Drawing Conclusions

by Deirdre Verne

Overview

CeCe Prentice—environmentalist, peace-lover, artist—will stop at nothing to discover the truth behind her twin brother's untimely death.

While she never saw eye to eye with her father—the ambitious director of a renowned genetics research center—CeCe Prentice always remained close to her brother, Teddy. When Teddy is found dead at the lab where he worked for their father, CeCe's efforts to mourn the tragic loss are interrupted by several attempts on her own life.

CeCe is naturally drawn in to the investigation, teaming up with Detective Frank DeRosa, the officer assigned to protect her. Together, they begin looking into the circumstances surrounding Teddy's death, only to discover the truth may be found closer to home than they think—in CeCe's own paintings.

Praise:

"Verne's mystery is a winner, with plenty of twists and turns, an intriguing heroine and an ending that shocks in more ways than one."—Kirkus Reviews

"Deirdre Verne imbues CeCe with intelligence and humor, and the snappy repartee between characters is delightful."—Mystery Scene

"[An] exciting series debut."—Library Journal

"The amazing plot twist and memorable characters in Drawing Conclusions will leave you thinking about this book long after you've put it down. Deirdre Verne is a writer to watch!"—Jess Lourey, author of the Murder-by-Month Mysteries

"A mysterious murder, a gutsy heroine, a determined cop, and a villain you would not want to cross in a dark alley—everything you want in a mystery, it's all here. A fun read, right down to the eye-popping final twist."—Mary Louise Kelly, author of Anonymous Sources

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781410478771
Publisher:	Gale Group
Publication date:	06/24/2015
Series:	A Sketch in Crime Mystery
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	407
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 5.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Deirdre Verne (Lower Westchester, NY) is a mystery writer, college professor, and an active college blogger. A writer for the millennium crowd, Verne regularly delivers straight forward and often hilarious advice on her college blog, where she helps students unravel age-old mysteries such as "If I sit in the front row, will I get better grades?" Prior to teaching, Verne worked in new product development for Time, Inc., representing the magazine titles Fortune, Money, and Parenting. Visit her online at DeirdreVerne.com.

Read an Excerpt

Please browse inside this title with the preview below.

Editorial Reviews

"Verne's mystery is a winner, with plenty of twists and turns, an intriguing heroine and an ending that shocks in more ways than one."—Kirkus Reviews

"Deirdre Verne imbues CeCe with intelligence and humor, and the snappy repartee between characters is delightful."—Mystery Scene

"[An] exciting series debut."—Library Journal

"The amazing plot twist and memorable characters in Drawing Conclusions will leave you thinking about this book long after you've put it down. Deirdre Verne is a writer to watch!"—Jess Lourey, author of the Murder-by-Month Mysteries

"A mysterious murder, a gutsy heroine, a determined cop, and a villain you would not want to cross in a dark alley—everything you want in a mystery, it's all here. A fun read, right down to the eye-popping final twist."—Mary Louise Kelly, author of Anonymous Sources

From the Publisher

12/01/2014
Estranged from her wealthy parents, freegan CeCe Prentice lives off the grid with her roommates in her inherited old harbor master's home on the North Shore of Long Island. CeCe spends her time dumpster-diving for food, tending to her organic farm, and sketching portraits. Her life is shattered when Det. Frank DeRosa informs her that her twin brother, Teddy, has been killed and that it may be related to his genetics work at their father's company. Then an attempt on CeCe's life is made, and she's determined to help DeRosa find the culprit. Her ability to remember faces and sketch them accurately may even help crack the case. VERDICT CeCe and her unusual lifestyle make for an attractive protagonist, and handsome, intelligent Frank is an alluring detective. That helps sustain the strange turns the crime takes involving DNA and genetics in this exciting series debut.

Library Journal

2014-11-16
A freegan and a cop make an oddly effective sleuthing team. Even though she's a talented artist, free-spirited CeCe Prentice is the black sheep of her wealthy family. Her father, Dr. William Prentice, is the founder of Sound View Laboratories on Long Island's ritzy north shore. CeCe lives nearby with her brother's best friend, Charlie, clothing designer Becky, and Jonathan and Trina, who specialize in organic farming. Arriving home from a trip on which her freegan friends have gathered discarded food to eat, she finds the police waiting to tell her that her twin brother, Theodore, is dead. CeCe has never lived up to her father's strict standards. Her neglected mother is an alcoholic. But Teddy, a DNA specialist, was the perfect son. CeCe is immediately attracted to Detective DeRosa, who reminds her of Teddy. When CeCe is poisoned by scavenged eggs and then kidnapped on the way to the funeral and almost killed by a mysterious limousine driver, Teddy's death seems even more suspicious. Then his former girlfriend commits suicide, Becky suddenly moves out, and DeRosa flies to Italy to follow up on clues he won't reveal. CeCe's remarkable talents as a sketch artist, which have already helped DeRosa, will reveal a startling secret and a motive for murder. Verne's mystery is a winner, with plenty of twists and turns, an intriguing heroine and an ending that shocks in more ways than one.

Kirkus Reviews