cover image Daughter of Ashes: A Hannah Ives Mystery

Daughter of Ashes: A Hannah Ives Mystery

Marcia Talley. Severn, $27.95 (176p) ISBN 978-0-7278-8493-0

At the outset of Talley’s leisurely paced 14th Hannah Ives mystery (after 2014’s Tomorrow’s Vengeance), Hannah Ives and her husband, Paul, who live in Annapolis, Md., go looking for a vacation house along Chesapeake Bay. The couple settle on a charming English cottage, which was built in 1765 and needs a lot of work. During the renovation of the charming home away from home, one of the workers discovers the mummified body of a baby girl on the smoke shelf of the chimney, where it appears to have rested for over half a century. Hannah’s investigation into who the infant was and how she died involves her in unexpected ways in her new community. Despite the number of years that have passed, the story has ramifications for some local residents. Not surprisingly, dark secrets from Maryland’s past ooze out, making this a tale of love, greed, racism, politics, and power. Fascinating information on how to search historical records is a bonus. [em]Agent: Vicky Bijur, Vicky Bijur Literary Agency. (Sept.) [/em]