Friday the 13th -- BAKER'S DEADLY DOZEN by Livia J. Washburn

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in the United States. It occurs at least once every year, and up to three times a year. It’s interesting to find that while there is evidence of both Fridays and the number 13 being considered unlucky, there is no record of Friday the 13^th being especially unlucky before the 19th century. And it’s all where you live, Hispanic and Greek culture find Tuesday the 13^th unlucky while it’s Friday the 17^th for Italians.

Personally I haven’t found Friday the 13^th especially unlucky. We did have someone set a fire in a nearby field on an October Friday the 13^th. Luckily my husband and I both worked from home, so we smelled the smoke and were able to call the fire department and then take our shovels and keep it from a neighbor’s house. Seems to me that was a lucky day, though.

This Friday the 13^th is another lucky day for me personally. It's the release date of the 13^th Fresh Baked Mystery. I am so lucky to be able to continue this series with Baker’s Deadly Dozen.

Baker's Deadly Dozen (A Fresh Baked Mystery) (Volume 13)

Going back to school can be a killer!

Phyllis Newsom and Sam Fletcher come out of retirement to take substitute teacher jobs as a favor for some friends, but they soon realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same. That means getting up early, dealing with students and other teachers, and helping out with extracurricular activities. The problem is, for Phyllis, stumbling over dead bodies is an extracurricular activity!

When murder strikes at the school’s Friday the Thirteenth dance, it’s unlucky not only for the victim but also for the student who’s the prime suspect. Sam’s granddaughter has a crush on the boy and can’t believe he’s a killer. Neither can Phyllis. The police are convinced, though, so the only way Phyllis can help him is to uncover the true identity of the killer stalking the halls of the high school before it’s too late!

EXCERPT

   The light downstairs went out before they reached the stairwell. Phyllis frowned. If Mr. McCracken was down there cleaning he should have been moving around enough to keep the light on. Unless he was inside one of the classrooms, then the light might have gone off, she reasoned.

     Then it came on again.

      Something about the way things were happening made a chill run down her back. She was at the top of the stairs now, so she stopped and called, “Mr. McCracken?”

     A strange sound came from below. It might have been a human groan. Ronnie exclaimed, “What was that?”

     The lights went off again.

     “Ronnie,” Phyllis said, “I’m starting to get the feeling that something is wrong. Go back to the cafeteria and find your grandfather.”

     “What are you going to do?” Ronnie gestured toward the stairs. “Go down there and see what it is we heard? It might be a . . . a monster!”

     “You don’t believe in monsters.”

     “Right now, I don’t disbelieve in them.”

     

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