Monday, August 23, 2010

Pursuit of Justice-DiAnn Mills

Pursuit of Justice
DiAnn Mills
Tyndale, Oct 1 2010, $12.99
ISBN: 9781414320526

In the Ballinger area of Runnels County in West Texas, three bodies were found on a High Butte Ranch owned by Carr Sullivan. Houston FBI Bureau Chief Swartzer explains to Special Agent Bella Jordan the case is hers as she comes from the area and there is a link to Brandt Richardson on the fugitive list. The corpses (Professor Forrest Miller, geologist Daniel Kegley and retired oilman Walt Higgins) were seeking the Spider Rock treasure; Jordan remarks that the location was not even remotely considered an option.

The two suspects are obviously the rancher with a criminal past who refused access to the treasure seekers and Richardson. Ambitious for a promotion, Bella conceals her connection to the latter from her boss as she heads to West Texas. However, as Bella digs for clues, she soon receives threats to back off or else. The warnings seem too personal so she concludes whoever this individual is he or she knows her.

The third Call of Duty police procedural (see Breach of Trust and Sworn To Protect) is a wonderful whodunit. The heroine trusts no one before she arrives and affirms her feelings of depending on herself only after she begins her inquiry though she is attracted to Carr and has family nearby as the culprit obviously knows her. The story line is fast-paced from start to finish as an unknown adversary plays a game of cat and mouse with the returning home FBI agent.

Harriet Klausner

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