Where Every Motive Has a Shadow. And Every Memory, a Price.
Welcome to Durant Mysteries — a universe of smoke-filled rooms, storm-swept coastlines, and secrets buried deeper than the dead. At the center of it all is Alexandra Durant, a brilliant but haunted woman with a mind trained in psychology and a memory that never forgets… even when she wishes it would. Set in the 1950s and dripping with classic noir tension, this acclaimed mystery series follows Durant as she navigates high-society scandals, transatlantic intrigue, and murder scenes masked by elegance.
Crafted by the formidable duo of Laura Giebfried, a forensic psychology expert, and Stanley R. Wells, a seasoned playwright and director, each story pulses with psychological depth and theatrical intensity. These aren’t just mysteries — they’re atmospheric journeys into the darkest corners of human intent.
If you’re drawn to vintage glamour, sharp minds, and stories that unfold like cigarette smoke in the dark — you’re in the right place.
The Marlowe Murders
Book One in the Durant Mysteries Series
By Laura Giebfried & Stanley R. Wells
A secluded island. A mansion full of secrets. A killer hiding in plain sight.
Alexandra Durant wasn’t supposed to be here. After a sudden and suspicious dismissal from her graduate psychology program, she takes refuge in a temporary job at the opulent — and unsettling — Marlowe Estate, a remote mansion perched on an island off the coast of Maine. When an elite circle of guests arrives for a weekend gathering, Durant expects boredom, maybe awkward dinner conversation. Instead, she gets murder.
Trapped by a violent storm and a severed ferry line, Durant must rely on her unmatched memory, psychological insight, and unnerving ability to see what others overlook. But as accusations fly and bodies drop, it becomes clear: the killer isn’t done yet. And everyone — including Alexandra — has something to hide.
Part Agatha Christie. Part Hitchcock. All tension.
The Marlowe Murders is the unforgettable debut that introduced readers to the chilling, cerebral world of Alexandra Durant — and the darkness that always seems to follow her.
Saint Peter’s Tear
A Durant Mysteries Novel
By Laura Giebfried & Stanley R. Wells
The year is 1956. The RMS Queen Mary cuts across the Atlantic, carrying royalty, socialites, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. Among them is Alexandra Durant, a sharp-minded investigator with a past she can’t outrun. Hired to protect a wealthy widow receiving anonymous death threats, Durant boards the ocean liner expecting a simple job — but nothing on this voyage is as it seems.
When a body turns up poisoned and a fortune-teller vanishes into thin air, Durant is plunged into a labyrinth of deception stretching from London’s foggy alleys to the decadent ballrooms of first class. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes: the danger isn’t just in the notes or the poison. It’s in what people are desperate to protect — and what they’ll kill to hide.
Glamour meets grit. Suspicion lurks in every stateroom.
And the only thing deadlier than the ocean… is the truth.
About the Authors
Laura Giebfried and Stanley R. Wells are the creative minds behind the Durant Mysteries series, blending psychological nuance with cinematic flair to craft stories that linger long after the final page.
Laura Giebfried brings a background in forensic psychology and technical writing, along with training in screenwriting from institutions such as the National Film and Television School (UK), UCLA, and the Seattle Film Institute. Her academic precision and deep understanding of the human psyche give each mystery a chillingly realistic edge.
Stanley R. Wells, a playwright, director, and trained actor, contributes a lifetime of experience in theater and film. A graduate of the University of Washington’s Professional Actor Training Program, his work infuses the series with atmosphere, dramatic tension, and the immersive pacing of classic noir cinema.
Together, Giebfried and Wells reside in Bangor, Maine, where they develop the Alexandra Durant novels — an ongoing series that merges sharp psychological insight with high-stakes suspense, vintage glamour, and richly layered storytelling.
A great Who Done It story with two sub plot mysteries.
A Must Read!!!!!
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