Shadows Over Ravenkirk 2 - Civil Blood and Civil Hands

In the first book of the Shadows Over Ravenkirk series, struggling Boston photographer Victoria Williams travels to the isolated coastal town of Ravenkirk, Maine, to claim a surprise inheritance from a woman she never knew. Wilhelmina Bruttenholm is dead, but death in Ravenkirk is rarely the end. After the will is read, Victoria's visit quickly becomes a descent into a town ruled by old blood, quiet vendettas, and families willing to do anything to protect their power. Bound to Ravenkirk in ways she never anticipated, Victoria is determined to decipher the message Wilhelmina left behind, as soon as she can find it. Wilhelmina's message to Victoria has been stolen and all she has left is a mysterious key. Her only protection is a bodyguard who exists in the unsettling space between life and death, along with her refusal to surrender to fear. But denial won't keep her safe forever. As secrets surface and alliances fracture, it becomes clear that not everyone wears the face they were born with. Even comfort comes in strange forms: Samantha, her gentle, purring tarantula, may be the most honest presence she has. Because in Ravenkirk, trust is a liability, truth is dangerous, and uncovering the town's secrets may cost Victoria far more than she knew she could lose.