Short Synopsis
Swiss Vendetta, Tracee de Hahn's mesmerizing debut, is an emotionally complex, brilliantly plotted mystery set against the beautiful but harsh backdrop of a Swiss winter.

Full Synopsis
Inspector Agnes Lüthi, a Swiss-American police officer in Lausanne, Switzerland, has just transferred to the Violent Crimes unit from Financial Crimes to try to shed all reminders of her old life following her husband's death. Now, on the eve of the worst blizzard Lausanne has seen in centuries, Agnes has been called to investigate her very first homicide case. On the lawn of the grand Château Vallotton, at the edge of Lac Léman, a young woman has been found stabbed to death. The woman, an appraiser for a London auction house, had been taking inventory at the château, a medieval fortress dripping in priceless works of art and historical treasures.

Agnes finds it difficult to draw answers out of anyone—the tight-lipped Swiss family living in the château, the servants who have been loyal to the family for generations, the aging World War II survivor who lives in the neighboring mansion, even the American history student studying at the Vallotton château's library. As the storm rages on, roads become impassible, the power goes out around Lausanne, and Agnes finds herself trapped in the candlelit halls of the château with all the players of the mystery.

"This is my second time with Cat Gould and she did a good job with this one." ---Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

"A well-constructed mystery that will leave readers pleasantly anticipating a sequel." ---Kirkus

"The rarefied, restrictive world of Swiss aristocracy provides a tantalizing backdrop . . . those who like a fireside read on a winter night will be pleased." ---Publishers Weekly

"This clever take on the locked-room mystery—a locked château, if you will—introduces readers to an appealing heroine in an unusual setting in what will hopefully be a long series." ---Library Journal