First published 2016
Hannah Smith guides fishing boats through Florida waters and solves problems on the side. The tall, strong investigator comes from generations of Florida families, but her latest case reaches back five centuries. Spanish conquistadors brought the first orange seeds to Florida in the 1500s. Now the state's orange trees are dying from root disease, infestation, and genetic tampering. Scientists need samples of the original root stock to save the industry. Hannah knows the swamps and backcountry better than anyone. She takes the job and starts searching the murky wilderness. Word spreads about her mission. A biologist warns her that people will kill for direct descendants of those first seeds. Hannah realizes she has become a target. She must find the ancient orange varieties before the killers find her. The quest forces Hannah deeper into dangerous territory where survival depends on her knowledge of Florida's hidden places.
Genres: adventure, suspense, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, survival
Setting: Florida
Period: 1500s, 21st Century
352 pages · Hardcover · G.P. Putnam's Sons