Beyond a Reasonable Duck
(2026)(The third book in the Simpato Mystery series)
A novel by Claudia H Long
BEYOND A REASONABLE DUCK FINDS SAL SOLVING ANOTHER MURDER
Sal DeVine is ready to reclaim her life. After a suspension thanks to her ex-husband, she’s about to be reinstated as a lawyer in the tiny wine-growing town of Simpato. With the Pato Parade and the beloved Duck Dessert just around the corner, summer is looking bright—until a municipal miscue pits the two festivities against each other.
Tensions and temperatures rise when outside agitators protest the parade. When one of the protesters turns up dead in the church’s duck pond, and the town’s ducks mysteriously disappear, everyone feels the heat. Armed with her wits and legal know-how, Sal must dive deep into the murky waters of small-town politics as she races against time to untangle this web of mystery before more than just the ducks go missing.
This book is part of the Simpato Mystery series, taking place in a small town where wine, cannabis-cookie selling nuns, murder and bad duck puns abound.
About the Author
Claudia H. Long is the author of 8 novels, including three in the Simpato Mystery Series and three in the Zara and Lilly series, one of which has been optioned for a major feature film. When she’s not writing stories, she’s a lawyer in Northern California, where she lives amid wineries and geysers in Napa County, with her husband and too many animals. And she is the owner of the new bookstore, Read Head Books.
Praise for Beyond a Reasonable Duck
‘A good old-fashioned mystery with just the right amount of wit, humor and long-held secrets.’
—Denise Allan Steele, author of Rewind
‘A tongue-in-cheek murder mystery with a hilariously irreverent cast of characters.’
—Kelly Oliver, author of The Jessica James Mysteries
‘If you like murder mysteries with a different twist, Murder without A Duck will fit the bill (pun intended). If you’re looking for an entertaining read, don’t duck out (pun also intended) on this one.’
—David H. Perlstein, author of Taking Stock
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Sal DeVine is ready to reclaim her life. After a suspension thanks to her ex-husband, she’s about to be reinstated as a lawyer in the tiny wine-growing town of Simpato. With the Pato Parade and the beloved Duck Dessert just around the corner, summer is looking bright—until a municipal miscue pits the two festivities against each other.
Tensions and temperatures rise when outside agitators protest the parade. When one of the protesters turns up dead in the church’s duck pond, and the town’s ducks mysteriously disappear, everyone feels the heat. Armed with her wits and legal know-how, Sal must dive deep into the murky waters of small-town politics as she races against time to untangle this web of mystery before more than just the ducks go missing.
This book is part of the Simpato Mystery series, taking place in a small town where wine, cannabis-cookie selling nuns, murder and bad duck puns abound.
About the Author
Claudia H. Long is the author of 8 novels, including three in the Simpato Mystery Series and three in the Zara and Lilly series, one of which has been optioned for a major feature film. When she’s not writing stories, she’s a lawyer in Northern California, where she lives amid wineries and geysers in Napa County, with her husband and too many animals. And she is the owner of the new bookstore, Read Head Books.
Praise for Beyond a Reasonable Duck
‘A good old-fashioned mystery with just the right amount of wit, humor and long-held secrets.’
—Denise Allan Steele, author of Rewind
‘A tongue-in-cheek murder mystery with a hilariously irreverent cast of characters.’
—Kelly Oliver, author of The Jessica James Mysteries
‘If you like murder mysteries with a different twist, Murder without A Duck will fit the bill (pun intended). If you’re looking for an entertaining read, don’t duck out (pun also intended) on this one.’
—David H. Perlstein, author of Taking Stock
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Claudia H Long's Beyond a Reasonable Duck