by Josh Bazell
First published 2015
Pietro Brnwa, the reformed hitman turned doctor from the witness protection program, takes a job protecting paleontologist Violet Hurst in a small Minnesota town. A misanthropic billionaire has hired them to investigate reports of a lake monster. The assignment seems perfect for Brnwa, who needs to stay hidden from the mafia that wants him dead. But the quiet town harbors secrets. The restaurant owner smuggles drugs across the Canadian border with help from two teenagers. Another resident obsessively tries to film the creature. The local doctor knows something about the monster. Soon narcos arrive ready for war, the jealous billionaire shows up, and the mafia tracks down Brnwa. The investigation spirals into chaos as criminals, millionaires, and locals with hidden agendas collide around the mystery of what lurks beneath the lake's surface.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Minnesota, Canada
Period: 21st-century
432 pages · Paperback · Anagrama
Content warnings: violence