Emperor Norton's Ghost
A Fremont Jones Mystery
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Caroline Fremont Jones revels in her return to San Francisco, where a new city rises from the ruins of the 1906 earthquake. Even more rewarding is her business partnership and rekindled love with ex-spymaster Michael Archer Kossoff. But their private investigation agency is barely off the ground when Fremont's new friend, lovely but quirky Frances McFadden, becomes their first client--and it's a most troubling case.
The adventurous but skeptical Fremont, lured by Frances to a séance, sees her companion fall into a disturbing trance. Despite the opposition of her powerful, controlling husband, Frances is determined to develop her budding psychic ability. Soon she confides to Fremont that a restless spirit from San Francisco's legendary past has entrusted her with a mission.
But when one of the city's female mediums is murdered, and then another, Fremont's reservations turn to dread. Who has killed these women who wield their own power in the metaphysical world, and why? As Fremont's investigation takes her into the murky depths of spiritualism, she places not only herself, but also her dearest friends in mortal danger.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The beguiling characters populating the fourth Fremont Jones mystery, following The Bohemian Murders (1997), are such fun that one can forgive the less than captivating plot. A strong-willed and beautiful young woman intent on following her own star, Fremont sustains a stormy relationship with a handsome, sophisticated ex-spy of Russian extraction, Michael Kossoff, aka Michael Archer. In 1908, in a post-earthquake San Francisco that is rapidly rebuilding with energy and style, Jones and Kossoff have formed the J&K Agency, with Fremont as a detective-in-training and ex-cop Wish Stephenson as an operative. Through a young married friend, Fremont involves herself and the agency in the murder case of two well-known spiritualists. Day's appealing portrait of a spirited, irrepressible heroine battling the strictures of a more straitlaced time works well whether Fremont is donning men's duds to infiltrate several exclusive men's clubs or fighting the casual acceptance of wife abuse. The interplay between the two principals and Day's superior handling of period detail and supporting characters contribute to this series' strong appeal.
