by Susan Dunlap
First published 2010
Darcy Lott makes her living creating fake danger as a San Francisco stuntwoman. Her world operates on precision and second chances. When her lawyer brother Gary asks her to meet a mysterious client, Darcy steps into territory with no safety nets. Karen Johnson captivates Darcy immediately. She shares Darcy's interest in Zen Buddhism and displays remarkable courage and intelligence. Yet something feels wrong. Karen claims she needs a divorce lawyer, but Gary never takes divorce cases. He also demands they keep Karen's case secret from John, their police officer brother. Karen disappears from San Francisco as abruptly as she arrived, leaving Darcy with unanswered questions. Then a brutal murder rocks the city. Police name John as their prime suspect. The Lott family goes into hiding, leaving Darcy isolated and uncertain who she can trust. She refuses to accept her brother's guilt. Darcy begins investigating the murder victim's history, determined to clear John's name. Her search reveals disturbing secrets about Karen Johnson and unearths a mystery decades in the making. The truth proves more twisted than the murder that started it all.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, family-drama, unreliable-narrator
Setting: San Francisco
Period: Contemporary
272 pages · Paperback · Counterpoint
Content warnings: death, murder, violence