in the last year, I have added the concept of burnt wool to a mystery. What should a reader know about this? The website By Hand, which is located in London, has a new piece on what happens when a variety of cloth/material is burned. They even included pictures. By Hand London is an independent sewing pattern brand, established in 2012
Their page on The Burn Test is superb. They show us this . . .
and this . . .
Meanwhile, Fabric Link tells us . . .
Wool does not melt, drip, or stick to the skin when it burns, and it is naturally flame resistant, for it has a high water content and high nitrogen. When it meets a heat source, it, generally, does not flame, but, rather, it smolders. But even that is not a prolonged process. It produces little smoke and few toxic gas fumes like synthetic fibers might do. “In addition, wool’s cross-linked cell membrane structure will swell when heated to the point of combustion, forming an insulating layer that prevents the spread of flame. This also means that wool produces less smoke and toxic gas than synthetic fibres.
“Wool’s flame-resistant properties make it an ideal fibre for interiors such as carpets, curtains, upholstery and bedding, helping to reduce the risk of fire spreading within a house or other building. Wool textiles are also used widely in personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect firemen, military personnel and anyone else exposed to fire or explosives. Wool’s characteristic of only smouldering and not melting or dripping onto skin, can itself be a lifesaver.” [IWTO – International Wool Textile Organization]
So, I added the idea of burnt wool to my short story “Order and Disorder,” which can be found in Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology.
“No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion
Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of Austen variations, but this is more than just a trend. Austen was a masterful storyteller who embedded clues within her stories for her readers to follow, inviting readers to read between the lines and “gather the evidence” to follow her intricate plot lines.
In this anthology, various authors who are also fans and admirers of Austen’s work have taken the challenge to add some mystery to Austen’s stories and characters. From Regency sequels to film noir retellings to cozy art heists, Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology explores the many faces of Austen and all of her enigmas.
Featuring stories by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland, with a foreword by Regina Jeffers and an introduction by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands.
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Crime-Culpability-Austen-Mystery-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0D6JQN6JL
Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt noting when George Wickham meant to hide the evidence.
Instead, he sat in a nearby chair and tugged on his boots. As he began to gather his meager belongings, he caught up his own coat. He could not leave it in the cottage, for then the world would know it was him who killed Schultz. Instead, he fished out a pair of scissors from a drawer in a table and began to cut the coat into pieces and tossed them into the fire. It was not easy to cut the heavy material, and he recited a string of curses as he pulled, tugged, and cut away the sleeves and collar and the lining. The wool in the coat had its smoke seeping into the house itself, and he rushed to open a window on opposite sides of the room so the smoke could escape. He had thought to cut off the buttons to sell, but they were too hard to dislodge, and time was ticking away. In the end, he gathered up the coat and crammed it into the bag belonging to Schultz. George would be rid of it in an alley or toss it overboard once he was out to sea.
And again, when Mr. Cowan and Darcy are beginning to solve the murder.
“Parts of a military coat remain in the house, though someone appears to have cut it up and tossed the pieces in the fire to destroy it. Unfortunately, wool does not burn, but rather ignites briefly and then chars. It shrinks from the flame, curling slightly as if in an effort to escape the fire. Wool produces a strong odor, resembling the smell of burning hair, which is likely why we found the windows open on opposite sides of the sitting room to create a cross draft. The residue of what does burn completely turns into a black, hollow irregular-shaped bead that can be easily crushed between a person’s fingers into a gritty black powder.”
Now, in my latest book, Lyon in the Way coming soon from Dragonblade Publishers.
With that declaration, Richard placed the rolled sheet upon the now empty card table. “Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s ‘Titan’ discovered this somewhere near the musicians’ entrance and the privacies at the back of the Lyon’s Den. The lady asked her club manager to deliver it to you.”
“At the back of the club, towards where the shooter ran?” Duncan thought aloud. “How convenient. Has anyone gone through it?” Richard was glad to know he had asked the same questions as Duncan, who had led more investigations than those at Whitehall could count.
“Neither Mrs. Dove-Lyon nor Titan, but we do not know how long the coat has been hidden away,” Richard cautioned.
“Why did the others not find it previously?” Duncan asked.
“All excellent questions,” Richard assured. “Perhaps Dora or Lady Emma could create a list of what else we must learn.” When Dora did not move, Lady Emma claimed the paper pad and pencil they had used to keep score for the card game. “Let us have a look and then we can determine what else must be revealed.” He unrolled the sheet and removed the silver paper. The coat had been folded neatly, first in half, then quarters, and finally in eights. Richard stepped to the side to permit Duncan a closer look. “Should we send around messages to the others?”
“In a moment,” Duncan said as he reverently touched the light wool coat. “Whoever wore this nearly snuffed out my life,” he said solemnly.
There are multiple references to the wool coat in Lyon in the Way, and someone even attempts to burn it, but is the wool coat an actual clue or a red herring? You must read the tale to find out the truth. LOL!
Book Blurb:
One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.
For over a year, Lord Richard Orson has been quietly captivated by the unconventional Lady Emma Donoghue. Headstrong, brilliant, and unapologetically involved in causes that rattle Society’s comfort, Emma is nothing like the debutantes he’s expected to court.
But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.
Someone wants Emma silenced. And now, Richard has only moments to uncover the truth, protect her from harm, and keep her out of scandal’s reach. But staying focused is harder than he imagined—especially when every glance, every accidental touch, reminds him how perfectly she fits in his arms.
Tropes you’ll love:
Protective hero / damsel in distress (with a twist) Bluestocking heroine Rescue & recovery romance Unlikely match / opposites attract Slow burn with rising suspense One bed (forced proximity) Hero falls first
As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.
A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.
Read in Kindle Unlimited!
Enjoy book one in a new series within The Lyon’s Den Connected world by Regina Jeffers.
Book 1 – Lyon in the Way
Book 2 – Lyon’s Obsession
Book 3 – Lyon in Disguise
Book 4 – Lost in the Lyon’s Garden
Book 5 – Lyon on the Inside
Every Woman Dreams... 