Her great-aunt's stories were the gateway to a mystery she claimed to have taught at a school on an island, situated in the heart of the Los Angeles harbor. She described a Japanese fishing village complete with shops, a church, a temple, and a small elementary school. But the village was gone, and no one seemed to know anything about it. Twenty-two years after the death of her Aunt Lucile, Maggie Shelton was given a small cardboard box. In it were treasures from 70 years before evidence, at last, that her aunt's stories were true. But instead of solving the mystery, the contents posed deeper and darker questions than before. Who had destroyed this village, leaving not a trace of the 500 homes and 3,000 people who had lived there? Why was it a secret? And where were the children whose sweet faces looked out from the photos her great-aunt had kept in the box? The contents of that box led Maggie on a journey that ended with the discovery of a treasure her great-aunt had found two generations before her.

Descending the Spiral Staircase is a vision I encountered during a dream. This is how a simple construction task turns into a murder investigation, stolen bank money, buried storage shed, hidden tunnel, reconstruction of an unused area to a very usable space. John and Marie are the homeowners, one more vision which changes the lives of many people. Open house grand event, brings concern to the family’s safety, nosey neighbor, leak to the press about the bank reward, all of this puts many agencies on full alert. The remodeling magazine wants to film the entire event; police and FBI scan guest photos, looking for unwanted guests. This is not your typical construction project, many twists and turns to the finale. You will tear up and laugh as the characters evolve. This book is inspired through visions and past experiences in the landscape business. I hope you enjoy reading.