“An extremely satisfying reading experience.” — Toronto Star
In 1939, fourteen-year-old Violet and her parents arrive at the Sulphur Springs Hotel, drawn in along with other desperate guests by legends of the waters’ restorative properties. Here, curious young Violet strikes up an instant friendship with the hotelier’s worldly daughter, Julia. Together, they attempt to solve the mysteries behind the hotel’s luxury façade — including the cases of the brownie thief, the secretive hotel director, and the flirtatious gardener.
But when one of Violet’s investigations leads her to commit an act of treachery, she unwittingly aids a murderous plot. Seventy years later, the killer has yet to be caught.
In 2009, a widowed Violet returns to the hotel, now in ruins. Her intention is to solve this cold case. The scene of the crime reveals new clues and revives old memories, including that of her lost family and her own sexual awakening. Now, confronting her final years, Violet is desperate to make peace with her ghosts, even if she may be seventy years too late.
“In The Sulphur Springs Cure, Violet, an intrepid eighty-four-year-old woman, sets out to solve the mystery of a murder that took place seventy years ago, when she was only fourteen. Together with a favourite niece, she travels back to the scene of the crime, a health spa in Dundas Ontario, now in ruins from a long-ago fire. There, Violet embarks on a journey to recollect those weeks with her parents at the spa, introducing the reader to a wonderful cast of unique and engaging characters. As the ruins prompt old memories, slowly the layers of the mystery peel back to reveal a shocking truth that will satisfy readers like me, who love to follow the clues. With clarity and elegance, Round deftly moves between the past and present day, beautifully recreating the late 1930s time period leading up to WWII. A beguiling read.”
“a taut, provocative mystery”
“I have long been a fan of Jeffrey Round's elegant and thought-provoking novels. Round's latest novel, The Sulphur Springs Cure, is a welcome addition to the books on my ‘most-loved’ bookshelf.”
“It’s a brisk, fun read, and the overall atmosphere of the setting and the precocious characters reminded me of the movie Atonement. I enjoyed it, and you will, too. After all, who doesn’t like a good mystery?”
“An effective and engrossing mystery that is also a well-crafted historical piece focusing on tensions at home as the drums of war beat increasingly loudly in Europe. A strong sense of character and place make for an extremely satisfying reading experience.”
“The joys and pitfalls of both age and youth are cleverly unpicked here, with Violet the catalyst to everything that ensues as the pages turn and then turn again. This is an immersive read with a leading lady who stays wholly realistic, whatever her age. … Jeffrey Round is skilled at pacing, keeping the reader on tenterhooks as the pieces of this complicated jigsaw gradually fall into place and reveal a surprising final picture. Another author to add to the ‘to be looked out for’ list, methinks!”
“With wry humor and a distinct sense of time and place The Sulphur Springs Cure is not only a mystery, but an intriguing story of a woman's search for truth and redemption.”
“The author … does a great job at situating us in this really specific historical time period between the two Great Wars.”
“Slowly, the layers of the mystery peel back to reveal a shocking truth that will satisfy readers who love to follow the clues. With clarity and elegance, Round deftly moves between the past and present day, beautifully recreating the late 1930s time period leading up to WWII.”