Steven J. Kolbe

Review of eBook

Ezra James desperately misses his wife . . . ex-wife now . . . Julia, so when she turns up at his doorstep, he can’t help hoping that her visit might lead to something more.

At first, the death of Torben Laakso seems to be suicide. But things may not be at all as they seem, even though the Finlox executive left what appears to be a suicide note.

Social media darling Nélya Kirsi, daughter of Finlox founder Benjamin Kirsi, has vanished.

Is the Finlox executive’s death somehow connected to the young woman’s disappearance? And what does an international social media company have to do with some South Pacific Islands?

=========

Although this is the second in the author’s two-book Ezra James series, this book works well as a standalone with sufficient backstory for readers new to the series. A strong sense of place and interesting characters anchor the telling of this intriguing tale and keep readers guessing as the unfolding narrative reveals a deepening mystery.

Father Remy Mbombo’s backstory reveals a past he would prefer to keep hidden; Ezra, assisted by rookie detective Lucia Vargas, seeks the truth but Leena Åkerholm, assistant director of the KRP, seems to have come to Chicago with an agenda all her own.

With a plot that twists and turns, bringing unexpected surprises to the telling of the tale, readers will find much to appreciate here. The author skillfully weaves the seemingly-disparate threads into the telling of this complex tale of international machinations. Once begun, readers will find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Readers program and am leaving this review voluntarily.… (more)