From Publishers Weekly
Set in Maine in 1888, Emerson's fourth and final mystery in her Diana Spaulding series (Deadlier Than the Pen, etc.) offers plenty of intrigue, eccentric characters and well-researched history. Diana's fiancé, Dr. Ben Northcote, has crossed Penobscot Bay to Keep Island, home of wealthy boyhood pal Graham Somener, to care for three men assisting on an archeological dig who've been poisoned. When Diana fails to hear from Ben, she becomes alarmed and follows him to the island, which she's warned is a dangerous place. There, while observing an excavation headed by archeologist Serena Dunbar, Diana and Ben witness a suspicious accidental death. Graham and Serena, in apparent romantic cahoots, want to hush it up to avoid publicity, and the sheriff is happy to comply. Suspecting fraud, murder and old-fashioned gold-digging, Diana and Ben investigate leads that unveil professional jealousy, revenge and more murder. Newcomers will find this period cozy works just as well as a stand-alone. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Emerson's . . . final mystery in her Diana Spaulding series . . . offers plenty of intrigue, eccentric characters and well-researched history." —Publishers Weekly
"Emerson's fourth and final tale of the sleuthing pair (No Mortal Reason, 2007, etc.) is both historically interesting and suitably mysterious." —Kirkus Reviews
"It's always refreshing to read a period piece where the female characters do not indulge in fainting fits or heaving bosoms . . . loads of fun." —Mystery Scene Magazine
Book Description
Diana's wedding preparations are interrupted when her fiance Ben receives an urgent plea for help from a reclusive childhood friend in the final volume of this mystery series. Working on a secretive archeological dig on Graham Somener's island off the coast of Maine, a team of men have all been poisoned. When one is murdered in a diving accident and Graham refuses to call the police, Diana and Ben fear he may have fallen under the spell of a confidence woman posing as an archeologist from the Peabody Museum. Their investigations threaten Ben’s friendship and imperil Diana’s life before the conundrum is finally solved.
About the Author
Kathy Lynn Emerson is the author of more than 40 books, including Deadlier Than the Pen, the Face Down Mystery series, Making Headlines, and That Special Smile. She has won the Agatha Award for her nonfiction book How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries. She lives in Wilton, Maine.
