The Gold Standard

Title: THE GOLD STANDARD
Author: Lisa J. Lickel
Publisher: Heartsong Presents Mysteries
2009
ISBN: 978-1-59789-525-5
Genre: Inspirational/cozy mystery

School teacher, Judy Winters, is stunned when her young and healthy Aunt Louise is found dead on the family farm. The dead is suspicious to the local sheriff, and to Judy, so Judy decides to move out to the farm to investigate her aunt’s death. There she meets some interesting neighbors. Hart Wingate, who claims to have made an agreement with the aunt for cattle; Red, who claims that Louise owes him 40 acres, among several others. Then Judy learns that her boyfriend, Graham, has been secretly visiting Louise.

The farm is willed to Judy, with the condition that she live on it and farm for the next three years. If she doesn’t meet the conditions of the will, the farm will go to some mysterious organization. But Judy’s lawyer insists that there are ways around this will and he’s strongly advising Judy to put the farm on the market and get out of town.

Why is the lawyer insisting the farm be sold? Why has Graham been visiting Judy’s Aunt? Who killed Louise, and why? And is there truth to the rumor that gold is hidden on the property?

THE GOLD STANDARD is an adorably written mystery which is fun and serious at the same time. Judy is a loveable heroine, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with some of the other characters. I’m sorry to hear that the mystery line is discontinued, because I would have liked to have read the other two books in this series.

THE GOLD STANDARD is very well written, and engaging. I read the entire book through in a day. I wanted to see if there really was a treasure—not to mention what happened to the aunt. And the possibility of a new romance… $6.95. 251 pages.