Theodore Cuttle: half-educated, dubiously genteel, and an infamous rake and roustabout of East London, with uncertain habits and disreputable friends. But a fig for that, since he has lately put his talents to work in a new arena in this excitingly modern, technological Victorian age: a jockey of the shellac disc, he is one of the new young bucks who provide savage, passionate, fascinatingly rhythmical music, for the open-air ballrooms sprouting up all over old Europe and the new Americas.
He is a deejay, a glamorous young punk, powered by rhythm, bass and steam. And a murder here and there, accompanied by the odd lovely young filly, well, that's just the vinegar on the jellied eels...
Cover image by https://openclipart.org/user-detail/Firkin and https://openclipart.org/user-detail/j4p4n
A criminal mastermind makes a bold move against a wealthy client to put himself in a position to retire in comfort. He has no idea what he's up against when a young widow, desperate to make ends meet, sets her eyes on earning the bounty set on his head.
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Newly widowed housewife Melody Scott needs to earn some major cash, fast. When her bright and busy children learn that a priceless ruby bracelet has been stolen and a six-figure reward is being offered, they convince her to try to do what the police, museum security, and the best private investigators have failed to do. Working against them is a notorious thief who has met people from around the world, but who has never once encountered a woman like Melody Scott. When the sweet innocence of the Scott family clashes against criminal forces more dangerous than they ever imagined, Melody is all too aware that a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do to protect her family.
The Widow, Melody Scott is a 2021 Watty Award Winner!
Content Warning: This story does contain depictions of stalking behavior.