Making the most of her unique ability to speak to remnants of the dead, Donna Howard researches the provenances of art and antiques. This time, her investigation into a colonial-era portrait delves into the dark history of her adopted niece, SarahAnn, uncovering a kidnapping and a murderer who got away scot-free.Out of all my protagonists, I feel the closest kinship to SarahAnn--but of course, she is her own character with her own very unique history. I did enjoy writing about my birth state of New York (this is upstate New York with cows and horses and changing leaves). Unlike the other Donna Howard books, this one takes place in "real" time, the fall of 2019 leading up to New Year's 2020. In fact, at one point, I checked the current weather in Saratoga Springs for the sake of accuracy!
The journey to uncover that history takes the Howards and Gregersons from Maine to upstate New York, from wedding venues to house museums.
Facing a past she never knew she had, SarahAnn questions what constitutes a person's "real" heritage and whether breaking the law is justified to prevent a more heinous crime. There are times when honestly confronting the past can leave descendants with no choice but to choose their own ancestors.
As always, much thanks to Eugene as editor, cover designer, publisher: all around book guru!
