Death on the Sapphire: A Lady Frances Ffolkes Mystery

Koreto’s refreshing debut, set in 1906 London, introduces Lady Frances Ffolkes, a member of the League for Women’s Political Equality, and her lady’s maid, June Mallow. Frances’s friend Lady Katherine “Kat” Colcombe is in mourning because her brother, Maj. Daniel Colcombe, has died in what was officially deemed an accident but some called suicide. The memoir Danny was working on, detailing his time in the Boer War, has disappeared from his study, or at least Kat can’t find it. Frances offers to make a thorough search of the study, with June’s assistance, for the missing manuscript. Frances’s search soon leads her to various well-connected individuals, including an M.P., who fear what Danny may have revealed about them in his memoir. Though she’s a modern, headstrong woman, Frances comes across as all too human in her doubts about her ability to pursue such an independent inquiry. Readers will look forward to seeing more of Frances in the promised sequel. [em]Agent: Cynthia Zigmund, Second City Publishing Services. (June) [/em]