Sinister Remnants

Tori Winters Mystery #4

by Anita Dickason

The Past Leaves Traces! Some Turn Deadly!

Ambushed during a press tour of the new Red Door Inn, Tori Winters is blindsided by an accusation that she doesn’t own the mansion.

The Metro reporter’s vicious rumor soon proves to be more than tabloid fodder. An attorney has the proof.

Ensnared in a ruthless legal battle, Tori’s desperate search for answers uncovers a chilling truth. Some things were never meant to be dug up. But someone had.

A remnant, long forgotten in the shadows of her inheritance, ignites a danger far deadlier than a courtroom fight.

One murder was only the beginning.

Who is the next victim?

Genres: Mystery

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 29, 2026

About the author

I write about what I know, cops and crime. After twenty-two years with the Dallas Police Department, I have an unending source of inspiration for my plots. Many incidents and characters are based on my experiences. My characters are what is truly fun about writing. I never know where they will take me. There is always something out of the ordinary in my stories.

Reviews

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I get to read books from amazing Texas authors, and the setting is in Texas. Bonus if it is close by and I can imagine the town.

This is the fourth in the series, and while it is best to read the first three before diving into this book, you could possibly get away with reading just the first one. But then you lose some of the background on the characters.

Tori is not willing to take an accusation lying down. There is someone claiming that she is not the rightful owner of the Inn she inherited. Is she or is there some validity to the claim? Tori and the gang are doing their best to uncover the truth, and sometimes that truth is found in dusty old boxes. There is something to be said for family history, and uncovering the tidbits here and there that bring life to the past.

I had some suspicions about a couple of characters early on, but I wasn't sure why. Perhaps they were just acting a bit too suspiciously. However, I didn't put the pieces together until the end when it was all revealed. There is the addition of few nefarious characters. And by nefarious, I mean icky! Not people you would want to be associated with in life. 

The book is action packed, and will keep you on your toes until the very end. There are some touching moments with David, Tori's love interest. There are also some harrowing times too. But that is the great thing about a mystery, nail-biting moments mixed in with tender ones. 

This is such a fun series, and I devoured the book quickly. So of course, I must give it 5 paws up.

Grab this series and enjoy the ride.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will a legal challenge to Tori’s ownership of the Leichter inheritance ruin all her dreams?

Sinister Remnants is the fourth book in author Anita Dickason’s charming, yet suspenseful Tori Winters Mystery series set in Granbury, Texas. In the final run up to the grand opening of the Red Door Inn, rumors questioning the validity of Tori’s ownership of the former Leichter mansion and property begin to circulate and when a Houston attorney approaches David Tucker with cryptic promises that an anonymous client has proof of the claim, Tori begins to wonder if her dream of turning her grandmother’s home into an elegant B&B will ever become a reality.

The plot kicks off at a brisk pace with the stunning accusation occurring in the very first chapter, and the tension builds steadily as each new legal maneuver hits and long-held secrets come to light, bringing with them a new danger. In between, readers learn a little more about the family and the past as the complex case unfolds.

Tori and her friends have been through so much renovating the house and getting the historic old home ready to serve as a weekend B&B and weekday meeting center and café, so the rumor that it all may have been for naught hits pretty hard. These are good, kind people with a lot of energy and enthusiasm for Tori’s dream, and you can’t help but want for them to succeed. Conversely, the author has created some new characters who, after only a brief introduction, you know are trouble. For example, attorney Mark Houghton and Metro News reporter Charlotte Polaski are the very pictures of smarm.

Tori, David, and the rest of the Red Door Inn characters have become a family, and having read the previous books, I almost feel as though they were part of mine, so it was no surprise how quickly and completely I was invested in the outcome of the story. However, while this is the fourth Tori Winters book, the author subtly provides enough highlights from the past that readers new to the series can easily read and enjoy this one as a standalone novel. But the earlier books are great fun and really are must-reads in and of themselves.

I recommend SINISTER REMNANTS to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy Texas-set stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason is the fourth book in the Tori Winters Mystery series. Anita uses her vast experience with law enforcement to deliver a complex mystery. As Tori Winters prepares for the grand opening of Red Door Inn, she learns of a rumor stating that she is not the true owner.

I love this group of ladies: Tori, Mia, Heidi, Tina, and Cammie are more than friends, they are family. I love their relationship and I am sure the Red Door Inn will be a success, until a remnant arises and threatens her ownership of the mansion. Of course, we have some wonderful men that stand beside them. At the moment, they are all single, but we shall see how long that lasts.

Tori and Mia play Sherlock and Watson, going off on their own investigations. They don't always use their best judgment and that can land them in some awkward, if not dangerous, situations.

I love the pretty cover for Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason. It foreshadows the mystery that lies between the pages. We do have plenty of villains that want to get their hands on the mansion. Murder and mayhem knock on the door. Anita writes a clean mystery, suitable for all ages. She follows her characters as they grow their life situations change. I look forward to spending more time with the ladies and their beaus. I am curious what kind of mystery Anita will come up with next.

My thanks for out to Great Escapes for the opportunity to share Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason with you.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

[M.K. Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly readable!

The Red Door Inn sounds like a place you’d want to visit, from its antiques- filled rooms to its cozy modern furnishings. Tori Winters and her team of friends are planning a grand opening that becomes at risk from a claim Tori doesn’t legally own the property.

What ensues is a complex legal battle for the Leicester Mansion, with the gloves off, as everyone swings into action to find the supporting documents Tori needs, just as accidents start happening, and murder occurs. Will Tori survivor to see her dream realized?

Realistic characters and relationships (and descriptions of great food!) keep this humming along. The complex plot builds tension to a startling climax. Highly readable that has this reader looking forward to the next installment.

[Melanie Wissel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A continuation of the Tori Winters series, much in the same vein as the first 3 books.

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinister Remnants is a cozy that reads like a warm hug wrapped in a cinnamon roll with a dash of danger mixed in.

I love getting to visit Tori Winters and her friends each time author Anita Dickason writes a book in this series. Each story feels like getting to visit friends.

This mystery had me turning pages to see what the crew was up to this time, and boy, were there some mouth-watering treats described. We're reunited with Tori, Cammie, Mia, Parker, and David as the main cast in this story, as the ownership of The Red Door Inn is called into question by a historical mystery that comes up just before the grand opening.

Sinister Remnants also had some deeper character insights that made me feel closer to the characters. Along with some vivid descriptions of The Red Door Inn that made it come to life before my eyes like I was right there in the room getting the tour Mia was leading:

The hallway runs from the foyer to the back of the mansion. On this side are the living room, music room, and dining room. Sliding doors connect each of these rooms, as well as a doorway into the hallway. On the other side is the library, the staircase to the second floor, and an office. At the back is another hallway connecting the kitchen and the downstairs bedroom.

I was also fascinated by the mystery surrounding the ownership of the mansion and genuinely enjoyed the twists and turns—never guessing the true culprit. There were several possibilities, and Anita Dickason was good at keeping them all as good prospects until the end unfolded.

Overall, I was not quite ready to leave my time in Granbury, but I'll be eagerly looking forward to my next trip there to see what else Tori Winters might be up to next.