Unholy Rites (37 page)

by Kay Stewart

RCMP Constable Danutia Dranchuk is investigating a mysterious death at Sitting Lady Falls. The evidence she gathers points to three separate stories, leaving her with more questions than answers. Is this murder connected to two earlier killings of Aboriginal women? Are all three the work of the same killer? Some of the details are hitting a little too close to home, and Danutia is forced to examine her friendship with forensics head Corporal Surinder Sharma and his family.

Deftly woven into Danutia's investigation are the stories of two other characters. Parolee Ritchie Taylor fears that the unidentified body from the waterfall is his estranged daughter's, who was supposed to meet him after his release from prison, but never showed. Awkward busboy Trav can't seem to help behaving suspiciously.

Author Kay Stewart pulls the threads together in an unexpected and dramatic resolution at Sitting Lady Falls.

by Kay Stewart and Chris Bullock

The third book in the Danutia Dranchuk mystery series reunites RCMP constable Danutia Dranchuk with her friend, drama critic Arthur Fairweather. Danutia is observing a youth rehabilitation program in England when Arthur returns to the Peak District to attend his mother's funeral. Suspecting foul play in her death, Danutia and Arthur question the feuding villagers. They soon discover the dark and dangerous side of ancient Celtic rituals still practiced in the town.

In a region with chilling reminders of child labour during the Industrial Revolution, Danutia must navigate through a community with a complex and layered history. When a boy from the village is abducted, the race to save him leads Arthur into extreme danger. Only Danutia has a chance of rescuing both Arthur and the child from an "unholy rite."

by Debra Purdy Kong

Thirty-year-old Casey Holland likes being a transit security cop. It brings out the best of her compassion, perseverance and courage. After capturing a suspect who's been groping female bus passengers, Casey learns that her father was murdered in his West Vancouver home the previous evening. The trouble is, Casey buried her dad at an open-casket funeral service three years earlier, and he never owned a house in pricey West Van. Convinced that the police are mistaken, Casey accompanies them to the morgue. When she sees the body, her certainty dissolves.

Against her better judgment and the wishes of the investigating detective, Casey starts asking questions about her father and the strange house in West Van, placing her life, and her friends' lives, in jeopardy. Her search for answers takes her to England, Europe and Vancouver Island, and Casey uncovers a scheme her father was involved in that may have led to his death—which death, though, is still unclear. One thing is certain: Casey's life is in danger.

by Debra Purdy Kong

Transit cop Casey Holland is back investigating crime on Mainland Public Transit buses. Someone is smashing the windows of moving buses on the M6 line, while racial hatred between preteens on the M10 threatens to erupt into all-out war. The murder of Casey's co-worker Jasmine Birch escalates the hostilities, and the staff begins to suspect one another. The situation grows even more serious when gunshots threaten children's lives. And Casey soon discovers there was more to Jasmine's life than anyone previously knew. Did Jasmine know her killer, or is someone else lurking in the dark?

Deadly Accusations
, the second book in the Casey Holland mystery series, delves into a deadly world of secrets and people fighting to maintain control at any cost.