With the real estate economy in a downturn, Aggie Sloan-
Wilcox and her best friend, realtor Lucy Jacobs, are
backing away from their house-flipping business for a
while. Lucy has just made a terrific land sale, however,
to an evangelist with her own cadre of exotic circus
animals, and is billed as Sister Nora's Inspirational Tent
Show. This is the second most talked about subject in
Emerald Springs, Ohio.
The most popular item of conversation is the upcoming
Emerald Springs Idyll, a talent contest to help raise funds
for a pediatric wing at the local hospital. The whole
town is excited that one of their own, actor and singer
Grady Barber, will be returning to be a celebrity judge.
Aggie is a volunteer for the fund-raising committee, and
since she was late to the first planning session, got
elected to be the liaison between Grady and his personal
assistant, Fred. In other words, over the next few weeks,
Aggie gets to run her buns off and neglect her family and
friends for a rude, demanding aging star whose glory days
are far, far behind him. It doesn't surprise her that
someone finally kills the man. And, Aggie being Aggie,
and against Detective Roussos's personal request not to get
involved in this one, jumps in with both feet to find the
killer.
A LIE FOR A LIE is another fun and fabulous outing with the
residents of Emerald Springs. Life is never dull in this
small town since the local minister's wife keeps stumbling
over dead bodies. The characters are outstanding and the
storyline has heart and humor. Emilie Richards continues
to write the best-of-the-very-best cozy stories on the
bookshelves today.
Aggie Sloan Wilcox likes to practice what her minister
husband preaches—to a point. But babysitting a narcissistic
"star" demands the patience of a saint, and Aggie isn't
bucking for a halo.
Actor and singer Grady Barber has returned to his hometown
to judge the Emerald Springs Idyll, a talent show to help
raise funds for the local hospital. As the newest volunteer
on the fund-raising committee, Aggie is assigned the
unenviable task of ensuring that Grady's needs are met.
Unfortunately, Grady's needs are legion, as are the enemies
he makes.
When Aggie stumbles upon his dead body, she isn't terribly
surprised. But when "Sister" Nora, of a controversial circus
that preaches the dangers of global warming, turns out to be
Grady's ex-wife, she is surprised. And when Nora is arrested
for his murder, more than Aggie's patience is tried. She
must use every skill to clear the name of the unlikely
prophet, before Nora spends her final days preaching on
death row.