This short story came free with my copy of ‘Hexed In Hawes‘. I read it over breakfast this morning. It must have had an impact because I suddenly gave way to an urge to have a slice of Stilton and a thin cheese biscuit with my coffee.

It’s a simple story. A colleague invites Collins to a wine and cheese evening at a local shop called ‘Vinho & Verdade’. He thinks he’s there for the cheese, but his colleague has invited him because he’s convinced that there’s Toot Hansell stuff going on. The colleague doesn’t know what Toot Hansell stuff is, and Collins isn’t going to tell him. When his colleague suggests that aliens are involved, Collins tries to de-escalate by claiming that rats are involved. This, it turns out, was not a good idea.

The mayhem that ensues is a good example of Kim Watt’s signature cocktail of human frailty, cheerful chaos, magical mischief and a little bit of hope. 

The story made me smile, told me more about Collins and offered the hope that a new character may be joining the ensemble cast of DI Adams characters. 

The story made me smile, told me more about Collins and offered the hope that a new character may be joining the enseble cast of DI Adams characters.