by J. A. Jance
Part of Joanna Brady, book 18
First published 2018
Sheriff Joanna Brady planned to spend her maternity leave at home with her newborn baby, reading through her father's old case diaries. Those quiet plans shatter when a serial killer strikes Cochise County. Multiple homicides demand her attention, pulling her away from domestic peace and back into the dangerous world of criminal investigation. Brady must coordinate with law enforcement across several jurisdictions to track down the murderer. The case grows more complex as bodies pile up and the killer remains at large. Brady faces the challenge of protecting her community while managing the demands of new motherhood. Set against Arizona's desert landscape, the investigation tests her skills as both sheriff and mother. The killer proves relentless, forcing Brady to make difficult choices about duty and family. She must solve the case before more lives are lost in Cochise County.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: duty-vs-family, family-secrets
Setting: Cochise County, Arizona
Period: modern
381 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: murder, violence