by J. A. Jance
Part of J.P. Beaumont, book 20
First published 2011
Seattle detective J.P. Beaumont receives an urgent call from an old friend, the governor of Washington State. A horrific video has surfaced on the governor's grandson's cell phone. The footage shows a teenage girl with dark wavy hair and a blue scarf around her neck. She smiles at the camera before the scene turns deadly. What appears to be a snuff film now threatens to destroy the governor's family and political career. Beaumont teams up with Mel Soames to investigate what initially looks like a teenage prank gone tragically wrong. Their investigation uncovers a web of corruption that extends deep into state government. As they dig deeper, Beaumont and Soames realize that more young lives hang in the balance. They must trace this conspiracy to its source before additional innocent victims pay the ultimate price.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, conspiracy
Setting: Seattle, Washington
Period: contemporary
344 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow & Company
Content warnings: violence