Small Plains, Kansas, January 23, 1987: In the midst of a deadly blizzard, eighteen-year-old Rex Shellenberger scours his father s pasture, looking for helpless newborn calves. Then he makes a shocking discovery: the naked, frozen body of a teenage girl, her skin as white as the snow around her. Even dead, she is the most beautiful girl he s ever seen. It is a moment that will forever change his life and the lives of everyone around him. The mysterious dead girl the Virgin of Small Plains inspires local reverence. In the two decades following her death, strange miracles visit those who faithfully tend to her grave; some even believe that her spirit can cure deadly illnesses. Slowly, word of the legend spreads. But what really happened in that snow-covered field? Why did young Mitch Newquist disappear the day after the Virgin s body was found, leaving behind his distraught girlfriend, Abby Reynolds? Why do the town s three most powerful men Dr. Quentin Reynolds, former sheriff Nathan Shellenberger, and Judge, Tom Newquist all seem to be hiding the details of that night? Seventeen years later, when Mitch suddenly returns to Small Plains, simmering tensions come to a head, ghosts that had long slumbered whisper anew, and the secrets that some wish would stay buried rise again from the grave of the Virgin. Abby never having resolved her feelings for Mitch is now determined to uncover exactly what happened so many years ago to tear their lives apart. Three families and three friends, their worlds inexorably altered in the course of one night, must confront the ever-unfolding consequences in award-winning author Nancy Pickard s remarkable novel of suspense. Wonderfully written and utterly absorbing, The Virgin of Small Plains is about the loss of faith, trust, and innocence . . . and the possibility of redemption. From the Hardcover edition. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Pickard (Storm Warnings) probes the truth behind miracles and the tragedies behind lies in this mesmerizing suspense novel set in Kansas. While rounding up newborn calves during a 1987 blizzard, Nathan Shellenberger, sheriff of Small Plains, and his teenage sons, Rex and Patrick, discover the naked frozen body of a beautiful teenage girl. Later, Nathan and Dr. Quentin "Doc" Reynolds bash the girl's face to an unrecognizable pulp, since they know who she is and fear that either Patrick or Rex's best friend, 17-year-old Mitch Newquist, is her killer. Witnessing this terrible scene is Mitch, hidden in Doc's home office supply closet where he's gone for a condom to use with Abby, Doc's 16-year-old daughter. Mitch's father, a judge, forces Mitch to leave town after the boy admits what he saw. In 2004, Abby and Rex-now the sheriff-find another blizzard victim, Mitch's mother, dead near the marker commemorating the still-unidentified "virgin." Readers may wish the author supplied more detail about the dead girl's background, but some cleverly planted surprises and the convincing portrait of smalltown life make this a memorable read. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Cold case, indeed: a blizzard with too many parallels to a long-ago storm shocks 33-year-old Abby Reynolds into unraveling the mystery behind a 17-year-old homicide. The unidentified young woman found bloodied and naked in the snow has literally haunted the small Kansas town ever since, her unmarked grave emitting a miraculous glow. The secret begins to peel away when Abby realizes that the stories told about that night don't quite ring true. As she asks the people she loves to return to that time in 1987, Abby fears the murderer might be staring her in the face. Pickard's careful plotting builds slowly toward a climax, with the weather contributing to a sense of foreboding. Using flashbacks and multiple viewpoints, she provides an absorbing tale of love and deceit. This very readable standalone suspense novel, the first by popular mystery series author Pickard (Jenny Cain, Marie Lightfoot), will appeal to those who relished Martha Grimes's Hotel Paradise. Recommended for all popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]-Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Nancy Pickard is best known for her Jenny Cain mysteries. Her first novel was "Generous Death", and she began writing the culinary adventures of Mrs. Potter when the creator of the character, Virginia Rich, passed away in the mid 1980's. Rich's husband found a box of notes and newspaper clippings that were related to books that Virginia had hoped to write and they included a few first drafts of chapters. Pickard's relationship began with Rich when, as a fan, she wrote a letter to her after finishing "The Cooking School Murders." They were both mystery writers married to cattle ranchers. After her death, Rich's husband wanted to find another writer to continue Virginia's work, which eventually led to Pickard. The unfinished manuscript for "The 27-Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders" was continued by Pickard and published in 1993. Before her death, Rich wrote "The Cooking School Murders" (1982), The Baked Bean Supper Murders" (1983), and The Nantucket Diet Murders" (1985).

The other Eugenia Potter novels written by Pickard were "The Blue Corn Murders," which turned the character Mrs. Potter into a more vigorous older woman, followed by "The Secret Ingredient Murders."

Pickard is the past president of Sisters in Crime and received the Anthony, Macavity and Agatha awards for five of the ten novels in her popular Jenny Cain series. She was also a two-time Edgar Award nominee and a winner of the American Mystery Award.

Her latest novel is entitled, The Scent of Rain and Lightning. (Bowker Author Biography) Virginia Rich and her heroine, Eugenia Potter, were beloved by mystery fans for years. Now Nancy Pickard, the Edgar-nominated author of the Jenny Cain series, has taken up the mantle. A great fan of Mrs. Rich, Nancy Pickard is the co-author of The 27-Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders and the author of The Blue Corn Murders.

(Publisher Provided) Nancy Pickard lives in Kansas with her family. "Ring of Truth" is the second Marie Lightfoot novel.

(Publisher Provided) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.