Song of the Bones

Part of the Chantalene Mysteries series:

Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Thelma Patterson, local postmistress and Chantalene's surrogate aunt, retains Drew Sander's legal services to declare her long-missing husband legally dead. An oil company wants to lease her land for exploration, and she needs to clear the title. But when Drew makes inquiries into the disappearance of Billy Ray Patterson, Billy Ray shows up back in Tetumka—and moves in with Thelma.

The townsfolk remember Billy Ray and find the situation amusing. Except for Thelma, that is, who swears to Chantalene that this man is not her missing husband. Thelma’s afraid to confront him and begs Chantalene for help.

Chantalene is the only one who believes her. To convince Drew—and the law—that the man in Thelma's house is an impostor, they must find out what happened to the real Billy Ray.

Chantalene follows a cold trail to New Mexico where she finds evidence that the man is indeed Billy Ray Patterson—which means the man Thelma married years ago was somebody else. But who? And why? Then things turn sinister. A dark pick-up runs her off the road at night, and the evidence disappears. Billy Ray turns up dead. Thelma is accused of his murder.

In searching out the truth, Chantalene uncovers a bogus oil company, the high-stakes scam of an Indian-owned casino, and a mafia-style family who wants her silenced, permanently.

Published: May 30, 2023

Publisher: Rogue River

Genres:

Mystery

Tags:

mystery books

About the Author

Marcia Preston

Marcia Preston writes mysteries and women’s literary fiction. Her second mystery, Song of the Bones, won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for suspense fiction and the Oklahoma Book Award. She lives beside a creek in central Oklahoma, where she feeds the birds and dodges tornadoes. Ohghma Creative Media is excited to publish Marcia's Chantalene Mystery Series beginning with Perhaps She'll Die.

Other Books By Marcia Preston

Series: Chantalene Mysteries

Perhaps She'll Die

Song of the Bones

Speaking to the Unseen

Picture This

Sometimes the real story begins in life’s second half.
Ani Stevenson has spent her life lifting others—always steady, always kind—but quietly wondering if she also deserves a hand to hold.
Jesse Peterson has known loss and struggle too. Years of addiction and a broken engagement left him wary of life and love, but now, clean and determined, he’s ready to discover what the world might have to offer.
A decades-old photograph, captured in a fleeting moment neither remembers, suggests a connection they can’t explain. One that refuses to fade.
When their paths cross again, past meets present, and old questions rise alongside new possibilities. Ani and Jesse are about to discover love can arrive later than expected but is more than worth the wait.
From critically-acclaimed author Lee Barber, Picture This is a tender, uplifting story about love that waits, second chances, and the quiet courage it takes to let someone truly see you.

Truthtaker

In a world built on lies, only the truth can break you.
In 1810, the Atlantia vanished from the Atlantic Ocean only to reappear, trapped in a frozen inland sea beneath endless ice and pale skies.
Three hundred years later, the ship’s descendants have built a glittering matriarchy sustained by a strange new magic—one that grants women power and drives men to madness. In New London, tension thrums between those who revere the memory of England and those who would see it buried in snow.
Lillia Pennyworth, a Truthtaker gifted with the power to unearth secrets, lives on the edge of both worlds—useful, feared, and utterly alone. When the Lady Regent summons her to a distant frontier town to conduct an unorthodox trial, Lillia doesn’t know what to expect. She certainly didn’t foresee fleeing through the snowy woods with unlikely companions—a creature born of her own making in relentless pursuit. Nor did she believe she would do so with a man whose very gaze reveals the truth she’s buried deep inside.
As forbidden truths come to light, she must decide what—and who—she’s willing to risk for the fragile warmth of love.

Romancing Rivals

The biggest catch is often the one you aren’t chasing.
Brie Babcock has spent her life on the water, running Maiden’s Bay’s longest-standing whale watching tours. Protecting the orcas and sharing their world with others is more than her job—it’s her calling. But with dwindling customers and rising costs, her beloved business is barely staying afloat.
Then, Aiden Parker lands. Literally.
Known for his high-end helicopter tours from Canada to Seattle, Aiden sees Maiden’s Bay as his next big venture. His flashy arrival stirs up more than the local gossip—it sends shockwaves through Brie’s tranquil waters. His tours promise luxury and excitement. Hers promise harmony and respect. And neither of them is willing to back down.
As competition turns into sparks, Brie and Aiden find themselves caught between pride and attraction. His charm disarms her, her passion unnerves him, and the line between rivals and something more begins to blur. But when protecting the bay means risking their growing connection, both must decide what—and who—they’re willing to fight for.
Set against the stunning coastal beauty of Maiden’s Bay, Romancing Rivals is a heartwarming story of ambition, empathy, and the unpredictable tides of love.

Roan & Weatherford