Dallas turns her attention to the deep South in her latest historical novel, inspired by the real-life murder of the “goat lady” in Natchez Mississippi.

The time is 1933. Nora Bondurant Tate, barely recovering from her divorce just about a year previously, has been notified that an aunt she didn’t know she had has left her entire estate to Nora. She leaves Denver for Natchez with the mistaken notion that she’ll be staying at Avoca, the house that has been in the Bondurant family since before ‘the Unpleasantness’ (i.e. Civil War). But when she arrives she finds the place nearly in ruins, guarded by two servants, who have been with the family since the days of slavery.

It’s not easy adjusting to this new climate and the secretive ways of Natchez society. As she goes about settling her aunt’s estate she finds that there are rules of social conduct of which she’s completely unaware; and several people feel free to tease her with innuendo about what really happened.

Dallas does an adequate job and her novel moves quickly. But I found her characters somewhat wooden in this effort. Also, I got tired of the “southernism–followed–by–‘English’–translation” device. And, I guessed the “secrets” (both of them) very early on. Still, I love Sandra Dallas … this is just not her best work. I recommend The Diary of Mattie Spenser instead.