the SPECTRUM novels
Tracey is a wealthy judge known for his kindness, generosity, and integrity. But one night, he kills in an unprecedented burst of anger.
Thousands of miles away, in Spain, Gia embraces an unconventional lifestyle; Isabelle builds the life of her dreams in Southern France; and Remy has moved to Italy, where her relationships continue to be bound by a rigid set of rules. Over time, Tracey’s actions have an unforeseen impact on each of their lives.
As he travels extensively throughout Europe, he is unaware that the women he murdered have acquired a staunch advocate in Penelope, who has been investigating their case for sixteen years. When she finally identifies Tracey as the killer, she finds that realization almost unbearable.
The Peacock Contract
Gia Delgado is eighteen when she escapes her father's third attempt at an arranged marriage for an even more unconventional arrangement.
Far from her quiet life in the Spanish countryside, she negotiates a contract to be a no-strings wife to three young professionals in Madrid. It includes a stipend and a penthouse in the prestigious Peacock building.
Gia uses her dark-coral leather calendar with its gold-edged pages to keep track of their "appointments" and the special events where they need a date. She dances in a smoke-filled club and bakes cookies, biscotti, and brownies for the men's birthdays. The time they spend together inspires her dream to study architecture and ingnites her passion for travel. As Gia and the men grow close, she becomes the keeper of all their secrets—even the secrets the men don't share with each other.
Years later, her Madrid friends, who have become her family, know Gia is ready for something new. They send her off with congratulations, hugs, and tears as she begins her next adventure with the Spectrum River Cruise Line.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Tracey Lauch has built a life as a philanthropist and esteemed family court judge. Tormented by the murders he can't undo, he flees to Europe for a luxurious cruise on a Spectrum riverboat. There he grapples with the disparity between the man he believed himself to be and the man he's become.
But then in the back streets of a sunny European city, the unspeakable happens again.
The Pear Orchard
Isabelle Ronaldo and Frank Tomas have been best friends since childhood. They are everything to each other.
Navigating the rivers of Europe, Isabelle is proud to have become Spectrum River Cruise Line's first female captain. But her tradition-filled life at the rambling farmhouse amid the pear orchards in southern France is what truly feeds her soul.
Brilliant and restless, Frank feels indifferent about his job at the Swiss branch of his father’s bank. Isabelle never dreamt he would actually pursue his childhood ambition to be a jewelry thief. And ultimately, to protect what she values most, she gives up a part of herself and closes the door on Frank.
But it is nearly impossible for Isabelle to avoid Frank when he boards her riverboat and shows up at the Valentine’s ball in an elegant Strasbourg hotel.
Also in Strasbourg, now-retired family court judge Tracey Lauch is traveling alone for the first time since falling in love with the woman who makes him feel like his life is normal. Making his way to the Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame, a chatty redhead invites herself to join him. She thinks he is charming. But he would like to silence her—permanently.
Late that evening, in a narrow alley with the rain reflecting off the dimly lit cobblestones, everyone's world falls apart.
Meet Other Guests
Remy Martin has rules about relationships. She sleeps only with married men, but never with her friends’ husbands.
A renowned art history professor, she accepts an invitation to teach in Italy. To celebrate, she invites her fun, lighthearted, and younger cousin, Frannie, on a Spectrum river cruise in France.
Seated at a “Meet Other Guests” table, they are excited to meet their dinner companions. Lee and Daniel Fong are on their annual anniversary cruise. As they approach the table, they pause to embrace the crew like old friends. Remy hears a man’s voice and turns to see Tracey Lauch pull out the chair for his new wife, Charlotte French, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
They discover a shared passion for the art world, and during the cruise, their time together is filled with lively conversations and a shared sense of humor.
A road trip to Budapest and a picnic in Sicily deepen the bond among the new friends. And in Slovenia, they spend long sun-drenched days filling baskets with lush, ripe grapes, then sit at a long table on the terrace enjoying one another’s company and drinking cabernet franc until the stars come out.
Remy never expected to break her rules. She never meant to feel anything. She never meant to hurt anyone. But like Tracey, she can't erase her past—and she must face the consequences, whatever the cost.
The Tenth Earring
Penelope Huber refuses to let the dead women be forgotten.
After retirement, she carries them with her, their names and faces etched in her mind. When the investigation is reopened, she immediately accepts the chance to finish what she started.
Hoping to find the missing pieces, Penelope follows up on a call from Tracey Lauch. Seated on the brick patio beneath the shade of an enormous Meyer lemon tree, drinking iced tea, they talk, but Tracey never mentions the dead women. Instead, he reveals a personal story that reshapes everything they know.
On a sweltering Fourth of July, Tracey arrives at Penelope’s house with his wife Charlotte and their daughter. Sarah claps and giggles as Penelope carries her around pretending she is playing cornhole. When Charlotte goes inside to change Sarah, she opens a door that should have been locked and finds pictures, maps, and notes about the investigation plastered to the wall. Unable to resist, she snaps some photos.
With his home in Sicily waiting, Tracey is anxious to tie up loose ends in Raleigh. While he is at a farewell luncheon with his golf buddies, Charlotte makes the discovery no wife should ever make.
She finds herself on the floor, her heart pounding. One by one, she matches nine earrings to the photos she took. But there is a tenth earring—and Charlotte knows who it belonged to.