Signatures in Stone

In SIGNATURES IN STONE readers are transported to the atmospheric setting of the Monster Park of Bomarzo, a sixteenth-century garden adorned with mythical creatures believed to represent a terrifying journey into the realm of nightmares. Against this backdrop, four travelers find themselves intertwined in a fate-driven Italian holiday. Daphne, a British writer of occult mysteries, her down-on-his-luck aristocratic publisher Nigel, the aspiring artist and American gigolo Clive, and the art historian Professor Finestone, all converge in a dilapidated villa near the park. They are attended by rustic servants who harbor secrets of their own.

Professor Finestone has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing that the garden was designed by one of Italy's greatest artists as a transformative experience that delves into the shadow side of life. Over the centuries, the park's meanders continue to influence the minds and destinies of those who venture within. As the group explores their heart's desires amidst the haunting sculptures, they become entangled in a web of intrigue and danger. When Daphne, renowned for writing cozy murder tales, becomes the prime suspect in a shocking homicide, she must confront her own darkness and rely on her sleuthing skills to uncover the terrifying truth.

SIGNATURES IN STONE. won the overall Daphne Du Maurier Award for Mystery & Suspense Writing from Romance Writers of America in 2014.

A note on the Second Edition

Summer 2023 marked the 500th anniversary of the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo, also known as the Monster Park, one of Italy’s unique Baroque story-telling gardens, and the setting for Linda Lappin’s award winning mystery tale: Signatures in Stone. Pleasure Boat Studio celebrates the occasion with new edition of the book, with a splendid new cover and a series of drawings by Santa Fe artist, Carolyn Florek, illustrating figures of the park as Tarot Cards.