The Burnt Orange Sunrise: A Berger and Mitry Mystery (Berger and Mitry Mysteries)

The legendary ninety-four-year-old Ada Geiger was one of the twentieth century's most illustrious, controversia,l and remarkable cultural figures--- the only person, living or dead, who had been a colleague of both Amelia Earhart and the Rolling Stones. She was also one of Mitch's absolute idols.... When Les, the innkeeper, had contacted Mitch a few weeks back, Mitch was thrilled to participate in the event planned for Ada's return.... Les had promised him that it would be a dignified, low-key symposium.
- from The Burnt Orange Sunrise


But Les lied. He had much bigger plans, full of Hollywood heavy-hitters, supermodels, rap music stars, high-profile athletes, and camera crews from every celebrity TV show in America. They are all to gather at the faux castle that Ada's husband had built for her in little Dorset, Connecticut. All of them would come to celebrate the return of Ada Geiger from self-imposed exile---just the kind of event Mitch Berger hates, even though idolizing Ada was one of the things that had led him into the film world as a critic. But it's too late to pull out now.

Then Mitch has a lucky break---or so he thinks at the time. The snowiest winter anyone under the age of ninety could remember has hit Dorset and vicinity with what seems like six more inches every three days. Soon, the regrets and "have to wait till tomorrows" come flowing in. The gathering is pared down to what Les had falsely promised---just a few people: Ada's immediate family, Mitch and his lover, beautiful police officer Des Mitry, and a few "deserving" others make a manageably small group. When it snows even harder, they are all prisoners of the storm.

The reduced guest list makes the job a little easier for Des and Mitch when one by one the people at the Castle are killed off. Since our two friends have no intention of waiting to pinpoint the murderer until he---or she---is the only one left standing, Des and Mitch dare to dive into a breathtaking climax that has Des taking a terrible chance, and Mitch taking a worse one.