Celine is a savvy, cultured, sixty-nine year-old private investigator and sculptor battling emphysema. Gabriela hires Celine to investigate her father’s death. Paul Lamont, Gabriela’s father, is a famous National Geographic photographer. Lamont’s frequent travels to South America cause friends to joke he is a spy. After Gabriela finds a passport with a different name, she is certain her father was not killed in a bear attack at Yellowstone National Park.
Celine and her quiet, yet always-on-top of things husband, Pete, set out to Yellowstone to travel Lamont’s path. As a champion of lost causes and reuniting families, Celine dives in to unravel this mystery. Of course, the first stop on any case is a trip to the public library.
Part mystery, part character study, Celine is thrilling and engaging. With her blue blood lineage, Celine turns convention on its head. Celine is tough and well-trained. Adding to her mysterious past, Celine may have a secret child from her days at boarding school. Intrigue and tight pacing make for a delightful read. Perfect descriptions of nature abound in all of Heller’s work, but Celine goes above and beyond. Hopefully, this is the first of many adventures with Celine.