Deception at Dark Hall — Stacey Coverstone

Book Two of the Briony Martin Mystery Series. February 1956… Three months after returning from Maine, Briony Martin is headed to Chicago for the christening of her best friend's baby. Upon arriving, she discovers Paige's brother-in-law Daniel has been attending séances at Dark Hall, an opulent Gothic mansion rife with rumors of witchcraft and drug use. Paige is worried for Daniel, who has become enamored with the beautiful Sharlyn Dark, a medium who claims to communicate with the dead. Having had some recent encounters with the paranormal, Briony is talked into attending a séance with Daniel to find out if he's being financially swindled or emotionally taken advantage of. What she finds at Dark Hall is strange history, secrets, and some unusual inhabitants who may or may not be what they appear. When Daniel stumbles upon a murder and almost becomes a victim himself, Briony uses her newly acquired detective skills to help solve this and older crimes that have a connection to Dark Hall. In the meantime, after three weeks of no correspondence, she's finally heard from John Fletcher, the man she met in Maine and her new love interest. He's planning to visit soon, and with his promise comes a surprise that could alter her life in ways she never dreamed.