Just another homicide to spice things up Life is anything but dull for Hannah Garvey, the resident manager for Valhalla Springs, an exclusive retirement community in the Ozarks. She's helped clear Sheriff David Hendrickson of a manslaughter charge, been caught almost in the act with said sheriff by his parents, and been recruited into bridesmaid duty for a shotgun wedding -- senior citizen style. Just a typical day in Sanity, Missouri.
When thoughts of marriage turn to murder... As resident manager for the exclusive retirement community of Valhalla Springs, Hannah Garvey is up to any challenge life throws her way -- which, lately, is usually a corpse. But a marriage proposal from sexy lawman David Hendrickson has her completely flummoxed. Doesn't he realize the odds against a successful Aries-Libra match?
Hannah Garvey, the resident manager of Valhalla Springs, an exclusive retirement community, thought she had this love thing all sewn up. She's engaged to David Hendrickson, the hunky Kinderhook County sheriff, and thinks the future looks pretty rosy--until one of Sanity, Missouri's most esteemed citizens becomes the county's latest homicide victim.
Meanwhile, Delbert Bisbee and his gang of senior gumshoes are driving Hannah nuts, doling out advice, delving into an old missing-persons case and digging dirt where they don't belong. Literally. And no matter what they unearth, there's just no halfway about it…life has a funny way of happening when you're making other plans.
Hannah Ryan is the mother of two adorable little girls and the wife of a doting husband. Her life is perfect -- until the night her husband and eldest daughter are ripped away from her by a drunken driver. Torn by grief and rage, Hannah finds her faith -- like that of Jeremiah weeping over Jerusalem -- tested to the limits. As she walks the long road of her own modern-day Lamentations, she must learn to forgive... and finally discover that God's mercies truly are new every morning. Sometimes the road home is only found by letting go.
The pseudonymous D'Urso's bleak and promising debut is based on a true incident first covered by Jack London in 1906. August 1898 finds 23-year old Hannah Butler accompanying her stuffy British employer on holiday in the American West. Bored stiff, Hannah soon elopes with Hans Nelson, and the two head to Alaska in search of quick riches. En route, they partner with ex-Confederate soldier Harky, eccentric prospector/guide Dutch, and boat captain Michael Severts. They all end up in remote Lituya Bay, in southeast Alaska, where they establish a camp and catch a gold fever that runs nearly as hot as Hannah's clandestine lust for Michael.
