Some secrets are kept out of fear. Others are kept out of love.

For sixty-six years, Violet Hartwell lived a quiet life in the coastal village of Ashwick Bluff, remembered as a quiet schoolteacher and a woman who never married. But when her great-niece, Margaret Holloway, discovers a striking painting of Violet's cottage, Wren House, in a Portland gallery, she realizes Violet's story is far from complete.

The painting - signed only with the initial "R" - depicts Wren House as it once was, surrounded by wild lavender and painted with unmistakable intimacy. Margaret knows that view. And she knows the truth behind it has been buried for decades.

As Margaret and antique dealer Thomas Ashford follow the trail to California, they uncover the identity of the mysterious artist and a long-hidden sacrifice involving Violet, a young woman sent away in silence, and a powerful local family determined to protect its reputation. The truth Violet guarded came at a devastating personal cost, but it also saved a life.

Not everyone wants the past brought to light. An anonymous warning urges Margaret to "let the dead rest," forcing her to decide how much truth a small town can bear, and whether healing always requires revelation.

This novella is the heartfelt conclusion to The Ashwick Bluff Mysteries, a cozy small-town mystery series woven with later-in-life romance. It's a story about quiet courage, promises kept, and the kind of love that endures long after the secrets are finally laid to rest.

Note that while a standalone mystery is solved in each book of the series, the entire story of Margaret and Thomas unfolds across the entire series.

• We just started tracking this book.
• The current price of this book is FREE last checked 18 minutes ago.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Mystery, Thriller & SuspenseMysteryCozy

• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 81 Pages
• File Size: 14 KB