On the Cusp

Even paradise can hold dark secrets just beneath the sparkling surface. Everyone has an image to uphold, especially in Orange County, California.

Poppy Mackenzie has spent half her life avoiding her past and living as an ex-pat. When her grandfather coerces her to come home and work for the family business, she must put her free-spirited life on hold.

What was supposed to be a boring office job for six months, turns out to be something altogether different. Family secrets, mysterious strangers, and a dead body conspire to pique her curiosity and mire her in more than one mystery as she keeps digging for the truth.

Her finely tuned intuition and street sense have kept her out of trouble for most of her life, but now it seems to be leading her astray. That includes two very different men challenging her willpower and risking her heart.

She’s on the cusp of big changes in her life, and she must learn to trust again. But who should she trust?

If she gets it wrong, there could be deadly consequences.

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Reviews from Amazon:

"Pardee’s book is a compelling read as she takes us from dramatic Pacific beaches to the wealthiest Newport Beach enclaves to the seediest Santa Ana apartments. Poppy’s astute and hilarious commentary exposes criminal underbellies and overblown poseurs the whole way. As an Orange County resident for decades, I loved the frequent local highlights and recognized many of the characters. And I’m looking forward to the next jaunt in the series." SBP

"The storyline was easy to follow and believable, with relatable characters that you could identify with. The plot holds your interest in a relaxed manner and leaves you eager to follow Poppy in her future travels in her new lifestyle. Waiting for more from the series, which should be an excellent experience." LJB

"Diana’s writing style is natural and easy to follow, and her sense of humor and whimsy gives Poppy a strong and funny voice. The story isn’t just about the dead-body mystery—it gives you insight into family dynamics among the third generation of a real estate dynasty in Laguna Beach, hidden secrets Poppy carries, and the past men in Poppy’s life who haunt her." WH

" 'On the Cusp' is a mystery. A romance. A belated coming-of-age story. A hilarious delight. Pardee has created a character in Poppy MacKenzie that I immediately liked. She is irreverent yet also very self-deprecating and aware of her faults and faces a segment of life that on the surface appears to be a settling down, after years of living abroad. However, a dead body in a bathtub sets in motion the adventure of her life as her natural inquisitory nature brings her face to face with dark secrets." Lorenzo P