In 1941, in the quaint Village of Worthington, Ohio, life seemed to be on the upswing after the dark days of the Great Depression. Elizabeth Russo, a 24-year-old elementary school teacher, finds herself at a crossroads, unsure of her path. Her roots run deep in Worthington; her father, an immigrant from Sicily, established The Red and White, a beloved general store in the village.
But Elizabeth's life took a turn, ten years prior, during the Great Depression when her high school sweetheart, Samuel, and his family abruptly departed, leaving her with unanswered questions and a lingering sense of loss. Despite her engagement to George, the dependable accountant for The Red and White, Elizabeth can't shake the memories of her past with Samuel.
Elizabeth and her mother are left to keep the family business afloat when her father passes away. Amidst the struggles of running the store, Elizabeth's world is disrupted when her mother must tend to her sick Aunt Gracie in Cincinnati, leaving Elizabeth to manage alone.
The night before she visits Cincinnati, Elizabeth is stunned to encounter Samuel at the New England Inn, reigniting long-buried emotions. However, her return to Worthington is marked by a chilling event-a scream pierces the night, and she glimpses a figure in black fleeing the scene. That night, the village banker, Mr. Collins, is found murdered, and suspicion falls upon the village's hobo.
Refusing to believe the easy conclusion, Elizabeth collaborates with her quirky neighbor, Betty Whimsfeld, to delve into the mystery. As they uncover clues and navigate the intricacies of the village's secrets, Elizabeth grapples between her feelings towards George and Samuel.
Amidst the backdrop of romance and intrigue, Elizabeth is determined to uncover the truth behind Mr. Collins' murder. Will she succeed in untangling the web of deception? And will she ultimately choose the stability of her engagement or risk it all for a chance at rekindling an old flame? In "Underlying Love: A Worthington Ohio Mystery," the answers lie beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered.
This book was written with the assistance of AI.
