Anastasia Raven is focused on revealing the identity of a mysterious baritone who sings at dusk along the river. But her friend Adele's heart is a-flutter with the reappearance of an old flame whom Ana believes is a con man. Then Ana's kayak is stolen. A man is shot. The singer? The suitor? Who is guilty and who is a victim of the deadly derringer?
Chester Alan Arthur Schoellkopf, wearing too much gold and a pretentious air, comes to town to connect with Adele whom he hasn't seen since they dated in college. Just as things are warming up, a young man appears who claims to be Chester's grandson. Are the two running some sort of scam on Adele? Ana only wants to find out who is paddling the river and singing spirituals behind her house at sunset. He sounds lonely and sad rather than dangerous. Her young friend Jimmie brings his Louisville Slugger to defend Ana from any peril, but Ana is not the one in danger.
The seventh story in the Anastasia Raven series, this book includes most of the beloved characters from Ana's neighborhood. Teenage Jimmie plays a major role. This book does include spoilers for some of the earlier tales.
Autorentext
Joan Young has enjoyed the out-of-doors her entire life. Highlights of her outdoor adventures include Girl Scouting, which provided yearly training in camp skills, the opportunity to engage in a 10-day canoe trip, and numerous short backpacking excursions. She was selected to attend the 1965 Senior Scout Roundup in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, an international event to which 10,000 girls were invited. She has ridden a bicycle from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in 1986, and on August 3, 2010 became the first woman to complete the North Country National Scenic Trail on foot. Her mileage totaled 4395 miles.
She has recently begun writing more fiction, including short stories and cozy mysteries.