Fur Better Or Worse (eBook)

Ellen Gilman (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
272 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
9798317817633 (ISBN)

Infos

A telepathic Newfoundland, a hunky veterinarian, and a host of lovable, quirky characters create a doggone fun cozy murder mystery!

Ellen Gilman is a local author who lives in Owings Mills, Maryland, with her two rough collies and one sheltie. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. degree and taught kindergarten before starting a family. She has two sons, both lawyers, and five grandchildren. She began her writing career after the passing of her beloved rescued fur-baby, Mollie, with the publication of her first book, titled 'Mollie Tail: To Mollie With Love.' Next, she ventured into contemporary fiction with 'The Best Doggone Bakery,' where Millie Whitfield opens a dog bakery in the charming town of Houndsville, nestled on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The book received positive reviews, and she followed it up with 'Fur-Ever In Her Heart,' which featured the same beloved characters returning with some new additions. This led to the cozy mystery 'Mutts Murder and Mayhem,' and her latest book in the series, 'Fur Better Or Worse,' another delightful cozy mystery set in the charming town of Houndsville. In addition to her novels, she has also written a heartwarming novella titled 'Rescued,' which delves into the heartwarming story of her family and their remarkable rescues. Below is one of the glowing reviews I really loved this book! Actually, I've loved all of Ellen Gilman's books. However, this book is different than her wonderful cozy mysteries - this book is nonfiction!! You learn about all the dogs she rescued, each one different from the other. You learn along with Ellen the experiences she had, their personalities, and issues. You get a real look at the hard times, the scary times and the doubting times - and also the rewards, satisfactions and happy times. But more than all that- I think the book is really about love. All the heart and devotion Ellen put into these creatures was amazing. I loved getting to know each of her rescues and to know how lucky each and everyone was.

Textauszug

One

Today her problems would go poof!

Her heart hammered in her chest. Her sweaty hand slipped as she turned the doorknob on the front door of the clapboard house.

She couldn’t wait to get her inheritance!

And a minute later she was escorted by a well-dressed young man to Mr. Newberry’s office. 

Victoria settled into one of the two leather armchairs in front of the mahogany desk. She folded her hands on its scratched surface and surveyed the room.

Bookshelves, filled with law books and photos, were complemented by the beautiful Aubusson rug beneath her feet and the horse prints adorning the dark-paneled walls, creating an old-world charm.

Mr. Newberry, her uncle’s lawyer, smiled and remained silent, as if he were patiently waiting for her to complete her thorough examination.

She leaned back and tried to calm her nerves while observing him. She guessed he was in his mid to late sixties. He had a patrician nose, combed back silver hair, and warm brown eyes.

She hoped he’d be friendly. Feeling utterly out of place from her usual surroundings, she fumbled picking up her Louis Vuitton tote from the floor and rummaged through it until she found her glasses, just in case she needed to read something. “In your letter you mentioned certain conditions attached to the inheritance.”

She swallowed hard and straightened her shoulders. “I’m here to find out what they are.”

“Yes.” He shuffled through a stack of files, picked up one, and fixed his gaze on her. “I’ll read them to you.”

He opened the file. “I do hereby stipulate that in order to inherit my estate you must reside in my house and take care of my beloved dog for a period of not less than one year.”

Her stomach wobbled. Fortunately, she had skipped breakfast. “Come on! This is completely unbelievable! You’re telling me that I flew all the way across the country to hear this nonsense?”

Oops! She put her hand over her mouth.

Her uncle’s inheritance was meant to solve her problems, not create more, but she didn’t take the time to consider how she sounded before those words flew out of her mouth.

Mr. Newberry scowled. “Your uncle was afraid you’d have that reaction. He hoped you wouldn’t.”

She twisted her hair around her fingers. His words hurt, but she couldn’t think about that now. Her uncle’s will had thrown a wrench in her plans, and she couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Her bank account was nearly empty. Her jaw tightened. “My uncle may have loved me, but he expects me to upend my whole life for an entire year?”

His loud sigh put her on edge. “Yes, and let me be very clear. Until the end of the one-year period, I have control of the title on his home, so there’s no way for you to sell it.”

He leaned forward. “Your uncle suggested we drive by his house to remind you of how much you always seemed to enjoy it. He also mentioned that you might like to meet his dog, but unfortunately, the couple currently taking care of him are out of town this week and have taken him with them.”

Victoria mused, “I don’t need to see the house. I’m sure nothing has changed.” She shrugged. “So what happens after the year ends?”

He cleared his throat. “Your uncle hoped you’d want to stay, but you may do as you please. The house and the dog are yours. Many young people have established thriving businesses here, and he hoped the same for you.”

She felt like he was judging her to see if his words sunk in, so she made an effort to keep from fidgeting or playing with her hair.

“That all sounds wonderful, but I’m not particularly interested in moving here,” she said, shaking her head. “And having a dog is definitely not something I’ve ever considered.”

“Fine. But listen to me carefully.” Mr. Newberry held her gaze. “If you decide to walk away, your uncle has taken every legal precaution. No loopholes. No appeals. And his dog and his entire estate go to a dog rescue group he implicitly trusted.”

“Yikes, my uncle sure did love that dog.”

“Yes, his dog was his dear beloved companion, and the most important thing to him. From the moment he rescued him, they were inseparable. Therefore, you should consider what he wanted—for you to love this dog as much as he did.”

Victoria muttered, “I’m not sure that will happen.”

He obviously heard her. “He knew you’d never had a dog. He hoped you’d find it a positive experience, one that would give you a sense of responsibility.”

She hated to ask, but her curiosity got the better of her. “How so?”

“Well, you’d have to feed it and see to its well-being instead of flitting from one party to another. A lifestyle your uncle didn’t approve of.”

She threw her hands in the air. “That’s not fair! I’m a party designer. I even plan events for some celebrities.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You certainly could do that here for our residents.”

She took a deep breath, her thoughts drifting away. Her life was a tangled mess. She could either stay where she was or follow her uncle’s wishes and move to Houndsville. Neither choice seemed appealing at the moment.

He cleared his throat again. “If you have no more concerns and don’t wish to see your uncle’s house we’re done here.”

He reached across his desk to hand her a copy of her uncle’s will. “If you read over this you’ll see your uncle gave you thirty days to make a decision. I advise you to give your uncle’s wishes serious consideration.”

“As if I have a choice,” she muttered, wanting more than anything to storm out.

Instead, she composed herself, pushed back her chair, stood up, and marched toward the door.

As she turned the doorknob, she glanced back at him and in her most polite voice, said, “I’ll be in touch.”

Right as she crossed the threshold he called out, “You know your uncle predicted you would do something wonderful in your life.”

She paused, imagined her uncle’s smiling face, and murmured, “Now I have to believe it myself.”

Her rental car was a block away and as she headed to it, she wiped her brow, feeling dazed and confused. The meeting with Mr. Newberry hadn’t gone well.

She had several hours before she needed to be back at the airport, and she was definitely not hungry, despite not having eaten in hours.

Perhaps she had been mistaken in asserting that she wasn’t interested in visiting her uncle’s house and should head there while she had the time. If seeing the house evoked pleasant memories, she might have a more positive outlook on a move here.

She shook her head, determined to be stubborn and upset about the stipulations in her Uncle Bill’s will. She didn’t want to see the house.

Instead, she decided to find a place to stop and eat, then head to the airport. She had spotted several fast food restaurants along the way to Houndsville, and whenever she arrived at the airport, she could always find a book to read until her flight.

Three weeks later

Victoria had been avoiding any discussions with Andrew about her uncle’s will. However, after making a decision, she wanted to talk to him before changing her mind.

At one point she liked Andrew. They went on several dates, and they hit it off. Then her parents were killed in a freak accident and her interest in dating waned. Eventually he became a trusted friend and even helped her out financially. Her parents had not left her much money to survive.

So now she had to tackle her issues. She inserted a pod into her Nespresso machine, waited for the brewing process, and then settled at the kitchen table to use her phone.

She punched in Andrew’s number. “Hey! How about we meet for breakfast? I need to talk to you.”

“If it’s about Shirley’s party, you’ll be fine. She doesn’t run with the same crowd as Gwen.”

“No, please just meet me. It’s super important.”

“Where and when?” he asked.

“In an hour at our favorite coffee spot.”

Victoria put down her phone. She headed into her bedroom and absently got dressed. Her thoughts were on Andrew and how he’d take her news.

The Grind was as packed as usual, but Andrew must have arrived super early. He was already seated at their favorite two-person table in the back corner, sipping his drink while hers rested beside him.

“Thanks for getting my drink,” she said as she settled into her seat, and he looked up at her. “So, tell me, what was so urgent that we had to meet right away?”

She clutched her mug, wondering how Andrew would react to her news. They often spent time together as good friends do, and she would miss that. She expected him to feel the same way.

She couldn’t contain her emotions any longer. She took a deep breath and spat out, “My uncle who lived on the Eastern shore of Maryland died recently and left me his house and his dog to take care...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.10.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 9798317817633 / 9798317817633