by Archer Mayor
Part of Joe Gunther, book 20
First published 2009
Detective Joe Gunther faces two cases that threaten to tear his world apart. His Vermont Bureau of Investigation team works the brutal killing of Wayne Castine, a suspected child predator with connections to local organized crime. The investigation demands Gunther's full attention, but personal matters intervene when new evidence surfaces about an old tragedy. His girlfriend Lyn Silva's father and brother, both fishermen, vanished years ago in what everyone assumed was a maritime accident. Fresh clues suggest otherwise. Gunther must choose between his professional duties and accompanying Lyn to Maine to uncover the truth about her family. The deeper they dig, the more dangerous their search becomes. The Silva men weren't innocent victims lost at sea. They had dealings with ruthless smugglers who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. These criminals have already killed to keep the past buried, and they won't hesitate to eliminate anyone who threatens to expose them.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Maine, Vermont
Period: contemporary
308 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: violence