Dr. Moratrayas, Mad Scientist by Arthur Daigle

[foxtrotalpha3]

Moratrayas needs Sandra to infiltrate the villains party so a disguise is required.


Sandra and Moratrayas stood in a side passage of the castle near bathrooms reserved for important people. Richly dressed men and women went in and out while Moratrayas studied them from the shadows. “What are you looking for?” Sandra asked.
“Your disguise. Nothing I have in storage will fit you, so we must be inventive. Be patient and a donor will appear.” Castle staff and guests walked by them. Sandra and the doctor caught snippets of conversations indicating that the party was a hit and Stoth was planning a speech. “That will be when we strike,” Moratrayas said. “I need to prepare first and get you in place.” “What about Igor?” Sandra asked. “He’ll make sure Gertrude performs as needed, then lead it and your men in.” Moratrayas spotted a young woman enter the ladies’ room. She wore a gaudy burgundy dress and carried a silk purse. He nodded. “Yes, she’ll do nicely.” When the woman came out again, Moratrayas stepped up alongside her. Careful to make sure no one was about, he smiled and said, “Excuse me, madam, but if I may borrow a moment of your time?”
The woman sniffed and walked away. “I beg your pardon! I don’t talk to servants.” Striking with the speed of a cobra, Moratrayas wrapped his left arm around her waist, pinning her arms to her side, then clasped his right hand over her mouth. She let out a muffled cry as he dragged her into a dressing room. “I serve no one, and I most certainly do not beg,” he told her. “Sandra, meet the woman who is providing your disguise.” Moratrayas waited outside the dressing room for an hour, tapping his fingers on the wall. The delay annoyed him. He leaned over to the dressing room door and asked, “Will this take much longer?” “Just a minute,” Sandra said from inside. “What are all these straps for, anyway?” “Do you need a hand?” “No! Give me another second or two…and there we go.” Sandra stepped out of the dressing room and spun around slowly to give Moratrayas a good look. The fine silk dress clung to her, too thin for her liking and too short. Impractical as it was, she was sure it must have cost a fortune. “Did I miss anything?” It took Moratrayas a moment to answer. “No, uh, no, I believe everything’s just…magnificent.” “Stop staring.” “I’m trying.” “I can’t say much for the design, but it’s a perfect fit,” she told him. “How did you know it would fit me?” Moratrayas spun his cane and answered, “I did used to be a tailor. How is the young woman doing?” Sandra peered in the dressing room. “Tied up, gagged, wearing a towel and not happy about it.” Moratrayas slammed the door closed and hung a ‘do not enter’ sign on the handle. “Life is full of disappointments.”

[esercito sconfitto]

wonderful little gem you found, Foxtroalpha



...and amazing final line and scene by the way

How is the young woman doing?” Sandra peered in the dressing room. “Tied up, gagged, wearing a towel and not happy about it.” Moratrayas slammed the door closed and hung a ‘do not enter’ sign on the handle. “Life is full of disappointments.”

[foxtrotalpha3]

Thank you esercito.
I'm a big fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books and have now found these.
Arthur Daigle's books are similar, light hearted fantasy, based around his own world and characters, and nearly always any conflict is non-lethal.......which is my preference as I find lethal off putting and doesn't warm me to the characters at all.

I've read the 5 about his main character William Bradshaw and in the last 2 of these he now has a love interest and companion, Lydia, who twice has been in disguise but both times they already had clothes. Looks to be more on the way so hopefully Lydia will require more disguises!

This book looks to be a one off with these characters and now I'm reading his latest book about Dana Illwind in the same world. I'll see if she comes up trumps and the cover does say book 1 of 3, so if not, perhaps later in her adventures

I'll post again if I find anything