First published 1985
Sheriff Chick Charleston hands Deputy Jason Beard a case that cuts deeper than most. A stenographer from the local oil company lies dead, but her day job tells only half the story. The woman led a double life, working nights as a prostitute while maintaining her respectable office position. Beard must navigate between two worlds as he searches for her killer. The investigation forces him to uncover secrets that powerful people want buried. Oil money and hidden desires create a web of motives in this small community. Beard discovers that respectability often masks darker truths, and that justice requires him to expose the very people who prefer shadows to light.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: double-life, secrets
Setting: Oil Company
183 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin
Content warnings: murder