by Stuart Woods
Part of Stone Barrington, book 10
First published 2004
Holly Barker, chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida, arrives in New York pursuing Trini Rodriguez, a criminal she believed she had killed in a previous encounter. Rodriguez has committed a horrific act of terrorism, concealing explosives in funeral caskets and detonating them during the service, killing twelve mourners. Holly teams up with Stone Barrington, a lawyer and private investigator, to hunt down her target. The chase becomes complicated when they discover Rodriguez has entered the FBI Witness Protection Program. Federal agents are using him as an asset to infiltrate an Arab terrorist cell that seeks to launder money through organized crime connections. Holly must navigate the conflicting interests of law enforcement agencies while pursuing justice for Rodriguez's victims. The investigation forces her into the dangerous intersection of domestic crime and international terrorism.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, investigation
Setting: Arab, FBI, Florida, New York, Orchid Beach
Period: Contemporary
368 pages · Paperback · G.P. Putnam's Sons
Content warnings: violence