A Patchwork Deception

Miss Diana Wycliffe, younger daughter of a baronet, is often dismissed as nothing more than a pretty face. She doesn't mind. Not really, not when she performs the role so well. But when Diana's beautiful rival is murdered during a Christmastide ball, a shadow is cast over the festivities—and over Diana's impressions of herself.

The finger of suspicion points at Ernest, Diana's beloved cousin, known for his fiery temper and recent bitter dispute with the deceased. But Diana refuses to believe Ernest capable of such a heinous act. Determined to clear his name, she sets out to find the killer lurking in plain sight. As she delves deeper into the confusing patchwork of jealousy, secrets, and motives, she finds herself torn in two directions by a pair of handsome gentlemen. She can trust neither of them—and the way her heart flutters when they are nearby means she certainly cannot trust herself.