The Snows of Cragmoor — Samantha Harte

A yellowed newspaper clipping was the start of it all. Lovely young Merri Glenden's Aunt Coral had died while trying to destroy secrets that she had hidden for years. Poring over the clipping, Merri was thrilled to discover that she had living relatives. Her impulse was to find them -- particularly her namesake cousin Merry. Perhaps the girl could help Merri overcome her haunting loneliness.

Merri traveled to Colorado in search of her cousin, and finally arrived at the foreboding, fortress-like Craggmoor, a huge house built by her great-grandfather, a mining tycoon. Preoccupied with their "station in life," her cousins Rosinna and Jerome seemed to be less than cordial. Only Garth Favor, Merry's handsome half-brother and manager of the estate, made Merri feel welcome.

But Merry had disappeared. Rosinna said she had run away two years ago to get married and had not contacted her family since -- had not gotten in touch with Stewart, her alcoholic father, who lived for the return of her beloved child, Merri found this a chilling mystery.

Merri's confidence that she can solve the mystery and help Stewart recover is shaken when she discovers that her room has been entered. And then someone tried to choke her. But who could it be? Garth? Jerome?

There is no one she can totally trust in this house of hostile, antagonistic strangers. Yet, Merri is determined to discover the truth -- no matter what the cost.