I received a copy of Skeltons Among Us by Lois D. Brown in exchange for an honest review.
Note: the review contains spoiler!
The backstory give in the first book of the Legends of Treasures series, Robbed of Soul, will make some of the situations in this book easier to understand.
Rod and Maria are off to spend some time with Rod's buddies from law school hiking in the Superstitious Mountains. Before they leave Kanab, Maria has to rescue a boy trapped during a free climb. On the way down, she sees a ghost, not one of hers, but a ghost none the less.
During dinner before the hike, Rod swears he sees his ex-wife outside the restaurant. The ex-wife who disappeared 6 years previously and Rod finally divorced. When he shows Maria a picture of Dakota on his phone, Maria informs him it was the ghost she saw the previous day.
Then comes the hike that changes everything. Now that Rod knows his ex-wife is dead, he sees his life in a different light and is ready to make sure Maria is part of it. But nothing is ever as easy as it seems. The ghost appears breaking the mood, the on the hike out, a headless skeleton is discovered. What appears to be the headless skeleton of Rod's ex-wife, Dakota. They find her driver's license, her wedding ring, and her journals detailing her fear of Rod and his uncontrollable temper. Once the authorities have been notified, Rod is arrested for Dakota's murder. Maria is in shock as much as Rod is. She had finally started to trust Rod, and his arrest appears to her as a complete lack of judgement on her part. But it is his slipping into insanity that scares her even more. From personal experience, Maria knows how and what causes neuroses and she knows Rod shouldn't be acting that way. In a race against time, Maria and her best friend Beth fight to find out what happened to Rod and who framed him for murder.
Was it one of Rod's law school buddies? They all seem to have a reason of some kind. Their characters are so well developed, it is easy to understand why Maria doesn't trust any of them. And the story line is wonderfully created slowly weaving Rod and Maria together, apart, then back together. In the first book, Rod helped Maria face her demons, now she will help him face his. The ending was beautiful!
You'll have to read this thrilling book to find out who did it and why!