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    The Pretty Little Box
    The Pretty Little Box
    The Pretty Little Box
    Ebook47 pages34 minutes

    The Pretty Little Box

    By Charles Todd

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A simple theft leads to unforeseen tragedy in this story from the New York Times–bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries.
     
    In a quaint antiquarian bookshop in the Midlands of England, a woman is captivated by a rare gilt-edged devotional nestled within an exquisite and equally tempting box. Her desire to pilfer it overcomes her scruples, and her guilt and terror at doing something so audacious, so unlike her. With a simple sleight of hand, it’s hers.
     
    But this irresistible book of hours isn’t in her possession for long. By chance, desire, and cruel twists of fate, it soon falls into the covetous grip of others—from a pickpocket to a schoolboy to a priest—as one woman’s transgression sets in motion a dreadful chain of events.
     
    This diabolically clever story from the New York Times–bestselling author proves Stephen King was right when he said, “You’re going to love Todd.”
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMysteriousPress.com Open Road
    Release dateMar 13, 2018
    ISBN9781504049825
    The Pretty Little Box
    Author

    Charles Todd

    Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida.

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    Reviews for The Pretty Little Box

    3.5/5

    19 ratings3 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Strange story about a book !!! Doing improper things have consequences !!
    • 3/5
      The saga of a little book that brought bad luck to anyone who possessed it.
    • 4/5
      A bibliomystery published by The Mysterious Bookshop. This is the story of a small 14th Century jeweled and illustrated prayer book and the many hand it passes through, usually bringing terrible luck to the current owner.

    Book preview

    The Pretty Little Box - Charles Todd

    Todd_PrettyLittleBox_cover.jpg

    The Pretty Little Box

    Charles Todd

    Somewhere in the Midlands of England, Winter 1915

    She didn’t know what had come over her.

    She had never done anything like that before—had never even been tempted. But it was so beautiful. And the clerk was looking the other way, too busy ogling the pretty girl in a very unbecoming walking dress for late November who was just passing the shop window.

    And so she simply covered it with her gloved hand, gently closed her fingers over the box, and then nonchalantly said, Good day, with a smile, and walked out of the door.

    Nothing happened. No alarm was raised, no one shouted for her to stop.

    She walked on casually, as if nothing had happened—as if she had nothing to hide. But her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was hard pressed not to breathe so rapidly that she passed out. The thought of a constable—an ambulance crew—anyone—discovering what was now resting in her pocket frightened her to death.

    Almost to death, she amended quickly.

    What she ought to do, right now, was turn around and march straight back to the bookshop and put the little box back where she’d found it. Before the clerk even noticed it was missing.

    But that was even more terrifying to contemplate. He might already have noticed. He might have already sent someone for Constable Welkin.

    She swallowed hard. She’d taken the little box because it was so extraordinary, and she’d never had anything quite like it. Ever. And she’d wanted it more than anything.

    She walked on, looking for a way out.

    Just ahead was the greengrocer’s door.

    She hurried inside, off the High, out of sight, and realized that she was almost running. Slowing, she managed a smile and walked down to a display of late cabbages. She bought two, although she hated them.

    The bookstore had just received a shipment on consignment—she knew that much from the newspapers. It was from a house that was for sale somewhere in East Anglia, and Otto’s Bookshop had been asked to catalog the library before it was put up for auction.

    She’d never been interested in old books, and only went to the bookshop from time to time for the latest novels. But she did like pretty things, and when she’d casually picked up a small, beautifully decorated case, opened it, and leafed through the book inside with all that

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