Lydia Proctor Mysteries
An Old Fashioned Murder - November 2006 Debut!
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Using genealogy to solve the mysteries of the past!

I'm available on weeknights and weekends in the greater Los Angeles area for book signings.

I can also provide a talk on the topic "Family History to Mystery."

Please e-mail me if you are interested in my visiting your library, bookstore or genealogical society!

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November 2006 ; See Below for an excerpt!

Genealogy,
Mystery,
History...

An Old Fashioned Murder takes history, genealogy and murder and weaves it into a cozy mystery that is sure to please.  It is guaranteed to lure the reader into the world of Lydia Proctor and her cohorts, lovingly dubbed the “Nancy Drew Crew.”

 

Lydia, a married working mother of three, gets herself involved in all sorts of things through her pursuit of genealogy, but it’s the project she takes on to help another solve a possible family murder that teaches her the meaning of closure, priorities and friendship.

 

Julia Franklin comes to Lydia in an attempt to prove whether or not her grandfather, accused of killing his wife (maybe a couple more too) a hundred years ago really did so.  Julia promised her mother that she would try and solve the mystery but never knew quite how to go about it—until she’s introduced to Lydia.

 

Lydia takes the task on not realizing what a project it really is.  With the help of her society library partner, Muriel Grant and her best friend since high school Faye Carter , Lydia uses all the genealogical resources (census, land, diaries, church records, court records, etc.) and her years of experience to solve the problem.  Their team work is what ultimately helps Lydia find the answer that Julia has been seeking her entire life.

 

Join the girls to see what it takes to solve An Old Fashioned Murder.




An Old Fashioned Murder...Selection from Chapter Two:
Just then the door opened and the bell rang.  
     It was a tiny one, not too loud but enough to let someone back in the kitchen, who might be eating lunch or making a cup of tea, know that there was someone in the building.
    At the door Lydia spotted an older woman, close to Muriel’s age but frail looking.  She had short silvery-gray hair, and a very fair complexion.  
     Lydia walked over to join her at the door and looked into the deepest green eyes she had ever seen.  The pantsuit she wore was a deep copper color that seemed to make her eyes even more vivid. Lydia noticed her no-nonsense black flats didn’t add a whole lot of height to her already petit frame so she barely came above Lydia’s shoulders.She was carrying a box that was bigger than anything Lydia had ever hauled to Salt Lake City when going on one of her serious research trips. Lydia was surprised—from looking at the lady’s somewhat petit stature—that she could even lift that huge box; and even more so, that she was able to get it up the stairs and inside the door.
     A dainty hand shot out, flashing two plain gold rings, and a pretty bracelet with charms dangling all over it.  Her hand seemed tiny within Lydia’s, her grip not too firm as she made an attempt at a handshake.
     From the looks of things, Lydia was pretty sure there would be no need for the Mace.
     “Hello, my name is Julia Franklin, and I am here to get some help.”