Dead Man's Bones

Susan Wittig Albert's exciting mysteries have been praised as "unique" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) and "fascinating" (Booklist). Now, a dead man's bones are uncovered-and Texas ex-lawyer and herbalist China Bayles must dig into a pair of murders separated by time but connected by motive. When China's teenage son finds some skeletal remains during a local cave dig-remains that show a not-so-accidental death-it's a disturbing development.
But China doesn't let it distract her from the opening of the new community theater donated by the elderly Obermann sisters. Unfortunately, the haughty, bullying Jane Obermann-and her frail, frightened younger sister-made the donation with a condition: that the first production be a play written by Jane about their aristocratic family history. The premiere party ends with a bang when a ne'er-do-well local handyman is shot dead by Jane while breaking into the Obermann estate.
It seems like a clear-cut case of self-defense. But China senses something else going on behind the scenes. Now, the key to catching a killer might be the mysterious bones in the cave-a clue from the past that could help China solve a mystery in the present.