THE END OF CAMELOT CHRISTMAS
THE END OF CAMELOT is Book Three of the New York Saga. Vikki McGlory Ward is the granddaughter of Vita Caputo McGlory, the heroine of FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET, set in New York City’s Lower East Side in 1894. Book Two, BOOTLEG BROADWAY, features Billy McGlory, the gifted musician who couldn’t stay out of trouble. He married his pregnant girlfriend Pru in 1933 and became Vikki’s father when he was 25. Vikki is 30 years old in FROM HERE TO CAMELOT and is desperate to find out who murdered her husband Jack Ward, on the same day, November 22, 1963, and in the same city, Dallas, Texas, as President Kennedy was assassinated. Jack went to Dallas to prevent the assassination and never came home.
The next Christmas, Vikki was
growing fond of her bodyguard, Aldobrandi Po. Her godfather Rosario celebrated
a traditional Italian Christmas at his Palm Beach estate:
Vikki’s siblings, Thomas and
Theresa, came down, and, combined with Rosario’s family, they had the
traditional Italian Christmas. On Christmas Eve, after the feast of fried eel
dredged in flour and fried in olive oil, baccala and male crabs, baked mussels
in tomato sauce—and stuffed with scrambled eggs, parsley, garlic, and Romano
cheese—and a pincushion fish her godfather Rosario called “la ritz” in dialect,
they gathered around the tree to open their presents. Rosario gave her a
mahogany jewelry box with a blue Tiffany’s box in each drawer. Opening each
box, she gasped in wonder at a sapphire pendant, topaz bracelet, ruby necklace,
emerald choker, three-strand pearl necklace, and a diamond tiara.
She smiled over the tiara. Where
would she ever wear something like that? Jackie Kennedy had never even worn
one. Or had she?
Her father’s gift to her was much
more practical: a shiny new .25 caliber Bauer automatic pistol fitted into a
box designed to look like Dickens’ A
Christmas Carol. “Thanks, Dad. I was going to buy another piece.” She had
to admit, it felt custom made to fit her hand.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
An Excerpt:
“It’s New Year’s Eve, we’re two
people intensely attracted to each other, and the moment was perfect. Can you
deny that?” Al asked her.
She didn’t know what she had the
strength to deny at this point. With her knees still wobbling, she looked away
and focused on the huge gravy pot simmering over a low flame. Not the only
thing simmering around here, she realized, forcing her breath to even out.
“No, but I don’t know if you’re
aware of my situation. I’m a widow. A recent widow. I shouldn’t be doing this.
It’s forbidden,” she echoed the nuns. “It’s very disrespectful to my husband’s
memory, and I’m ashamed of myself.”
“Your godfather told me you’re a
widow. I’m very sorry.” His timing for the condolence could’ve been better. But
what else could he have said? “Are you really ashamed of yourself? Do you think
you’re being so disrespectful?”
“Of course,” she shot back. “He’s
not gone two months yet.”
“Don’t, Vikki.” He traced his
finger along her jawline. She tingled all over. “You have to forgive yourself.
You’re human. We all are.”
“This must never happen again.” But
did she really mean that? God, it had been so long since she’d been kissed that
way.
THE END OF CAMELOT: NEW YEAR 1964
Vikki glanced at the clock. Ten
minutes till midnight. She ducked into the ladies’ room to touch up her
lipstick and perfume. When she came out, Al walked directly towards her, arms
extended. Without a word they glided onto the dance floor together. Her father
started playing his promised “Stardust” and she closed her eyes, breathing in
Al’s mingled scents of cologne and creme de menthe. The crowd started counting
off the seconds, and at the bursts of “Happy New Year!” the band broke into “Auld
Lang Syne.” She swept her glasses off, Al lowered his lips to hers, and
everything converged into a blur. Her arms wound around him. She wept, for her
loss, for fear of the future, of the unknown, of this man whose mouth claimed
hers.
A Review From Locks,
Hooks and Books:
The End
of Camelot is a fabulous read. It takes place back in time when President
Kennedy was tragically assassinated. The main character, Vikki, is dealing with
her own tragedy when her husband is also assassinated. She is determined to
connect the two murders and find out the truth of what happened. I enjoyed the
mystery and suspense. It kept me intrigued throughout. I never knew what was
going to happen next. I recommend it to other readers, especially the fabulous
performance of Nina Price in the audio version. She does a great job!
No comments:
Post a Comment