by Sue Grafton
First published 1988
Beverly Danziger appears polished and wealthy, but her nervous chatter betrays something deeper when she asks private investigator Kinsey Millhone to locate her absent sister. The case seems simple enough: find Elaine Boldt to settle a modest inheritance. Business is slow, so Millhone accepts the job. Elaine owns condos in both Santa Teresa and Boca Raton. The California manager saw her leave for Florida wearing a twelve thousand dollar lynx coat. The Florida manager says she never arrived. Someone else is living illegally in her Boca Raton apartment. When Beverly suddenly demands Millhone drop the investigation, the case turns complicated. Her husband Aubrey surfaces with wild accusations about Beverly. Then Millhone discovers that days before Elaine disappeared, her bridge partner was murdered. The killer remains free. Millhone uncovers arson, brutal murder, and burglaries targeting seemingly worthless papers. As she digs deeper, reality becomes increasingly distorted. Nothing appears as it first seemed, except the mounting danger surrounding her.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Santa Teresa, Boca Raton
448 pages · Hardcover · Ulverscroft