WHAT THE WALLS KNOW

In October 1925, four New York City jazz musicians known as The Troubadours travel to the neo-Gothic Halcyon Castle near Gloucester, MA, home of occultist Duncan Fox, to perform a week-long series of entertainments. Halloween is Fox’s fiftieth birthday and he’s invited twelve family members and friends––including an astrologer, a tarot card reader, and a wizard––to celebrate with him.

The activities at Halcyon Castle, however, prove to be anything but what its name suggests. On the first night a Ouija board predicts the death of Fox’s longtime friend Natalie Talbot from a heroin overdose. Her husband insists she never used drugs and suspects foul play.

Lizzie Crane, The Troubadours’ beautiful and talented chanteuse, begins snooping into the unexplained death after local police place her and her colleagues under house arrest. She learns the deceased was a medium, who swindled many grieving people by pretending to communicate with their departed loved ones on the Other Side. Natalie Talbot also made enemies among some of the guests gathered at the castle. Soon the list of suspects grows to include the medium’s lover, her cuckolded husband, and several others with vendettas to settle.

Natalie’s death isn’t the only mystery at Halcyon. The castle also has eerie voices emanating from its walls, a resident ghost, peculiar blinking lights, and secret passageways. As Lizzie pursues her quest into the strange goings-on, she discovers a plot to reap vengeance––and risks her own life in the process.

. . .

“Set in the Prohibition era…it’s filled with plot twists, intriguing characters, and snappy dialogue…Rich with juicy historical details––especially the motorcars!––and surprising turns, this book should appeal to fans of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.” 

~ The Historical Novel Society’s Historical Novels Review

“Lizzie Crane and the New York City-based Troubadours are back on the road in Massachusetts, this time hired to provide entertainment for the fiftieth birthday celebration of Duncan Fox, the owner of a creepy rockpile called Halcyon Castle. Of course, the musicians are no sooner settled into their rooms when a murder is discovered, drawing the self-styled amateur detective Lizzie into an unofficial investigation that brings her and her band mates into a world of séances, fortune-telling, secret passages, disembodied voices, ancient animosities, and, for Lizzie, a re-connection with an old heartthrob. In What the Walls Know, author Skye Alexander takes her readers on an exhilarating ride that will keep them turning the pages all the way to the exciting and altogether unexpected climax. This is a great read, filled from beginning to end with accurate historical references, and unforgettable characters.” 

~ Gregory Stout, author of Lost Little Girl and Gideon’s Ghost

“The Golden Age of Mystery is alive and well in What the Walls Know, the second of Skye Alexander’s clever and charming Lizzie Crane novels. Set in 1925, in the ironically named Halcyon Castle, the author brings together an eclectic group of characters in the tradition of great British mysteries. Bootleg alcohol, illegal drugs, and period-perfect details about that era’s craze for all things occult are seamlessly woven into the story. Agatha Christie fans: You’ve found your next great read.” 

~ Lori Robbins, author of the On Pointe and Master Class Mystery Series

“A delightful mix of mystery, romance, and the Roaring Twenties set against the background of coastal New England during Prohibition. In actress and singer Lizzie Crane, Alexander has created a refreshing heroine, whose charm and keen understanding of human nature make her an amateur sleuth to watch. Highly recommended.” 

~ Paula Munier, USA Today bestselling author of the Mercy Carr Series

“Skye Alexander … vividly recreates the Roarin’ 20s through her depiction of the architecture, fashion, literature, and language.  She’s also created a smart and sassy heroine in Lizzie Crane with a supporting cast that’s the ‘bee’s knees’.” 

~ Kevin Kleusner, author of The Killer Sermon

“Alexander brings the period to life with a twisting tale of murder and mayhem that will satisfy any fan of historical mystery.” 

~ Edith Maxwell, Agatha-winning author of the Quaker Midwife Mysteries

“Alexander’s protagonist, Lizzie Crane, is a ball of fire. You’ll love her talent, her courage, and her clothes.” 

~ Kate Flora, award-winning author of A World of Deceit

“A castle set on a peninsula with guests gathered to celebrate the host’s birthday is the perfect setting for murder and performances by jazz singer Lizzie Crane and her band. Alexander makes good use of the fads and fashions of the 1920s while giving the reader an intimate look into a real castle with Gothic furniture, stone halls, and secret passages in this richly imaged and well-paced mystery.” 

~ Susan Oleksiw, author of Below the Tree Line