Fatal Family Ties

Texas genealogist Lucy Lancaster is back, working to uncover the truth behind a Civil War–era painting and its elusive artist in this delightful third mystery in the Ancestry Detective series. Lucy is just about to tuck into a basket of tacos at her favorite Austin eatery, Big Flaco’s Tacos, when she gets an unexpected visit from her not-so-favorite former coworker. Camilla Braithwaite is brandishing a magazine feature on her ancestor Charles, a Civil War corporal who went on to gain fame speaking about his war experiences. The article alleges Charles was a liar and a phony—not to mention a deserter—and Camilla wants Lucy’s help clearing his name. Lucy is also tasked with finding an art restorer to look at part of the triptych—or three-panel painting—Camilla’s ancestor painted featuring a battle scene. Far from a showpiece, and with one panel’s whereabouts unknown, the triptych has nevertheless been passed down through the Braithwaite family for generations. But might a recent discovery give the panels more than sentimental value? When a member of the Braithwaite family is murdered and another panel of the triptych is stolen, the suspects begin piling up—and Camilla is at the top of the list. At least Lucy’s new relationship with Special Agent Ben Turner is going well, because everything else is in a downright muddle as Lucy and Ben road-trip to Houston and back again in hopes of uncovering the triptych’s secrets, untangling a web of Civil War service records, and unmasking a killer before it’s too late.