"A "manorly" debut for a stately mystery!"

By: Julie Hyzy

Genres: Mystery Cozy | Mystery Amateur Sleuth

Posted: September 6, 2010

Grace Wheaton's strength has been tested with her mother's passing and the inheritance of a lovely Victorian Painted Lady home that is in desperate need of some T.L.C. A true sign of Grace's mettle just might come as she seeks answers to the mysterious happenings surrounding her new job at a stately hotel, Marshfield Manor.

Julie Hyzy starts off her new Manor House Mystery series with GRACE UNDER PRESSURE... and an exciting start it is! There's been a murder at Marshfield Manor and it soon falls to Grace to sleuth out the clues that will lead to the killer.

Grace discovers her employer, Bennett Marshfield, has been receiving threatening letters and he is one of the primary witnesses against former friends who are running a complicated Ponzi scheme. As the new Curator of the Manor, Grace begins to poke around to determine what led to the death of the former curator. Quickly, she begins to dig up secrets galore -- more than she bargained for and secrets that some one would just as soon she let lie.

Known for her White House Mystery series, Hyzy begins her second series with GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. Establishing back story, character identities, and other details take precedence in this story, but Hyzy also holds her reader's attention with a creative and stimulating story. I especially enjoyed the fledgling romance between Grace and landscape designer Jack Embers, as well as the interaction with Grace's roommates, vintners Bruce and Scott. Future visits to Marshfield Manor are sure to be greatly anticipated.

Book Summary

Meet Grace Wheaton, lover of history and mystery-- both of which can be found in her hometown's palatial Marshfield Manor...

Everyone wants a piece of millionaire Bennett Marshfield, owner of Marshfield Manor, and letters are coming in daily from those claiming to be poor relations. The elderly, reclusive heir trusts no one but his aged curator, Abe. But when Abe is killed in a case of mistaken identity, the tide changes...

Although shaken by the murder, Grace Wheaton, whose lifelong dream has been to work at the manor, steps up to the challenge of assuming Abe's job. Bur now some of the letters arriving for Bennett have taken a nasty turn, demanding millions--or else. When an uninvited stalker shows up at the manor and at Grace's home, she and handsome groundskeeper Jack Embers must protect their dear old Marshfield. But to do this, they'll have to investigate a botched Ponzi scheme, some torrid Wheaton family secrets--and sour grapes out for revenge...

Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy

Grace Under Pressure

by: Julie Hyzy

Manor House Mystery #1

Berkley Prime Crime
June 1, 2010
On Sale: June 1, 2010
Featuring: Grace Wheaton; Jack Embers
320 pages
ISBN: 0425235211
EAN: 9780425235218
Kindle: B003QTD4SM
Paperback / e-Book

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