Part of Susan Wren, book 7
First published 2007
Susan Wren feels miserable. The police chief of Hampstead, Kansas fights a nasty flu while a brutal heat wave bakes the small town. Her desk overflows with work. A troubled teenager demands attention. A confused World War II veteran creates daily problems. Her newest officer shows dangerous enthusiasm that could get people killed. Then Cary Black arrives in town. She runs from Mitch, her violent husband who happens to be a cop. The woman Cary planned to stay with has vanished without explanation. Afraid to contact police, Cary takes over the missing woman's life and identity. She thinks she can hide this way. Mitch refuses to give up. He tracks his wife across state lines, determined to drag her home. But when he reaches Hampstead, he enters Susan Wren's jurisdiction. The sick police chief must protect a frightened woman while managing her chaotic department. Mitch brings outside violence to her small community, and Susan faces her most dangerous case yet.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Hampstead, Kansas
Period: World War II
304 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: domestic-violence, violence