The Fourth R.A. Huber Novel
THE LONESOME AUTOCRAT is Alice Zogg’s fourth mystery novel. As in the author’s three previous books, phenomenal private investigator R.A. Huber cracks yet another mind-boggling homicide case. The lady detective is forced to cut short her European vacation when she stumbles upon the crime while visiting her childhood friend Erika Graff in a village near the resort town of Davos, Switzerland. Erika’s father, eighty-four-year-old Otto Sonderegger, summons his sons to his estate and makes an announcement. The old autocrat causes animosity within the family when he makes his proclamation, which leads to murder. When the killer strikes down a second victim, Huber connects the dots but barely escapes with her own life when the murderer turns on her.
The Lonesome Autocrat is available in paperback and hardcover at
www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com
Purchase:
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Aventine Press (September 2006)
ISBN: 159330420X
Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Subject: Murder Mystery
List Price - Paperback US $16.95
List Price - Hardcover US $28.95
Excerpt from Chapter 1
The train roared into Davos station before eleven on a Wednesday morning in August. I grabbed my upright suitcase, stepped off, and walked the short distance to the taxi stand. I spotted an empty cab and hopped in.
"Where to?" asked the driver.
"Hotel Sondereggli, please."
Moments later, he dropped me off in front of the familiar place. I checked in, unpacked, and then called my childhood friend, Erika Graff.
"Hi, Erika! It’s Regula."
"Well, hello! What a pleasant surprise! When are you coming to Europe?"
"I’m already here, in Switzerland, to be exact," I replied.
"Well, I’ll be darned. So you’re in Zurich already?"
"Actually, I’m in Davos."
"What?" she exclaimed excitedly. "So how come you and Peter didn’t just drive up to our house? Didn’t you rent a car?"
I replied, "Peter and I separated and –"
She interrupted, "Sorry to hear that."
"You misunderstand. We are getting along just fine. What I mean is, Peter and I parted in Zurich and are traveling in different directions. He took the rental car to Geneva where he’ll attend a literary convention, and he also plans to visit several of his friends in that region. I’m traveling by train and look forward to reuniting with some of mine. You’re first!"
"Gotcha! Give me about twenty-five minutes and I’ll pick you up at the station."
"I’ve already checked in at your father’s hotel."
"At the Sondereggli? Why did you do that?"
Mockingly I asked, "Isn’t it a good hotel?"
"Of course it’s good, even though Papa doesn’t own it any longer. But why not simply stay with us at Talblick?"
"I don’t want to impose on you."
"Don’t be silly. We’ll discuss your lodgings later. See you soon," and she hung up.