An anxious visitor, a missing sister . . . and a trail of clues no one can explain.

When Sue and Alan Jaworski meet Clare Dolan on a connecting flight from Japan, they expect nothing more than polite small talk. But when Clare learns the couple is headed to Aspen Notch, she asks for a ride—she's hoping to surprise her sister, Liz Sterling, who lives just outside of town.

Only Liz isn't home. In fact, no one has seen her in days.

As Clare's worry deepens, Sue and Alan—now running the SAJ Detective Agency—offer her a place to stay. But something about Clare's story feels off. She claims to be a missionary nun, yet certain details don't quite add up. And when Clare finds cryptic clues and references to someone known only as 'J. W.,' Sue starts to wonder if Liz's disappearance is more than just a misunderstanding.

With Clare's panic rising and no one else asking questions, Sue steps in to unravel a mystery where every lead seems to vanish into thin air. Is Liz hiding for a reason—or has something far more troubling happened in the quiet hills outside Aspen Notch?

The ninth book in the Aspen Notch Mystery series, A Sterling Predicament is a wholesome cozy mystery with endearing characters and a satisfying whodunnit at its heart. If you enjoy Betty Rowlands, Murder, She Wrote, or the classic charm of Nancy Drew, you'll feel right at home in Aspen Notch.