Lethal Legend

by Kathy Lynn Emerson

Overview

Lethal Legend is the fourth and last volume in the Diana Spaulding 1888 Mystery Quartet. Diana Spaudling, intrepid reporter, and her fiancé, Ben Northcote, return to Maine to solve a murder on an island in Penobscot Bay. This final chapter offers an archaeological dig, deep sea diving, a fencing match, and a wedding. Plus, Diana's mother finally meets Maggie Northcote. Historical Mystery by Kathy Lynn Emerson; originally published by Pemberley Press

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610846417
Publisher:	Belgrave House
Publication date:	04/01/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	603 KB

About the Author

Kathy Lynn Emerson is the author of more than 40 books, including Deadlier Than the Pen, the Face Down Mystery series, Making Headlines, and That Special Smile. She has won the Agatha Award for her nonfiction book How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries. She lives in Wilton, Maine.

Editorial Reviews

Set in Maine in 1888, Emerson's fourth and final mystery in her Diana Spaulding series (Deadlier Than the Pen, etc.) offers plenty of intrigue, eccentric characters and well-researched history. Diana's fiancé, Dr. Ben Northcote, has crossed Penobscot Bay to Keep Island, home of wealthy boyhood pal Graham Somener, to care for three men assisting on an archeological dig who've been poisoned. When Diana fails to hear from Ben, she becomes alarmed and follows him to the island, which she's warned is "a dangerous place." There, while observing an excavation headed by archeologist Serena Dunbar, Diana and Ben witness a suspicious accidental death. Graham and Serena, in apparent romantic cahoots, want to hush it up to avoid publicity, and the sheriff is happy to comply. Suspecting fraud, murder and old-fashioned gold-digging, Diana and Ben investigate leads that unveil professional jealousy, revenge and more murder. Newcomers will find this period cozy works just as well as a stand-alone. (Apr.)

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Publishers Weekly

A long-awaited marriage in 1888 Maine has to wait for the solution of a murder. As his wedding day approaches, Dr. Ben Northcote is called away to lonely Keep Island, home of his wealthy, reclusive friend Graham Somener. His fiancee, reporter Diana Spaulding, thinks her biggest challenge will be keeping peace between their respective mothers, redoubtable ladies of eccentric character. But she's wrong. Somener has allowed his old family friend Serena Dunbar to dig on the island in search of artifacts to prove that Keep was the site of a pre-Columbian wreck of European explorers. Ben finds her crew suffering from morphine poisoning and lucky to be alive. When charismatic private eye Justus Palmer suggests that something illegal is going on at Keep, Diana, who hasn't heard from Ben in three days, packs a bag and heads out. Ben's suspicion that the diving accident that killed a member of Serena's crew was actually murder is opposed by Serena and Somener, who suffered from terrible publicity when a building he financed collapsed and killed several people. Suspecting that Serena is a confidence woman and fortune hunter, Diana and Ben set out to investigate her background and protect Somener, who plans on marrying her. They chase a gaggle of wild theories before discovering the truth. Emerson's fourth and final tale of the sleuthing pair (No Mortal Reason, 2007, etc.) is both historically interesting and suitably mysterious.

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