Part of Lew Archer, book 7
First published 2007
Carl Hallman arrives at Lew Archer's office with desperate eyes and a drug habit. The wealthy young man wants the detective to investigate the suspicious deaths of his parents, Senator Hallman and his wife Alicia. Archer travels to the quiet town of Purissima, where the Hallman family built their fortune from orange groves. He quickly discovers the family has used their wealth to fund political intimidation and police brutality. The Hallmans have spent years engaged in betrayal and corruption, but now someone appears to be targeting them for revenge. Two family members are already dead, and another has been committed to a mental institution. Archer must solve the case before another Hallman becomes a victim. The detective peels back the respectable exterior of this political dynasty to reveal the greed and violence that lurk beneath their polished surface.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Purissima
Period: 20th-century
251 pages · Paperback · Vintage Crime
Content warnings: death, violence