Part of Under Suspicion, book 2
First published 2014
Television producer Laurie Moran celebrates as her reality show Under Suspicion becomes a hit. The cold case program recreates unsolved crimes with the people involved, and its first episode actually helps crack an infamous murder. Now Laurie searches for the perfect case for episode two. She finds it in the death of Susan Dempsey, a talented UCLA student whose murder left investigators baffled. Susan's car sat miles from where her body was discovered. She had planned to audition at a director's house, but no one knows if she arrived. Her boyfriend dodges questions about their relationship. A controversial campus church might connect to her disappearance. Her computer science professor claims their bond was purely academic, but was it? Most puzzling of all, Susan was missing one shoe when found. Lawyer Alex Buckley will co-host the investigation. The former suspects include Hollywood stars and tech moguls, guaranteeing high ratings. Laurie knows she has television gold, but she wonders if the real killer wants this much attention.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, high-stakes
Setting: UCLA, Hollywood
Period: Contemporary
320 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster