Daughter of the Stars

Once again thrusting her trademark likable heroine into a murky situation, this veteran author comes up with a better than average mystery/romance. After receiving an urgent letter, children's-book author Lacey Elliott rushes from her Virginia home to Harpers Ferry, W.Va., hoping to uncover the truth about her father's murder. She encounters an assortment of relatives: great-aunt Vinnie, who harbors a secret; grandfather Daniel, who was suspected of the murder; a half-sister, Caryl, and her young son Egan; great-grandmother Lacey; and Henry Elliot, her father's strange, drunkard brother. She also meets handsome history professor Ryan Pearce-their blossoming romance is chastely indicated by a few innocent kisses. The mystery is heightened by the presence of a few Civil War ghosts who ultimately shed light on the killing. Whitney depicts both the town itself and the raid conducted there by abolitionist John Brown (as narrated by one of the characters) with her customary attention to background details. Suspense fans will be caught up in this yarn's myriad plot twists, which culminate in a gratifying surprise ending. (Sept.)