Part of Pendergast, book 14
First published 2014
Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast discovers the corpse of one of his most dangerous adversaries deposited at his front door. The killer left no obvious traces, but Pendergast finds a strange clue: a turquoise fragment inside the victim's stomach. This gem points him toward a deserted mine near California's Salton Sea, where he uncovers disturbing secrets from his family's history. Someone is hunting Pendergast, seeking revenge for a past wrong committed by his bloodline. The stalker executes an elaborate scheme that damages both Pendergast's mental and physical state. As the trap closes around him, Pendergast must confront not only this vengeful enemy but also the dark legacy his ancestors left behind. The investigation forces him into a final confrontation that will test everything he believes about justice and family.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, revenge
Setting: California, Salton Sea
Period: 21st-century
403 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: violence