DANUBE DEFIANCE, by critically appraised novelist JANE GOLDEN, is an enthralling mystery about an art heist involving ancient icon art. Travel with super sleuth, Jeni, as she ventures through the antique markets in New Orleans' French Quarter and across the ocean to Eastern Europe's bustling city of Bucharest and the Romanian countryside. Jeni stumbles upon one clue that leads to others. Something doesn't add up, and she gathers a few friends... an antiquities expert, a journalist, and a dashing New Orleans shopkeeper. Together, they follow a river of clues and dead bodies. But will the thieves get them first? Read to find out!
CLARION REVIEW:
"Golden's first-hand knowledge of Romania is fascinating."
BLUEINK REVIEW:
"Nothing makes an overworked genre like mystery seem quite so fresh as a story set in an exotic locale. SECRETS IN THE VINES takes this theory to heart, offering up a murder mystery set in the wine country surrounding Romania. It's a winning formula." "Author Jane Golden drew on her own time in Bucharest to set up this tale, and it pays off nicely. Observations about the life of a foreigner trying to make sense of a new culture are spot-on and often funny; thoughts about parking customs and the laconic pace of government reflect an outsider's tendency to compare things to life at home, while also taking us deeper into the atmosphere. The mystery is gripping, but it's the setting that steals the show." The review concludes with this about SECRETS IN THE VINES: It has a "terrific pacing and a plot that ends well." Better yet, the reviewer states that "we're left wanting more of this juicy escapism."
KIRKUS REVIEWS:
"An engaging mystery that turns the classic expatriate dream on its head."
Marian Petrutza, President of the Romanian-American Press Association:
"The perfect vacation book.... Colorful, entertaining, and beautifully written."
Jane Golden: - Jane Golden, author of an Eastern European Mystery Series (SECRETS IN THE VINES and DANUBE DEFIANCE), was born with an inherent sense of adventure. The Biloxi, Mississippi native gives new meaning to tripping abroad. Experiencing international travel for the first time in her early teens, the brief jaunt stuck with her. She knew in her heart that the day-long excursion to a Mexican border town was the beginning of a lifetime of exotic journeys, which later included trips to Chile, Malawi, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Jordan, and Europe. After practicing law for many years, she was unexpectedly thrust into the role of a diplomat wife in Eastern Europe. Much of the background material in SECRETS IN THE VINES and DANUBE DEFIANCE is borrowed from personal travel experiences, including humorous insights and unique perspectives gained upon arrival in Bucharest. Jane's profound insights into the Romanian culture are eye opening in both books, igniting the curiosity of the reader while providing non-stop entertainment. Jane hopes her books, which are complete works of fiction, will disabuse Western readers of the "vampire" image of Romania and introduce the world to the beautiful, intriguing and lighter sides of the country and its people. Rich wines, a colorful culture, and great friends are all woven together in her travel mystery novels just as they were for her in real life. She hopes that SECRETS IN THE VINES and DANUBE DEFIANCE pique the curiosity of readers to delve deeper into this fascinating country and its warm and welcoming people. At a time when our news sources paint a bleak picture of a frightening world and many people are afraid to travel, Jane Golden's travel mystery books are intended to offer up kinder, gentler places on earth which still exist and are worthy of a visit or extended vacation.
