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Summary
Summary
New York Times bestselling romance author Jude Deveraux makes her debut in the world of mystery with a story of old secrets, deadly grudges and an improbable group of friends who are determined to uncover the truth regardless of the consequences ...
Sara Medlar is a household name in romance, with millions of books sold. But lately, retirement has been boring her and she's found herself back in her hometown of Lachlan, Florida, remodeling the grand old mansion she'd admired as a child. It's much too big for her alone, but she'd die before letting anyone in town know that.
Then Sara's niece Kate is offered a job in Lachlan--a start in what could be a very successful career in real estate. She accepts immediately, but with so little saved up, she'll have to approach her estranged yet incredibly famous aunt for a place to stay while she gets herself settled. But when she arrives at Sara's home, she finds she's not the only long-term houseguest. Jackson Wyatt already has his own room, and though it's impossible to deny his good looks and charm--he's clearly got her aunt wrapped around his finger--she's also never met anyone who irritates her quite like Jack does.
However, when two skeletons are accidentally uncovered in the quiet town, this unlikely trio is suddenly thrust together by a common goal: to solve a mystery everyone else seems eager to keep under wraps. United by a sense of justice and the desire to right old wrongs, Sara, Kate and Jack will have to dig into Lachlan's murky past to unravel the small town's dark secrets and work to bring the awful truth to light.
Author Notes
Jude Deveraux is the author of 25 New York Times bestsellers, including High Tide, The Blessing, An Angel for Emily, Legend, and The Duchess. She began writing in 1976, and to date there are more than 30 million copies of her books in print. Ms. Deveraux is currently at work on her next novel.
She lives in Connecticut.
(Publisher Provided)
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestselling romance author Deveraux (Ever After) sets her overwrought debut mystery, an apparent series launch, in familiar territory. Successful romance writer Sara Medlar has returned in style to the Florida equivalent of Peyton Place, her hometown of Lachlan, which teems with rivalries, jealousies, and long-held grudges. Finding retirement dull, Sara welcomes her long-estranged niece, Kate Medlar, to live with her in her newly renovated mansion. Sara and Kate, along with local contractor Jack Wyatt, the self-made grandson of Sara's first love, soon get caught up in a murder investigation when two skeletons are discovered on land Jack purchased to develop. One of the murder victims is long-missing Cheryl Morris, a beautiful girl from the wrong side of the tracks. The necklace Jack gave her years before not only identifies her body but stirs up ugly rumors from the past. Kate, Sara, and Jack's attempt to solve the murders reveals Lachlan's dark underbelly. Mary Higgins Clark fans will best appreciate this one. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Upon learning she has an aunt famous, reclusive romance writer Sara Medlar Kate Medlar becomes a real-estate agent in insular Lachlan, Florida, so she can learn more about her father, who died when she was a child. Sara enthusiastically welcomes her, inviting Kate to stay in her large home along with construction-company owner Jack Wyatt, on crutches recovering from a car accident that killed his half-brother. At one of Jack's sites, the three accidentally uncover the skeletons of Cheryl Morris and her mother, who supposedly left town 20 years before. Sara, Kate, and Jack, who at 11 worshipped the then-teenage Cheryl, investigate, determined to find justice for the two, uncovering decades-old secrets and stirring up a killer determined to protect those secrets. Complicating matters, the suave Alastair Stewart is romantically interested in Kate, annoying Jack. The three well-drawn main characters, plot twists, verbal sparring, and the romance elements distinguish this gentle suspense novel, the first venture into crime fiction by romance-megastar Deveraux. There's enough romance here, though, to interest those who enjoy reading Phyllis Whitney and Barbara Michaels.--Sue O'Brien Copyright 2018 Booklist
Kirkus Review
The mystery debut of bestselling romance author Deveraux (As You Wish, 2018, etc.) starts with an unhappily-ever-afteran unsolved murder. But its heroine, a romance novelist, has a better ending in mind.After purchasing a house in her hometown of Lachlan, Florida, Sara Medlar makes a gruesome discovery in her yard. Buried beneath a poinciana tree with flaming red leaves are the skeletons of a mother and daughter. Sara's housemate, Jackson "Jack" Wyatt, knew the victims well. Cheryl Morris skipped town 20 years ago, just after her 16th birthday, presumably with her mother. Although Jack was younger, the two were friends, and he knew she aspired to be a television journalist, not a runaway. But Cheryl's mother was believed to be a prostitute, which was why only Jack questioned the family's disappearance. Jack is now a construction worker and the grandson Sara wished she'd had with his late grandfather, who married someone else. He's haunted by the car accident that killed his half brother and left him on crutches. Meanwhile, Sara's niece, realtor Kate Medlar, has joined Sara in Lachlan to learn more about her late father. Kate and Jack fight like siblings, but there's room for romance in future books. For now, Sara, Kate, and Jack form a trio of unlikely sleuths, using Sara's fame as an author and the house's notoriety as a crime scene to pump the locals for more information. Although the story's tone is dark, Deveraux's signature humor often peeks through, especially when the sheriff points out all the ways the trio's meddling has jeopardized the case.Fans of Deveraux and the cozy mystery genre will find common ground in this twisted tale of forgotten graves, small-town grudges, and new friends. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
When best-selling romance author Sara Medlar retires to her hometown of Lachlan, FL, and buys the mansion she'd admired as a child, she hires Jack Wyatt, grandson of her childhood boyfriend, to remodel it. She also offers her niece a place to stay when Kate accepts a job as a real estate agent in Lachlan. But Kate and Jack, who is also a house guest, are like oil and water, each irritating the other. When a storm knocks down a tree and uncovers human remains, the trio discover they do have something in common: the need to seek justice for the two women who disappeared 20 years earlier. It's not easy to uncover secrets in a small community. However, Sara, Kate, and Jack are pushy enough to ignore warnings and additional murders, even as they bicker with one another. Acclaimed romance author Deveraux (A Knight in Shining Armor) makes her mystery debut with this delightful small-town tale headed by three engaging leads, whose banter is amusing. At the same time, readers will sympathize with the victims. VERDICT Suggest for readers who enjoy witty mysteries, such as those by Deborah Coonts, as well as Deveraux's many fans. [See Prepub Alert, 3/12/18.]-Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
