My Wife’s Book Is Done!

I’ve mentioned that we committed to complete my wife’s book that was almost done when she unexpectedly passed away last fall. Well, I’m proud to say, we’ve done it! “We” includes daughter Becky, fellow writer Eva, and me. It’s being laid out right now, and then published on Amazon. I feel so good about this. I wanted to share it with you. 

The title is The French Woman’s Ghost. It’s a light-hearted romance, ghost story, and murder mystery set in 19th century England. 

Here’s the blurb we’re using:

Edmund Symme, a successful—but stuffy and discontented—London barrister, finds himself increasingly fed up with his every-day cares and decides to get away to his country estate in Yorkshire. There, he is confronted with visions of a beautiful woman who addresses him by name. When she appears in his library, he’s sure he’s going mad. Worse, he finds himself enjoying the ethereal presence. She’s French, she knows wine, she smells of gardenia, she’s jealous, and she wants him to avenge her murder. She seems to know more than he does about his own family.

To complicate matters, Remy, the estate’s housekeeper (whom Edmund dismisses as “just a servant”) also sees visions of the ghostly woman. Employer and employee are therefore thrown together in uncharted territory.

Is this ghost more than a figment of their imaginations? Can they believe her story of murder? How do their long-ago ancestors fit into her tale? Can Edmund shake himself out of his traditional male attitude to recognize his housekeeper as a vibrant, intelligent woman?

And what about the ominous poignard en pierre—the dagger in stone?

An enjoyable tale for romance, history, and mystery aficionados.

This story began with a hike up Ring Mountain in Marin County, north of San Francisco. My wife and I found a large boulder embedded in the hillside with a crack that looked just like a dagger. Here’s a photo of BJ sitting next to that rock. A story had to emerge from that cracked boulder, and BJ wanted it to be a ghost story. It took a number of years for the cast of fascinating characters to emerge and tell their stories. 

Unfortunately, she didn’t have quite enough years. I think she would be proud to see her book in print. And that she wouldn’t argue too much with the parts I had to write.

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Photo by Mike Van Horn

Cover art by Shane Colclough