FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., June 17, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Who wouldn't be enthralled by the thought of searching for treasure buried deep within the old ancestral mansion of an eccentric relative? Mystery abounds in this absorbing family adventure as one young woman and her two great-aunts search for the treasure of their estranged relative in author Thea Phipps' Charades with a Lunatic.
Nineteen-year-old Bella is a Bible scholar, a physics enthusiast, and the fifth child of what the eccentric villagers nicknamed as 'that bohemian artist'. She can explain the origin of life, burp the alphabet, and cook a mean pan of lasagna, her mother being Italian. But she is stumped by her insane great-uncle Desmond's posthumous letter to his two younger sisters, Bella's great-aunts, Astrid and Aurora.
For most of his life, insane Desmond has traveled the world, heading expeditions and coming home only long enough to deposit his treasures with his incontinent caretaker, Rawlings. Now Desmond, at ninety-five, is dead, leaving behind a locked mansion, staggering death duties, and a puzzling challenge to Astrid and Aurora, the beneficiaries to "everything" he owned.
However, no one knew what "everything" meant, since Desmond had refused to communicate with his family for nearly fifty years. Desmond had allowed no one inside the ancestral mansion for decades, and it was to remain secured until Astrid and Aurora could arrive from their home in Peru as Gilead missionaries and take possession of the keys.
Upon the sisters' arrival in Cornwall, they are handed a letter from their dead brother informing them of great wealth hidden on the estate. What -- or where -- it is, they have no idea. They have one clue to begin with, but would it be enough? Thus begins the hunt for a madman's mysterious treasure and his legacy of mind games for his estranged family.
Feel the thrill and suspense as Bella and her family race against time to follow insane Desmond's hidden clues. Embark on an adventure as Bella, Astrid and Aurora uncover the mystery behind the perplexing treasure hunt. Follow the trail of amusing villagers, miscues, and secrets in author Thea Phipps' engaging book, Charades with a Lunatic. For more information, log on to www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author
Thea Phipps is the daughter of the late Guy Barnes, former reporter for The Morning News and author of the weekly humor column, Barnestorming.
Charades with a Lunatic * by Thea Phipps
Publication Date: March 27, 2009
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 339 pages; 978-1-4415-0191-2
Cloth Hardback; $29.99; 339 pages; 978-1-4415-0192-9
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For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at www.Xlibris.com.