The Dark Library

University professor Estella Ecker escaped her father’s control and a suffocating life in a small New England town, only to be summoned back to find her father felled by a stroke, unable to tell anyone where his wife has gone. When he dies two weeks later, Estella discovers her father left them destitute, and World War II rationing makes life even more difficult. Certain that her mother isn’t dead, Estella spends the next eight months fighting the local cop’s apathy. After discovering a message from her mother in an old book, Estella comes to believe that she didn’t disappear voluntarily. The suicide of the dean of her department and appearance of a handsome new English professor present additional puzzles to unravel. As Estella uncovers more about the parents she never really knew, she discovers her father’s penchant for collecting secrets, which makes her question if anyone in town can be trusted.