First published 2008
Ed Loy sits across from Father Vincent Tyrrell, who wants help finding someone. The priest gives him nothing but a name. No description, no last known address, no leads. Loy knows he needs more information, but his bank account is nearly empty and he cannot afford to turn down work. While investigating another case, Loy finds a phone number on a dead body. The number connects to F.X. Tyrrell, the priest's brother and a major racehorse trainer. Loy suspects this is no accident. He starts investigating the Tyrrell family and discovers they have built their fortune through horse breeding, gambling, and deals that blur legal boundaries. Two more murders follow, both victims linked to the Tyrrells. As the Leopardstown Racecourse Christmas Festival approaches, one of Ireland's biggest racing events, Loy realizes he is chasing a killer who has been planning something elaborate. The investigation pulls him deeper into a family whose public success masks private corruption. Loy must solve the case before the killer completes a plan that has already left three people dead.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation
Setting: Ireland, Leopardstown Racecourse
Period: Christmas Festival
336 pages · ebook · HarperCollins Publishers