I realized after about 2 paragraphs that this book is part of a series
that needs to be read in order. It takes place in Carmel, California in
1907. Fremont Jones, the heroine, has moved to Carmel after the San
Francisco earthquake to take a temporary job of lighthouse keeper. On
watch one day she spots a dead woman floating in the sea, unknown by
anyone around and unclaimed by family.

Fremont Jones reminded me a little of Amelia Peabody or Mary Russell. She
is the “independent woman heroine,” refusing to give into accepted norms
for women’s behavior and lifestyle for the period. If you accept the
conceit and ignore the unlikelihood of such a heroine, the novel works
fairly well. This book didn’t have the slapstick humor of Peters
mysteries but I enjoyed it nevertheless. She includes a love interest
named Michael who is some sort of spy–I think that came out in previous
novels. My only gripe with the book is that for all the detecting going
on, Fremont doesn’t really figure out much of anything. And I wish I knew
more about Michael and what he is doing sneaking around in the background
of the plot. I have to read the earlier books in the series.