A stolen locket, a town that no longer exists, and a cold case waiting to be solved is the basis for Designs on Ivy’s Locket. Wrenn Grayson is the sleuth and town historian who has taken on the case of the necklace that has been missing since 1946. Kerry St. John is the client who desperately wants to find answers that left his great-grandfather wondering right up to his death. Lori Hammond is now in possession of Ivy’s locket, which has become a very expensive and valuable piece. Kerry hires Wrenn to study and investigate the events that occurred when, so many years ago, his grandfather traveled through Wyatt, Ohio. Wrenn happily takes on the case, using an old journal, old town records, and talking to surviving members of the families involved. Lori has refused to return the locket, but shows up in town and also wants to find answers. Wrenn, Kerry and Lori are threatened, family secrets are revealed, and twists and turns abound until the unexpected conclusion of the story.

I was late for several appointments because I just wanted to read a little further and see what would happen next. The suspense and excitement never end and the results kept me guessing, as I never saw the answer until it was revealed at the very end. Author Connie Chappell has done a great job with Designs on Ivy’s Locket, making it everything a mystery/sleuth story should be and more. This is a great read and should be added to your summer reading list immediately. I loved this book.

Designs on Ivy's Locket by Connie Chappell is a wonderful tale that looks at powerful themes — family, theft, separation, and death — and a gritty investigation to uncover the truth about a locket. Meet Wrenn Grayson, a historian-for-hire, who takes on a job from Kerry St. John. Kerry’s grandfather, Dexter St. John, had suffered much because of the theft of a treasured locket. Wrenn will have to go through his detailed and riveting journal to follow clues left by the old man to uncover the whereabouts of the locket, but things change when the stolen locket is discovered in the possessions of Lori Hammond’s dead mother. Lori refuses to hand over the locket. Now Wrenn must follow history to uncover the truth. Get ready for a thrilling ride and for surprises you won’t imagine could be on the way.

Connie Chappell’s novel features a sleuth that readers will enjoy following in a story with a beautiful and sophisticated plot. The setting is in 1946, and both the historical and social elements of the setting are brilliantly depicted in the story. For instance, listen to how Dexter captures the town in his journal: “Wyatt is an angry town, fighting an unknown foe, its people being eaten alive from within. The tragedy of Wyatt has fallen upon the young. I could see it in the eyes of the seven year old as he cradled his brother’s sleeping form. The same thought I had then haunts me now: He held death in his arms.” The characters are compelling and readers will be keen to see what they become. Designs on Ivy's Locket is a detective story that will compel readers to turn the pages, thanks to the beauty of the prose, the sophisticated characters, and the gripping plot lines.