When former party girl and society photographer Theophania Bogart flees to San Francisco to escape a high-profile family tragedy, a series of murders drags her unwillingly out of hiding. In no time, at all she discovers she's been providing cover for a sophisticated smuggling operation, she starts to fall for an untrustworthy stranger, and she's knocked out, tied up and imprisoned. The police are sure she's lying. The smugglers are sure she knows too much. Her friends? They aren't sure what to believe.
The body count is rising and Theo struggles to find the killer before she's the next victim or her new life is exposed as an elaborate fraud. But the more deeply entangled she becomes, the more her investigation is complicated by her best friend, who is one of her prime suspects; her young protégé, who may or may not have a juvie record; her stern and unyielding grandfather, who exposes an unexpected soft center; and the man on her washing machine, who isn't quite what he appears, either.
"When Theo Bogart's privileged London life turns into a national horror story, she flees to San Francisco, hoping for peace and anonymity, only to realize that one of her friendly neighbors is a murderer. Debut novelist Sue Cox writes with deft assurance. She has created an appealing cast of characters and an absorbing plot that kept me turning the pages well past midnight."
Margaret Maron
"A quirky, aromatic concoction of mystery, suspense, and humor. Theophania Bogart is a welcome addition to the cozy genre: A Brit with a mysterious past, intent on reinventing herself in San Francisco. Her adopted neighborhood includes a host of eccentric shopkeepers and engaging characters, including a teenage hoodlum with a big heart and a tubby dog named Lucy. Add a dash of romance, a dollop of humor, a gift for English understatement, and The Man on the Washing Machine makes for a heavenly-scented, fabulous read!"
Juliet Blackwell
"A fast-paced page turner. Sue Cox's debut novel will delight mystery aficionados."
