Hello, I’m Johanna Hudson. I own Legacy Consultants along with my partner Ava Lowell. It’s a genealogy research enterprise and we find ourselves entwined in the lives of our clients’ as well as their ancestors.

Just yesterday, I found a note left behind by a Trinidad Owens, one of the cleaners in my building. Trinidad, a character in her own right, wanted me to meet with an Eloise Manley, who needs me to take her on as a client. The conditions of the meeting piqued my interest and I agreed.

Today, when Eloise and I met in her somewhat dilapidated mobile home, she delivered a compelling request. Eloise recently heard from a man who said he was hired to look for heirs to a large estate. He thought that Eloise may be the daughter and entitled to an inheritance. However, if her entitlement is validated, his employer wants a portion of Eloise’s share in exchange for providing the information about her father’s identity. Eloise never knew her birth father and she sees no reason to share with anyone.

Instead, Eloise asked me to go in search of her birth father’s identity. Trinidad had assured her that I would be cheaper than a private detective. She not only wants to identify and locate her wealthy birth father, but she has a four-year old daughter, Ruby, who she placed in a blind adoption at birth. Just as Eloise does not know the identity of her father, she has never made herself known to her daughter. The inheritance is for Ruby. Eloise, still doesn’t want Ruby to know that she is her mother, but she does want to give her the gift of wealth.

The story caught my heartstrings. I’m still getting over my own daughter’s death in a deadly car accident that also took my husband. I agreed to help.

Tonight, I’m back at home wondering what I’m walking into. The clock is ticking to discover the identify of Eloise’s father, and the location of Ruby. It’s also very clear that greed is strong motive that comes with its own rationalization for bad behavior–even for murder.

One other thing, I have a feeling I was followed home.

The Inheritance, A Johanna Hudson Mystery #1
Genre: Traditional
Release: April 2021
Purchase Link

Johanna Hudson thrives in the past — that is, the past lives of her clients’ ancestors. Johanna and her business partner own a genealogy firm that researches and prepares family trees.

Johanna is introduced to Eloise Manley who wants to give her daughter, Ruby, a healthy future that Eloise did not have. She placed infant Ruby up for blind adoption.

However, Eloise discovers that she is entitled to a large inheritance from a father she never knew. Eloise wants Johanna to finder her father and locate Ruby’s adopted family. Johanna agrees, and she ignores escalating threats to stop searching.

Johanna scrambles against the clock to find Ruby and pushes forward when it is clear that greed is a motive that comes with its own rationalization — even for murder.

About the Author
R. Franklin James’ career started as a political hack in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first book in her award-wining, five-star Hollis Morgan Mystery Series began with The Fallen Angels Book Club and ended with The Identity Thief. In 2020 the series was optioned for a feature length movie. She is the author of The Appraiser, in her The Remy Loh Bishop Mysteries. The Inheritance is the first book in her Johanna Hudson Mystery series. Book two is underway. James resides in northern California.

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