About this item
The first in a brand-new series from New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly!Katherine Hamilton's goal in high school was to escape from her dead-end hometown of Asheford, Maryland. Fifteen years later she's got a degree in hospitality management and a great job at a high-end boutique hotel in Baltimore. Until, that is, the hotel is acquired by a chain, and she's laid off. When Kate's high school best friend calls with a mysterious invitation to come talk with the town leaders of Asheford, she agrees to make the trip, curious about where this new opportunity might lead.Once Kate arrives, the town council members reveal that their town is on the verge of going bankrupt, and they've decided that Kate's skills and knowledge make her the perfect person to cure all their ills. The town has used its last available funds to buy the huge Victorian mansion just outside of town, hoping to use it to attract some of the tourists who travel to visit the nearby Civil War battle sites. Kate has less-than-fond memories of the mansion, for personal reasons, but to make matters worse, the only person who has presented a possible alternate plan is Cordelia Walker -- Kate's high school nemesis.But a few days later, while touring the mansion, Kate stumbles over a body -- and it's none other than Cordelia. Kate finds herself juggling the murder investigation and her growing fascination with the old house, which itself is full of long-hidden mysteries. Kate must clear her name and save her town -- before she ends up in hot water.
About the Author
After collecting too many degrees and exploring careers ranging from art historian to investment banker to professional genealogist, Sheila Connolly began writing in 2001, and has now published over thirty traditional mysteries, including several New York Times bestsellers.Her series include the Orchard Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime) , the Museum Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime) , The County Cork Mysteries (Crooked Lane Books) , the Relatively Dead Mysteries (Beyond the Page Press) , and beginning in 2018, The Victorian Village Mysteries from St. Martin's Press.Her first full-length, standalone ebook, Once She Knew, was published in October 2012. Connolly has also published a variety of short stories: "Size Matters" appeared in the 2010 Level Best Anthology, Thin Ice; "Called Home," a short prequel to the Orchard series, was published by Beyond the Page in 2011; and "Dead Letters," an e-story featuring the main characters from the Museum series, will be published by Berkley Prime Crime in February 2012. Beyond the Page also published "The Rising of the Moon," and another Level Best anthology includes "Kept in the Dark," which was nominated for both an Agatha award and an Anthony award for 2013.She is passionate about genealogy, both American and Irish, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She is also an Irish citizen and owns a cottage in West Cork.She lives in a too-big Victorian in southeastern Massachusetts with her husband and three cats. Find out more about her at her website, www.sheilaconnolly.com
