To supplement her income, Annie sidelines as a clairvoyant/financial advisor named Sibyl (her father—now deceased–taught Annie law, accounting, and the stock market, but the gender bias of the times prevented her from obtaining a job in her field). As Sibyl, the self-reliant Annie can put her acumen to use, but her business is suddenly interrupted when a favorite client, Matthew Voss, mysteriously dies, leaving her a modest amount of mining stock in his will. The only problem is, the stock—and his other assets– can’t be located.
Enter Voss’s dashing young lawyer, Nate Dawson; soon after meeting the lovely but unconventional Annie he’s drawn to agree with her conviction that Voss’s death was a murder, not a suicide. Determined to solve the mystery as well as to claim her bequest, the chameleonesque Annie poses as Lizzie, a maid in the Voss household, where she examines the potential motives of a host of characters, including Voss’s attractive wife and her lady’s maid, his disgruntled sister, his artistic but troubled son, his business partner, and others, at the same time finding herself increasingly attracted to the gallant if occasionally priggish Mr. Dawson (think Mr. Darcy without Colin Firth’s British accent). As the mystery unfolds and yet another murder occurs, Nate and Annie join forces and their romantic stars align.
This entertaining historical mystery will keep readers guessing while cheering on its charming and prescient protagonist. M. Louisa Locke, a former history professor, has done a fine job of recreating a time and place, while offering up Annie Fuller, a heroine who never hesitates to take matters into her own highly capable hands.
Reviewed by Kathryn Livingston
Avid reader and book reviewer. Author “All About Motherhood” (an indie) and other titles that are not. Blogs about family issues. Practices yoga. www.livwrite.blogspot.com