Mary MacDougall Mysteries

A historical mystery novella... For 18-year-old Mary MacDougall, the highlight of her 1901 summer vacation in Minneapolis is the painting class taught by the darkly handsome Edmond Roy. But when Mr. Roy is accused of kidnapping two of his own pupils, it falls to Mary to dig up the truth. Is Mr. Roy merely an innocent painter of landscapes and still lives? Or a devilishly clever criminal? Should Mary defend him? Or fear him? As she feels her way through her very first investigation, Mary not only learns the hidden facts of the case. She discovers the real secrets are those that she finds deep in her own heart. The spirited young heiress is not as immune to feelings of attraction as she thought. Mr. Roy has awakened a longing within her. Will Mary MacDougall help to exonerate the man? Or condemn him to years in prison?

Mary MacDougall's first case of 1902 seems simple enough. Just before the 19-year-old heiress leaves for a summer holiday on Mackinac Island with her Aunt Christena, she's hired to stop in a little town along the way and make inquiries. Did Agnes Olcott really die there of cholera? Or were there darker doings in Dillmont? Mary's mentor, Detective Sauer, thinks it's merely a case of bad luck for the dead woman. But Mrs. Olcott's daughter suspects her detested stepfather played a hand in her mother's untimely death. With the reluctant help of her aunt and her dear friend Edmond Roy, the young detective struggles to reveal the true fate of Agnes Olcott. As she digs ever deeper, the enemy Mary provokes could spell disaster for her and the people she loves. But in the end, it's the only way to banish a daughter's doubt.

A Pretty Little Plot... For 18-year-old Mary MacDougall, the highlight of her 1901 summer vacation is the painting class taught by handsome Edmond Roy. But when he is accused of kidnapping two of his own pupils, it falls to Mary to dig up the truth. As she feels her way through her very first investigation, Mary discovers secrets deep within her own heart. The headstrong young heiress is not as immune to feelings of attraction as she thought. Mr. Roy has awakened a longing within her. The Stolen Star... The holiday season is a flurry of activities-including the 1901 Gala Christmas Musicale, starring opera diva Josie Borrell. Then the famous sapphire that Josie wears for her performance goes missing and Mary MacDougall is drawn into the hunt for the purloined gem. In the end, the matter of the stolen jewel comes down to the simplest of clues, while the matter of the man Mary loves couldn't possibly be more complex.