The Agatha Principle
THE AGATHA PRINCIPLE, Author: Elizabeth Elwood,
Publisher: iUniverse, an Editor’s Choice, Rising Star Selection,
ISBN: 978-1-4759-0443-7 (sc), 978-1-4759-0445-1 (hc), 978-1-4759-0444-4 (e)

The least likely person is the killer, and no one is really who they seem.” So Jordan Hope tells his cast as they prepare to rehearse Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. However, Jordan does not realize that, nearby, in the snowy streets of Gastown, a real murder has taken place. By the time the show is over, another will die and The Agatha Principle will strike again.

In her fourth book featuring the Beary family, Elizabeth Elwood delivers another thoroughly satisfying collection. “The Agatha Principle” is followed by seven cleverly crafted shorter stories with a variety of settings. In “The Man in the Cage”, a child falls into deadly peril at the 2010 Winter Olympics; a dramatic historical mystery dating back to the War of 1812 is featured in “Tragedy at The Oaks”, and the book closes on a delightfully light-hearted note as the Bearys visit Vancouver’s Bright Nights and solve “The Mystery of the Christmas Train”.

With intriguing puzzles to challenge the reader and an engaging story of a charming heroine whose relationship with a Vancouver detective is as captivating as the cases they solve together, The Agatha Principle and Other Mystery Stories is a must for lovers of classic mystery fiction

From The Agatha Principle

He hurried through the arcade and emerged onto Water Street without noticing the reappearance of the strange footprints in the pile of snow by the curb or the square heel mark that was now plainly delineated in the shallower snow at the edge of the mound. The snow had started again, and he pulled up his collar, wrapping his scarf snugly around his neck to hold it in place. Only another two blocks and he would reach his destination.

And back in Blood Alley, the soft flakes drifted down, blanketing the footsteps by the dumpster, concealing the bloodstains in the snow, and making a cold, white shroud for the body that lay slumped in the shadows of the wall.

 

Praise for The Agatha Principle and Other Mystery Stories

Elwood’s tales are well-written and engaging, and they feature an impressive array of puzzles…. the clever plotlines and atmospheric backgrounds make for absorbing, delightful reading….High-quality, literate mysteries bound to please.” — Kirkus Discoveries
a great choice for summer reading or Christmas giving….eight entertaining and puzzling mysteries…a brisk, entertaining style with a sure ear for dialogue and a sense of humour. – Annie Boulanger, Burnaby Now
*****riveting mysteries once they’ve experienced the entertaining and engrossing stories in The Agatha Principle, satisfied readers are very likely to seek out the other books in the series as well. — Jeannine Chartier Hanscom, ForeWord Clarion Reviews
The Agatha Principle triumphs as an enjoyable assortment of whodunits written in lively, succinct prose…. Elwood is a gifted mystery writer, and the book showcases her mastery of the genre. — Blue ink Review

Elizabeth Elwood is the author of To Catch an Actress, A Black Tie Affair and The Beacon and Other Mystery Stories. She is also a playwright whose plays have entertained audiences all across Canada. Born in England, Elizabeth lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. Visit her Website at www.elihuentertainment.com or visit www.theagathaprinciple.com to read the opening pages of the book.