By Whose Hand

by Sandra Carey Cody

When Preston Barrons hands Jennie Connors the key to Barrons Bank and Trust Company and asks her to pay a 2 a.m. visit, her instinct screams 'give them back!' But how can she, when her paycheck depends on finding out who made an unauthorized transfer? Money from a recent fundraiser has ended up in the account of Webster Barrons, and the family is hoping Jennie can clear their son's name. Instead of answers, Jennie finds the body of Preston's right hand man. She goes looking for the security guard, but he finds her first and assumes she's trying to sneak out. It seems the only way to extricate herself from bank politics is to find the killer. Assisting Jennie are Riverview Manor's lively and opinionated residents, especially Tess, whose FBI background gives her a unique insight, and Nate, who offers his own tilted perspective, gained from a long and not-so-carefully-lived life.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I grew up in the Midwest (the St. Louis area), surrounded by a family who loved stories, whether from a book or told on the back porch. I've lived in various cities in different parts of the country, but wherever I've gone, books have been the bridge to new worlds and new friends.

I write the Jennie Connors/Riverview Manor mystery series: PUT OUT THE LIGHT, CONSIDER THE LILLY, BY WHOSE HAND, LEFT AT OZ, and LETHAL JOURNAL. These books are set in a retirement community where the residents are whip-smart, lively, and just bored enough to welcome the chance to help Activities Director Jennie Connors solve the occasional murder.

LOVE AND NOT DESTROY is a mystery set in a small town, so picture-perfect, you'd swear it was designed by Walt Disney. How could a murder happen here? FINDING PEACE, a short story, began life as a prelude to this novel. It is free on Smashwords and is downloadable on any computer. AN UNCERTAIN PATH is book #2 in the Peace Morrow novels. Not a "whodunit", but a whydunit and a "will she get away with it?".

A PERFECT WEDDING and BEYOND THE FAIRY LIGHT are short story collections about the complex relationships within families - probably not too different from yours. MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY is a short romance, a change of pace for me.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good mystery. Once I started it, I had to find out what would happen.
Enjoyable characters, a story that pulls you along to see what will happen next, a satisfying ending.
Parts of this story take place at a retirement home, and it's fun to meet the people who live there.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page-turner! Jenny Connors has a "knack for thinking outside the box," a skill that's come in handy in the past. This time around the employee at a retirement home is called in by her boss when money meant to benefit the home has been stolen and discovered in the boss's son's account. Leda knows her son is innocent and wants Jenny's help to prove it and find the true culprit. Filled with lots of suspects, some unusual twists, and a host of charming characters, By Whose Hand is a great cozy mystery.