by J. A. Jance
Part of J.P. Beaumont, book 18
First published 2007
J.P. Beaumont stands over another dead body on a Seattle doorstep. The victim is a former drug dealer and ex-convict, shot down right at his mother's home. The killing looks like typical street violence, but Beaumont's superiors want this case handled quietly. His partner Mel Soames works her own secret investigation across Washington State, where registered sex offenders are turning up dead at suspicious rates. The deaths don't all appear natural. Seattle harbors plenty of violent crime and corruption, but when Beaumont and Soames discover their separate cases connect, they realize they've uncovered something much larger. A conspiracy reaches into powerful circles where two cops might not be welcome. Beaumont and Soames must navigate deadly secrets that could cost them their lives.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Seattle
Period: contemporary
371 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: violence