Rylie Dark has written many books but was unfamiliar to me when I selected “The Unknown Wife.” It is the second of her Aria Brandt mysteries.
I have not read the first book, but I gleaned that Aria Brandt has established herself in the field of art restoration. She has a keen eye for detail that aids in her work but also puts her in danger. Her last job uncovered a murder and nearly cost Aria her life.
She has been hired to restore a rare Winston painting for Julius Crestwood. Aria arrives at the secluded Crestwood Manor with high hopes. The massive house is a mix of old-world elegance and ultra-modern architecture. Something about the clashing designs makes Aria itch to explore.
Helena Crestwood is abrupt and dismissive and quickly leads Aria to the Winston painting. Aria can’t help expressing her shock seeing a valuable painting exposed to direct sunlight. Just as quickly, Helena tells Aria that she really doesn’t care about any of the art at Crestwood.
As Aria studies the painting, she notices a piece of paper hidden between the canvas and the frame. Before she can try to retrieve it, she is joined by the housekeeper, Clara. Clara is cooly efficient and quiet, but Aria can sense a warmth there, too.
Aria notes that the lighting is kept very dim, and the doors leading to her balcony are locked. Clara explains that things at Crestwood are done as Mr. Crestwood wants them done. Aria can feel Clara’s discomfort and lets the oddities go to concentrate on the restoration.
Later that day, Aria is surprised to see that her mother’s friend Vivian is also a guest. She’s there to appraise some art for Julius. Aria can’t resist the hidden note and has just pulled it out when Ethan Crestwood walks in.
At first, he is standoffish, but the note intrigues him, too. It is too faded to read, but the words “fear” and “trapped” jump out at them. Ethan explains that the note was written by his mother, Amelia, before her death seven years ago.
Aria’s curiosity and stubborn nature mean that she will dig into the note, Amelia, and the strange house rules at Crestwood until she has all the answers.
An address scratched into the frame sends Aria to a hidden storage unit. Before she can ponder the locked unit, she is sure that she isn’t alone and quickly returns to Crestwood. As her questions increase, she decides to trust Ethan and Clara with her suspicions about Amelia’s death.
When she confronts Helena, they are joined by Julius. He manages to convince Aria that she’s got it all wrong. She leaves believing that there has been no foul play and agrees to finish the painting and leave the next day.
But a hunch pushes her to call an attorney friend. He agrees to find Amelia’s autopsy and case file and send it to her. As soon as she reads the full report, Aria sees the full truth about the mysterious death.
Your public library has books that encourage us to look deeper. Drop by this week and check it out.
AT A GLANCE
Book: The Unknown Wife (Aria Brandt Psychological Thrillers, Book 2)
Author: Rylie Dark
Publisher: Rylie Dark
Year published: 2024
Number of pages: 157
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