‘OMG! What is the world coming to!’ I exclaimed loudly.

Hubby left his coffee mug on the table and tried to pacify me.

‘What happened, dear?’

‘A woman murders her husband and leaves such an obvious clue behind. Shameful!’ I cried out.

‘You are upset with her murdering her husband or leaving the clue?’ he wondered aloud.

‘Both! No, I mean, leaving such a clue.’

‘What! You are OK with a woman murdering her husband?’ my dear hubby was scandalised.

‘As someone famously said, “All women want to kill their husbands at some point of the time. But when there is a Will, they act immediately”, I punned.

Hubby dear threw up his eyes with a ’God help me!’ look.

‘If you hear the clue that led the police to pin the murder on her, you will be shocked,’ I stated.

Patiently, Hubby dear sat down, with his coffee mug.

‘As per Washington Post, Nancy Crompton-Brophy is on trial for the murder of her husband, who was found dead in his place of work with a gunshot wound on his back and chest. It is believed that she fatally shot her husband in 2018 to claim over $1.5million in insurance.’ I read the news clipping.

‘Hmmm. Nothing new. We have read so many cases of wives murdering poor husbands. I don’t understand why that woman resorted to such drastic steps. Just divorce and be free. Abroad, it is not taboo to divorce at any age and stage. Even in India, we now hear of so many cases of women killing their husbands.’

‘She got $1,5 million on his death. She would not have got that money by divorcing him,’ I clarified.

‘As you mentioned, he was a poor husband but a rich man-dead,’ I quipped.

‘So why are you agitated?’ hubby wondered.

‘I was waiting for you to ask me. Can you guess who Nancy is?’

‘Who Nancy? Nancy Drew, whose books our granddaughter loves to read?’

‘No, I mean Nancy Crompton-Brophy. The wife of this murdered guy. And guess what! She is a novelist. And a romance novelist to be specific,’ I said with a feeling.

‘Oh! I am not worried, dear. I know you are a novelist and won many prizes for romantic stories and novels but I know you will not murder me,’ he pacified.

‘Arre Baba! Listen na! She wrote an article about 7 years earlier, on “How to murder your husband” The police found the clue and caught her.’

‘How stupid she was. Did she think she is Miss Blacklock from Agatha Christie’s novel?’ I continued.

‘Details, my dear. I don’t follow. How is Agatha Christie coming into the picture? I mean murder,’ he corrected hastily.

‘In Agatha Christie’s novel, “A murder is announced” describes a notice in the newspaper that a murder would take place on a particular date, time and place. As announced, the murder happened. Detective Marple used her ingenuity and proved that the Lady Blacklock, who inserted the advertisement, was the murderer.’ I explained.

‘Nancy something may not have remembered the article she wrote so many years earlier. Or she might have forgotten about the article,’ hubby suggested.

‘You don’t forget your writings,’ I said vehemently.

‘Oh. Is that so? You remember all your writings,' he asked.

'Of course! Even the ones that were rejected. Though they are very few in that category. I have to remember which publisher rejected which article/novel and then make corrections and additions and send it to another! It is not easy to be a writer, you know!' I replied emotionally.

'Oh! OK! Then it is the insurance money that must have activated her killer instincts, forgetting her writings of the past,’ hubby concluded.

‘I agree. She committed the crime without proper planning and research. If she had planned the murder properly, she could have taken clues from Annalise Keating, who killed her husband and got away with it. Or used some other book or writing for reference. There are many books on how to plan a perfect murder’

‘Now who is this Annalise Keating? You seem to have a lot of information on how to get away with murder,’ a perturbed hubby commented.

‘You got it! I am referring to Annalise Keating, the defence lawyer of the serial,” How to get away with murder”

‘Hmmm. That was an interesting serial,’ he said.’ I agree. Just browse on Amazon and you are sure to find books on every topic.’

‘That reminds me. I needed a book on household tips. And guess, what popped up on the Google search?’ I asked.

“How to Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints)” by Kathy Lette.’

I innocently added.

-----------------------------------