Part of Death on Demand, book 18
First published 2008
Max Darling wants nothing to do with crime anymore. A dangerous encounter with a seductive woman nearly cost him his freedom, so when a frightened caller begs for help, he hangs up. The woman leaves a message saying she has hidden something in the antebellum house Max and his wife Annie are restoring. Annie rushes to help, but arrives too late. The caller has been murdered. The dead woman had connections to stolen gold coins worth a fortune. Police arrest her son for the killing, but Max believes they have the wrong man. He and Annie dive into the case despite the risks. Someone thinks those missing coins are stashed in their old house. An intruder proves the point by taking shots at Max. As Annie uncovers the secrets buried in their home's past, danger closes in. The investigation that Max tried to avoid may cost them everything.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Antebellum House
295 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow