Village and Market Place was like a greeting card come to life. The Village staff had created a winter wonderland that would last about four weeks, until Christmas Eve at six
P.M
. There was a light snow blanketing most of the ground and the rooftops. Icicles hung from the trees.
An ice skating rink was set up in the middle of the Village Green. Already, children were skating there—amazing considering the temperature was a balmy sixty degrees. After all, the Village was located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Even in the winter, there was rarely cold weather here, much less snow and ice.
Of course, none of it was real—from the icicles to the sparkling white snow. The skating rink was frozen from beneath with cooling coils that would maintain the six inches of solid ice even if the temperature around it were eighty degrees. I wasn’t sure how they’d managed the icicles.
I knew the snow was made several times a day to keep it fresh.
There were wreaths on all the doors and candles in every window. Carolers in beautiful costumes wandered down the cobblestone streets and through the paths, adding a touch of spirit to the festive season. The scent of pine from Sherwood Forest mingled with the smell of cinnamon rolls baking at the Monastery Bakery. It felt like Christmas should in a Renaissance Village. That was all that mattered to me.
It was my first time attending the Faire during the holidays. Normally, I’d be back in Columbia teaching history and grading papers. But not this year. This year, the University of South Carolina had furloughed me for the next six weeks. I had yet to discover if I’d still have a job after the first of the year.
I probably should have gone out and looked for work that paid better, or at least came close to what I made as an associate history professor. But the opportunity to spend Christmas at the Village was too hard to pass up. I’d seen the pictures and heard the stories since I’d started coming here when I was in college. This was my first opportunity to experience it in person.
“Jessie!” My good friend and the Faire’s resident giant, Bart Van Impe, greeted me at the snowy entrance to the Village. “Think fast!”
He threw a snowball at me as I came under the Main Gate. I moved too slowly and it caught me in the shoulder. Bart, and several of the lord and lady greeters, had a good laugh at that. I didn’t mind. I was amazed that the cold wet stuff
felt
like real snow.
