In order to adopt Noelle, Jolene must track down the identity of Noelle’s birth mother and hope she is still willing to sign away her rights to the child, especially if, as Jolene suspects, she is a murderer. At the same time, Jolene and Ray are working their way back to their marriage, having been on the verge of divorce, and Jolene is faced with uncertainties where Ray is concerned, having put all her hope in saving the marriage on this little girl. 

The downturn in the economy has done nothing for Jolene’s business, though a request from a summer resident for a specific car to be used in a very unusual way will help keep her business in the black if she can get past the reason the purchaser wants the car.  

This is a well-plotted mystery, though it is relatively easy to solve. The characterizations add plenty of interest to the story, especially Cory, Jolene’s right-hand man at the shop. There is a certain sadness to the story on many levels: the circumstances surrounding Noelle’s birth, the deception involved in her fostering with Jolene and Ray and the events that follow, but also that Jolene has put so much on this little girl to save her marriage. 

There are moments of humor as well, mostly involving the purchase of the sports car.  Readers will enjoy the hometown feel of this mystery, especially those who enjoy stories with high emotional impact.                                                    

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry