Family Matters — Blair Howard

Harry Starke loves a cold case, but this one is really cold-more than a hundred years cold. Family Matters is a whimsical tale, a flight of fancy. It takes place on the lonely coast of Maine, where Amanda, a true believer in the paranormal, has inherited-you guessed it-a haunted house. Or at least that's what the rumors say. It all begins when Amanda inherits the house, substantial assets, and a large sum of money from her grandmother. The windfall comes with a request to look into the disappearance of Elizabeth, Amanda's great-great-grandmother, more than a hundred years ago. Harry, a skeptic, a down-to-earth investigator who believes only in the facts, has a tough time dealing with Amanda's... fantasies? We all know that the imagination can play tricks on a susceptible mind, especially when that mind is under stress. But is it just their imaginations? Could it be something more? You'll have to be the judge. Family Matters began some twenty years ago as a short story. It was the first mystery I - yes, I did say I -ever solved. You'll understand when you've finished reading it. Now I'll turn it over to the inimitable Harry Starke who, I'm sure, will do a far better job of things than I did. Blair Howard 2016