“I don’t think you're his gender of choice.”
“Dear Henri might surprise you.”
“I’d rather not find out,” James said with a smirk, while his eyes followed her delicate and tempting curves as she headed to his office door.
“Be a good girl to William if you meet him at the symphony’s gala. I think you two would hit it off. I'm serious!”
Willow never gave the idea of meeting James’ partner a second thought until Viktor’s tantrum occurred just before their planned departure. She dismissed James’ comments regarding William’s wealth as one more example of his penchant for overstatement. But in the few quiet moments she had in the car heading south down Van Ness Avenue toward the gala, Willow thought it wise to quickly search Wikipedia on her iPhone to see if this man, William Adams, was someone she wanted to meet.
“Oh my God,” she said softly to herself, as her driver negotiated yet another busy night on San Francisco’s streets. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that Adams was indeed on Forbes’ list of the world’s wealthiest individuals. Not only on the list but up near the top.
She was suddenly taken by the thought of how such great wealth would forever change her life. Her success and a series of wise investments had brought her millions, but his billions made her look like the forlorn flower girl she saw on the street corner as her limousine stopped for yet another red light.
For over ten years, her life had been photo shoots, personal appearances, Lear jets, gorgeous women, handsome men, and embarrassingly high earnings. But Willow was well aware that the shelf life of a top model is even less than that of a world-class athlete. As Oscar and Gloria Bukowski frequently told Willow as a child, “All good things must come to an end.” She doubted most of her parents’ advice, but not that bit of wisdom. William Adams’ great fortune would undoubtedly outlive the lucrative but short-lived fame of Willow Wisp.
Buy The Wicked Wife
Novels in the Murder in Marin Series
The Gossiping Gourmet
(Book 1)
Warren Bradley, renowned as the local gadfly in the picture-perfect community of Sausalito, California, is esteemed by his admirers and despised by his detractors. But for love of his caramel chicken and cherry fudge brownies, everyone has a story to share regarding their fellow citizens--
Stories that too often find their way into his weekly gossip-filled newspaper column, "Heard About Town."
When the great chef and his admirers, the Sausalito Ladies of Liberty, take offense to a newly arrived Manhattan power couple, their insular world of tasty sauces and stinging insults leads to deadly results.
Everyone has his or her own theory as to who killed Warren. But it takes the combined efforts of Rob Timmons, the local newspaper publisher, and Eddie Austin, his childhood friend and Marin County’s top detective, to unravel this tale of delicious dishes and malicious deception.
The Wicked Wife
(Book 2)
When billionaire William Adams—Belvedere’s most eligible widower—marries international superstar model Willow Wisp, local society’s leading women are dismayed. After all, she is half his age and, in their view, not interested in anything other than his money!
Like everyone else, newspaper publisher Rob Timmons, his assistant, Holly Cross, and his childhood friend, Sheriff’s Detective, Eddie Austin, are baffled when Willow suddenly disappears.
Is she dead or simply hiding in some far flung corner of the world with one of her many rumored lovers? Or was she the victim of a cuckolded husband, who learned too late that his trophy bride was in truth, a very wicked wife?
The truth lies somewhere between the posh hotels of Paris, the dazzling parties of San Francisco, and the lush green hills of Marin.
The Phantom Photographer
(Book 3)
Michael Marks, the community-spirited volunteer photographer for the picture perfect town of Mill Valley, always has a smile on his face and a camera ready to capture his adopted hometown’s community events.
Not only is Michael one of Mill Valley’s most popular citizens, he’s also a source of wonder to his neighbors. How can this camera store clerk, who lives year-round in sweatshirt and sweatpants, afford to dine in the town’s most expensive restaurants and vacation in exotic places around the globe?
His sudden death puts Mill Valley’s rumor mill into overdrive. Was he just a generous eccentric with a particular passion for pleasing others? Or, was there another side to Michael Marks: a side that only his victims have had the chance to see?
The Terrifying Teacher
(Book 4)
The death of Henrietta Hammer, Sausalito’s retired fifth grade teacher, who once terrified her students including Sheriff's Detective Eddie Austin, newspaper publisher Rob Timmons and his assistant Holly Cross, is greeted with bemused nostalgia.
But Hammer, who was left a very wealthy widow by her enterprising late husband, was the target of every one of the town’s charitable societies none of which could afford to await her natural death.
It all appeared to be a perfectly executed crime until the secret Mrs. Hammer kept for half a century inconveniently appears.
The Horrible Husband
(Book 5)
William Bent, a.k.a. “Wild Bill,” is the top-ranked morning host on San Francisco’s KBUD. Known as the “King of Bro Talk Radio,” he is also the husband of Barbara Bent, a longtime girlfriend of Karin Timmons, Sharon Austin, and Holly Cross.
When Barbara admits to Holly that her marriage is a disaster and she needs to create a life for herself, Holly suggests she apply for a position at KLIB, a competing station known as “Radio for the Modern Woman.” Before long, “The Battling Bents” are Topic Number One throughout the Bay Area, and for good reason: the disdain between the soon-to-be divorced couple is obvious in their on-air barbs and very public slights.
When Wild Bill disappears without a trace, Barbara is naturally a suspect. But as Sheriff’s Detective Inspector Eddie Austin digs deeper he
