by Ann B. Ross
Part of Miss Julia, book 8
First published 2007
Miss Julia returns home from entertaining twenty-five friends to discover thieves have stolen her jewelry collection, including her engagement ring modeled after Princess Diana's. The robbery marks another strike by criminals targeting her usually lively town, now quiet with husband Sam touring Russia and Hazel Marie vacationing in Mexico with Mr. Pickens. Police reports reveal a pattern of similar thefts, but Miss Julia refuses to wait for official justice. She loads Little Lloyd into her car and drives to Palm Beach, bringing along Etta Mae Wiggins and hiring a heavy-drinking private investigator. Under the Florida sun, Miss Julia transforms from victim to hunter, determined to end the crime spree plaguing her community. Her pursuit becomes both a quest for her stolen treasures and a mission to protect her neighbors from future attacks.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, cozy-mystery
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, quest
Setting: Russia, Mexico, Palm Beach, Florida
Period: Present Day
339 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult