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When fifteen-year-old Grace Branduff finds an old man dying on her doorstep, she can’t understand his last words, and is mystified by the beautiful gift he leaves behind. When his death sets off a chain of events that drastically changes the course of Grace’s life, she must rely on her instincts and intuition to discover whom she can trust and where she belongs.

Haunted by the time-worn love letter the old man carried across an ocean, Police Chief Scott Gordon is determined to unravel the man’s mysterious past and find out why he came to Rose Hill. The few clues he does have quickly lead him into conflict with the town’s wealthiest misanthrope, the cranky, eccentric Mamie Rodefeffer. She seems unusually interested in the beautiful gift, and suspiciously reluctant to reveal what she knows about the man who delivered it.

Although Scott is back in Maggie Fitzpatrick’s life, it’s uncertain how long their amorous truce will last. No one is more surprised than Maggie when maternal feelings she didn’t know she had lead her to view Scott in a brand new light.

It’s May in Rose Hill, and the first signs of spring are appearing, along with the consequences of difficult choices made long ago.

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2012

241 people are currently reading
181 people want to read

About the author

Pamela Grandstaff

30 books61 followers
Pamela Grandstaff lives in West Virginia. She writes the Rose Hill Mystery Series and books for children. All books are available in paperback and as E-books.

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5 stars
205 (53%)
4 stars
120 (31%)
3 stars
52 (13%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
23 reviews
June 13, 2018
New Beginings

In the fifth book of the Rose Hill Mysteries we are introduced to some new high school age characters. We see the uncertain, sometimes nice, sometimes mean interactions of both children and adults. The story revolves around the deaths of two elderly men, a new fortune found and lost fortunes resulting in greed, loss, new found plutonic love, and old romance advancing. It was hard to set the book down—even to sleep.
Profile Image for Diane Wachter.
2,392 reviews10 followers
June 4, 2017
Not a murder mystery, as apparently the other books in the series are. When a mysterious foreign stranger dies on the porch of the meanest old man in town, who happens to be the grouchy, neglectful, abusive grandfather of Grace, a 15-year old, about-to-be orphan in this coming of age story of good and bad townspeople, and mother's everywhere.
Profile Image for heather steigler.
84 reviews
January 26, 2018
Full of Grace

Well, I had to think long and hard about that one, but what she meant was that if I spent all my time worrying about what other people thought of me I would never be happy
Truer words have been spoken but not enough.
A very heartfelt story about love and friendship . Grace learns about love. Recommend this story highly. Can't wait to keep reading the series.
182 reviews7 followers
March 17, 2018
This book is about family, good and bad. It's also about good people who aren't family.

I have enjoyed this series of books. The small town has good people and bad, politics and plotting, and all the other elements of small town living. I feel like I am visiting with friends, hissing at enemies and having a good time. People matter and the author gets this.
Profile Image for Pauline F Cornelius.
79 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2020
Heartwarming

This book could be about you, me or our next door neighbor. Grace is a sweet girl, coming of age, with the world's weight on her skinny shoulders. Life makes her grow up fast and push through pain and fear to do what is right, and find herself.
Truly a triumphant, uplifting story.
291 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2017
This was the first of this series that I read. It was a very well written story! It's about a 15 year old girl and her trials in life. A mysterious stranger dies on her front porch and the folk in Rose Hill try to find out his identity. Loved it!!
Profile Image for Sharon.
737 reviews
June 15, 2017
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I love the story of Grace and wanted to read more about her. I thought Grace would be in the next book in the series. I couldn't find her. This was a wonderful read!
Profile Image for Susan.
7,244 reviews69 followers
October 3, 2018
An old man is found by fifteen-year-old Grace Branduff dying on her family home's front porch but she doesn't understand what he is saying. But how will an investigation to trace his family impact on Grace and her family.
An enjoyable well-written cozy mystery, more of a character driven story.
7,755 reviews49 followers
March 6, 2019
A young girl Grace, finding an older man dying on her doorstep. Leaving her a gift and a mystery. A letter that he had carried across the ocean. A life that now changes for her. Scott an Maggie together again for how long.
Good story this was more of the youth with .Grace.
Profile Image for Trish.
2,819 reviews41 followers
April 26, 2023
This was a bit of an oddity in the series, as it was more about the people of Rose Hill, and there wasn't an actual murder - although the identification of the person who died of natural causes at the start was key to the whole. It made a nice change.
576 reviews6 followers
October 22, 2023
Enjoyable

This novel kept me reading. Grace had not had it easy with her vicious grandfather. Cold water, not much food, horrible accusations, but she tried. Her good school marks spoke of her character. All of a sudden her life changed. Read it!
4,374 reviews28 followers
May 30, 2017
Good

this book is a great read and these books are so enjoyable the women in this book all come to getter to get things done
Profile Image for Natalie Bachiri.
95 reviews4 followers
July 7, 2017
This book pulled me in and I wanted to be there for Grace. She is a very strong character and was lucky to have friends come together to help save her. Wonderful story with depth.
994 reviews5 followers
June 28, 2018
Entertaining

Interesting small town dramas... Main characters in mid to early forties. Not fast paced but enjoyable with humor built in.
Profile Image for Sandra Olson.
Author 26 books29 followers
May 3, 2019
Loved it

I so wanted to help Grace in the first part of this book! So glad it ended well. Great characters and setting.
Profile Image for Kitten  Peters.
1,017 reviews5 followers
May 15, 2019
Great

This book pulls in your heartstrings. We meet Grace and all her young troubles. We also see how the town wraps their arms around Grace. Great little quick read series.
Profile Image for Melinda .
84 reviews
June 19, 2019
I love this series. Maggie and Hannah are my favorite characters. I wish I could visit Rose Hill.
Profile Image for Sandra.
1,015 reviews9 followers
August 29, 2019
I can’t put my finger on why I look forward to reading each book in this series. Maybe it is partly due to wanting to be a part of the big, messy Fitzpatrick family.
Profile Image for Kay (Brigidsmomma) Compton.
765 reviews28 followers
November 9, 2015
This one is the first in the series where the Fitzpatricks are not the absolute center of the story. This one is about Grace, the neglected and abused granddaughter of one of the meanest men in Rose Hill. When he dies suddenly from a heart attack while berating and threatening his granddaughter, she is suddenly an orphan who the entire town wants to take under their wing. Except that she is also the great-granddaughter of Mamie Rodefeffer, a completely despicable and miserly woman who only wants the child for the Trust her own father laid upon her son (the child's grandfather) which he never accepted or acknowledged during his lifetime. Now worth millions, the Rodefeffers want to get their greedy paws on the money to refill their depleting coffers and think the girl will be an easy mark. With the help of some pretty influential Fitzpatricks, and a few others, watch how Grace copes with all she's been handed. Oh yeah, and Scott and Maggie finally agree to marry...
Profile Image for Carlin.
1,757 reviews18 followers
Read
November 14, 2015
Love the Rosehill books. This one was less about the Fitzpatrick cousins, centering on Grace, a 15 year old orphan. There was no murder in this book but it began with a stranger dying of a heart attack on the steps of the home Grace shared with her abusive and neglectful grandfather. The author said this was a book about mothers, and where one can find mothering in the absence of a "real" one. It was a charming story about a resilient young woman and how the good people in town rallied around her.
Profile Image for Debbie.
373 reviews8 followers
March 13, 2016
Three and a half stars.
Another decent offering in the Rose Hill mystery series. New characters, new drama, lots of action with old favourites.
Mamie Rodefeffer is no longer my favourite Rose Hill resident. She was much less funny and more of a pill in this book. Three year old Sammy Campbell has offically taken over as my favourite; his antics are hilarious. I thought his character was a little contrived in the last book, almost TOO much, but I literally laughed out loud at his naming of the baby moles in this one, among other things.
Profile Image for Judy.
3,374 reviews30 followers
June 2, 2016
Although this series is usually a mystery series, this one doesn´t have a murder, although a mysterious stranger does have a heart attack and die on the doorstep of the latest character in this series, Grace, a 15 year old who becomes an orphan soon afterwards. The usual cast of characters is eager to help her, and the usual villains are eager to take advantage of her. As usually, it´s the people that makes this series enjoyable, so I liked this one as always. There are still typos (roll for role), but I´m just trying to ignore them.
28 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2015
No murder, still a mystery

When a stranger comes to town and dies on poor Grace's front steps, it puts in motion everything she needs to find a loving and supportive family, and cleans up some of the corruption that has been plaguing this small town.
Profile Image for Michele bookloverforever.
8,336 reviews39 followers
April 1, 2015
death, poor orphans, child neglect, greed, corruption, meanness, cruelty, vanity, false pride....huge soap opera. good story, great characters
1,444 reviews11 followers
May 31, 2015
Heartwarming

Very good the list of characters are getting better and better. The plot gets bigger and better. Good always win.
Profile Image for Lynda.
533 reviews8 followers
July 9, 2017
Such a heartwarming story about the mothers' instinct.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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