A Pocketful of Wheat

In A Pocketful of Wheat, the sixth instalment of Dirk Volcano’s Village Detective series, Biddy Apple is faced with her most perplexing mystery yet. A murdered businessman is found with a curious clue—a pocketful of wheat, untouched and seemingly out of place. This bizarre discovery sets Biddy on a path filled with riddles and dark secrets, where the answers are far from straightforward and every new lead brings more questions than solutions.

As Biddy begins her investigation, she realises that this peculiar clue is part of a much larger puzzle. The handful of wheat, seemingly innocent, points her towards a chilling connection with nursery rhymes. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a world of childhood tales turned sinister, where familiar rhymes hide a malevolent twist. The further she ventures, the more she comes to understand that these rhymes are not just stories—they are warnings, and they may hold the key to uncovering the truth.

The usually tranquil village of Thistlebrook becomes a place of unease, where whispers of old stories echo through the cobbled streets and even the most ordinary places seem touched by darkness. The stakes are higher than ever as Biddy follows the trail, piecing together the meaning behind the wheat and the deadly rhyme that seems to be guiding the killer. Each clue she finds leads her closer to a truth that threatens to unravel the village’s sense of safety.

With the clock ticking and more lives potentially at risk, Biddy must use every ounce of her skill and intuition to solve the case. The puzzle is intricate, and the danger feels all too real as Biddy navigates the twisting paths of both Thistlebrook’s past and present. Will she manage to solve the riddle before another verse of the twisted rhyme plays out in blood? The stakes have never been higher, and the cost of failure is unthinkable.

Join Biddy Apple in her final adventure as she faces a chilling and complex mystery that will test her as never before. A Pocketful of Wheat is a masterful blend of suspense, charm, and dark intrigue that captures the very essence of the cosy mystery genre. Dive into Thistlebrook’s secrets one last time and discover if Biddy can bring justice to the village in this enthralling conclusion to the Village Detective series—available now on Kindle Unlimited.

Dirk Volcano ends the Village Detective series with an absolute masterpiece in A Pocketful of Wheat. The eerie clue of the wheat in the murdered businessman's pocket had me hooked from the very first page. Biddy Apple is as sharp and charming as ever, taking readers on a thrilling journey through Thistlebrook's darkest corners. The connection to nursery rhymes adds an unsettling twist, making this cosy mystery truly unforgettable. This final instalment is full of suspense, surprises, and the perfect amount of wit—a fitting end for Biddy's adventures.

I loved every minute of A Pocketful of Wheat! Dirk Volcano has crafted an incredibly gripping story, blending cosy village life with an undercurrent of chilling suspense. Biddy Apple is in top form as she pieces together the peculiar clues and unearths the dark history hidden beneath the surface of Thistlebrook. The nursery rhyme element was wonderfully creepy, adding layers of intrigue to an already compelling mystery. It’s a bittersweet farewell to the Village Detective series, and Dirk Volcano couldn’t have written a more thrilling conclusion.

A Pocketful of Wheat is everything I wanted in the final Biddy Apple mystery and more. Dirk Volcano has crafted an intricately woven tale that is both charming and haunting. The seemingly innocent clue of wheat, paired with the sinister nursery rhymes, makes for a unique and captivating storyline. Biddy’s relentless determination to uncover the truth had me on the edge of my seat, and the village of Thistlebrook has never felt more atmospheric. This cosy mystery kept me guessing until the very end and left me completely satisfied. A must-read for any fan of the series!

Biddy Apple stood on the cobbled street of Thistlebrook, her gaze fixed on the old Tudor house before her. Its dark beams and white plaster exterior had seen better days, much like its current resident—or rather, its former one.

Detective James, a young and rather spry officer from the neighboring town, met her at the door. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, Miss Apple,” he began, adjusting his hat. “This is rather peculiar.”

Biddy simply nodded, her mind already focused on the task at hand. Inside the house, the scene was undisturbed. A crystal glass half-filled with brandy sat on a polished oak table, its amber contents catching the dim light from the nearby window. Nearby, a chair lay overturned, the only sign of struggle.

On the floor, draped in a fine suit, lay the lifeless body of Reginald Crane, a well-to-do businessman known throughout Thistlebrook. His face was contorted in a grimace of surprise or fear—perhaps both.

Detective James cleared his throat. “The scene appears relatively undisturbed, but there’s something you should see.” He motioned to Crane’s front pocket.

With gloved hands, Biddy carefully reached in and extracted a handful of golden grains. Wheat.

She let the grains fall slowly from her grasp, her mind racing. “What’s the meaning of this?” Detective James whispered, equally puzzled.

But Biddy’s attention had shifted. Nestled beside the chair was a torn page, its inky words familiar, yet eerily out of place. “…silver and gold will be stolen away. Pocketful, pocketful, wheat in the fray.“

A childhood nursery rhyme, but with a twist.

“This isn’t the rhyme I remember,” Biddy murmured. Her memories of nursery songs were filled with joy and innocence, not dark prophecies of theft and murder.

“Perhaps it’s a message,” Detective James offered, “or a signature of sorts?”

Biddy slowly stood up, the weight of the case settling in. “Perhaps. But for now, we must examine every inch of this place. There’s a story here, and we need to piece it together.”

As the day wore on, the mysteries only deepened. The house revealed no signs of forced entry, and nothing appeared to be stolen. The only anomaly was the wheat and the ominous rhyme.

As dusk approached, Biddy retreated to her home, the day’s events swirling in her mind. The unsettling link between the murder and the corrupted nursery rhyme gnawed at her. Why wheat? And why that particular rhyme?

Drawing a warm bath, Biddy sank into the comforting embrace of the water, her thoughts drifting to childhood memories, searching for any semblance of a link or motive.

But the more she pondered, the more questions arose, each more perplexing than the last. One thing was clear: this was no ordinary crime. And as the first strains of night began to play outside her window, Biddy knew she was embroiled in one of the most challenging cases of her career.

But if there was one thing Thistlebrook had taught her over the years, it was that even the most baffling mysteries eventually revealed their secrets. All she had to do was listen.