Cause and Conscience

by Mara Purl

EVVY Award - Fiction - Gold. Like a magnet, the unfinished Clarke mansion overlooking the Cove draws Deputy Delmar Johnson, battered wife Stacey Chernak, rebellious environmentalist Susan Winslow and missing reporter Chris Christian-- whose diary comes to light. And while wildlife painter Miranda Jones escapes to an entirely new adventure in Alaska, Zack Calvin tries to recover from his brush with death and sinks deeper into a tangled romance with Cynthia Radcliffe. Sally O Mally s conscience tells her to confess an ancient sin to her old love, disabled veteran Tony Fiorentino, Zelda proves she has no conscience at all, and the deep issues of higher purpose are tackled in the private journal of Samantha Hugo.

489 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Why do we read? Because reading throws open a window into new realms of possibility...windows that become doors as we walk through them.
The world I've created is "Milford-Haven" -- a small coastal town on California's somewhat undiscovered Central Coast. It's a town of both small town simplicities and global complexities. But it's also a town of infinite possibilities...YOUR possibilities. It's a place to discover the next chapter of your life.
I thought I was writing fiction...but it turns out I'm writing women's fiction. Men are included in my stories every step of the way, but we see situations mostly from the perspective of the women in the story. Are these women like you? Or like some of the folks you know? Join the conversation and find out!