Behind the Walls

by Merry Jones

Overview

A Harper Jennings mystery - When Harper Jennings’ staunchest rival at Cornell’s archaeology department turns up on her doorstep, babbling about seeing a Pre-Columbian shape-shifter, Harper doesn’t know what to think. But she can spot a great opportunity – Zina won a coveted post cataloguing a priceless collection of Pre-Columbian artifacts, and if Harper humours Zina, she’ll be able to see them for herself. But then Zina is killed – and the more contact Harper has with the relics, the more her life starts going wrong. The artifacts can’t really be cursed . . . can they?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780727881182
Publisher:	Severn House Publishers
Publication date:	03/01/2012
Series:	Harper Jennings Mystery , #2
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Merry Jones has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil, but it was not until the birth of her second child that she decided to pursue her passion and write books. She is a member of The Mystery Writers of America, The Authors’ Guild and The Philadelphia Liars Club. She lives with her husband in the Philadelphia suburbs, teaching writing part-time at Temple University.

Editorial Reviews

An archaeology scholar asks whether a mysterious death is a simple murder or a supernatural event. Iraq war vet Harper Jennings has had her share of drama in her life, most recently a strange medical scandal with some of her students at Cornell University. Now things are more settled for Harper, especially since her husband Hank, who fell off their roof while the two were trying to fix up their house, has finally returned home after an extended stay in the hospital. Although he can now talk, Hank's speech is inconsistent, and Harper worries that he may have stopped improving. When Harper's colleague Zina Salim, who has never been on particularly good terms with Harper, shows up at Hank and Harper's place ranting about a Nahual, Harper has no interest in getting involved. After all, she was passed over for the plum job Zina got at the Langston place sorting through pre-Columbian artifacts. Besides, shape-shifters like Nahuals are just folklore. The next day, however, Harper finds Zina's body in the woods with the heart ripped from her chest, and Harper knows she must investigate the murder. It's not clear whether Zina's death is the work of the natural world or something beyond. Hank tries to dissuade Harper from getting involved, but she's determined to find the truth even if it puts her in danger. With Hank growing more distant, Harper knows the only person she can rely on is herself. Or is it? The more straightforward story line raises this entry above Summer Session (2011), though Jones sacrifices a bit of action in the process.

Kirkus Reviews

"A fast-paced story”

Booklist

"A fast-paced story”

Booklist