Snow White Red-Handed: A Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery
1867. When American actresses Ophelia Flax and Prue Bright lose their jobs en route to Europe, they scramble for employment and are hired as maids by the newly-wedded millionaire Coops. They travel with the couple to the Coops’ recently purchased castle in Germany’s Black Forest, where two scholarly fairy tale experts investigate a small building on the Coops’ land that may have been the ancient home of Snow White and the seven dwarfs. Gold is in the dirt by the cottage and in a ceiling beam that is soon stolen. When Mr. Coop is murdered and Prue blamed, Ophelia teams up with Professor Penrose to acquit Prue and discover the truth behind the fairy tale relics.
Snow White Red-Handed is a fun story. The murder mystery is complex as no character is exactly who s/he claims to be. The fairy tale components are delightful. Ophelia is clever and spunky; Prue is a lovable dingbat; Penrose is a sexy investigative partner. The romances follow chaste Victorian standards, allowing for development in future editions of the series, which I look forward to reading.
