by Archer Mayor
Part of Joe Gunther, book 28
First published 2017
Joe Gunther must step away from the Vermont Bureau of Investigation to care for his sick mother. His team divides to handle three urgent cases without him. Sammie Martens investigates the murder of a young woman who moved from Albany. The victim was roommate to Medical Examiner Beverly Hillstrom's daughter. Martens must discover why a professional killer targeted this apparently innocent woman. Lester Spinney reopens a cold case involving a dead state trooper and motorist. The official story claimed they shot each other. New evidence shows someone planted the motorist's fingerprints on the weapon. Spinney must identify the trooper's real killer. Willy Kunkle begins with a strange discovery on railroad tracks. A child found three human teeth. The trail leads to potential sabotage of vital military equipment. The three investigators work across Vermont and beyond. Each case tests their skills while Gunther remains absent. The team must prove they can function independently while solving crimes that challenge everything they thought they knew.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, team-dynamics
Setting: Albany, Vermont, Vermont Bureau of Investigation
Period: contemporary
326 pages · Kindle Edition · Minotaur Books