..".weaves together old mysteries, modern-art theft and some aristocratic back-stabbing in this intriguing tale." - "Kirkus Reviews" Two hundred years after the restoration of the ancestral estate of Southjoy Mission, the handwritten diary of Ariana Stacey has been discovered by young Catlyn Stacey, the last surviving descendant of Ariana and Cedric Stacey. The American born daughter of a British expatriate who emigrated to the US, Catlyn is alone, inexperienced, and disconnected from the rich heritage of the Stacey lineage. Facing her is a resentful and envious society that views her as an outsider unsuited to her inheritance. Ambitious developers coveting the commercial potential of the properties of the estate have poised themselves for a frenzy of bidding and scheming. The aging and forgotten Professor Ethan Endbrook laments their ruthless campaigns and relishes the chance to prevent the looming loss of another historic landmark. Meanwhile, the lure of fortune and influence has attracted the attentions of Lord Silverworth, a baron of bleak prospect who covets the wealth of the estate, and Lady Wythiry, a baronetess of lower rank who longs for the prestige Southjoy Mission would bring to her social station. Bolstered by ancient documents, driven by greed, and tempered only by a fading reverence for heritage, these opposing forces launch a War of Progress, Preservation, and Aristocracy. All that stands between the combatants is the young American who believes in the passionate petition conveyed to her alone in the eloquent, poignant, and sometimes pointed words of Ariana's diary. "A large cast of colorful characters provides a bit of a challenge to readers as they try to solve the crime... appealing hints of romance and some moments of levity... A pleasantly old-fashioned mystery in a present-day setting." - "Kirkus Reviews"