Description

In J. A. Jance’s gripping thriller, federal investigator Dan Pardee, the son-in-law of Brandon Walker, finds himself on a collision course with Sheriff Joanna Brady as he tracks a ruthless serial killer through the Southwest.

A man who calls himself Charles Milton stalks the rodeo circuit, searching for his next victim. He preys on young women who appear vulnerable—those who are alone and distracted—before making his move. For years, he has been careful, abducting, killing, and disposing of his victims without leaving a trace. He deliberately targets Indigenous women, knowing their disappearances are often overlooked by law enforcement.

Dan Pardee, a field officer with the newly established Missing and Murdered Indigenous People’s Task Force, is assigned a cold case that hits close to home. Rosa Rios, a former rodeo star of Apache descent, vanished three years ago. Around the time of her disappearance, authorities in Cochise County found unidentified human remains burned beyond recognition. Now, they have been confirmed as Rosa’s. Teaming up with Sheriff Joanna Brady, Dan is determined to reopen the case and get justice for Rosa’s grieving family. As the orphaned son of a murdered Indigenous woman, he feels an even deeper responsibility to bring the killer to justice.

Joanna’s daughter, Jennifer, also takes a special interest in the case. Once an amateur rodeo competitor herself, she knew Rosa. Now a criminal justice major, Jennifer decides to lend her own skills to the investigation. As the evidence mounts, Dan and Jennifer realize that Rosa was just one of many victims—and that the killer is still out there. Time is running out to stop him before he disappears once again, leaving more devastation in his wake.