by J. A. Jance
Part of J.P. Beaumont, book 5
First published 1990
Seattle Homicide Detective J.P. Beaumont stares at the corpse slumped in the dental chair. Dr. Frederick Nielsen took pleasure in causing pain during procedures, and now someone has silenced him permanently. Beaumont faces an unusual problem. The victim had so many enemies that narrowing down suspects becomes nearly impossible. Nielsen's patients, colleagues, and acquaintances all had reasons to want him dead. As Beaumont digs deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of violence, cruelty, and sexual abuse that makes his stomach turn. The investigation reveals layer after layer of Nielsen's sadistic behavior. Each new witness adds another motive to an already crowded field. But when Beaumont finally pieces together the truth, the revelation cuts deeper than any professional challenge he has faced. The solution forces him to confront a form of evil that shakes his fundamental beliefs about human nature.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Seattle
320 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon Books
Content warnings: abuse, violence