by Mary Ellis
“Mrs. Doyle gave you a sixty-thousand-dollar car? Read the note,” Michael demanded.
Dear Beth, if you’re staying in Savannah, you must have your own car. A gal never knows when she’ll be invited to lunch in Atlanta. And don’t even think of trying to return this. Hilda Gwinn has rendered that virtually impossible. Blame yourself. You’re the one who found me such a talented lawyer. Best regards, Evelyn
Thunderstruck, Beth had a hard time forming the words. “There go our insurance premiums.”
“Not to worry, my love. I believe married couples get some kind of break on the rates. We can call our good friend Joseph Reynard, just to be sure.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is Beth so nervous about working on Evelyn’s case?
2. At first Beth is put off by the wealthy Evelyn. What changes Beth’s mind so that she becomes Evelyn’s champion and protector?
3. Why doesn’t Michael believe someone is trying to kill Evelyn?
4. Throughout the story, Evelyn’s behavior toward Bonnie Mulroney confuses Beth. Discuss all the factors contributing to Evelyn’s empathy for the young woman.
5. Michael and Beth seem to come from two different planets emotionally, but opposites attract romantically. What traits do the two partners have in common?
6. Why is Evelyn the police’s chief suspect in Lamar’s murder?
7. Curtis Doyle’s life was hobbled by his father’s lack of compassion. How did he finally break free and find true purpose and self-respect?
8. Bonnie’s character and motivations become clear by the end of the book. Why does Beth finally find compassion for her?
9. What was standing in Beth’s way of forming an emotional bond with Michael? How does he help her overcome this?
10. Kaitlyn Webb seems to be perfect for the new position at Price Investigations. How is she also her own worst enemy?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Ellis is the bestselling author of a dozen novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances set during the Civil War. Midnight on the Mississippi, What Happened on Beale Street, Magnolia Moonlight, and Sunset in Old Savannah are books in a romantic suspense series, Secrets of the South.
Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Her debut book, A Widow’s Hope, was a finalist for a 2010 Carol Award. Living in Harmony won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction, while Love Comes to Paradise won the 2013 Lime Award. Mary and her husband live in Ohio.
Mary can be found on the web at
www.maryellis.net
or
Look for Mary Ellis/Author on Facebook
What Lies Beneath the Black Water of the Bayou?
Hunter Galen, a New Orleans securities broker, suspects his business partner, James Nowak, of embezzling their clients’ money, but he’s reluctant to jeopardize their friendship. After James turns up dead, Hunter realizes his unwillingness to confront a problem may have cost James his life.
Nicki Price, a newly minted PI, intends to solve the stockbroker’s murder as she establishes herself in the career she adores. As she ferrets out fraud and deception at Galen-Nowak Investments, Hunter’s fiancée, Ashley Menard, rubs her the wrong way. Nicki doesn’t trust the ostentatious woman who seems to be hiding something, but is the PI’s growing attraction to Hunter—the police’s only suspect—her true reason for disliking Ashley?
As Hunter and Nicki encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and death threats both subtle and overt, danger swirls around them like the mysterious dark water of the bayou. Only their reliance on faith and fearless determination give them hope they will live to see another day.
How Can Music So Beautiful Hide Something So Deadly?
A cryptic plea for help from a childhood friend sends cousins Nate and Nicki Price from New Orleans to Memphis. When these two private investigators arrive at Danny Andre’s last known address, they discover signs of a struggle and a lifestyle not in keeping with the choirboy they fondly remember.
Danny’s sister, Isabelle, reluctantly accepts their help. She and Nate aren’t on the best of terms due to a shared past. Can they get beyond painful memories to find her brother?
And what on earth was Danny involved in besides becoming a rising star as a sax player? Nate and Nicki follow clues into dim and smoky clubs, trail potential stalkers, and challenge dangerous men with connections to underworld drug trafficking. To complicate things, the hotel they are staying in has its own secrets. Confronted with murder and mystery in the land of the Delta blues, the cousins and Isabelle will have to rely on their faith and investigative experience to solve the case and not lose their lives.
What Sinister Secrets Lurk in the Shadows of Yesterday?
Natchez, Mississippi—Private investigator Nate Price and his new wife, Isabelle, need a vacation. Their coworkers generously team up to surprise them with a belated honeymoon, but the happy trip turns sour when Izzy spies her ex-husband, who appears to have taken up his gambling addiction once again.
While the boss is away, Price Investigations remains in the hands of Beth Kirby, a former police officer, and Michael Preston, a former forensic accountant. Hardly a dream team, as Beth resents working with a man who has no experience in his new job.
But Beth and Michael must move past their differences if they hope to uncover the truth behind a beloved Southern preacher’s demise. The preacher’s widow suspects foul play, despite the evidence indicating suicide.
With tension escalating between these investigators and local law enforcement—and new threats arising on all sides—how will Beth, Michael, and Nate hold on to faith and bring the truth to light?
About the Publisher
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To learn more about Harvest House books and to read sample chapters, visit our website:
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
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