The Palm Beach home of Ross Logan contains his celebrated collection of oriental art, and a prized new possession—his terrified young bride.... Adorning the Florida coastline stands Poinciana, the fabulous mansion of the Logan family. Inside its regal walls a volcano of intrigue and violent emotion has begun to erupt, and not one of the Logans is safe. Especially not Sharon Hollis Logan, the lovely young bride of patriarch Ross Logan. For reasons unknown to Sharon, Ross seems to be hated by Gretchen, his daughter from a previous marriage, by her ne'er-do-well husband, Vasily, and by Ross' strange mother, Allegra—and all their hostility is readily transferred to Sharon. But as she tries to find out why, Sharon uncovers a devastating secret about her own relationship with her husband—a secret that, in the end, will test the limits of her courage as well as her ability to love ....
Author
Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics". She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
