Part of Women's Murder Club, book 21
First published 2021
Detective Lindsay Boxer makes a promise to keep a young woman alive until she turns twenty-one. But first she must solve the disappearance of Tara Burke, a wife and mother who vanished along with her infant daughter. Tara's husband Lucas claims she simply ran off, painting her as an unfaithful spouse rather than a victim. The case shifts when investigators uncover horrific evidence that transforms a missing person inquiry into a murder investigation. Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas digs into the story while medical examiner Claire Washburn develops theories that clash with police thinking. Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano views Lucas as a classic domestic abuser until he names another suspect entirely. His claims suggest a predator who threatens every woman in California. Boxer and her team must determine if Lucas speaks the truth or spins lies to cover his own crimes. The investigation becomes a race against time as Boxer fights to honor her vow and protect an innocent life.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller, detective, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: race-against-time, unreliable-narrator
408 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: murder, violence