A Grave Deception by Connie Berry
A Grave Deception, A Kate Hamilton Mystery by Connie Berry, is an exceptional, archaeological mystery that has modern day archaeologists perplexed by a mystery dating back to the 1300’s.
Kate Hamilton has her hands full. She researches cases involving antiques for a Private Investigation company. She works part-time with Ivor Tweedy, owner of The Cabinet of Curiosities, an upscale antique shop specializing in ancient rarities. She’s married to Detective Inspector Tom Mallory and settled into married life in Long Barston.
Her life-style and unusual skills come into play when the well-preserved body of a 14th century woman is discovered in a nearby ruin. Tests reveal the pregnant woman was murdered. Alex Belcourt is the owner of the Ravenswyck estate where the body was found. He asks Kate to try to identify who the woman was, and if possible, her killer!
The ruins found on Alex’s estate were part of a current archaeology dig headed by seasoned archaeologists as well students.
Kate wastes no time in interviewing everyone involved in the dig. With Ivor’s help, she’s spending countless hours researching the history of Ravenswyck and some of the grave ‘s goods found with the woman – the most mystifying being a very large single pearl.
But Kate also uncovers some very unsettling information when it comes to the senior archaeologists and some of the students. As if that isn’t enough, she also discovers that Alex Belcourt’s wife vanished nine years ago without a trace! Local authorities and some of the townsfolk even wondered if Alex had something to do with his wife’s disappearance, but finding no evidence, cleared him.
Things get more complicated: Kate wonders if Alex is hiding secrets from the past. She’s discovers animosity between the team members. Cover-ups. Mysterious lights at the dig site at night.
And then, as they say: the other shoe drops!
The body of one of the senior archaeologists is found brutally murdered at the dig site. Kate, with Ivor’s help and plenty of research, realizes the murder from the 1300’s is tied to the present.
But who committed this modern day murder and why? While the victim hid behind an untarnished facade, there’s no clear motive. And what’s up with the fake pearls found near the current victim? Kate suspects everyone involved in the dig, including Alex Belcourt. But will she figure it out in time to prevent another murder?
A Grave Deception by Connie Berry is an authentically unique mystery. The amount of research that went into this book must have been staggering. You’ll be doing your own layers of “digging” to unearth the truth behind the murders of the past and present in this complex archaeological mystery.
A copy of this book and cover photo were provided by: Crooked Lane Books.