Forged in Blood
Fawcett Books, August, 2002.
Paperback, 224 pages.
ISBN: 0449007146
Retired office manager and sometime amateur sleuth
Betty Trenka is excited about her upcoming European
vacation with her new friend, the elegant Lady Margaret
Priam. Betty and Margaret travel to Priam's Priory to
attend the wedding of Margaret's brother, the Earl of Brayfield. They then
head on to Italy to visit a friend's fabulous Italian villa, which is
rumored to house an heretofore unknown Old Master.
The wedding goes off without a hitch,
but when they arrive in Rome, Betty and Margaret find
themselves involved with an artist and an art dealer
who may be about to pull off a major art forgery. Betty and
Margaret do manage to see the legendary painting, but the
scenery is marred by a dead body lying in the
villa's beautiful and ancient fountain.
Betty Trenka and Lady Margaret have both been stars of their own popular mystery series, until the two sleuths met up (in A Better Class of Murder) to solve a high society murder set in Manhattan, with very entertaining results. Now, the charming aristocrat and the no-nonsense New Englander join forces to stop an art forger and a murderer. Readers are taken on a fascinating tour of London and Rome, as the two sleuths see the sights and socialize with everyone from criminals to screen stars. Ms. Christmas is known for her wit, her style and her excellent characterizations. Lady Margaret Priam's cool elegance and polished social skills play perfectly off Betty's down to earth, Yankee sensibility and dry sense of humor. This is a truly delightful mystery series. Highly recommended.
Forged in Blood is available for purchase on Amazon.com
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This review was published in the September, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.
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