The Golden Imp by Josephine Chase

In The Golden Imp, Diane Prothero has been on her own for three years, ever since her high school graduation and the death of her mother.  Diane is devastated to learn of her uncle's sudden death.  She decides to run his inn, the Golden Imp.  Diane is a bit worried about the mortgage payment that will come due soon, but she hopes to have the inn running well enough to make the payment.

Diane learns that her uncle might have left her a treasure, and she finds a cipher that might provide a clue.  It soon becomes apparent that one or more of the people staying at the inn might be trying to find the treasure before Diane can find it.

Diane is three years out of high school, so her age is probably around 20 or so.

Very early in the book, I guessed where the hidden fortune would be found.  It's that obvious.  I won't make any other comment, but I think most all adult readers would immediately guess the location.

Even though the location of the treasure is a given, the story is still quite suspenseful because of the danger.  Someone is trying to kill Diane, and the culprit could be anybody who is staying at the inn.  Through the course of the story, the reader learns about one murder.  Two other people and a dog also die premature deaths.  A man is shot, but he doesn't die.

Josephine Chase died two years before this book was published.  Since this book is a bit gritty and quite unlike books written by Josephine Chase, I feel confident that she did not write this book.

This is an excellent book.