Lowcountry Boneyard by Susan M. Boyer is the third book in the “Liz Talbot” mystery series. Publisher: Henery Press, April 2015

Where is Kent Heyward? The twenty-three-year-old heiress from one of Charleston’s oldest families vanished a month ago. When her father hires private investigator Liz Talbot, Liz suspects the most difficult part of her job will be convincing the patriarch his daughter tired of his overbearing nature and left town. That’s what the Charleston Police Department believes.

But behind the garden walls South of Broad, family secrets pop up like weeds in the azaleas. The neighbors recollect violent arguments between Kent and her parents. Eccentric twin uncles and a gaggle of cousins covet the family fortune. And the lingering spirit of a Civil-War-era debutante may know something if Colleen, Liz’s dead best friend, can get her to talk.

Liz juggles her case, the partner she’s in love with, and the family she adores. But the closer she gets to what has become of Kent, the closer Liz dances to her own grave.

Secrets abound in this telling tale of family dysfunction of which once you open a can of worms, you can’t go back and the resulting nature leads to the inevitable as Liz and Nate discover in this provocative drama that had my heart palpitating as I had to know how this will all end. From beginning to end, this book captured the soul of the chase and the triumph of justice’s reign. Liz is the gutsy heroine who leads this drama and with guidance from an angel, we see her strengths and determination in all that she does. This brilliantly executed and well defined mystery left me mesmerized by all things Southern in one fell swoop. Boasting a superb cast of characters, engaging conversations, a feel good atmosphere and all-around entertaining whodunit, this is the best book yet in this wonderfully charming series.