Queen's Ransom

Love can find you even when you're not looking for it ... so can danger! 

Salem, Massachusetts, 1955. Author Mark Nelson inherits his grandmother's fortune and her ancestral home, Stark House, which holds a dangerous family secret. Alone in the world, past losses make him fearful of risking another broken heart.

Talented plein air painter Liz Hansen moves in next door for the summer to paint at the seashore and put a failed engagement behind her. 

They start off as friends, spending pleasant days in nearby Marblehead, with Liz painting harbor views and Mark writing a novel. Unexpectedly, the two find themselves drawn to each other by their mutual creativity. Their relationship deepens after they make a startling discovery in Stark House. Now, romance is in the air, but so is danger. The discovery attracts the attention of a shadowy foe who launches a series of deadly events that threaten their lives and test their love and resilience.

A lonely writer and a talented artist find love amidst danger in this immersive novel set in 1955. Themes for L.E. Hatlen's heartwarming debut novel include the healing power of love, the transforming power of adversity, and found family.