The Reward of Delay Chapter 32

The Reward of DelayThief-taker Samuel Kinsman is dying for a fresh start. Be careful what you wish for...Lichfield, May 1789. The body of lawyer Thomas Newton is found in a crate of organ pipes in one of England’s ancient cathedrals – apparently bludgeoned to death. Suspicion first falls on a young stonemason, John Forge. But long before down-at-heel thief-taker and former theogian Samuel Kinsman discovers the exact nature of the relationship between Forge and Newton’s widow, Catherine, he realises he faces a tangled web of corrupt patronage, political intrigue and family secrets.Did Newton have a liaison with Monique, the Newton’s vulnerable young maid? And did she commit suicide in the cathedral pool? And what role has been played by local entrepreneur and Kinsman’s informant Jeb Brougham - a man desperate to join Newton’s influential Masonic circle and the last person to see him alive?Threatened by a secret Tory militia and menaced by a vicious French spy, Kinsman’s investigation leads through Lichfield’s Whitsun festivities to a climax as taut as the hydrogen balloon around which it takes place, and to a twist in the tail just as explosive.Sign up now for a free or paid subscription to the weekly episodes of this exciting historical crime mystery. Eventually, all the episodes will only be available to new subscribers via a paid-for channel. But if you sign up now for free access, you will receive all episodes free of charge. So subscribe for fee now while you still can! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lichfieldmysteries.substack.com