Backwater Justice

by Fern Michaels

Part of Sisterhood, book 36

First published 2024

Fourteen-year-old Vanessa fails to return home for dinner in Mountain Valley, Oregon. Her parents call her cell phone and reach only voicemail. They contact her friends but learn nothing. A gas station worker reports seeing a girl matching Vanessa's appearance enter a pickup truck he believes belongs to the Spanglers. The Spangler family wields tremendous wealth and influence throughout the region. Patriarch Milton Spangler posts a $50,000 reward to dispel any suspicion of family involvement. Search efforts produce no leads, then a second young woman vanishes. Myra Rutledge, veteran of countless missions, reads news reports about the disappearances. Her instincts sound alarm bells, particularly because Milton Spangler is her longtime friend. She brings her worries to the other members of the Sisterhood, women united by friendship and shared adventures. They possess extensive resources, expert skills, and trusted allies worldwide. The group decides to investigate the situation in Mountain Valley. Small towns harbor profound secrets, especially when one family controls so much power. The Sisterhood commits to making every wrong right.

Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller, action

Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful

Tropes: found-family, small-town

Setting: Mountain Valley, Oregon

Period: Contemporary

305 pages · Kindle Edition · Zebra Books

Content warnings: kidnapping

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