Secret of Val Verde — Judith Polley

Antoinette Dubec arrives from France to the war-torn Mexico of 1866 to learn of the death of her soldier father.
Who is the fierce Mexican Major who breaks the news? Why does he act so coolly towards her? Against his advice she decides to stay on in Mexico to unravel the events of her father's death and avenge him. By so doing she becomes more involved with the strangely fascinating Major Chavez, the mystery of the amulet he always wears around his nexk and the woman who gave it to him. Her investigations lead her into high adventure, danger, and intrigue, jealousy and passion and eventually even prison before her father's death is finally avenged.