by John Grisham
First published 2026
Paul and Chelsea Tanner step off the train in the French countryside, hands clasped, still glowing from their wedding. Within hours, they disappear without a trace. Their kidnapping triggers an international investigation spanning multiple agencies. The FBI, CIA, and French Intelligence scramble to connect the dots as evidence emerges of similar crimes targeting American couples abroad. The case grows more complex when investigators realize this is part of a larger criminal pattern. Desperate for answers, the CIA devises a risky operation using a young lawyer as bait to draw out the perpetrators. As the search intensifies across international borders, the agencies must overcome jurisdictional conflicts and competing agendas. The investigation reveals a web of criminal activity that threatens more innocent victims. Paul and Chelsea's fate hangs in the balance as their families wait for news and law enforcement races against time to prevent the next abduction.
Genres: suspense, crime, adult-fiction, thriller, mystery-thriller, legal-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, gripping, high-stakes, suspenseful, tense
Tropes: jurisdictional-conflict, race-against-time, undercover-operation
Setting: France, French countryside
Period: contemporary
496 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print
Content warnings: kidnapping, violence