Heritage of Darkness
10/13
Chloe El efson returns with a new
He
mystery rooted in Norwegian heritage
rit
For curator Chloe Ellefson, a family bonding trip to Decorah, Iowa a
for rosemaling classes seems like a great idea—until they start driving.
ge of D
Chloe’s cop boyfriend Roelke takes her mom’s talk of proposal ideas good-naturedly, but it causes Chloe’s emotional distress to increase with each passing mile.
After final y reaching the Vesterheim Museum, Chloe’s efforts to
remain positive are slammed shut when she and Roelke find Petra
a
Lekstrom’s body in one of the museum’s antique immigrant trunks.
r
Everyone is shaken by the class instructor’s murder, and when her
k
mom volunteers to take over Petra’s class, Chloe is put in the hot seat ne
of motherly criticism. As she investigates, Chloe uncovers dark family secrets that could be deadly for her mom—and even herself.
ss
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY
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• A uthor appearance at MIBA/GLIBA Trade Show
KATHLEEN ERNST
• A uthor appearance at American Library Association
Annual Conference
Coming from Midnight Ink - October 2013
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Heritage.indd 1
4/22/13 10:17 AM
praise for the chloe ellefson mystery series:
“Chloe is an appealing character, and Ernst’s depiction of work
at a living museum lends authenticity and a sense of place to the
involving plot.”—
St. Paul Pioneer Press
“Greed, passion, skill, and luck all figure in this surprise-filled outing.”—
Publishers Weekly
“Interesting, well-drawn characters and a complicated plot make
this a very satisfying read.”—
The Mystery Reader
“Entertainment and edification.”—
Mystery Scene
“A wonderfully woven tale that winds in and out of modern and
historical Wisconsin with plenty of mysteries. Enchanting!”—
Sandi Ault, author of the WILD Mystery Series and recipient of
the Mary Higgins Clark Award
“Clever plot twists and credible characters make this a far-from-
humdrum cozy.”—
Publishers Weekly
“Propulsive and superbly written, this first entry in a dynamite
new series from accomplished author Kathleen Ernst seamlessly
melds the 1980s and the 19th century. Character-driven, with
mystery aplenty,
Old World Murder
is a sensational read. Think Sue Grafton meets Earlene Fowler, with a dash of Elizabeth Pe-ters.”—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Anthony and Agatha Award-win-
ning author of
I Shall Not Want
and
One Was A Soldier
“
Old World Murder
is strongest in its charming local color and genuine love for Wisconsin’s rolling hills, pastures, and wood-lands … a delightful distraction for an evening or two.”—NY-
JournalOfBooks.com
“This series debut by an author of children’s mysteries rolls out
nicely for readers who like a cozy with a dab of antique lore. Jeanne M. Dams fans will like the ethnic background.”—
Library Journal
“Information on how to conduct historical research, background
on Norwegian culture, and details about running an outdoor mu-
seum frame the engaging story of a woman devastated by a failed
romantic relationship whose sleuthing helps her heal.”—
Booklist
“[A] museum masterpiece.”—RosebudBookReviews.com
“A real find … 5 stars.”—OnceUponARomance.net
“Engaging characters, a fascinating (real-life) setting, a gripping and believable plot—this is the traditional mystery at its best.”—
Jeanne M. Dams, Agatha Award-winning author of the Dorothy
Martin and Hilda Johansson Mysteries
also by kathleen ernst
Nonfiction
Too Afraid to Cry: Maryland Civilians in the Antietam Campaign,
Stackpole Books, 1999
Fiction
Old World Murder
The Heirloom Murders
The Light Keeper’s Legacy
Midnight Ink
woodbury, minnesota
Heritage of Darkness: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery
© 2013 by Kathleen Ernst. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Midnight Ink, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Edition
First Printing, 2012
Book design and format by Donna Burch
Cover design by Kevin R. Brown
Cover illustration by Charlie Griak
Cover image: Holly designs: iStockphoto.com/Andrea Hill
Editing by Connie Hill
Midnight Ink, an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (Pending)
ISBN: 978-0-7387-3698-3
Midnight Ink
Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
2143 Wooddale Drive
Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
Printed in the United States of America
For Andrea Cascardi—
with thanks for twelve momentous years;
and for the Vesterheim/Decorah community—
with thanks for making Scott and me part of the family.
author’s note
In 2010, while doing research for
Old World Murder
(the first Chloe Ellefson mystery), I traveled to Vesterheim Norwegian
American Museum in Northeast Iowa to photograph antique ale
bowls. Since then I’ve returned again and again to study the col-
lection, take folk art classes in painting and fiber arts, and enjoy special events.
Vesterheim is the most comprehensive museum in the United
States dedicated to a single immigrant group, with a collection
that includes more than 24,000 artifacts and over a dozen historic structures. It is also a cultural center dedicated to documenting
and perpetuating folk art and traditions through classes, pro-
grams, and tours. Finally, Vesterheim’s presentation of the Nor-
wegian experience provides visitors like me, who are not of Scan-
dinavian descent, a chance to reflect upon our own ethnic and
family history.
I’ve done my best to present a snapshot of Vesterheim as it
was in Chloe’s time, as well as glimpses of other milestone years
as well. Because this is a work of fiction, I did take small liberties to avoid confusion or support the plot. For example, the museum
lobby looked quite different in 1982, and the collections storage
facility described had not yet been built. Also, since my favorite Vesterheim experiences have been rosemaling classes in July and
the Norwegian Christmas Weekend in December, I melded the
two into one week.
Most of the places mentioned in the Decorah area are real,
including the historic neighborhood near the museum, the Fifth
Street bridge over the Upper Iowa River (although it looked
viii
quite different in 1982), the Oneota Co-op, Mabe’s Pizza, and the
Whippy Dip Ice Cream Parlor. My descriptions of private homes
are loosely based on real places, but I kept directions vague to respect the property owners’ privacy.
You can learn more, and plan your own trip, by visiting these
websites:
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum:
http://vesterheim.org/index.php
Decorah:
http://www.visitdecorah.com/
You can find photos, a tour guide, and maps of relevant places
on my website, www.kathleenernst.com
You can also find photographs of some of the artifacts men-
tioned in the story on page 341.
ix
cast of characters
Chloe Ellefson—curator of collections, Old World Wisconsin
Roelke McKenna—officer, Village of Eagle Police Department
Marit Kallerud—Chloe’s mother, member of The Sixty-Seven
Club of rosemalers
Frank Ellefson—Chloe’s father
Chief Moyer—head of Decorah Police Department
Investigator Buzzelli—liaison for all agencies involved in the
murder investigation
