Part of Michael Bennett, book 3
First published 2010
Detective Michael Bennett stares at another crime scene in New York City. A wealthy family's son has vanished from the streets. The kidnapper makes no ransom demands. Instead, he forces his captives to answer questions about the cost of their privileged lives. Each wrong response brings death. Bennett leads the investigation while juggling his own ten children at home. He cannot fathom why anyone would harm kids. More students from powerful families disappear. Their parents pressure the mayor and media, demanding action. The FBI assigns Agent Emily Parker to the case. Her arrival complicates Bennett's work and personal situation. The kidnapper shifts his methods before Bennett can object to federal involvement. His new plan threatens a catastrophic attack across all of New York. Bennett must decode the killer's twisted logic about wealth and privilege. The detective races to save the remaining victims while protecting his own large family from a madman bent on deadly lessons.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: New York City
Period: 21st-century
356 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: kidnapping, violence