First published 1980
Henry Tibbett arrives on a Caribbean island to assist local police with a puzzling case. An elderly woman has vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions and worried relatives. Tibbett applies his methodical detective skills to piece together her final movements and uncover what happened to her. Just as the investigation gains momentum, Tibbett himself becomes a target. Unknown assailants snatch him away, turning the hunter into the hunted. His wife Emmy finds herself alone on the tropical island, surrounded by strangers and uncertain whom to trust. She must navigate unfamiliar territory both literally and figuratively, following leads her husband left behind while racing against time to find him. The disappearance of one person has led to another, and Emmy realizes the cases are connected in ways that put her own safety at risk. She faces a choice between seeking help from authorities who may be compromised and taking matters into her own hands in a place where she knows neither the landscape nor the players.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Caribbean, Tropical Island
Period: 20th-century
226 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt & Co