by J. A. Jance
Part of J.P. Beaumont, book 12
First published 1996
A fishing boat burns on Puget Sound, filling the sky with orange flames and the smell of charred flesh. The death of a Seattle fisherman opens questions that have been buried for over fifty years. Detective J.P. Beaumont faces a case that reaches back through decades of hidden crimes. The dead man's widow, Else Didricksen, lives in fear as dark forces close around her. She turns to Beaumont, an old friend who might be her only hope. The detective must uncover secrets that have been carefully guarded for generations. A web of greed and terror threatens to trap both the frightened woman and the man trying to save her. Beaumont discovers that some mysteries carry dangers he never expected to face.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Puget Sound, Seattle
Period: 50 years
400 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon
Content warnings: death, murder