This beautifully written book will keep you up all night. There are plenty of clues and there are a lot of hints, but even when you put them all together, it will be close to impossible to puzzle your way to the ending. If you are looking for a book, you can't put down, then Governor's Road is just right for you. Excitement, frisky loving, a mystery of epic proportions and traditional southern pathos make this book a fun and rewarding read. The terrorized children of Governor’s Road grew up without resolution or closure to the most devastating event of their young lives. Their friend, a child their age, disappeared one afternoon and somehow, they never seem to learn what happened. Saddened parents decide to protect their children and the obvious fear recedes in the face of the calm that settles back over the neighborhood. But, fear never really disappears until it's confronted. As adults, JoBeth and Billy set out to discover what happened to little Petey Shiner. The answer brings them to conclusion that there is no perfect childhood, even in a perfect town in a perfect decade. Every town hides its secrets and puts on a good face, even at the expense of its residents. Along the way, JoBeth and Billy discover love and romance. Their kindling of love takes you to places you can only want to return to…and their future makes you happy. It’s their past that is so hard to reconcile. As well as a lot of fun, a dark mystery and hot southern romance, JoBeth and her friends also encounter the harsh reality of Alzheimer’s and aging. Sometimes, a loved one can be lost more than once. The malevolent specter of mental illness surfaces when the reader meets Lucius Sifer and begins to understand the unusual existence the boy leads. The ending is grim but satisfies that need everyone has for justice. The most humble people can achieve heroism without fanfare or acknowledgment. As always, enjoy your adventure into the south...and remember, thoughtful book reviews are welcomed with open arms. Please see Observations of a Transplanted Southern Belle for more of Laurie Byrne Smith's work.

    The voyage of a lifetime. An unfortunate sighting.Magnificence, intrigue & murder abound, in this twisty page-turning mystery!When Charlotte, who goes by Lottie, Lindberg witnesses what she thinks is a pickpocketing on the docks of the famous Titanic, she vows to track the culprits once onboard, and warn the others of the danger. But it looks like mystery-obsessed, amateur-sleuth Lottie is in for a lot more than she bargained for, when the simple incident of pickpocketing turns into full-fledged MURDER. Lottie and Little Dickens now find themselves running from a killer. As glamorous as Titanic appears, nefarious things are afoot. People are not who they seem.Eliciting the help from new best friends, Esme Loring, Margo Brown, and the dashing Inspector Stone, will Lottie be able to expose the culprits, and their secrets, in time to save herself? Or will the ill-fated Titanic that’s just hit an iceberg, go down before she has the chance?

    In the eyes of everyone, he had it all; a successful ranch, natural good looks and a charming (if not a bit arrogant) personality. Why send away for a mail-order bride when he could have his pick of the eligible women in town? No one was prepared for Winifred "Winnie" McArthur. Outspoken, daring and unconventional, she was everything Lyle wanted and couldn't find in Pine Prairie. There was only one problem. While she gave her all to everything else, she kept a tight rein on her emotions, disallowing a relationship with Lyle beyond work. Are they destined to be nothing more than colleagues or is something greater in store for them? Please enjoy this family friendly, sweet historical romance novelette of 50 pages.