by Sue Grafton
Part of Kinsey Millhone, book 13
First published 1997
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone takes on what seems like a straightforward case when the Malek family hires her to locate Guy Malek, who disappeared eighteen years earlier without explanation. The Malek brothers need to find Guy because their family's construction business has grown into a multimillion-dollar California empire, and inheritance law requires all four sons to be present before anyone can claim their share. Kinsey begins tracing Guy's steps from the day he vanished, but the investigation quickly becomes complicated. Did Guy leave voluntarily to escape his wealthy family's influence, or did something more dangerous drive him away? As Kinsey digs deeper into the Malek family history, she discovers that money and blood create powerful motives for deception. The case turns deadly when family loyalties fracture and greed takes control. Kinsey finds herself racing to solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim in a family where trust has become a luxury no one can afford.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, family-drama, mystery
Setting: California
Period: 18 Years Ago
337 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Fawcett