by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Grace to the Finish. We also have a link to order it from Amazon, and from an indie bookstore where a portion goes to help support KRL.

Regular readers know Grace and Bennett Marshfield (the billionaire) have discovered they’re related. He’s made her his heir and is transitioning control of Marshfield Manor to her. It’s all overwhelming. On the other hand, she’s been able to help her roommates, Bruce and Scott, find a new home for their wine shop. It started life as a granite place, morphed into a glass factory, and will be reborn yet again.

Grace is a silent partner but hasn’t seen it yet. Their friend Anton goes with them for the grand tour. As they’re ready to go to the basement, they spot a body at the bottom of the stairs. It’s Virginia, the woman from the bank. She helped with the paperwork as the bank had owned the building for years. She also checked on it from time to time to make sure there were no squatters or vandals.

It looks like she fell down the stairs, but Grace thinks she would have landed differently if that was the case. Just to be sure, she calls Detectives Rodriquez and Flynn to the scene. Joe, Grace’s might-be romantic interest if they could find the time, is the medical examiner who determines it was murder.

It looks like someone has been staying in the building and boxes have been removed. A full inventory will have to be done to know for sure. Grace is able to find the man who’s camping out there several nights a week and bribes him for information.

As if this wasn’t enough, Frances is trying to set Grace up with a handsome banker. Grace’s sister, Liza, is due to be released from prison in a week. Aunt Belinda will arrive on Saturday to help with Liza’s transition to civilian life again. All plans fall to pieces when Belinda shows up on Tuesday, and Liza is released earlier than expected.

While staying at the Manor at no cost, Belinda and Liza plot to get part of Bennett’s fortune for themselves. After all, if Grace is related to him, so is Liza. It doesn’t matter that Bennett should get to decide who his heirs are—their lawyer told them so.

This is the eighth book in the popular Manor House Mystery series. Grace manages to stay calm and sane in the midst of problems large and small. The relationship she has with Bennett is enviable. Frances is becoming more a part of things and is better for it. The relationship with Joe has great potential. Oscar, the homeless man, turned out to be a gem under a coat of grime. Readers will hope he’s a permanent fixture. As always, Hyzy weaves together plot and subplots with seeming ease to bring the mystery to a satisfying finish.

Hyzy also wrote nine books in the White House Chef mysteries. That series has now ended, but the fast pace and a peek into the White House kitchen and its protocols make the series a must read.

To enter to win a copy of Grace to the Finish, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “finish,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 5, 2017. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.

Use this link to purchase the book & a portion goes to help support KRL & indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:

Grace to the Finish

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Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch, in the land of blues, booze and shoes—St Louis, Missouri. While writing magazine articles to support her mystery book habit, she secretly polishes mystery books of her own, hoping, someday, they will see the light of Barnes and Noble and a Kindle. You can find several of Sandra’s short stories at Untreed Reads including her newest, “Arthur,” included in the anthology titled, Flash and Bang, available now. Look for Denali, in the anthology Dogs and Dragons.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases using those links. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.