Herbalist and ex-lawyer China Bayles is ldquoin a class with lady sleuths V I Warshawski and Stephanie Plumrdquo In Widowrsquos Tears a haunted house may hold the key to solving the murder of one of Chinarsquos friendshellipAfter losing her husband five children housekeeper and beautiful home in the Galveston Hurricane of Rachel Blackwood rebuilt her home and later died there having been driven mad with griefIn present-day Texas Claire the grand niece of Rachelrsquos caretaker has inherited the house and wants to turn it into a bed and breakfast But she is concerned that itrsquos haunted so she calls in her friend Rubymdashwho has the gift of extrasensory perceptionmdashto check it outWhile Ruby is ghost-hunting China Bayles walks into a storm of trouble in nearby Pecan Springs A half hour before she is to make her nightly deposit the Pecan Springs bank is robbed and a teller is shot and killedBefore she can discover the identity of the killers China follows Ruby to the Blackwood house to discuss urgent business As she is drawn into the mystery of the haunted house China opens the door on some very real dangerhellipPublishers Weekly.
