"SEARCHING FOR IRENE," by Marlene Bateman, Covenant Communications, $15.99, 267 pages (f)
“Searching for Irene,” by Marlene Bateman, is an engaging murder mystery set in the 1920s.
Ashton Hall, an imposing European castle-like manor set on a hill in the woods of eastern Virginia, is full of mysteries, one of which Anna Coughlin is determined to solve. Anna, a college graduate with a degree in finance and an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is something of an anomaly. Hired by Lawrence Richardson, the wealthy, sometimes crochety owner of Ashton Hall, to put his finances in order, she feels anything but welcomed when she arrives at the manor.
For reasons she feels she must keep to herself, Anna is determined to discover what happened to Irene, Lawrence's previous financial adviser, who disappeared suddenly. No one seems to know why she left or where she went.
After some diligent, prayerful searching, Anna discovers Irene's body in a gully near a riding trail. She had been murdered, but the question is by who?
The cast of possible suspects includes Lawrence's two sons, Tyler and Kent, who are fighting over the estate; Helen, who is after the widowed Tyler and his money; Grace, Kent's ephemeral, artistic wife; Evan, Tyler's young son, who wishes his father would notice him; Charles, a carpenter remodeling the kitchen; and Mrs. Calder, the taciturn housekeeper.
As Anna gets closer to discovering the truth, it becomes increasingly apparent someone wants her dead. She needs to uncover the killer before she becomes the next victim.
This is a clean, well-written murder mystery with enough intrigue and complication to hold interest and entertain until the end, even though the end is in some ways rather predictable.
There is no foul language and the romance doesn't go beyond brief kissing. There is some carefully described violence that involves pushing, shooting, strangling and a pitchfork.
Bateman, author of many LDS fiction and nonfiction books, including “Light on Fire Island” and “Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines," is a Utah native and member of the LDS Church who lives with her husband in North Salt Lake.
Rosemarie Howard lives in a 100-year-old house on Main Street in Springville, Utah. She enjoys creating multimedia projects. Her website is at dramaticdimensions.com.