Stephen E. Stanley

When an opportunity to lead a project in Forest Park, Maine presents itself, anthropology professor Luke Littlefield jumps at the chance to spend a summer in Maine. Gathering together his team of anthropologists, he explains that they are to determine if a set of remains are, in fact, the remains of Civil War hero General Jebediah Dowd. When a prominent biographer who was working on a biography of General Dowd and the president of the local historical society are both murdered, it becomes clear that someone doesn't want the past investigated. While working on the project, Luke gets a major upgrade in his personal life.

It's the spring of 1943 and the war continues with losses outweighing the gains in both Europe and the Pacific. At home the war touches everyone. There are coal miner strikes, food rationing, government censorship and even spies. The Reverend James Dunn, pastor of West Parish Universalist Church in Portland, Maine, faces the challenges of the war head on, though it often tests his faith. James is drawn into a police investigation when a member of his congregations appears to have committed suicide. When a horrific tragedy happens in town, Jack must deal with the aftermath of such a shocking event. As the war drags on, James gathers together his friends and family and urges everyone to carry on.

Anthropology professor Luke Littlefield has the unfortunate luck to witness a situation that later turns out to be a murder. As a witness, Luke finds himself involved with the investigation when he is deputized by Mary Brooks, the medical examiner. Luke's personal life takes on a new twist when Scottish action hero Ian Stoddard appears back in Hollywood. As the murder investigation progresses, Luke is introduced to homicide detective Paul Johnson. When Paul teams up with Luke, it's not clear what exactly Paul is looking for. And when a mummified corpse turns up in Ian's home, a new mystery presents itself. Back in Luke's graduate class, the students are eager to take on the case study of a cold case from 1950. It soon begins to be clear that all three cases have something in common. As Luke navigates through the various twists and turns of the investigation, something unexpected is revealed about his friend, the octogenarian Norma Jean Baker.

It's the late 1930s as the depression is ending the war in Europe is building. "Restoration" agent Jeremy Dance must investigate the death of his former classmate. What at first appears to be an accidental drowning turns out to be a cold blooded murder. There are too few clues and too few suspects and it's up to Jeremy to sort out motive and opportunity. The motive may or may not be related to a sordid blackmail plot involving explicit photographs. As often happens to Jeremy, two other cases present themselves, and amid the worst hurricane to hit New England one member of his household goes missing.