Author S. C. Perkins is back with another Ancestry Detective Mystery. FATAL FAMILY TIES, the third installment in this original series, was a page turner than had me wondering how protagonist, Lucy, was ever going to solve the mystery. Fear not, author S. C. Perkins of course made sense of it all while leaving me with my mouth hanging open.

Full of twists and turns, FATAL FAMILY TIES is a must read for anyone interested in history and ancestry.

FATAL FAMILY TIES by S.C. Perkins is another tantalizing addition to the Ancestry Detective Mystery series. From the very first page, the author weaves a fascinating tale containing a current day murder, a hunt for missing historical art, a civil war deserter, and a descendant intent on saving her family’s reputation. At the center is the delightful protagonist and expert genealogist, Lucy Lancaster. With southern charm, witty repartee, and a strong determination for finding the truth, Lucy draws the reader in and holds their attention with each passing page. Ms. Perkins descriptive voice brings the setting of Austin and Houston to life, along with the aspects of tracing genealogy and historical art restoration. I appreciate that there are enough details woven into the story which makes it obvious the author has done extensive research, yet those details are written in an effective manner without slowing the pace down.

I loved that her new boyfriend, special agent Ben Turner, is featured alongside Lucy this time. They make a great team and even though this is Lucy’s story to tell, Ben is there to provide assistance while he admires and respects her investigation skills. Not only is she talented in discovering minute details that have been buried in historical documents and family lore, but she’s quite adept at hunting down clues to unveil a killer. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing and several misdirects that I fell for, so when the big reveal came, I was left speechless… in a good way. The story wrapped up in a highly satisfying conclusion and left me waiting on pins and needles for the next installment in this intriguing series!

With each new book I enjoy this series even more. Over the last year I've become more immersed in my own family history so reading a series based on Lucy, a professional genealogist is great. I loved all the Civil War history in this one. I loved the family history and all,the archives Lucy sleuthed to soft for clues. It had every component to satisfy me: history, mystery, murder, and a hot FBI guy who looks like Harrison Ford. More please!

My genealogist’s soul adores this series!! ❤️ The story sweeps you up into the mystery while imparting some genealogical knowledge! This one had me guessing until
the end and I loved that they ended with a successful conclusion! I CANNOT wait for the next book!!! ❤️❤️❤️

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Lancaster is a genealogist. When she is approached by a disliked former co-worker, she's reluctant to take the job that is offered to her. She's rather spend time with her new FBI Agent boyfriend. But she is intrigued about finding the truth about Camilla Braithwaite's Confederate soldier many times great-grandfather. There has been an article in a history magazine that paints him as a deserter rather than a hero.

Cpl. Charles Braithwaite had a successful life after his service. He was a business owner who hired people of many colors, He favored more rights for women. He's had schools and parks named for him. He was also an artist and a triptych he painted has become a focus of the investigation. One piece went missing in 1988, another is stolen from a great-uncle of Camilla's who is also murdered, and attempts are made to get Camilla's piece too.

Lucy gets involved in the murder investigation and in searching for the lost parts of the painting when it is discovered that the really, really ugly painting actually covers a well-executed and potentially very valuable painting of a lesser Civil War battle.

There are quite a few suspects - all members of the extended Braithwaite family - including Lucy's client Camilla. The story was fast-paced and entertaining. It is also the third in the series but stands alone quite well. I liked Lucy who is both smart and nice and look forward to catching up on her earlier investigations.

Who knew genealogy could be so dangerous?

Loved this addition to the series! It was a perfect read for my own trip to Houston as well.

Lucy is digging into more family histories to unravel mysteries of the past. This time it's dealing with the civil war and a valuable painting that's been hidden for many years.

I was completely surprised by the reveal in the end. Love when that happens!

This is such a great series! I'm so happy to have found a new cosy series that's interesting, has a cast of great characters, a unique career for the protagonist and some challenging and complex mysteries. It's well-plotted and the writing is smooth and engaging.

In this installment, Lucy finds her services engaged by a former work colleague, Camilla, one she had an unpleasant relationship with, who needs her help to debunk an article written about Camilla's four-times great grandfather who has been accused of desertion during the Civil War. This belies the stories and history that Camilla knows about him. Obviously, Camilla wants her family name cleared.

Lucy's FBI boyfriend Ben is on holiday and on hand to help her investigate, and we also meet her friend Helen, who is an art conservator and historian, who helps recover and restore some paintings that prove to be quite valuable and are tied to the investigation.

This is a series I'm very much looking forward to continuing. Recommended especially if you like genealogy - and even if you don't! It's so well done, it will appeal to anyone.

In the third Ancestry Detective Mystery, Lucy Lancaster agrees to help a former co-worker prove her Civil War ancestor did not desert and shame her family.

A recently published article paints Charles Braithwaite as a phony and a liar, much to the chagrin of Camilla Braithwaite, a very unfriendly former colleague of Lucy’s. The next day, Lucy’s interview with Camilla’s Uncle Charlie uncovers an important clue: a panel from a triptych that may be more than it appears to be. That same day, a thief kills Uncle Charles when he steals the piece of art.

Lucy sets out to conduct her usual research while retrieving one of the remaining two panels to submit for extensive examination. S.C. Perkins writes an absorbing mystery that involves tracking branches of a family over generations. The author also builds an engaging group of supporting characters that add depth and personality to the story. Red herrings, a twist here and there, and a stable pace make for an intriguing story.

Lucy Lancaster's been asked to help a former coworker (and mean girl!!!) prove that her ancestor was not the Civil War deserter he's been portrayed as in a recent news article, but it doesn't take her long to realize that there's more to the story when Camilla's great-uncle is murdered in his bed and a valuable piece of art is stolen! There's a lot going on in this gripping 3rd installment in S.C. Perkins' Ancestry Detective Mystery, and I really enjoyed it - I always learn several fascinating historical and genealogical tidbits from Lucy, and Fatal Family Ties was no exception. Highly recommended! A+

This is the 3rd book in the Ancestry Detective series where Lucy Lancaster, genealogist, uses her research talents to solve more than just who is related to whom. As in two other cases, Lucy barely gets started researching the voracity of an article that has been published, trashing a well known ancestor and the rest of the family related to Camilla, one of Lucy's former co-workers. Before she can get started in depth, Camilla's Uncle Charlie is murdered, leaving both of them questioning who, and why? Is it related to the article or to the art work Uncle Charlie inherited from his ancestor? Is the murderer a new neighbor of Charlie's who seems to have taken an overwhelming interest in Charlie and assumed responsibility for much of his care and daily routine.

As Lucy delves further into the mystery, she discovers the possibility of an extremely valuable piece of art along with having to confront some co-workers who were less than kind to her in her former workplace. Also, her FBI boyfriend, Ben, is in town and they are trying to find out what the future holds for them.

Put it all together and you have a great cozy for taking on vacation to the beach, the lake, or mountains, wherever you are bound. There's something for everyone, a nice cozy murder, a little romance, a little history, and just a dash of civil war history, including civil war art.

This is the 3rd installment in the Ancestral Detective series. Lucy Lancaster lives in Austin Texas and is a genealogist and is shocked when a former co-worker shows up wanting to talk to her. Camilla Braithwaite was not a friend (more like a mean girl) at work and she has not changed. Lucy still is not really liking her but she is open minded and listens to what she has to say. Camilla is looking for Lucy’s help to research allegations in a new article that claims her ancestor Charles (4th great grandfather) was a Civil war deserter and liar. Lucy is expecting she will find the same evidence but reluctantly agrees to take it on as she would be preferring to spend her time with her boyfriend Ben. Little did she expect the past to lead to a present-day murder and with the help of her boyfriend special agent Ben she is working to figure out mysteries from both the past and present. Lucy his determined to get to the bottom about who stole a painting which might hold the key to the whole mystery. This was a fast paced and engaging mystery which keeps you guessing with a surprise twist at the end. Looking forward to the next installment in this series. Enjoy.

This is an interesting premise for a cozy series.
Engaging and entertaining.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

The Lucy Lancaster series returns with another puzzle from the past to solve. Lucy takes on a new case at the request of a former co-worker to redeem the reputation of a dead Civil War hero: a scathing article has called her forebear a liar and a deserted. Intrigued by the story, Lucy is taken to see an panel what was part of ugly primitive triptych painted by the dead man. When another panel is stolen and its owner killed, Lucy knows the answer to the modern-day murder lies in the past and dives in deep. Good story and fun characters, this will make a great summer read!

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for access to a digital ARC.

Fatal Family Ties by S.C. Perkins (An Ancestry Detective Mystery #3) 5 stars

Lucy Lancaster is have a meal at Big Flaco's when a former co-worker, Camilla Braithwaite, interrupts her first bite into a pork taco. Camilla needs her help to refute a magazine article that defames her ancestor, Charles Braithwaite. The article states that her ancestor was a liar and a deserter, so Camilla wants to hire Lucy to debunk the article and prove that her ancestor was a veteran of the Confederate Army. Lucy agrees to take the job and during her research she encounters a homicide, theft, and threats. Will Lucy be able to find the truth and reveal the past?

This series gets better and better with each book. The attention to the research methods and historical fact adds interest to the book. This book also highlighted the romantic relationship between FBI Agent Ben Turner and Lucy. I hope this relationship will continue in future books. The final confrontation between Lucy and the bad guys was exciting and action packed. I loved this book and can't wait for the next one in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.

Another fun and fascinating installment of this series. I just love the concept of a genealogist amateur detective so much. It's interesting to learn about her profession but it also makes sense how well that career would help with sleuthing.

This is the 3rd installment in the Ancestral Detective series. Lucy Lancaster lives in Austin Texas and is a genealogist and is shocked when a former co-worker shows up wanting to talk to her. Camilla Braithwaite was not a friend (more like a mean girl) at work and she has not changed. Lucy still is not really liking her but she is open minded and listens to what she has to say. Camilla is looking for Lucy’s help to research allegations in a new article that claims her ancestor Charles (4th great grandfather) was a Civil war deserter and liar. Lucy is expecting she will find the same evidence but reluctantly agrees to take it on as she would be preferring to spend her time with her boyfriend Ben. Little did she expect the past to lead to a present-day murder and with the help of her boyfriend special agent Ben she is working to figure out mysteries from both the past and present. Lucy his determined to get to the bottom about who stole a painting which might hold the key to the whole mystery. This was a fast paced and engaging mystery which keeps you guessing with a surprise twist at the end. Looking forward to the next installment in this series. Enjoy.

The third in the Ancestry Detective series is a hit! S.C. Perkins does a fabulous job of weaving history and a mystery. Her main character and detective, Lucy Lancaster is a genealogist in Texas solving family mysteries and occasionally murder. I always learn something in reading this series and this was no exception. The focus is on a Civil War veteran and his family today. I love the characterization of Lucy and the author does a great job of making her mystery-solving realistic. I thought the mystery was well-done and had a twist ending, making it hard to guess the culprit. I really enjoy this series and can't wait until the next one!

I was so happy to read this third book in the series! I loved Book 1, but Book 2 fell flat for me. But now we're back in business--the genealogy business, in this case. Lucy tackles a huge mystery here, both in history and in a present-day murder. The plot is intricate and complex and logical. I love Lucy's relationship with her friends, family, and boyfriend. And in this one, her relationships with former co-workers come to the forefront. Those workplace issues felt so believable, and I loved seeing Lucy's growth in this title. I think my main complaint in Book 2 was the number of unbelievable coincidences. In this installment, Perkins relies on great plotting instead. And as usual, I learned some fascinating stuff about genealogy, a topic which holds no general interest for me. But the way the information is woven throughout the story is really well done. Looking forward to Lucy's next investigation.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t think this series could be any better but ‘Fatal Family Ties’ is perfection! It is an ‘I couldn’t put it down but didn’t want it to end’ kind of book. I learned so much about genealogy, art restoration and the Civil War. The characters are engaging and the mystery was spectacular. I only have one problem, I want more now! I will be anxiously awaiting S.C. Perkins' next offering.

It's been fun to follow this series as it unfolds. The first in the series started out a little bit rocky with some genealogical clangers (our hero found a clue in the 1890 U.S. census!), but the characters were engaging and the story was interesting. The second got a little better as we got more acquainted with Lucy the genealogist and her circle of friends and family. In this episode, the genealogy research seems pretty solid as Lucy investigates Civil War records for information about a Confederate soldier. The story is a little long and complicated, but the painting at the heart of the story is full of fascinating clues and it's fun to follow Lucy as she uses the expertise of an art restorer, various law enforcement specialists, and librarians to get to the bottom of the nefarious plot by a journalist with an axe to grind. Texas history and food are front and center in the book and there's plenty of tacos and kolaches (pastries) to enjoy along the way. (Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)