Part of The Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, book 9
First published 2020
Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne stares at a dead woman in a party dress. The scene mirrors two previous murders in Millers Kill, one from 1972 and another from 1952. In 1972, Russ himself was the prime suspect when he discovered a similar victim while riding his motorcycle as a young Vietnam veteran. Now he must solve all three cases before he gets pulled from the investigation. The pressure mounts as the identical crime patterns suggest a connection spanning decades. Russ teams up with his wife, Reverend Clare Fergusson, who balances caring for their newborn baby with running St. Alban's Church. Together with his police squad, they race to uncover the truth behind these mysterious deaths. The investigation forces Russ to confront his own past while protecting his future as both police chief and father.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: past-haunts-present, race-against-time
Setting: Millers Kill
Period: 1952, 1972
349 pages · Kindle Edition · Minotaur Books