First published 2001
The Erich Bruel House stands as a monument to Manhattan's Gilded Age, its three floors packed with magnificent artwork overlooking Gramercy Park. Lieutenant Sigrid Harald arrives to find Christmas has brought an unwelcome gift: a dead body among the treasures. The mansion's elegant rooms now form a crime scene where art and death intersect. Harald must navigate the world of collectors and curators to identify the killer. She faces pressure to solve the case quickly, knowing the murderer remains at large and may kill again. The investigation pulls her deeper into the rarefied atmosphere of New York's art establishment, where valuable pieces and dangerous secrets coexist. Harald races against time to prevent another death while untangling motives that run as deep as the mansion's history. The case tests her detective skills against a backdrop of beauty and wealth, where appearances deceive and trust proves fragile.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, high-stakes
Setting: Gramercy Park, Manhattan
Period: Christmas, Gilded Age
275 pages · Paperback · Mysterious Press