title: False Diamond (An Abbot Agency Mystery)
author:  Veronica Heley 
description: What Bea Abbot wants is a nice, quiet life running her domestic services agency. But when impressive, intimidating Sybil Holland waltzes into Beas office with her niece, Dilys, in tow and commands Bea to convince Dilys that her husband, Benton, has substituted the diamond in her engagement ring with a cubic zirconium, Beas plans for quiet disintegrate. First, she discovers that Dilys and Dilys young daughter, Bernice, have both been abused. When Dilys husband shows up at Beas office to threaten her, she is appalled, but her shock is multiplied a hundred-fold when she discovers that her own son, Max, is in thrall to Benton, and the pair want Beas cash to help finance the expansion of Bentons company. Mayhem, skulduggery, romance, tears, violence, and a murder most foul follow in short order. But as usual, the intrepid Bea, in her modest, low-key way, brings the baddies to justice, soothes the brows of the innocents, and makes sure there is a happy ending for everyone, including herself. A curiously action-packed variation on the British cozy, this latest from Heley is full of unexpected twists and gentle humor. --Emily Melton
zlib_text: **Table of Contents**
  
  Cover
  
  Further Titles by Veronica Heley from Severn House
  
  Title Page
  
  Copyright
  
  Chapter One
  
  Chapter Two
  
  Chapter Three
  
  Chapter Four
  
  Chapter Five
  
  Chapter Six
  
  Chapter Seven
  
  Chapter Eight
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  Chapter Ten
  
  Chapter Eleven
  
  Chapter Twelve
  
  Chapter Thirteen
  
  Chapter Fourteen
  
  Chapter Fifteen
  
  Chapter Sixteen
  
  Chapter Seventeen
  
  Chapter Eighteen
  
  Chapter Nineteen
  
   _Further Titles by Veronica Heley from Severn House_
  
   _The Ellie Quicke Mysteries_
  
  MURDER AT THE ALTAR
  
  MURDER BY SUICIDE
  
  MURDER OF INNOCENCE
  
  MURDER BY ACCIDENT
  
  MURDER IN THE GARDEN
  
  MURDER BY COMMITTEE
  
  MURDER BY BICYCLE
  
  MURDER OF IDENTITY
  
  MURDER IN HOUSE
  
  MURDER BY MISTAKE
  
  MURDER MY NEIGHBOUR
  
  MURDER IN MIND
  
  MURDER WITH MERCY
  
   _The Bea Abbot Agency mystery series_
  
  FALSE CHARITY
  
  FALSE PICTURE
  
  FALSE STEP
  
  FALSE PRETENCES
  
  FALSE MONEY
  
  FALSE REPORT
  
  FALSE ALARM
  
  FALSE DIAMOND
  
  FALSE DIAMOND
  
  An Abbot Agency Mystery
  
  Veronica Heley
  
  ![](Images/image00155.jpeg)
  
  This ebook is copyr