The Mila K Mysteries Series

Mila stood in front of the University of Chernivtsi, and it was like time had stood still. The gate and the buildings looked the same as when she was a student there, and yet somehow, she was the one who had changed and aged. Of course, nobody could call her old. Mila was thirty-two, but today she felt older than the university.   Mila remembered when she left for her Ph.D. in Kyiv; she was heartbroken and swore she would never return to her hometown. However, life has a way of interfering with people's plans and Mila was no exception… First, her mother died, then her father retired because of a heart condition, and Mila knew she had to come home to take care of him. It was a good excuse to return when a call came from her best friend that a professor position was open at the university.   So, there she was, all dressed up and ready to confront a past demon and prove herself more than capable to become a professor…   Mila Kovalenko has returned to her alma mater to fill the vacant position of professor of ancient history. Happy to reunite with her best friend Ania, the university's librarian, they discuss a manuscript that has come to Ania's attention. No sooner had Mila signed her contract when someone steals the manuscript from the library. However, when the detective assigned to the case pegs her as the prime suspect, Mila must use her expertise and cunning to prove him wrong, or at least find another motive and suspect.   Realizing the book is more dangerous than it appears, and its origins are even more evil than they thought, Mila hopes to help the detective find the book before it falls into the wrong hands. However, the detective is not so willing to accept her help, infuriating Mila, if only he wasn't so annoying, she could grow to like him, he was quite attractive….

It's been a month since Mila returned to Chernivtsi. And it had been an eventful homecoming. She was still contemplating how Pietro, whom she thought was the lost love of her life, could have been such a fraud and then killed so horribly?   She was glad the school year had started, and she was now able to focus on her courses and students instead.   However, with the arrival of the new dean circumstances become both good and bad for Mila. Though Sergei Vasilovici seems to be a challenging fellow with no real connections or much of a personal history, Mila finds him an acceptable replacement for Pietro Melnik as dean, especially when he offers her a promotion. At the same time, he is not as amiable with the students, particularly Ivan Popov. The two are seen arguing at Sergei's welcome assembly and when Sergei is found murdered in his office the next morning Ivan is pulled in as the likely killer.   When she realizes what has happened Mila rushes to help Ivan. For though Ivan may be a womanizer and headstrong, Mila is very sure he is NOT a murderer. Ivan's arrest also brings his brother Oleck rushing home from his posting in Kyiv.   The two join forces to help Ivan and soon discover that there is more going on than meets the eye…and maybe that applies to the two of them as well.

When Mila first returned to her hometown of Chernivtsi, the last thing she expected was to be dragged on a roller coaster ride. In her mind, Chernivtsi was a place of calm, and peacefulness, the ideal place to focus on study and nothing more. Yet now, the cozy life that she hoped for was nowhere to be found. In the few months since she began teaching at the university, mysterious documents kept appearing in the library, her favorite student was almost convicted of a murder he didn't commit, two deans were killed, a girl almost died and she herself was attacked. And don't forget the secret society that was determined to get them all, Mila and her friends. Not to mention Oleck… Mila didn't know if she was falling for him, or if she simply hated his apparent rejections. And now she was embarking on a new adventure with the special agent. Traveling together, they journey to Reading, England, where Mila had spent a few years doing her post-doctoral research work and studying. Returning to Reading is exhilarating for Mila, she is looking forward to reconnecting with her former advisor and mentor, Maeve Edwards. Maeve is a renowned professor and archivist at Reading University and is sure to be a great help to them. But there is also a slight problem…returning to England also means returning to William. A handsome professor and nobleman who fancied Mila and did cause her heart to flutter again after Pietro broke it. William's social and upper-class connections are bound to come in handy, but will seeing him again bring back old feelings? Or cause more discord and confusion between her and Oleck? While their friends back in Chernivtsi agree to keep working on the documents in secret while Mila and Oleck are in England, the couple is worried that the assassin sent by the Brotherhood is still around the university. While in Reading they are hoping to locate a book that may hold the key to unraveling the secret to the mysterious documents in the library. However, locating the book may mean spending more time with William…will that rekindle any feelings for Mila? Or create tension with Oleck? Or will it simply end up only The Reading Problem??

As they get closer to unraveling the key to the cryptic documents have Mila and Oleck set themselves and their friends on a dangerous collision course with the Brotherhood? Mila and Oleck have returned from England, with more information to help everyone in solving the clues in the documents from the library. And perhaps even a better understanding of each other?? Meanwhile, their friends have been working tirelessly to find out what they can about the Brotherhood and the reasons behind their interest in these documents. However, the Brotherhood has its own agenda…which includes framing one of their own, kidnapping, attempted murder....and just who is Mr. Black anyway? As our friends attempt to put all the pieces together, can they figure everything out before the Brotherhood charges on with their final solution?