by Archer Mayor
Part of Joe Gunther, book 30
First published 2019
Joe Gunther and his VBI team face their most complicated case when a small-time drug dealer turns up dead in Vermont. The killing sets off a chain reaction that pulls in two unlikely allies: investigative reporter Sally Kravitz and private investigator Rachel Reiling. These women work both with and against Gunther's official investigation as more bodies surface, including a clever but doomed thief. The trail leads to Thorndike Academy, a prestigious prep school where dark secrets hide behind polished facades. Kravitz and Reiling go undercover at the academy and meet with criminals to access Vermont's hidden criminal networks, places the police cannot reach. A second murder deepens the mystery. All the deaths connect to something larger and more dangerous, a malevolent force with deep roots that will kill to protect itself. As Gunther pursues the case through official channels, the two women dig into the prep school's corrupt underbelly. The investigation reveals how crime, politics, and privilege intersect in ways that threaten everyone involved.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Thorndike Academy, Vermont
320 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books