Home

Contact

Purchase Books

About

Books I like

The Days After She went Dancing (extract) Flamenco Can Be Murder! ASIN: B0FL84W8J2 - Pub: Sept 2025 ISBN: 978-1-7385181-2-8 Nia gets a warning of imminent danger from a fortune teller - 'These are probably the worst cards I have read all year Nia. I’m not kidding... don't wait, leave your husband now'. Getting home and finding her husband has stashed money, a gun and a fake passport in the freezer she takes the cash and flees to Spain - her dream to study Flamenco. When her husband is found shot dead the police and the media are on the hunt for the 'killer housewife' who fled the scene... 'an intriquing, atmospheric novel (tinged with sadness)' Amazon review USA Amazon link • Sam Hawksmoor “These are probably the worst cards I have read all year. I’m not kidding..." Chapter One - Covent Garden Mystic The staff looked edgy, hating the last hour of the last shift, washing up a tad louder than was necessary.  Nia sensed them glaring, even though she had her back to them as Monica shuffled the cards once again. There was probably some kind of arcane, ancient by-law that stated one could not have your fortune told in a Covent Garden coffee shop; but this is where Monica plied her trade. She was always to be found here on a Wednesday evening to help ‘troubled’ souls.  Monica - a lapsed lawyer and early career burnout, had discovered her gift whilst on holiday in Corsica.  It had been an epiphany when she’d almost drowned after drinking way too much on a client’s yacht.  She came back very sober and suddenly serene.  She allowed her hair to go naturally white, quit the law and burned the ‘business suits’ she was forced to wear in court and ditched everyone she knew in that life.  She had quickly discovered that there was a comfortable living to be made in reassuring people that life wasn’t going to be as bad as they thought it would be. Nia was not a regular client, but a fellow member of the Spanish dance class they both attended on Wednesdays at five. She was concentrating with difficulty as she laid down the last of her cards.  Nia knew enough about the process to understand that it didn’t look good, the ace of spades lay between them like a bloodied knife. “That’s the third time this reading, Nia,” Monica muttered, looking up at Nia’s tight, tense face.  She wondered why this woman that she’d known for a year now could let herself look so plain.  She was a natural beauty but did everything she could to hide it.  “I want you to concentrate Nia. This is your life here.” “I am concentrating.” The staff began to make noises that indicated they were ready to leave now.  Nia quickly finished the last of her Americano.  “Anyway, nothing is going to change in my stupid life.  I chose it, I have to live with it.” Monica shook her head and gathered the cards together.  “That’s not what the cards say.  You must leave him, Nia.  He’s mean, he’s cut you off from your friends; you are one of the most unhappy women I know.  For what?  A nice apartment?  Do you even have a sex life?” “He had a cyst, it….”  Nia’s voice trailed away. She realised that it was even more embarrassing to admit that she hadn’t had sex with her husband for well over three years now, maybe longer than that. “I have to tell you, Nia,” she rose and stretched, suddenly looking directly at Nia, fixing her ebony eyes upon her. “These are probably the worst cards I have read all year. I’m not kidding. You’re in much more trouble than you think. He’s got problems, more than you know.  It’s going to affect both of you and …” “Leonard’s just a tax specialist.  All he thinks about is tax avoidance.  He’s very dull Monica. The only trouble he has is choosing which white shirt to wear in the morning...”. Nia was bending down to pick up her bag when she saw Monica pale.  She was suddenly shivering, goose bumps all over her arms. “Something terrible is going to happen. It’s black, Nia. I saw something...” She was shaking and gripped Nia’s arm as she too stood up.  “Don’t go home.  I’m serious.” Nia smiled thinking all this was just too melodramatic. “I must go home. Leonard is fine. He’s difficult, but he isn’t violent or anything.” “You don’t understand.” Monica’s voice was practically hoarse with sudden emotion.  “It’s something I saw just now, a violent death, Nia.  I’m not kidding.  I just glimpsed it.  Really.” Monica clearly believed what she saw but Nia now felt she had to reassure her and stroked Monica’s arm.  “I’m going to be fine, honest. I came to see you because I was thinking of changing jobs. That’s all.” Monica shook her head, trying to clear the vision away. “Change your husband first.  He’s smothering you. Nia, I mean it. Look at you. You don’t look like a woman of thirty-four. He’s got you dressing in his mother’s clothes. You’re too scared to even tell him that you take dance class, you tiptoe around the home.” “I…”  Nia couldn’t think of anything to contradict this. “And what’s this about a tree.  I saw a tree in the cards.” Nia shook her head with a rueful smile. “I bought a cherry tree. We have a glassed-in balcony and I thought it would look nice there. Leonard claims it makes him sneeze. He began snipping bits off it and I pretended not to notice.  Silly really.” Monica placed the cards back into the pack and stuffed them into her oversized bag.  “I don’t like what I am feeling. Really. This tree is a bigger issue than you think.  You’re a good dancer and you are wasting your life on a man who doesn’t give a shit about you. You must decide, Nia.  I’d go away for a while.  Reflect on your life, job, marriage...” Nia slipped her pale blue pearl-buttoned cardigan on and nodded.  “If you only knew how many times a day I think about all three, in that order.  I can’t believe I once thought I’d ...”. Monica stopped her.  “You can still be a success. Believe me. No one else dances like you in our group. No one. Ditch these dull clothes, sneak out of the house, run away.  I mean it. Start a new life far away from London. I can’t tell you how strongly I feel this.” Nia just sighed and together they strolled towards the door.  A couple laughing over a shared joke tried to enter but the staff called out in unison “We’re closed.”  The smiles died on the couple’s faces as they studied their watches in disbelief. Nia felt for them.  She smiled at Monica. “See you at the studio next week.” Monica shook her head.  “I don’t think I will Nia. I don’t think I’ll see you again for a very long time.” © Sam Hawksmoor - October 1st 2025 Download The Days After She Went Dancing- *best viewed in portrait mode *print version available now Catch up with Sara Troy's interview with Sam Hawksmoor here. Oct 1st 2025

Other Crime Fiction - 'We Feel Your Pain - So you don't have to' and The sequel The Book of Ashes.