The Heirloom Murders

As collections curator for Old World Wisconsin, Chloe Ellefson delights in losing herself in antiques and folk traditions—and forgetting her messy love life. But her peace is destroyed when her ex-boyfriend unexpectedly turns up, followed by a break-in at her friend Dellyn’s historic house—a potential treasure trove of priceless antiques. Was the intruder hunting for the missing Eagle Diamond, a legendary gemstone unearthed in 1876?

When a grisly murder takes place on the museum grounds, Chloe is further drawn into a mystery involving a rare variety of Swiss cheese, a nearly extinct heirloom flower . . . and plain, old-fashioned murderous greed.

The Heirloom Murders won the 2011 Anne Powers Fiction Prize from the Council for Wisconsin Writers.

Praise:

"Chloe is an appealing character, and Ernst's depiction of work at a living museum lends authenticity and a sense of place to the involving plot."—St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Greed, passion, skill, and luck all figure in this surprise-filled outing."—Publishers Weekly

"Entertainment and edification."—Mystery Scene

"Interesting, well-drawn characters and a complicated plot make this a very satisfying read." —The Mystery Reader