best friend Genny is judging a celebrity bake-off near DC, so it’s
the perfect opportunity for a girl’s getaway. With fun-loving
Granny Bert in tow, the trio heads to the very heart of the Intel
community. Deep in alphabet soup territory—surrounded by CIA, NSA,
FBI and more—it takes only moments for things to go awry.
last-minute change in accommodations lands them at The
Columbia Inn at Peralynna. How can they know its ties to the spy
a mysterious man in a dark coat is following her, Madison scoffs at
her over-action imagination. She’s listened to too many spy tales,
spun by the innkeeper herself. The stories of espionage and agents
are intriguing, but too incredible to be real. The Texans know
nothing about secret codes and counterintelligence. They’ve never
heard of The Lilac Code, or the illusive agent-for-hire known simply
as Kalypso.
precious twins. She’s raised them to do the right thing, no matter
the consequence, but will their quest for justice put them in danger?
time, the twins risk everything to save their school, while deep in
spy territory, Madison and Genny race against the clock—and the
elements—to save Granny Bert’s life.
in this exciting Book 7. This is a stand-alone book, but best when
enjoyed as a full series experience.
“Not this evening,” Maddy confirmed.
“It’s a messy night out. Perfect for staying in by the fire.” Sophie turned a pointed look toward Madison. “I trust today has been smoother than yesterday?”
Maddy’s answer was slow in coming, as she debated how best to answer. She still hadn’t told the innkeeper the whole truth, that someone had been in their suite and taken the suitcase. In the end, she simply smiled and said, “Yes. I’m sorry for any trouble I may have caused.”
“Not to worry. I’m just glad it was a false alarm. All the same, I think perhaps we should lay off the spy stories tonight, don’t you?”
They made the appropriate sounds of laughter. “By the way,” Madison said, before Sophie moved along to greet new guests coming into the room, “I was wondering about one of your guests. A tall, blond woman, quite commanding with her presence. Do you know who I’m talking about?”
Sophie looked around. “Is she in here now?”
“No, I haven’t seen her since last night. She was wearing a lovely dark gray pantsuit. The first night we were here, she had on a navy blazer and a blue sweater.”
“That would be Logan. She’s not a guest. She’s our local CIA agent.”
The news surprised Madison. Too stunned to speak, Genny spoke for her. “CIA?” It was more of a gulp, than a question.
“Yes. She pops in and out quite often. With the NSA and so many other government agencies practically in our backyard, you never know who might be here at any given moment. We don’t advertise the fact, but they often use the inn as a secure meeting location. It’s even served as a safe house a time or two.”
Madison’s brow puckered in thought. “So this Logan McKee is an agent?”
“Yes. One of the best, so I understand.” Sophie waved to the couple approaching the pastry tray. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to Mr. and Mrs. Asano.”
“Certainly,” Madison murmured, her mind already miles ahead. She turned toward her friend, reluctant to voice her thoughts. “Genny, you don’t suppose…”
Genny’s blond head was already bobbing. “…that we somehow intercepted a piece of sensitive information?”
“Yes! It would make sense, you know. The note from the little girl, all those crazy letters and numbers, the case.” She gasped and clutched her friend’s arm. “The shadow from the chandelier! What if that’s some sort of coded message for Logan McKee?”
“I don’t know whether to be excited, or to be frightened,” Genny admitted.
“Why? They have the case back.”
“But you still have the note.”
Author’s Note from back of the book:
The setting for this book, The Columbia Inn at Peralynna, is quite real, and used with the permission of its owners, David and Dr. Cynthia Lynn.
My husband and I first discovered this intriguing boutique bed and breakfast in September. We were charmed by the unique layout and, particularly, by our warm and gracious hosts. We returned again in February, when the Lynns graciously showed us around their home and their community. (Royal Taj Restaurant, The Iron Bridge Wine Company, and the old Savage Mills cotton mill complex are also real places.) Cynthia and I spent many hours in the four story great room, discussing our mutual love for books and writing, and brainstorming future plots.
The inn has a fascinating story behind it. It is, indeed, fashioned after a CIA safe house in Germany that Cynthia thought of as her family’s vacation home. She told me she simply thought their parents threw a lot of parties and took their five children on spur-of-the-moment trips, often in the still of night. It was years before she realized her parents were spies and that those clandestine encounters were related to national security. In fact, the American pilot Francis Gary Powers (you probably remember the name from the blockbuster movie Bridge of Spies) was debriefed at the safe house her father.
During my last visit, I had the pleasure of listening to Cynthia and her sister Dot recall memories of the house, their parents, and their unique lifestyle abroad. Oh, the books these women could write! The character of CIA Agent Logan McKee is, in fact, Cynthia’s creation and will be the main character in a fiction series—non-classified, of course—that she plans to pen in the very near future.
I hope you enjoyed this book and the glimpse shared into The Columbia Inn at Peralynna. The next time you’re in the Baltimore/Columbia/DC area, you owe it to yourself to meet the Lynns and to stay in their beautiful home. Be sure and tell them I sent you. (And don’t forget to look for those secret staircases!)
By the way, Boonsboro, Maryland is only an hour away, where you can visit Turn the Page bookstore and the Boonsboro Inn, both owned by author Nora Roberts.
Until next time,
Becki
The Lilac Code: The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series by Becki Willis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
First of all, I absolutely adore cozy mysteries. There is nothing better than curling up with a book that doesn’t have gratuitous violence, an abundance of profanity, or detailed bedroom scenes. And I am happy to report that there is nothing offensive in this book (an occasional “ass” and reference to male strippers and sex within the confines of marriage). In fact, I don’t believe I have read such a clean cozy in ages, and I found myself quite pleased by that. Additionally, there are a few references to God and church which is something I’m not used to in a cozy mystery. I found that a very nice touch.
While this was my first venture into this series, I didn’t feel too out of the loop because the author did an excellent job of “catching me up” on what had happened in previous books. I will say, however, that although I was delighted with the characters, I felt that I needed to go and read the other books in the series because I wanted to understand them. That is absolutely no reflection on the author; I would personally enjoy reading the books in order, and I recommend readers do that instead of jumping into book 7.
Although I genuinely enjoyed the mystery, I didn’t find myself as invested in the story as I sometimes am with cozy mysteries. There was no murder, but there was intrigue and danger. The book was a quick read, but I think I would have preferred a bit more detail and plot twists at times. That is honestly the only reason I gave the book a four-star rating. I do prefer more action in my mysteries, but for a cozy mystery, I would give this one a pretty strong recommendation.
In truth, my favorite thing about this book was the characters. They are well-developed, quirky, and fun. It certainly made me want to drop everything and discover the characters from the beginning.
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 4
and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November
of ’13, that dream became a reality. Since that time, she has
published eleven books, won first place honors for Best Mystery
Series, Best Suspense Fiction and Best Audio Book, and has introduced
her imaginary friends to readers around the world.
about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking,
unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel, but
believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best
part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas
Authors, the National Association of Professional Women, and the
Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University
and majored in Journalism.
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