Promise Keeper; Maine Shore Chronicles
by Mary Fremont Schoenecker
Hardcover; 226 pages
Published October 21, 2011
by Five Star
ISBN: 1432825372
Book Source: Author
4 stars
Book Sumary From Amazon: The theft of a painting on loan to the Cornerstone Gallery and the disappearance of Suzanne Petrone, the owner of the painting, send gallery owner Paul Fontaine on a search for both. When the stolen painting turns up for sale in Sarasota, Florida, Paul travels there in the hope of unraveling Suzanne’s existence in that city and finding the truth about her connection to the painting. But the Sarasota CID detectives and the FBI Art Crime Team form a task force with other plans in mind. Conflict and turmoil builds as this engrossing tale unfolds to a startling climax.
Danielle’s Review: Paul Fontaine has been shot, and the woman he loves may be involved. Mary Freemont Schoenecker’s next edition in the Main Shore Chronicles features Paul and his quirky family trying to sort out their personal lives as illness and marriage plans overwhelm them all. Luckily for Paul, his Tante Margaret is able to harness her psychic abilities to help him face the truth as he journeys to Florida in search of a stolen painting.
Mary Freemont Schoenecker has created characters as comfortable as the company of old friends. Paul is as emotionally fragile as his ailing father back at home, as he must come to grips with whether or not his beloved Suzanne is involved in an art heist. He is underwhelmed by the officials investigating the case, but his passion for both truth and love carry him through. Along the way we meet a colorful, spry Floridian ensemble, ready to keep him comfortable until he is ready to return home again.
I did not read the first installments of this series, and I wish I had. The Maine shore and its accompanying culture and heritage make for a beautiful setting. The mysterious art world heist kept me fascinated as I got to know the extended Fontaine family. Sharing Paul’s crime solving journey was an enjoyable ride into the Keys and hurricane season.
PROMISE KEEPER is a cozy, relaxing read I can recommend, but only after picking up the first two in the series.
Danielle Thorne
Author Bio: After early retirement from State University of New York, I pursued free-lance writing. I wrote a column for a newspaper in Saratoga Springs, New York and feature articles for newspapers and regional magazines in Florida. My first book, a children’s novel was chosen by a small press for a History Project, part of a NEH grant proposal. The grant was not received and after many rejections the first “book of my heart” was put on a shelf. Undaunted, my dreams grew bigger. Our youngest son completed a genealogical search of his ancestors which inspired me to write a historical novel using those ancestors as characters. I felt pretty competent about research, but never did I anticipate it would take several years.
Meantime, I definitely needed help with the craft of writing adult fiction. I joined organizations, attended conferences, networked with authors and editors, joined a critique group and struggled with rejections― until finally it happened―a contract from a publisher !
I am a member of The Historical Novel Society, The Questers, chapter #1355, and The Friends of the Venice Library. Many thanks to Romance Writers of America, Tara Chapter, for the help I received as a new writer.
I write, read and enjoy life on the beach with husband Tom. Although I miss the Adirondack Mountains of my former New York State home, The Gulf of Mexico has inspired a whole new life of writing for me.
Danyelle L.
Great review, and good to know. 🙂 I often accidentally pick up the 2nd or 3rd book in the series first. For some series, it works out, but not for others.