Grace Against the Clock

May 12, 2014
In Hyzy’s engaging fifth Manor House mystery (after 2013’s Grace Takes Off), eminent cardiologist Leland Keay, “widely considered to be Emberstowne’s most eligible bachelor,” is supposed to deliver the opening speech at a fund-raiser held at Marshfield Manor, but he collapses on the stage before the program begins. Grace Wheaton, the curator of the manor’s museum, rushes to the doctor’s assistance, but he soon expires, not of natural causes. The coroner determines that Keay, a recovering alcoholic, struggled with someone before that person injected him twice with a lethal dose of pure grain alcohol. An intelligent and perceptive sleuth, Grace works with the police to discover what secrets Keay hid that could have provoked his killer, while also dealing with house renovations and a former suitor. Cozy fans will be well satisfied. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management.

July 1, 2014

Managing historic Marshfield Manor might be Grace Wheaton's official job but sleuthing comes naturally, particularly when a key benefactor is poisoned at a big fund-raising event. Hyzy's fifth entry (after Grace Takes Off) in another winning cozy series.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Grace Wheaton, manager of Marshfield Manor, is helping run a fundraiser at the manor to refurbish the town clock when co-organizer Leland Keay dies on the stage. Was the death an accident, somehow connected to another incident at the manor involving a detective who has had a heart attack, or was it murder? Naturally, Grace starts asking questions. The plot thickens when hidden tunnels are discovered connecting the manor with a nearby painted-lady mansion under renovation. Secret passageways are always an appealing plot element in cozies, and Hyzy makes the most of the device, while she also keeps the series fresh with further exploration into Grace's evolving personal life. This cleverly constructed mystery will appeal to fans of Kathleen Ernst's work, which also makes effective use of local history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)