Murder & Serenity
Murder & Serenity by Joan Barrett Brady, published by Palmetto Publishing on November 27, 2023, is a fiction novel that explores the life of Deana, a sixty-year-old recently retired woman who becomes a paid travel companion. As she embarks on a cruise to Curaçao, her journey takes a dark turn when she becomes embroiled in an art theft and a murder aboard the ship. The narrative delves into Deana’s past experiences of personal pain, including sexual abuse and marital infidelity, as she seeks to reclaim her life and pursue her passion for travel.
Readers will find that the story not only focuses on the mystery surrounding the murder and the missing Vincent Van Gogh painting but also highlights the challenges and empowerment of mature women. Deana’s quest for truth and meaning unfolds against the backdrop of her new life stage, reflecting themes of family loyalty and deceit. With references to ’70s and ’80s pop culture, the novel offers a blend of humor and intensity, making it a relatable read for those navigating the complexities of later life. This edition spans 268 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Delve into the uncharted course of being a mature older woman on the open sea with Deana, a sixty-year-old, recently-retired adventurer whose new role as a paid travel companion embroils her in an art theft and murder aboard a cruise ship.
Like many women entering the second half of their life, Deana’s journey has been marked with personal pain-sexual abuse, workplace harassment, and marital infidelity. Now newly retired, newly single, and wholly ready to start living her life, she’s finally able to pursue a lifelong passion: traveling the world.
However, no degree of client screening could prepare Deana for the deadly challenges she encounters on a cruise to Curaçao. Soon, someone on board turns up dead amid efforts to reclaim a valuable, once-thought-missing Vincent Van Gogh painting.
Now, Deana wades through dangerous territory that brings into focus the rite of passage for the mature single woman as she tries to find the truth and right a wrong. Deana embarks on the cruise for a new start but ends up on a quest to find meaning and worth as she enters the later years of her life.
Murder & Serenity shows that women of any age have a capacity for empowerment. Female Boomer generation readers will revel in references to ’70s and ’80s pop culture-as well as horror stories about online dating in your fifties and sixties. Joan’s witty and wry sense of humor complements this otherwise intense story of family loyalty, deceit, and murder.
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