Showing results by author "Loretta Jackson" in All Categories

Loretta hosts California Dreaming - the podcast that is half California-related, an eighth dreams, a quarter random facts, and a splash of whatever else I want to talk about. No subject is off limits. MONDAYS AT 6:30PM Pacific Time (Los Angeles, CA). Email: themoodyredhead@yahoo.com Instagram: @themoodyredhead TikTok: @themoodyredhead Goodreads: Loretta, theMoodyRedhead Sources, contact info, and episode outline are in the show notes Deuces to your cabooses!

Sheriff Jeff McQuede is called in to investigate the death of Evan Spence, multi-millionaire and owner of Spirit Lake Resort, recently found dead when his boat crashed into rocks. Instead of leaving his vast fortune to his son, Oliver, Spence has formed a trust which includes seven members. Spirit Lake has long been rumored to be the home of a mysterious lake serpent fondly called Jessie, which is similar to Scotland’s infamous Loch Ness Monster.

Late at night, Sheriff Jeff McQuede is awakened by a frantic pounding on his door. Arden Reed, his rival for Loris Conner, pleads for his help in finding Loris, who has been kidnapped. Reed claims she possesses a metal cross that will lead to a Spanish cave filled with history-changing artifacts.

When Ardis is sent to South Dakota to handle a bequest of pioneer and Sioux artifacts left to the University of Chicago by wealthy private collector Anthony LaMoine, she gets a load of trouble that she hadn’t expected - a stolen ruby, a friend’s missing son, and a skeleton in the cellar! Ardis learns that Anthony had an adopted son. For reasons unknown to Ardis, his son ran away from home during his teenage years. “Find the son,” the housekeeper tells her, “and you’ll find the thief.”

This is book #1 in the new Ardis Cole mystery series. Ardis is an archaeologist (a female Indiana Jones), and in this adventure she travels to Egypt to help excavate a minor tomb of ancient origin recently discovered by her mentor, Jane Darvin. When Jane is murdered, Ardis must assume responsibility for the project.