Epitaph for an Angel: A Connor Hawthorne Mystery

Connor Hawthorne and Laura Nez travel to Boston to attend the funeral of Catherine Pettigrew, the mother of Connor's college friend and former lover, Grace. Before the funeral, Grace reveals to Connor that she is troubled over the manner of her mother's death, and Grace's concern is made graver by the sudden appearance of a sibling she never knew she had. Even worse, the mysterious -sibling appears to have inherited the lion's share of Catherine's sizable estate. Connor's attention, however, is diverted by the presence of her own mother, Amanda, with whom Connor has not spoken in years.

Matters take a horrifying turn when the limousine carrying Amanda and Grace's aunt, Florence Earnhardt, is forced off the Fore River Bridge and plunges into the water, killing all the occupants. Joining forces to investigate the deaths of Catherine, Florence, and Amanda is the stalwart cast from the previous Connor Hawthorne mysteries, including Connor's father, Benjamin; FBI agent Ayalla Franklin; and Washington, D.C., police captain Malcolm Jefferson. Their investigation uncovers a Pettigrew family conspiracy dating from 17th-century America through Hitler's Third Reich into present day. What is the nature of the special gift of the Pettigrew family, and will Grace use it for good or for evil?

Lauren Maddison is the author of three previous Connor Hawthorne mysteries: "Deceptions, Witchfire," and "Death by Prophecy," all three of which were Lambda Literary Award finalists. She has lived in so many places even she has lost track of them, but she now makes her home in Southern California.