Find out the latest indie author news. For FREE.

ADVERTISEMENT

Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 10/2015
  • 9781517390334 1517390338
  • 350 pages
  • $15.00
Ebook Details
  • 10/2015
  • B01598CM1W
  • 342 pages
  • $3.99
Killarney Traynor
Author
Necessary Evil

Adult; Romance; (Market)

"My name is Madeleine Warwick and I'm a woman under siege."

Maddie Warwick is on the brink of ruin. Several years ago, her uncle was killed in a tragic accident resulting from the negligence of treasure hunting amateurs. To stop the invasions on her land, Maddie forged a letter disproving the existence of Civil War treasure on her farm. And it worked. Until now.

Enter arrogant, mysterious Professor Gregory Randall. He knows about the forged letter and can ruin Maddie with one phone call. He won't - as long as she lets him stay on the property to search for the treasure himself. It's an uneasy relationship, but when the anonymous treasure hunters return, more aggressive and dangerous than ever, Maddie's blackmailer may be the only man she can trust.

Reviews
Madeleine Warwick, the narrator of Traynor’s skillfully plotted mystery, lives with her aunt on their New Hampshire horse farm, which has been in their family for centuries. Following rumors spawned by a reality show that treasure is buried somewhere on the land, a steady stream of opportunists have trespassed on the farm, disturbing the grounds by digging holes by dark. One such hole resulted in Madeleine’s uncle falling death from his horse, leading Madeleine to forge a document for the purpose of permanently debunking the treasure’s existence. After a pompous professor learns of the forgery, intruders continue to invade the property. Traynor (Summer Shadows) intersperses 19th-century letters and diary entries from individuals associated with the alleged Chase family treasure, while her restrained prose gracefully unveils the living characters’ true motivations. Distinctive prose is a plus: “A hole is such a silent thing. It’s a danger unlike most others, where the absence of matter is its greatest weapon. I pondered that it wasn’t dirt that killed my uncle, but the lack of it.” (BookLife)
Emily-Jane Hills Orford, for Readers Favorite

The Chase farm is not doing so well. The bills are mounting and the recurring accidents on the riding trails are not good for business. After all, who would want their child learning to ride at a stable where the riding trails are riddled with potholes? Maddie is beside herself with worry. Her Uncle Michael was killed when his horse stepped into one of the holes at a full run. Now her best and only riding instructor has almost met a similar fate. Will the holes never stop appearing? The forged letter was supposed to insure a lack of interest in the possibility of treasure buried on Chase property, treasure from the Civil War era. When Professor Randall appears, determined to find the treasure once and for all, Maddie is put in a difficult position: allow him to stay and conduct his research, or risk his revealing the truth about the forged letter. That's when complications intensify and the man who, years ago, Maddie had a childhood crush on comes back into her life and starts romancing her. 

Killarney Traynor's Necessary Evil is a treasure hunt story with an interesting twist. She uses letters and diaries written from the Civil War era to help lead the sleuths on their search. These old writings help build a second story within the novel, bringing the characters of the past to life just as much as the characters in the present try to read between the lines to decode the underlying mystery. This is a very compelling read. It's a real page-turner with a little bit of everything, past and present, including a treasure hunt. Well done!

Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 10/2015
  • 9781517390334 1517390338
  • 350 pages
  • $15.00
Ebook Details
  • 10/2015
  • B01598CM1W
  • 342 pages
  • $3.99
ADVERTISEMENT

Loading...