Mrs. Meade is not the only one in Sour Springs who is shocked at the news when Clyde Renfrew is accused of a drunken assault on a woman. Clyde, a sober, steady young rancher, seemed the last person likely to do such a thing. Between an emphatic witness and Clyde's own apparent reluctance to defend himself, the case seems open and shut. But Mrs. Meade—who seems to have a knack for being just across the hall when things happen—has a few ideas of her own…

"The Parting Glass" is a novelette, approximately 12,500 words long.

The Mrs. Meade Mysteries are a series of historical mystery shorts, each just the perfect length to accompany a cup of tea or coffee for a cozy afternoon. Fans of classic lady sleuths such as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple are sure to be delighted to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Meade, and history lovers will enjoy each quick trip back to the turn of the 20th century for the puzzles both quaint and dramatic which come her way.