Synopses & Reviews
Herbalist and ex-lawyer China Bayles is in a class with lady sleuths V. I. Warshawski and Stephanie Plum” (Publishers Weekly). In Widows Tears, a haunted house may hold the key to solving the murder of one of Chinas friends
After losing her family and home in the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Rachel Blackwood rebuilt her house a hundred miles inland and later died there, still wrapped in her grief.
In present-day Texas, Claire, the grandniece of Rachels caretaker, has inherited the house and wants to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. But she is concerned that its haunted, so she calls in her friend Rubywho has the gift of extrasensory perceptionto check it out.
While Ruby is ghost hunting, China Bayles walks into a storm of trouble in nearby Pecan Springs. A half hour before she is to make her nightly deposit, the Pecan Springs bank is robbed and a teller is shot and killed.
Before she can discover the identity of the killers, China follows Ruby to the Blackwood house to discuss urgent business. As she is drawn into the mystery of the haunted house, China opens the door on some very real danger
Review
Praise for Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles Series:
“Alberts dialogue and characterizations put her in a class with lady sleuths V.I. Warshawski and Stephanie Plum.”—Publishers Weekly
“Display[s] a deep sense of the Texas hill country and [makes] good use of the strong, likable cast. Details of herbs and herbal remedies continue to flavor the always intriguing plots.”—Booklist
"Engrossing.”—Times-Picayune
“One of the best-written and well-plotted mysteries Ive read in a long time.”—Los Angeles Times
Review
Praise for Death at the Door “Engaging…Understated local color and a charming cast of supporting characters will keep Annies fans glued to the page.”—Publishers Weekly
“Great characters and an enjoyable story…After reading Death at the Door…you'll want to go back and read more of Carolyn Harts books.”—Fresh Fiction
“This long-running series continues to produce strong storylines and wonderful characterization…The mysterys careful construction will draw in readers.”—RT Book Reviews
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Dont Go Home, Annie Darlingowner of the mystery bookstore, Death on Demandprefers fictional crimes as opposed to real ones
In one tragic week, two acts of violence shake the island community of Browards Rock. First, a beloved doctor is found shot dead, seemingly by his own hand. Days later, a local artist is arrested after his wife is found murdered, bludgeoned by her husbands sculpting mallet.
Convinced her brother did not commit suicide, the doctors sister turns to Annie and her husband, Max. She has found a cryptic sketch her brother drew, linking him with the murdered woman. Did someone want them both out of the picture?
Now its up to Annie and Max to sort through a rogues gallery of suspects to see if someone is trying to frame the artist. But if Annie isnt careful, she may have her own brush with death
About the Author
Susan Wittig Albert grew up on a farm in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley. A former professor of English and a university administrator and vice president, she is the author of the China Bayles Mysteries, the Darling Dahlias Mysteries, and the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. Some of her recent titles include Widow's Tears, Cat's Claw, The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose, and The Tale of Castle Cottage. She and her husband, Bill, coauthor a series of Victorian-Edwardian mysteries under the name Robin Paige, which includes such titles as Death at Glamis Castle and Death at Whitechapel.