New historical murder mystery brings theatre stars and a snowy setting to life

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Oct. 31, 2024 - PRLog -- In Deserving of Murder, the new mystery from author Mary Ann Noe, legendary theatre couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne gather six fellow theatre people–writers, actors, spouses– to their rural Wisconsin estate to polish a play. Once there, all goes well until a blizzard cuts off telephone service and strands them far from town with a murderer in their midst.

With one of their guests now dead, more and more secrets emerge, and Lynn and Alfred soon realize that one of their company must be the killer. Everyone has means. Everyone has opportunity. And everyone seems to have motive. Alfred and Lynn must race to solve the crime before the storm lessens and the murderer can escape, or worse, strike again.

Mistaken identity, a cast of suspects and multiple motives serve to lead the characters, and readers, on a wild romp through a house containing plenty of places for a murderer to play hide-and-seek.

Set against the Blizzard of January 1947, an event which crippled Milwaukee and surrounding communities for days, Deserving of Murder takes place at Ten Chimneys, the Lunt's Wisconsin estate and a national historic landmark located in Genesee Depot.

A volunteer docent at Ten Chimneys for many years, Noe has an insider's view of this unique Wisconsin estate, which serves to lend added richness to this special setting.  Noe recalls, "After giving a tour of the real Ten Chimneys, a guest once told me she thought it would be a perfect place for a murder. A great endorsement for this closed-room murder mystery!"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MARY ANN NOE is the author of the novels Water the Color of Slate, A Handful of Pearls and To Know Her, as well as the children's fantasy book Hannah's Eyes. Mary Ann is a Pushcart Prize nominee and has published short fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals, including Dash Literary Journal, Choeofplerin Press, Months to Years, and Pure Slush. Now retired from teaching high school English and psychology, Mary Ann has more time to write and lives in happy communion with nature in Wisconsin.

For more information on Mary Ann Noe, visit https://www.maryannnoe.com/. Copies of Deserving of Murder are available from major booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.

Review copies available upon request

PUBLISHER CONTACT:

Justin Weeks
jweeks@blackrosewriting.com
Public Relations