I’m so excited to be the last stop as part of a “Blog Hop” today for the new release from author Crystal Caudill, Sung in the Shadows. It’s a historical mystery and romance. I’m sharing an excerpt from chapter 2 of the book and giveaway info to enter to win autographed copies from the author. Please read on for more about the book, the giveaway link, and the riveting portion of chapter 2! You can stop by the previous blogs participating if you want to start reading from the beginning of chapter 1.

When past darkness prowls, will stepping into the light lead to a brighter future?

In nineteenth-century Cincinnati, fear keeps Nora Davis caged with secrets and lies. Her true identity as the daughter of a famous opera singer is too dangerous to reveal with her former captors still on the loose. But weekly singing lessons at Longview Asylum—her paranoid mother’s permanent residence—light a flame in Nora, and it’s one she can avoid fanning for only so long.

With his suicidal ma in the asylum, Ezekiel Beaumont’s soul is weary, but Nora’s presence at the asylum intrigues him. As a Pike’s Opera House employee, Ezekiel thinks Nora might be cut out for the stage. He also begins to wonder if Nora’s ma is really the famed Constanza Brisbane, who went missing mid-performance. He’s determined to find out.

Though Ezekiel brings the performance world a little too close for comfort, Nora is drawn to his warm personality all the same. The two of them steadily grow closer, but then Nora begins to fear she’s being watched, and her own paranoia blooms.

As the line between what’s real and false grows fainter, will Ezekiel’s and Nora’s faith and love overcome?

Sung in the Shadows: Chapter 2 Excerpt

To read chapter one and the first part of chapter two, find them by clicking here.

Cincinnati, Ohio

January 18, 1881

They went through the usual routine. Nora gave a carefully curated description of her safe and boring week. Then she reassured Mum she wasn’t hiding anything—except maybe her escapades with the Guardians. She and Father were truly well. No, the kidnapper had not yet been found—not that he ever would be. And finally, yes, Nora still carried her knitting needles everywhere with her for protection.

After ensuring Nurse Abbott wouldn’t see, Nora exposed the contraband’s tips in her pocket to Mum. If it was discovered she’d brought anything with even a dull point into the room, she’d be escorted out immediately. Nora understood the precaution for potentially dangerous patients, but Mum hadn’t attacked anyone in ages.

Finally Mum broke free of her fear and came alive with music. “Have you been practicing your scales and exercises?”

“Every day.”

“Good. Then show me how you’ve improved your transitioning between registers since last week.” Mum took her place at the piano. Nora nodded and mentally prepared for the task at hand. Singing was no mere throwing out of notes. There was science behind it, and while not purely academic, singing with a full voice, accurate intonation, and smooth transitions between the chest, medium, and head registers was as much a mental exercise as it was physical and musical. Nora stood upright, ensuring her head was erect and shoulders back, then closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. As she released it, she focused on relaxing every muscle that would affect her singing.

Once satisfied, she nodded to Mum to play the scales.

Though Mum was a strict taskmaster and insisted on perfection, Nora reveled in this brief time of normalcy. No matter what point of life Nora reflected on, her relationship with Mum had been founded on music. She couldn’t remember a time when Mum hadn’t given her lessons. Even after Father banished music from their home, she and Mum had persisted while Father worked at the accounting office. Even if Nora was forever relegated to sing in the shadows and never on a stage, she would cling to these lessons and the youthful joy they returned to Mum’s face. For an hour in every visit, Mum was the vivacious woman who had captivated so many.

As Nora worked through a particularly difficult transition from her medium to head registers, she caught sight of the reception room door opening in her periphery. The familiar broad form of Mr. Beaumont entered the room with a basket over his arm and his wide, easy smile in place as he greeted Nurse Abbott. If Nora weren’t so well trained in masking her facial expressions, she’d have given away her embarrassment at being caught singing by him. However, as good as she was at controlling her countenance, her loss of focus was obvious. Mum reprimanded Nora’s suddenly flat intonation.

Nora cut off the scale completely. “I think it best we quit for today. I’m afraid this weather has impacted me. If I continue any longer, I risk fatiguing my voice.”

A lie, but she couldn’t risk the man remarking to someone else about the singing lessons held at the asylum. If she knew Mr. Beaumont’s name without a formal introduction, then he likely knew hers. They crossed paths nearly every week while visiting their mums, and she’d worked exceedingly hard to avoid any sort of conversation with him. Previous experiences with other men had taught her that charm and kind manners were often used to lure a woman into compromising situations. With her mum here, Mr. Beaumont probably assumed that Nora was a vulnerable and easy target.

Mum narrowed her eyes at Nora, then shifted her gaze to Mr. Beaumont.

A pleased smile emerged. “We mustn’t risk harming your voice.” Mum closed the fallboard of the piano and swiveled on the bench.

Of course, Mum would assume attraction where there was none. Well, maybe not none. Nora could appreciate a handsome man without falling prey to his schemes. Still, the last thing she needed was Mum getting any matchmaking ideas. Father was bad enough.

A meow drew her attention toward Mr. Beaumont’s basket. Had he brought—

A gray streak shot out from the basket and scaled the back of the sofa with cloth-rending strength.

Good gracious! Not only was the beast ill-behaved, it was the most disagreeable-looking cat she’d ever seen. Two torn ears, one eye, and a yowl declared it more feral than domestic. It wouldn’t surprise her if foam started bubbling at the corners of its mouth. She pushed Mum back and blocked her from attack.

Mr. Beaumont dropped the basket and grabbed the cat by the scruff. He tugged the claws free, earning a swipe at his face for his troubles.

Fortunately, Mr. Beaumont’s beard served as a shield. The cat dangled with its tail flicking back and forth. Was it . . . growling? She’d never heard a cat growl before, but the creature was most definitely voicing its displeasure in one.

“Dr. Chalfant will not approve of your bringing a cat, especially one as ill-mannered as that.” Nurse Abbott frowned at the unhappy feline.

Nora didn’t approve of the animal either. The poor manners of Flossie’s puppy did little to endear him to Nora, but at least Harold was cute. This creature looked like it’d lost a fight with a dog and was ready to take out its losses on anyone close enough to scratch. She guided Mum to a chair as far away from Mr. Beaumont and his beast as possible.

“Dr. Chalfant suggested I bring something that would entice Ma to recover so she can come home. Tristan’s her favorite.”

If that was Mr. Beaumont’s enticement to bring his mum home, did the man secretly wish her to never return?

Nurse Abbott didn’t appear pleased, but she signaled to another nurse in the hall to take her place. “I’ll return with your mother shortly.”

Nora didn’t trust the cat to not escape its master, so she angled her chair to keep them both in view.

“I want you to bring my copy of Zelmira next week.” Mum spoke much too loudly for the small room. “I think ‘Riedi al soglio’ would be a wonderful piece to add to your repertoire.”

Though Mr. Beaumont pretended to be occupied with calming the cat into compliance, his tilted head indicated he eavesdropped. Hope-fully he was opera illiterate and had no idea of what Mum spoke.

Still, redirecting the conversation away from singing and music was prudent. “Did I tell you Lydia has a contract for a new story? It’s her first one since the whole Dupin debacle.”

Fear tightened the edges of Mum’s eyes, and Nora immediately regretted the choice of topic. Reminding Mum of the vigilante who brought Lydia Pelton’s crime novels to life through murder and then kidnapped Lydia was as foolish as stepping in front of a carriage. Now Nora had to scramble to prevent disaster. Mum was already feeling the crush of fear.

“Do you think it is safe for her to write? That that man won’t come after her or, worse”—she gripped Nora’s arm—“you because you’re her friend?”

Nora patted Mum’s hand. “It is safe for Lydia to write anything she pleases. That man has been captured and awaits the fulfillment of his sentencing. Neither he nor anyone else will harm me. Besides, Lydia writes mostly romances now, and the only one likely to bring her stories to life is her fiancé.”

Lydia’s euphoria of her whirlwind romance with Detective Abraham Hall influenced her every conversation and plan. Truly, Nora was happy for Lydia, but she couldn’t help the twinge of bitterness Abraham’s presence created. The addition of a man to the Guardians had changed interactions and how they fought for those who couldn’t defend themselves. Abraham was a good man, but his determination to safeguard the Guardians meant their clandestine adventures had mostly diminished to social visits and reminiscing of past escapades.

A pained grunt from Mr. Beaumont snapped Nora’s attention back to him. The cat darted directly toward Nora while Mr. Beaumont shook out his hand. Before she could determine what the cat planned, it leaped onto her lap. With a purr of satisfaction, it bumped against her chest, then her hand. The beast’s sharp claws poked through the material as it anchored itself in place and continued butting its head against her. After seeing what the feline had attempted to do to Mr. Beaumont’s face, Nora had no intention of touching it. So much for her months of successfully avoiding conversation with the man. If she wanted to escape unscathed, she’d need to appeal to him directly.

“Mr. Beaumont, I need your assistance, please.”

A note from Courtney: doesn’t that intrigue you?! I am excited this is on my TBR! And since I’m a cat person, I am quite enamored already with Tristan.

To keep reading the rest of the excerpts on the blog tour AND to enter the giveaway, please click the graphic below to navigate to the author’s giveaway page.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to visit the blog today! I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.