M.
E. Rabb follows the previous adventures of Sophie and Sam
Shattenberg (in THE ROSE QUEEN) with another fast-paced mystery,
from the viewpoint of Sophie. The two orphaned sisters from New
York have altered their looks and names, and are living incognito
in the tiny town of Venice, Indiana, to avoid being separated by
their vicious stepmother. Venice is a long way from New York City,
and there's much to miss. Sophie yearns for her Jewish identity and
the traditions that accompany it. However, the sisters have good
friends, including nice guy Colin and Sophie's new best friend
Mackenzie. And they love their job, working in private investigator
Gus Jenkins's office.

Sophie's first day of school turns mysterious when she happens upon
a poster of an upcoming lecture by Leo Shattenberg, who will
discuss the art of famous painter Ivan Sebrid. Could Leo be their
grandfather's cousin, long lost in Poland during the Second World
War and presumed dead? The girls are convinced he is, but they
can't tell him without blowing their cover.

The plot quickens when Leo's grandson, Josh, falls in love with
Sam. Sophie teases her sister about being on Jerry Springer's "I
Married My Cousin" show, but Sam is quite shook up. She has never
had a boyfriend before and there's no denying the major chemistry
between her and Josh. What will she do?

When the girls mention they work in a detective agency, Leo hires
them to look for his childhood sweetheart, Ruth, who mysteriously
vanished in 1947. Leo found a painting, which once belonged to
Ruth's family in a museum. He suspects the painting was stolen
during the Holocaust. Can the sisters and Gus find Ruth? Can they
even prove the painting was stolen?

As always, Sophie is a total crack-up. Yet she remains a thoughtful
character, painfully considering the Holocaust and what it meant to
her family and so many others. She misses her parents and home. And
… is there some attraction in the air between Sophie and her
good friend Colin? Stay tuned for Book #3 of the Missing Persons
series!

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