A Sophie Medina Mystery (Book 2) by Ellen Crosby, Simon & Schuster, April 2015.
* An ARC was provided by Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for an honest review.
GHOST IMAGE, by Ellen Crosby, the intriguing and suspenseful second novel in the Sophie Medina Mystery Series, begins in Washington DC and spans the Atlantic Ocean into London and the English countryside. Trying to solve the death of a friend, Franciscan friar and controversial environmentalist Kevin Boyle, leads freelance photographer, Sophie Medina, into a 200-year-old mystery involving a priceless 17th century encyclopedia of plants. Not only is she trying to locate the rare, original botanical book as quickly as possible, but she needs to identify her friend's murderer before she becomes the next victim.
Important characters are introduced at the start of the story as party attendees at the Austrian ambassador's posh Kalorama neighborhood residence in DC. What could have been a very confusing lead in to the characters and their high political and royal status is handled very smoothly by the author. The main characters are given unique traits and personalities to help the reader identify them throughout the book, and there are plenty of suspects who have plausible motivations for killing Brother Kevin. With the plant of good clues and red herrings, the identity of the murderer is masked until the end of the story.
The author's use of a rare plant encyclopedia as a link to the suspects and sites in GHOST IMAGE is fairly unique, and the hunt for this treasure provides the catalyst for action and suspense in the story. It's a satisfying book for the mystery enthusiast and, as a bonus, lets the reader in on life rarely seen behind the photo ops and human interest stories arranged by politicians and royalty for positive press.
Crosby knows what it's like to be a journalist in media bureaus throughout the world and interjects that knowledge and enthusiasm into Sophie's investigation in Washington, DC and England. One of my favorite things about this story are the parts set in Washington, DC. The author knows the places that she uses in her books and gives the reader an insider's view of life in and around DC. She offers glimpses of life in the halls of Congress and behind the scenes at both the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress and shares information about interesting sights and overlooked gardens in DC.
I've lived in this region for a fairly long time, but I've never seen the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, which offers various tours and has a wealth of information on its website. And though I've walked the Mall between the Smithsonian buildings umpteen times, I've never paid attention to the small sensory garden alongside the second oldest museum building. Now I want to visit the little known places mentioned in this book.
I recommend this five-star mystery for those who like a good whodunit and for readers who prefer a side of history and political intrigue in their books. GHOST IMAGE would be a great book for a beach vacation or even a rainy weekend, and it's suitable for most ages.
If You Like This, You May Also Like --- WINE COUNTRY MYSTERIES by Ellen Crosby, WHITE HOUSE CHEF MYSTERIES by Julie Hyzy, FBI THRILLER SERIES by Catherine Coulter, A BRIT IN THE FBI MYSTERIES by Catherine Coulter and JT Ellison