Beatrice Bests the Burglars — M. Louisa Locke

Beatrice O'Rourke, the O'Farrell Street boardinghouse cook, has the afternoon off. What could possibly go wrong?

This short story in the USA Today bestselling Victorian San Francisco Mystery series features one of the most beloved characters in the series, as well as giving the reader a tour of the boardinghouse itself. Chronologically, this story come soon after the events in Scholarly Pursuits, so if you don't like spoilers, you might want to wait to read it until you have finished that book.