The Stranger in the Opera House

Emma Winberry, The Accidental Sleuth, returns for another adventure in The Stranger in the Opera House. This time she and her significant other, Nate Sandler, are supernumeraries at the Midwest Opera for an upcoming production of  The Ghosts of Versailles. This title turns prophetic when the lead soprano screams that there is a strange man lurking in her dressing room. Although a police search turns up no evidence that anyone was there, the cast and crew are left on edge. And nerves become more frayed as the ‘stranger’ is seem againand again but never caught despite numerous attempts to apprehend him. Emma’s sixth sense tells her he may be more than he seems. The rehearsals continue to be fraught with mishaps. When a large sum of money is stolen from the office and a guard seriously injured, everyone assumes it is the work of the mysterious ‘stranger.’ Everyone except Emma.

After finding an old trunk in a storeroom in the basement with documents dating back to the Underground Railroad, someone assaults the librarian in an attempt to steal them. The ‘stranger’ is again blamed, but Emma becomes convinced the apparition is a lost soul trapped between two worlds. Her Guardian Angel tells her she must help him cross over. But how?

Adding to the mystery is a figure in black secretly leaving packages in a hidden niche. Can Emma solve this puzzle and release the ‘stranger’ at the same time?

Determined to uncover the truth, Emma and friends are led on a life-threatening adventure that could very well be their last.

Praise for Stanger in the Opera House:

"Emma and Nate’s second case (The Accidental Sleuth 2007) is quietly enjoyable entertainment for cozy fans."
—Kirkus Review

"A mysterious Presence is plaguing the rehearsals of the Midwest Opera Company in Chicago. The Lakeshore Center for the Performing Arts may have been built over an old Underground Railway Station. Backstage ghosts and artistic temperaments! What fun!"
—Barbara D’Amato
Chicago author of Deaths of a Thousand Cuts

"Nothing beats a night at the opera or a good mystery story. The Stranger in the Opera House by Helen Osterman gives you both. Follow the politely persistent Emma Winberry as she delves into the backstage intricacies and dark corners of the Midwest Opera Company and you’ll be treated to as good a behind-the-scenes look at opera as you’ll get. Just like a good opera, The Stranger in the Opera House is full of surprises and peopled with compelling characters. Brava Helen Osterman!"
—Jack Zimmerman
Author of Gods of the Andes and Subscriber Relations Manager, Lyric Opera of Chicago

"Emma Winberry is Miss Marple reincarnated … this time as a with-it woman with a Chicago condo rather than a cottage in St. Mary Mead. Her curmudgeonly significant other, Nate Sandler, is a perfect sleuthing partner."
—Diana Vickery, Cozy Library

Read an excerpt from The Stranger in the Opera House

The Stranger in the Opera House (ISBN 978-1-59414-816-3)
Five Star/Gale Publishing
www.gale.com/fivestar

The Accidental Sleuth

Sixty-something Emma Winberry gets through life’s ups and downs by depending on her sixth sense, the patience of her significant other, Nate Sandler, and assistance from her Guardian Angel to keep her out of trouble. Most of the time.

When she leaves her old house in suburban Chicago and moves to a posh condo on the lakefront, she discovers that even her angelic protector might be a bit overmatched. Emma finds herself mixed up with a self-abusing, anorexic teenage neighbor, the girl’s cruel uncle, a couple of tough hoodlums who think Emma has something they need, and a cadre of mysterious homeless people.

With the help of Nate, an old friend, and her celestial back-up, Emma begins to figure things out. She knows the trouble is somehow tied in with the report of an inventor murdered in an alley.

But can even her Guardian Angel keep her out of harm’s way as the complex puzzle unravels to an exciting climax involving treachery, deceit, and murder?

Praise for The Accidental Sleuth:

“The Accidental Sleuth is pure delight. Emma Winberry and her significant other, Nate, tiptoe on the edge of the dark side in this one, tangling with some bad crooks, troubled teens, and homeless allies. It’s a cozy that even a tough guy like me can enjoy.”
          — Michael Black, author of A Final Judgment

“Helen Osterman presents an authentic picture of the art of filmmaking as she weaves it into her clever mystery. Her eye for detail and fresh take on the city of Chicago gives one a sense of actually being there. The reader will definitely want more of Emma and Nate’s adventures.”
          — P. Scott Sakamoto, Hollywood Cinematographer

Read an excerpt from The Accidental Sleuth

ISBN 978-1-59414-581-0
Available in bookstores, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble
Now available in the large print edition Wheeler Cozy Mystery Line ISBN 978-1-59722-655-4
Five Star Publishing
www.gale.com/fivestar

The Accidental Sleuth is now available in a paperback edition from:
eHarlequin.com Worldwide Mysteries
ISBN:978037367019
Price: $5.99