Table Five Paperback - 2016

Aggie Lantana has a plan. It is to shake the ill-fated roots of her Midwest life and replant herself to thrive in a large city. More than a geographic solution, she reinvents herself simply as Lantana. As sometimes happens, good intentions go awry. Suddenly she finds herself a suspect in a double death case that has occurred at Table Five, the focal point of a prestigious restaurant. This is not part of her long-term strategy.

Murder or suicide is a mystery yet to be determined. The FBI, IRS, and a persistent police detective are relentless in their investigation. But the case becomes secondary as Lantana faces even greater danger from a money-hungry cast of kinky characters and ruthless murderers lurking around each corner. Bizarre events continue as Lantana discovers she's involved in an international diamond smuggling ring -- and that people closest to her may be involved in this nefarious circle.

As the murder/suicide case unfolds, Lantana is further implicated in more serious crimes. Her heartland wisdom quickly becomes street-smart savvy as gently curving country roads turn into abrupt twists and turns in the back alleys of upstate New York, ultimately forcing her to travel internationally to unravel this plot. Wary of her situation, Lantana begins to think it might have been wiser to have remained Aggie, a farm girl from Nebraska. It certainly would have been safer.