The Charm Stone (A Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron Mystery)

Beneath the hanging tree. . .Witches weren’t burned in the colony of Virginia. They were hanged. But in the twenty-first century no one should be hanging from the trees of historic Williamsburg. Jean Fairbairn’s significant other, ex-Scottish cop Alasdair Cameron, might sometimes wish he could pass judgment on the dingbats Jean writes about. Especially when her current subjects, a set of batty conspiracy theorists, may be involved in the theft of a Williamsburg-crafted replica of the sixteenth-century Witch Box. It was stolen from a Scottish castle for which Alasdair has been supervising security—even though the original Witch Box is safe in a Williamsburg museum.The charm stone went missing from the original Witch Box three hundred years ago. Perhaps it was not a traditional healing stone at all but a cursing stone. Perhaps it was lost somewhere in the colony of Virginia. Perhaps someone will kill to find it.Can Jean maintain her resolve to abandon the academic battlefield forever, or will she be tempted back into combat by an appealing former colleague, Matthew Finch? And what about Alasdair, who is supposedly retired from the rigors of law enforcement, but who is now confronted not only by a theft but two murder cases—and by Stephanie Venegas, the detective in charge.Amid the falling leaves and autumn shadows, Jean and Alasdair must deal again with murder most grotesque, its roots deep in history and myth. With ghosts only they can see. And with things going bump in the night of their own relationship.It’s All Hallows Eve in historic Williamsburg, Virginia.Traveling from Scotland to Williamsburg, VA, Scottish ex-cop Alasdair Cameron and reporter Jean Fairbairn combine overseeing the security of a 16th-century Witch Box with a little vacation. When murder gets in the way and a Williamsburg-crafted replica is stolen, they find that quotes from Shakespeare and a missing charm stone lead them into a real-life tangle. Library JournalCarl's well-crafted fourth Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron mystery takes Jean, a journalist for travel magazine Great Scot, and Alasdair, a former detective, from Edinburgh to historic Williamsburg, Va. . . cozy fans should be satisfied.Publisher's WeeklyCarl . . . manages to tie up the loose ends, renew Jean and Alasdair's shaky relationship and describe Williamsburg in a manner that will delight former visitors and intrigue those who have never been there.KirkusLillian Stewart Carl pens an extraordinary mystery. Her richly detailed writing style, her unique slant to the ordinary mystery, and her quirky characters make for an exceptional and entertaining read. While Jean is a fabulously fun amateur sleuth who seems to fall into trouble at the drop of a hat and Alasdair is a retired professional who cannot seem but to follow his hunches, it is obvious that they make a great team both at solving crime and belonging together. The Charm Stone incorporates a blending of the past and present to create a delightfully suspenseful read.Melissa Kammer for NoveltalkMs. Carl is skilled at crafting tiny details that speak volumes . . . the author intertwines several plot lines seamlessly, deftly depicts the beauty and mystery of Williamsurg, and weaves in an accurate, interesting, and well-researched history lesson, creating a beautiful tapestry.Shirley Wetzel for Overmydeadbody.comCarl's Jean Fairbairn and Alasdair Cameron Mysteries are clever, witty, historically interesting and, even with their bit of paranormal ability on the part of the protagonists, realistic. The Charm Stone gives readers an in-depth look at Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding area, as well as a taste of its history. How could any reader resist a good mystery, romance, interesting characters, historical tidbits, and a darn good story?Gayle Surrette, Gumshoe Review

From Publishers Weekly

Carl's well-crafted fourth Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron mystery (after 2007's The Burning Glass) takes Jean, a journalist for travel magazine Great Scot, and Alasdair, a former detective, from Edinburgh to historic Williamsburg, Va. While attending a reception at a local museum, Jean spies the Witch Box, a 16th-century chest curiously missing its charm stone. The mystery behind the origin of the box heightens with the theft of a replica and the death of the replica's Williamsburg designer in a tragic accident. A myriad cast of characters adds plenty of suspects to the list of possible murderers after a body is discovered hanging from a tree on All Hallows Eve. Could the killer be a female professor who specializes in the arts of witchcraft or an eccentric man bent on proving that witchcraft and the supernatural don't exist? While detailed descriptions of various historical artifacts tend to slow the action, cozy fans should be satisfied. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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