The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

 

Title: The Return of Ellie Black

Author:  Emiko Jean

Narrated by:  Mizuo Peck, Tessa Albertson, Nicole Lewis, Rebecca Lowman, Joy Osmanski, Angel Pean, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Erin Ruth Walker, CJ Wilson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 11 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

Do you prefer books with one POV or multiple POVs?  I like both.

Ellie Black disappeared two years ago.  The trail went cold until one day, she appeared alone on a trail.  Detective Chelsey Calhoun receives the call about Ellie’s return.  She tries to get more information from Ellie on what happened, but Ellie is a closed book.  Chelsey’s own sister met a violent end, and she becomes obsessed with the case of Ellie Black.  Where was Ellie Black at for two years and were other missing girls at the same location?

My thoughts on this book:

·       Wow!  I thought I was very smart and had this book figured out and then it took a hard left at the end.  I enjoyed the thrills!  There were many twists and turns in this story, and it was very engaging.

·       Even more impressive was that this was the debut novel of author Emiko Jean.

·       Detective Chelsey was an intriguing figure.  An adoptive daughter of a past police chief, she feels she is always trying to live up to impossible standards.  As an Asian female cop, she knows people underestimate her.  She is haunted by the tragic death of her sister, and it drives her to figure out the mystery of Ellie Black to potentially help other victims.

·       The novel had an interested discussion on how the disappearances of women of color are not treated the same as the disappearances of white women. Ellie Black is Native American.

·       The story was told through multiple points of view. There were different narrators in the audiobook for each point of view which worked great.

·       There were disturbing scenes of violence in this book.  It was creepy and scary at times.  It left me feeling unsettled.

·       I don’t want to give too much of the plot away as it is great to discover it on your own.

If you are looking for an engaging thriller that you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean.

The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fairy tale?  My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast and my daughter’s favorite fairy tale is Cinderella.

The Lady Glass is the third novel of the “Enchanted Regency Romance Series.”  It combines two of my favorite things – Regency romance and fairy tales.  After reading The Lady Glass, I really want to go back and read the first two novels in the series.

Theresia Dvorak is an orphan, and her stepmother has taken all of her inheritance.  She has spent many years at Mrs. Stone’s Distinguished Ladies’ Seminary but has returned to her childhood home looking for a beautiful glass vase that her father, a master glass maker, had crafted and gifted to her for her dowery.  She discovers that her stepmother is giving it away to someone at a house party and she decides she will go to the party and retrieve her inheritance.  It is not quite so easy, and she finds herself caught up in an international intrigue.  Will she find her glass vase and will she also find love along the way?

My thoughts:

·       The first chapter hooked the reader into the story immediately when Theresia tries to help an elderly man who is beset by a thief, but they both are saved by a mysterious gentleman, Rolland.

·       I enjoyed Theresia’s Bohemian background and the discussion about glassmaking, although I wish there was even more detail on glassmaking and Bohemia.  I’m ready to research this more.

·       I enjoyed that this was a retelling of the Cinderella story in a very inventive way.  It was a fun and romantic story.  I liked seeing all the elements of the Cinderella fairy tale pop up in fun ways.  For example, a trunk of beautiful clothes appear for Theresia right before the ball.

·       I also like historical mystery and this story had an interesting mystery story as well.  I liked the intrigue and espionage and how it was related to the Vienna Congress.

·       Rolland and Theresia had a great romance, and I loved their verbal sparring.  I would call this story an enemies to lovers’ trope.

·       Theresia plays the violin, and I loved learning about lady violin players of that time.

·       This was a clean read.

·       The Lady Glass is part of a series but can be read as a standalone novel.

·       I loved the beautiful cover of this book and the beautiful illustration between each chapter.

Overall, The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker is a delightful regency romance that blends fairy tale with mystery into a new and unique tale.   I enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review copy from Covenant Communications, Inc. as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Theresia Dvorak has nothing left of her parents—nothing save her dowry, a priceless crystal vase stolen and sold by her own stepmother. Theresia will do anything to secure what is rightfully hers—even assume a false identity and steal her future back. When she gains entrance to a house party and has a memorable run-in with the handsome naval captain Rolland Reese, her mission is compromised. She swore never to trust an Englishman again, but when he makes a daring proposal she cannot refuse, she must work side by side with him if either of them is to achieve their aim.

Rolland is stunned when his homecoming from the war takes a decidedly deadly turn. The quickest solution is to throw a house party and invite all the suspects. With the stakes incredibly high, Rolland must root out the killer before they turn their sights to the next potential victim: his own father. The mysterious Theresia is undoubtedly the most suspicious of his guests, but against all odds, he finds himself risking everything to protect her. As Rolland unravels a tangle of clues, he faces the greatest threats of all: a heart of fire and a future as fragile as glass.

AUTHOR BIO

Anneka R. Walker is a best-selling author of historical and contemporary romance. With humor and an abundance of heart, she crafts uplifting stories you won't soon forget. She is the winner of the Swoony Award, the LDSPMA Praiseworthy Award, and various chapter contests. Her books have received praise from Publishers Weekly, Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review, and Readers Favorite. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in English and history and hopes to never stop learning. She is a blessed wife, proud mother of five, lover of Jesus, connoisseur of chocolate, and believer in happy endings.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

 

Title:  Hello Stranger

Author:  Katherine Center

Narrated by:  Patty Murin

Publisher: MacMillian Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 39 minutes

Source: Audiobook purchased from Amazon.com. 

What is the last book that you read that you think should be made into a movie?

I have been meaning to read a Katherine Center book for a while now, so I was very happy that Hello Stranger by Katherine Center was selected for the July book for the Page Turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  Hello Stranger was a truly delightful book and I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook during some long drives for work.  Sadly, I missed book club due to work, but hopefully I’ll still be able to discuss this book with them in the future.

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist who has just found out that she has been selected to be in a prestigious competition for portrait artists.  On her way to celebrate, she has a seizure on the street and is rescued by a stranger.  It is discovered that she needs brain surgery immediately.  Afterwards, she discovers she has a condition called Face Blindness (Prosopagnosia) from the swelling in her brain.  Will she recover from this condition to be able to finish the portrait for the competition?  How will this affect her relationships, especially as she meets two men she is very interested in?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I enjoyed Sadie’s journey.  She evaluated how she has been moving through life, while also determining what caused her mother’s death and how she was treated by her father, stepmother, and stepsister afterwards.  She figured out what were the most important items for her life and how to change her life to work towards her own happiness.

·       It was a great plot point having a portrait artist that can’t see faces.  It made me really feel for Sadie and the stress she was facing in life.

·       All of the characters were great in this novel.  I particularly loved Sadie’s best friend Sue and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Kim.

·       I did figure out quickly what the big reveal would be in this novel, but I truly enjoyed the journey to this conclusion.

·       I loved the extras at the end explaining face dysplasia and how reading romance makes us all happy.

·       Hello Stranger reminded me of some of my favorite romcom movies and I could see this as a fun movie on its own.

·       This was a great comfort read that was entertaining to read during a stressful time at work. 

·       Patty Murin was a great narrator and I enjoyed listening to this in an audiobook.

·       I am ready to read more novels by Katherine Center in the future!

·       There was romance, but it was not spicy.

Overall, Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a delightful and sweet romcom that is a very enjoyable read.

Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is blooming in your neighborhood?  My hydrangeas and lilies look lovely in my yard. My purple clematis is growing on my house right now too.  We’ve had such a rainy summer that some plants are not doing as well as others.  These three flowers are doing fine with the rain.

Camilla Pierpoint and her paid companion Lottie are nearly kidnapped by highwaymen and mistake a man who tried to save them as one of the highwaymen.  When the dust settles Camilla discovers that Mr. Owen Chesterfield has traveled to seek her help as a matchmaker for his beloved sister, Luella.  Luella is a “ragamuffin” who has found herself a social outcast and shunned by the man she loves.  Camilla is a member of the elite New York City “400,” and Owen hopes that she will help Luella to rehabilitate her social standing.  Camilla decides to help as she loves a challenge and wants a change of scenery to thwart would be kidnappers.  Will Luella be rehabilitated?  Will Camilla discover who is trying to kidnap her?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I love the cover of this novel.  I really like when covers show an entire person including their face.  Her purple gown is striking and beautiful. It really made me want to pick this book up!

·       This is Book 3 in The Matchmakers series.  I’ve read Book 2, but not Book 1.  They work well as standalone novels, although I do still want to read the first book. There is a good excerpt of Book 1 at the end of this novel.  Characters such as Camilla appear in the other books.

·       I love the Gilded Age setting of this novel.  It helped to fill my void waiting for another season of the show, The Gilded Age.

·       The West Virginia setting for part of the novel was unique and fun.

·       Speaking of fun, this novel was a lot of fun.  It had me laughing out loud at several points.  The story drew me in immediately with the action-packed kidnapping in the first chapter.  The action soon turned into humor as Camilla and Owen have their misunderstanding.  The madcap comedy reminded me of some of my favorite screwball comedies from the 1930s or favorite romcoms from the last thirty years.  The banter between the characters was great.

·       The characters were three dimensional and interesting including both the leads and the secondary characters.  I enjoyed all of them, especially the leads Camilla and Owen, but also Meemaw and Luella as well.

·       Even the animals were great characters and hilarious.  Esmeralda the pig has a grand entrance to the story, and I also enjoyed El Cid the cat squaring off against the pig.

·       This novel is a clean read with romantic kissing only.

·       Owen went to school for engineering!  I always love finding engineers in fiction.

·       I just love stories with matchmakers in them.  I am not sure why, but I think it’s fun when a matchmaker is trying to bring a couple together, and inadvertently finds love for herself.  Maybe it all goes back to my love of Emma by Jane Austen.

·       This book had a lot of fun tropes including a fake engagement, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers.

·       Great first line, “Being chased by highwaymen was certainly cause for concern, as was the idea she was in imminent danger of losing her seat because riding sidesaddle, and while dressed in the most fashionable of riding habits, was not exactly conducive to escaping from a most dire situation.

·       Life is still super busy and stressful for me lately and reading this novel was a great escape.  It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed spending time with these characters.

Overall, Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano was a fun historical romantic comedy that I greatly enjoyed reading.  It has wonderful characters, banter, and a fun story line.  I highly recommend this novel.

This book is coming out today!!

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House and NetGalley as part of the AustenprosePR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn't expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen's proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she's ever made--her own.

AUTHOR BIO

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and at JenTurano.com.

What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @tnzfiction for the review copy of What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker.

Have you started any new series (book, TV, or movie) that you are enjoying lately?  What We Hide is a new series (Tupelo Grove) by two new to me authors, Colleen Coble and Rick Acker.  I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

Savannah Webster is a history professor at Tupelo Grove University.  Her roots stretch far back at the university as her family helped to start it a century ago.  She has moved forward with her life after a tragedy destroyed her family a couple of years before.  Her estranged husband, Hex arrives, hoping for a second chance.  After Savannah unwittingly becomes a prime suspect in a murder case, she turns to Hex to assist her as her lawyer.  Why are people being murdered at Tupelo Grove University and what does it have to do with the “Willard Treasure,” pre-Columbian artifacts that are owned by the University?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I enjoyed the characters, especially Savannah and Hez.  The book explored their past relationship, the tragedy of losing their daughter, and mistakes that were made along the way.  There is still love there, will they find their way back to each other?

·       Hez’s rescue dog Cody was a hoot and a great character himself.

·       The novel explored the grief of losing a child.  I felt like my heart was ripped out when the novel described what happened to Savannah and Hez’s daughter, Ella.

·       It also explored addiction. After Ella’s death, Hez turned to alcohol, pills, and work to mask his pain.  He has since been in recovery and is working on staying clean.

·       I love romantic suspense and this novel was a great example of it.  I really enjoyed the mystery.  It felt like Savannah and Hez were in peril and that the chemistry between them was palpable.

·       I was intrigued that the murder victims have a slip of paper with a Ray Bradbury book title on it found near them.  As Savannah has Ray Bradbury novels in her office, suspicion turns on her.

·       The novel had a theme of forgiveness.  “But it was all white noise to him, empty phrases he’d heard a thousand times growing up.  How exactly was he supposed to ‘accept God’s forgiveness,’ ‘experience healing grace,’ and so on?  None of those platitudes would let him go back and undo that terrible day.”

·       This book was a page turner that kept me reading far too late into the night.

·       The story was told through three different viewpoints:  Savannah, Hex, and an unnamed third person involved in the crime which kept the plot moving quickly.

·       The ending was a great cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Overall, What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Aker is a great new romantic suspense novel that kept me on the edge of my seat.  Book two cannot come fast enough!

 

Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title:  Born of Gilded Mountains

Author:  Amanda Dykes

Narrated by:  Sandy Rustin

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 14 hours and 11 minutes

Source: Audiobook purchased from Amazon.com.  Thank you to Bethany House Fiction for the physical copy of the novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  I'm a bit behind on my post due to my son's graduation party and sickness in the family.

Which fictional character would you love to have as a best friend? I’ve always thought Jo from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott would make a great friend.

Born of Gilded Mountains is the story of two friends. They started as pen pals as children, but an unfortunate misunderstanding has cut the ties between them.  One of them has become Mercy Windsor, a famous actress.  After a scandal, she decides to purchase an abandoned estate in Mercy Peak Colorado, the home of her old pen pal, Ruby/Rusty Bright.  What happened to Rusty?  What happened to the Galloping Goose Railcar No. 8 which disappeared years before carrying mail that could have changed the lives of many?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       There was a lot going on in this novel and I liked it.  It was a story of friendship, a story of an entire town, and an engaging mystery.  It moved at a gentle pace throughout the story.

·       I really wanted to know what happened to Galloping Goose Railcar No. 8 and enjoyed the suspense as the main characters solve this mystery. 

·       There is also a fun treasure hunt that involves Rusty’s father and his friends leaving clues to the treasure.

·       Speaking of characters, I LOVED the characters in this novel.  Mercy Peak had a lot of interesting characters.  I felt like I got to know them throughout the novel, and I enjoyed reading about them so much.  I felt sad when the novel ended.

·       I always enjoy the golden age of Hollywood, so I liked the snippets about Mercy’s (Marybeth’s) time in Hollywood and the scandal that brought her down.

·       I also enjoy stories about mining and enjoyed the bits about mining in this old Colorado mining town.

·       This is also a story of grief.

·       This is a clean read and a good Christian story.  The theme was how God redeems and restores the broken parts of our lives.

·       There was a sweet romance in this novel, but the true focus was on friendship.

·       I enjoyed the unique storytelling. There are flashbacks to help with the treasure hunt, and newspaper articles. There are also scenes written like a screenplay of Mercy Windsor’s life.

·       As I have been doing a lot lately, I listened to this book on audiobook during my drive time.  Sandy Rustin was a great narrator and really brought the story to life.

Overall, Born of Gilded Mountains was a beautiful story of friendship and community, while also a riveting suspense and mystery.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood's beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood--an abandoned estate with a haunting history--and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of that mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another fabled treasure that--if found--could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.

AUTHOR BIO

Amanda Dykes's debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, was the winner of the prestigious 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, and the winner of an INSPY Award. She's also the author of All the Lost Places and Christy Award finalists Yours Is the Night and Set the Stars Alight. Find her online at AmandaDykes.com.

The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperviabooks for the review copy of The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama.

Do you like classic movies?  I love classic movies.  The only regret I had about cutting the cable cord ten years ago was losing Turner Classic Movies, my favorite channel.  Luckily, I’m able to stream a lot of classic movies.  One star of the golden age of Hollywood that fascinates me is Anna May Wong.

I first learned of Anna May Wong when I was reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck for my classics book club.  We read the novel as a club and then watched the classic 1937 movie.  Luise Rainer won the Oscar for the main role of O-Lan.  Anna May Wong was the most famous Chinese actress of the day and actively tried to win the role of O-Lan.  Instead, the role went to a Caucasian actress, Luise Rainer.  The Hayes rules of the day prevented the Caucasian lead, Paul Muni from being able to kiss and have a relationship with a non-Caucasian lead.  Even though it was a novel about Chinese characters and author Pearl S. Buck wanted Chinese actors to play the characters, the main characters were all played by Caucasian actors in yellow face.

The Brightest Star is the story of Anna May Wong’s life from her start in her family’s laundry to her too early death at age fifty-six.  The story starts with Anna May Wong at the end of her life taking a train journey across America after finally getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  As she journeys across America, she thinks back on the incredible journey of her life and her constant struggle to make it as a Chinese American actress.  She was born in America, but her native country thought of her as a foreigner and wouldn’t let her have main roles that were not stereotyped.  Will she be able to break through and become a star?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I didn’t know much about Anna May Wong before I read this novel, and I learned a lot.  It made me dig more into the real history of Anna May Wong and this book follows her real history very well.

·       I liked Anna May Wong’s “spunk.”  Her family did not approve of her acting, but she kept at it anyway.  She was constantly striving for something better.  She went to Europe looking for the roles that alluded her in America.  Her fame in Europe made it so that Hollywood wanted her even more.

·       I thought it was interesting that she was a fashion icon.  The photos taken of her, and unique dress blending Chinese and American fashion also helped to create her a star and for studios to want her in a film.

·       Love alluded Anna May Wong.  Or should I say, a lasting love?  She found different partners and love throughout her life but didn’t find one partner that lasted a lifetime.  It was also mostly because of prejudice at that time that did not allow her to be with who she loved.

·       When Anna May Wong did not get the role of O-Lan in The Good Earth, she decided to go to China and visit her parents’ homeland.  While she found some support in China, there were others who said she was not a “real Chinese” person.  Anna May Wong did not have anywhere where she belonged.

·       This book was told through Anna May Wong’s first-person narration.

·       I did feel that the novel raced through Anna May Wong’s life and didn’t spend enough time for me to really feel and know the inner depths of her character.

Overall, The Brightest Star is an interesting historical fiction story of trailblazer Anna May Wong.  I learned a lot!

An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Are you an artist?  Do you enjoy creating or viewing art?  I am not very good at art myself, but I enjoy looking at the work of others.

Frances and George Hazelton have journeyed to France in 1900 to visit the Paris Exposition and to help George’s Aunt Julia investigate a death she suspects was the murder of a famous artist, Paul Ducasse.  Paul was also Aunt Julia’s former lover and father of her child.  Another tragedy strikes and Frances and George are suddenly trying to solve two murder cases during the flurry of the Paris Exposition.  Will they discover the murderer?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was a great cozy mystery.  Reading this book was a great way to relax during a very busy time.

·       I loved Frances and George as a couple and as a crime solving duo.  They worked great together and had wonderful chemistry. 

·       I enjoyed the turn of the century, Paris Exposition setting.  The changing times and business of the exposition added an extra layer to the tale.  I felt emersed in this setting.

·       This is the seventh book in the “A Countess of Harleigh Mystery” series.  This was the first book I’ve read in the series, and it worked for me as a standalone.  I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery.  I will be going back to the start of this series.

·       The mystery was very engaging.  It kept me guessing to the end but left enough breadcrumbs for the ending to be very believable.

Overall, An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder was a very engaging cozy historical mystery.  I really enjoyed it as a standalone and I’m ready to go back and start this series from the beginning!

Book Source:  Review copy from Kensington Books as part of the AustenprosePR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Filled with Victorian-era intrigue for readers of Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, Tasha Alexander, and Julia Seales, Dianne Freeman’s Agatha Award-winning series takes a delightful jaunt to the City of Light as Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, encounters a murder scene at the Paris Exposition.

Frances and her husband, George, have two points of interest in Paris. One is an impromptu holiday to visit the Paris Exposition. The other is personal. George’s Aunt Julia has requested her nephew’s help in looking into the suspicious death of renowned artist Paul Ducasse. Though Julia is not entirely forthcoming about her reasons, she is clearly a woman mourning a lost love.

At the exposition, swarming with tourists, tragedy casts a pall on the festivities. A footbridge collapses. Julia is among the casualties. However, she was not just another fateful victim. Julia was stabbed to death amid the chaos. With an official investigation at a standstill, George and Frances realize that to solve the case they must dig into Julia’s life—as well as Paul’s—and question everything and everyone in Julia’s coterie of artists and secrets.

They have no shortage of suspects. There is Paul’s inscrutable widow, Gabrielle. Paul’s art dealer and manager, Lucien. Julia’s friend Martine, a sculptress with a jealous streak. And art jurist, Monsieur Beaufoy. The investigation takes a turn when it’s revealed that George has inherited control of Julia’s estate—and another of her secrets. While George investigates, Frances safeguards their new legacy, and is drawn further into danger by a killer determined to keep the past buried.

AUTHOR BIO

Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries, a two-time finalist for the Macavity’s Sue Feder Memorial Award, and a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. Visit her at DiFreeman.com.