Books

1949: Kingston, Canada—Reporter Charley Hall longs to keep her independence. Juggling expectations to remarry and have children with her demotion to the women’s page, the thirty-year-old widow struggles to nab stories that interest her. But the home art exhibition she’s covering turns explosive when two different gangs of thieves pilfer the paintings, leaving one of them dead at the scene.

Joining forces with sometimes-rival PI Mark Spadina, the former city-beat journalist finds a motive for stealing an unknown artist’s work elusive. But when the painter’s dark secret comes to light, Charley discovers there’s much more at stake than armed robbery.

Can this relentless newshound crack the case in time for the evening edition?

Murder in Abstract is the fifth book in the page-turning Charley Hall mystery series. If you like historical backdrops, female underdog protagonists, and unpredictable twists, then you’ll love Brenda Gayle’s breaking story.