Sticks and Stones 

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Chapters

Pages

Overview

In the heady gold rush days of the 1860s, men went missing and were never found. Some drowned, some starved, some simply disappeared never to be seen again.
The third book in the Riverstones series, Sticks and Stones, continues the story of Mary Healey and her family’s life on the goldfields.
Charles Butler, the man who tried to kill Mary, and her husband, Jim, has been arrested, and is to be tried for arson and attempted murder. Butler is also suspected of being the Notorious Pickaxe Murderer, responsible for multiple killings in, and around Skippers Canyon.
Determined to see Charles Butler hang, Mary travels to Dunedin for the trial, but while she is there a ghost emerges from her past and leaves her wondering – will love remain?

Sticks and Stones

Chapter 1 

There was the sound of a key turning in the lock, the solid steel door opened then clanged shut; its sound hollow. The prisoner’s head turned as three sets of boots sounded heavy on the cold flagstone floor as they walked stiffly down the corridor towards him. A patch of light from the small iron barred window at the top of his cell blanched the dusty darkness. From the shapes, the prisoner could tell one was a woman, one the guard, and the other a priest. He recognised the woman and his heart squeezed. Every curve of her had burnt into his brain. That temptress had been his downfall. That She-devil, he cursed, was the reason he was here, behind bars.

The woman drew near the bars but did not put her hands on them, her eyes were cold and her body taut. She was slight, dressed tidily in a neat grey day dress, nipped in at the waist, she wore a bonnet that framed her pretty face and covered her fiery red curls.

“What’s she doing here?” Charlie demanded of the guard; his voice icy with hate.

“Mrs Healey, of Long Gully, requested an audience with you,” the gaoler told him, giving the prisoner a baleful stare.

“I don’t wish to see her.” The prisoner turned his back, shunning his visitors.

Mary looked at the scruffy hunched figure of Charles Butler sometimes known as Champagne Charlie, a man she had once known and trusted, and fought the urge to vomit. It had been well over a year since she’d last seen him, but in the haunts of her dreams she could still feel the terror of his hands around her neck, and the heat of the flames as the hotel burned to the ground. Charlie’s beard was full and matted, and his hat had been taken from him so he had nothing to hide his bald pate. He had always hated being seen without his large black slouch hat. His hands were rough with callouses, and his prison garb, grey serge jacket and corduroy trousers were ripped and torn. There must be no sympathy. Be strong, get revenge, must have justice, for Jim’s sake, someone must pay, she told herself.

“I wish to speak with you,” Mary said, desperately trying to keep her voice even, she didn’t want him to know seeing him again had affected her.

“What fer?” Charlie turned around; his eyes full of scorn. “I got nothing to say to the likes of you, whore! I thought you were dead.”

“Well I’m not,” Mary returned, her voice echoing around the walls.

Charlie’s eyes narrowed. He squinted at her and grinned. “He is though.”

Mary flinched. Did Charlie know, or had he guessed? “We escaped the fire.”

Realising he had hit a nerve, he studied her with shrewd knowing eyes.

“I wanted to see you before…” she mocked, putting her gloved hands to her throat.

Charlie turned to the guard. “Take them away. I don’t want no visitors. I got nothing to say to the likes of them.”

REVIEWS

Happy Readers

JT Webster

Amazon – Kindle

4_5_stars

As a New Zealander who has spent time in the Skipper’s Canyon, where this book is set, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is a real authenticity to this historical novel and it is peopled by believable characters. Set during the gold rush it is awash with all manner of miners and settlers from England, Scotland and Ireland and a few Maoris too. I highly recommend this book if you like historical adventures, sagas and a bit of romance too.

14, September 2016

Kylee

Amazon – Kindle

4_5_stars

A fabulous story. Loved the setting.

30, April 2015

Bev Grinter

Amazon – Kindle

4_5_stars

I have just finished Sticks and Stones and wish to congratulate you on another awesome story! So when is number four going to be ready? 🤭

No just kidding but I certainly hope there is a number four waiting in the wings? 😝

 

Ruth (fordham)
Zlatnik

Amazon – Kindle

4_5_stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I love books on New Zealand history. What kept me from giving it 5 stars were all the proofreader’ s/editing marks. This was like a draft copy!

29, May 2015

Pete

Amazon – Kindle

4_5_stars

Well, Michelle, you have done it again! I have just finished reading book three in the series – Sticks and Stones. A superb book that I didn’t want to put down and certainly didn’t want to end. The story just gets better and better and the people within have grown so much with reading each book. I was tickled pink to see my last name in the book – as the judge too! It was very gratifying to see that the series will continue to at least one more book as the ending was a typical “Who killed JR” ending. So many questions unanswered – So many stories not fulfilled..

The only problem I now have is the wait for the next book to be published!

23 April 2021

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