Part of Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, book 10
First published 2026
A stranger collapses and dies in the Taylorsford Public Library, gripping a crumpled paper with only two words: hen and sapphire. Library Director Amy Muir discovers the victim worked as personal assistant to Warren Sanderson, an art collector visiting Kurt Kendrick, who happens to be godfather to Amy's twins. The autopsy confirms poison killed the man. Suspicion targets those closest to him: Sanderson, his granddaughter Heather, and Kurt himself. Amy investigates the bitter history between Kurt and the Sandersons but finds more suspects than expected. The case grows personal when her best friend's boyfriend becomes implicated. Amy's research connects the cryptic note to lost Romanov treasure. Then a second murder occurs. With bodies accumulating and a killer still loose, Amy knows she must solve this puzzle before more people die. The tenth Blue Ridge Library mystery forces Amy to untangle family secrets and buried grudges while protecting those she loves most.
Genres: mystery, crime, adult, adult-fiction, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, engaging, intriguing, mysterious, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, found-family, multiple-suspects, second-murder
Setting: Taylorsford Public Library, Blue Ridge
320 pages · Paperback · Crooked Lane Books
Content warnings: death, murder