Gloria Larson is happy to take a job as editor of a weekly newspaper in the small town of Rosewood, Nebraska, even though her parents don't like the idea one bit. The town holds a secret-her birth mother's identity. Gloria's parents worry she won't like what she finds, but once Gloria starts unraveling the story, she can't be dissuaded. Gloria is armed with three pieces of knowledge about the woman who gave her up for adoption. 1) The woman was in her forties. 2) She lived in Rosewood. 3) She was accused of murder in 1974. No wonder Gloria's parents don't want her to dig into her past. How many women in Rosewood in 1974 could have been accused of murder? Only four, it turns out. Articles in the newspaper archives show a picture of four women dubbed The Thorns of Rosewood. The women were suspects in the disappearance of a judge's wife, but once again, Gloria knows three things: 1) No body. 2) No proof. 3) No charges. It looks as though the Thorns got away with murder. Gloria wants the truth. Did these Thorns of Rosewood murder the judge's wife? She finds the four women at an assisted-living facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. They tell her they are ready to confess. This is Gloria's chance to get the story of a lifetime and find out who her birth mother is...and why that woman gave her away.
About the Author: G. M. Barlean writes suspense with a Midwestern voice and creates characters the reader will feel could be anyone they know-a co-worker, an aunt, a neighbor... or even themselves. Small rural town perspectives are something Barlean knows well. She was a farmer's daughter for the first twenty-one years of her life, and a farmer's wife for the next twenty-nine, and counting. Although Barlean's education is in business, and many career options she has chosen over the years have enlisted those skills, she's also gravitated to creative endeavors. Barlean is a self-taught photographer and ran a successful photography studio for many years. She managed an Opera House where she organized many musically themed events, and she worked with entrepreneurs as the director of her town's local Chamber of Commerce. Now Barlean enjoys mowing her large yard out in the country, a little army sergeant of a Schnauzer, and a couple of shedding cats. She's attended culinary school, where she discovered opening a restaurant was not her life dream after all. She continues to enjoy cooking and entertaining her family and friends. Her husband tolerates all of her changing moods and adventures like the good soul he is. Barlean's children are grown and very busy with their own lives. Barlean's books are available in print and digital and can be found on Amazon and Barnes & Nobel. Please visit her website for more information: gmbarlean.com