TouchWood Editions is proud to introduce the first female sleuth in our selection of mystery novels. Author Gwendolyn Southin uniquely blends the charm of gumshoe techniques with the fresh perspective of a developing female detective. The Margaret Spencer Mysteries offer action and suspense, with a human subtext.

At age fifty, Margaret Spencer's empty nest and empty marriage prompt her to answer an ad for part-time office work at the office of private investigator Nat Southby. Suddenly, she is deep in the most unlikely of adventures for a woman in 1950s Vancouver, helping him with a case of missing young women involved in a shady business ring. Maggie finds unexpected freedom as a developing detective and along the way she uncovers evil in the quaintly urban setting.

Gwendolyn Southin is the author of four previous Margaret Spencer Mysteries—Death in a Family Way, In the Shadow of Death, Death on a Short Leash, and Death as a Last Resort. Long involved in writers' circles and writing workshops, she also helped organize various book festivals in her community. Born in England, and having lived in Montreal, Gwen now enjoys the temperate Sunshine Coast and has made her home in Sechelt, BC. Please visit www.quintessentialwriters.com/southin.html.

Gwendolyn Southin's profile page

The flow is smooth, the action well-paced. —Quill & Quire