A Comedy Of Heirs

Genealogist Torie O'Shea Finds That Her Own Family Tree Is Rooted In Murder. . . The December annual O'Shea family reunion is just kicking off when genealogist and town historian Torie O'Shea discovers a bad apple in her family tree. Someone has sent her several newspaper clippings reporting a fifty-year-old unsolved murder. The dead man is her great-grandfather-shot on his own front porch while his family was trapped inside. Everybody knows great grandpa Keith died in a hunting accident. Or did he? Between fussing over too many house guests, husband, children-and the surprising news she's once again in the "family way"-- Torie gets a sneaking suspicion the truth may be as deadly now as it was fifty years ago. Soon she's shaking the family tree, never anticipating the shocking truths ready to drop-along with a motive for murder that could mean it's history for Torie as well.

The little known industry of "Heir Finding" is opened, examined and explored. It is subjected to the general public's scrutiny for the first time. The book contains the author's most interesting, challenging and rewarding cases from over 22 years of operating a private investigative agency specializing in determining, locating and assisting the legal heirs to the Estates of deceased persons. It details the secrets of success and exposes the many abuses and the obstacles encountered when dealing with the bureaucratic custodial agencies holding the funds of the deceased that are legally owed to their heirs. This book also documents many of the administrative agencies security shortcomings, personnel issues and even their inability to fully comply with some of the laws governing their actions and responsibilities. These same agencies are "Custodians" of billions of dollars in an era of tax revenue shortfalls and are laboring under a true conflict of interest! The state legislatures are now "raiding" trust funds such as those held in the names of deceased owners. The Unclaimed Property program has become a replica of the social security program. The result? They are now operating in the same fashion as a Ponzi scheme.

A Comedy of Heirs is a creative and delightful entry in Rett MacPherson's popular Torie O'Shea mystery series Amidst planning for Christmas and the annual family reunion, Torie O'Shea barely has time to indulge in her hobby, genealogical research. But preparing for the reunion--and the influx of relatives--piques her curiosity about her own family tree. When Torie discovers that her own great-grandfather was murdered, and that her great-uncle was the main suspect, she never dreams that the past history she thought was long-buried could resurface in the present in such a deadly way.

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