Mercury’s Rise by Ann Parker; The Silver Rush Mysteries, Book 4; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Kirsten Potter

In the summer of 1880, many people are traveling to the booming health resort of Manitou Springs, Colorado, at the foot of Pike’s Peak, to “chase the cure” for tuberculosis. But Inez Stannert, part-owner of the Silver Queen Saloon in Leadville, travels for a different reason to this town renowned for its mineral springs and scenery. After a long separation, she’s reuniting with her young son, William, and her beloved sister, Harmony. However, the stagecoach journey to Manitou turns deadly when East Coast businessman Edward Pace mysteriously dies under the horrified gaze of Inez and Pace’s wife and children.

After they arrive at the posh Mountain Springs House hotel, Pace’s widow begs Inez to make inquiries into her husband’s untimely death. As Inez digs deeper, she uncovers shady business dealings by people hoping to profit from the coming bonanza in medicinal waters and miracle remedies and who kindle false hopes in the desperate and the dying—a deception that predates the Civil War. But there is no miracle cure for murder.

Pace’s sudden demise is not the only event that tarnishes Inez’s hopes of a happy reunion with her son and sister. Inez’s husband, Mark Stannert, has reappeared after a year-and-a-half absence, after Inez has made other plans for her future. Now Inez fears whether she will be able to hold on to her child and the life she has built for herself.

“A dazzling amount of historical detail is woven in yet never overpowers this story of deceit and greed…Parker’s depth of knowledge coupled with an all-too-human cast leaves us eager to see what Inez will do next. Encore!”—Library Journal

“Parker smoothly mixes the personal dramas and the detection in an installment that’s an easy jumping-on point for newcomers. Fans of independent female sleuths like Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy and Laurie King’s Mary Russell will be satisfied.”—Publishers Weekly

“A single page of Ann Parker’s Mercury’s Rise reminds the reader why her novels are held in such high regard: her command of historical detail is matched only by her deft pacing and irresistible characters.”—Sophie Littlefield, author of A Bad Day for Pretty

Ann Parker, a science writer by day, is the author of the Silver Rush historical mystery series, of which Silver Lies was the winner of the Willa Cather Award for Historical Fiction and the Colorado Gold Award for Best Mystery. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and of Women Writing the West. She resides with her family in the San Francisco Bay area.

Kirsten Potter, a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts, has performed on stage, film, and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy. An award-winning audiobook narrator, Kirsten has won AudioFile Earphones Awards for her reading of The Snowball by Alice Schroeder and her performance as Barbara in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Her other titles include The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Sammy's House by Kristen Gore, and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, which was a Booklist Editors' Choice for Best Audiobook 2008. Kirsten has received recognition from the American Academy of Achievement and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, as well as numerous regional awards.