First published 2017
Jane Bunker traded Miami homicide cases for marine insurance work in Green Haven, Maine. She wanted quiet coastal living instead of urban crime scenes. A house fire on remote Acadia Island changes that plan. Jane arrives to assess fire damage and discovers a burned corpse in the ruins. The victim owns the destroyed house and ranks as the town's most despised resident. Jane's investigation reveals a web of criminal schemes involving ex-convicts and real estate fraud. The case exposes bitter divisions between year-round locals and wealthy summer residents. Jane must identify a killer while managing chaos at home. Her eccentric landlords, the Vickersons, eagerly prepare for her brother Wally to move in after his assisted living falls through. Wally has Down syndrome and needs careful support. Jane struggles to balance the murder case with family responsibilities. Someone wanted the victim dead badly enough to use fire as a weapon. Jane must discover why before the killer strikes again.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Green Haven, Acadia Island
304 pages · Kindle Edition · Minotaur Books