by Jan Burke
Part of Irene Kelly, book 5
First published 1998
Irene Kelly's marriage to detective Frank Harriman brings its share of tension. She chases stories across southern California while he deals with the city's worst crimes. Their two demanding careers suddenly collide when a group called Hocus kidnaps Frank. These pranksters have turned deadly serious. They give Irene exactly three days to meet their demands or Frank dies. Hocus sends her racing across the city following false leads and cryptic clues about their true identity. Time runs out as Irene searches desperately for her missing husband. The police investigation moves too slowly for her. She decides to hunt down the kidnappers herself. This choice puts her directly in danger from two vengeful men who have been planning their revenge for years. Now both Irene and Frank become targets in a twisted game that started as pranks but turned into murder.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, race-against-time
Setting: Southern California
Period: Contemporary
Mass Market Paperback · HarperTorch
Content warnings: kidnapping, violence