by Ann B. Ross
Part of Miss Julia, book 13
First published 2012
Miss Julia finds herself with time on her hands. Lloyd has moved out, and her husband Sam has traveled to the Holy Land. She considers tackling a home makeover project, but trouble arrives before she can select paint colors. J.D. Pickens, the private investigator who married Hazel Marie, has vanished without a trace. West Virginia police have taken an injured man into custody who matches his description. Miss Julia must travel to investigate whether this detained man is indeed J.D. At the same time, a religious cult has arrived in her hometown, working to convert the local residents. Miss Julia faces pressure from multiple directions. She needs to determine J.D.'s fate and secure his freedom if the injured man proves to be him. She also must return home quickly enough to confront the cult before they gain too strong a foothold in her community. The steel magnolia cannot remain idle when the people she cares about face danger.
Genres: fiction, suspense, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: West Virginia
320 pages · Hardcover · Viking