The Body in the Birches: A Faith Fairchild Mystery

At home on Sanpere Island, Maine, caterer and amateur sleuth Faith Fairchild discovers that real estate can be murder, especially when it’s all in the family, in this twenty-second book in the popular mystery series.

The Fourth of July is one of the hottest on record and even the breeze off Penobscot Bay can’t seem to cool things down for Faith Fairchild and the rest of the folks on Sanpere Island. But the fireworks are just beginning. After the celebrations are over, Faith discovers a body in the woods near The Birches, an early twentieth-century “cottage.”

The body is identified as The Birches’ housekeeper, who seems to have succumbed to a heart attack. The death is only one of the dramatic events upending the historic house. A family gathering has been called to decide who will inherit the much loved, and very valuable, estate that has been in the Proctor family for generations. With this much money involved, it’s just a matter of time before trouble arises.

Faith is juggling her own family problems. Her teenage son, Ben, has started a new job as a dishwasher at The Laughing Gull Lodge—learning things that could land him in very hot water. And her daughter Amy is worried about her new friend, Daisy Proctor. Daisy is terrified—convinced that someone is trying to eliminate her mother from getting a share of The Birches. To protect her children, Faith has to find a possible murderer—before he strikes too close to her own home.

In the twenty-second book in Page's popular mystery series, amateur sleuth and caterer Faith Fairchild discovers that real estate can be murder, especially when it's all in the family.

The Fourth of July is one of the hottest on record and even the breeze off Penobscot Bay in Maine can't seem to cool things down for Faith and the rest of the folks on Sanpere Island. But the fireworks are just beginning. After the celebrations are over, Faith discovers a body in the woods near The Birches, an early twentieth-century cottage.

The body is identified as The Birches' housekeeper, who seems to have succumbed to a heart attack. The death is only one of the dramatic events upending the historic house as the Proctor family gathers to learn who will inherit the much loved, and very valuable, estate. With this much money involved, it's just a matter of time before trouble arises.

Another death occurs—and this time it is murder. Faith races to uncover a killer, one that is much too close to home!

“Enticing recipes at the back of the book and cooking tips sprinkled throughtou...The crime is solved satisfactorily...[but] let’s be honest: most of us came for the food.” - New York Times Book Review

“Delightful...Hungry readers will rush to the kitchen.” - Publishers Weekly

“Katherine Hall Page is my favorite writer of the traditional mystery.” - Harlan Coben

Praise for the Faith Fairchild series: “Enticing recipes at the back of the book and cooking tips sprinkled throughtou...The crime is solved satisfactorily...[but] let’s be honest: most of us came for the food.” - New York Times Book Review

“Fans of this long-running series will enjoy the glimpse into Faith’s rich life, reported with flowing narration, as well as the five picnic-friendly recipes. - Booklist

“Once again Page has delivered an engrossing, finely crafted story about the intrusion of violence in the lives of good people....Page juggles a very well-constructed mystery with smart and sensitive family drama that never gets in the way of the suspense.” - Connecticut Post