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The New York Times bestselling author brings back the Walker family in a multilayered thriller in which murders past and present connect the lives of three families Every summer, in an event that is commemorated throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Queen of the Night flower blooms in the Arizona desert. But one couple's intended celebration is shattered by gunfire, the sole witness to the bloodshed a little girl who has lost the only family she's ever known. To her rescue come Dr. Lani Walker, who sees the trauma of her own childhood reflected in her young patient, and Dan Pardee, an Iraq war veteran and member of an unorthodox border patrol unit called the Shadow Wolves. Joined by Pima County homicide investigator Brian Fellows, they must keep the child safe while tracking down a ruthless killer. In a second case, retired homicide detective Brandon Walker is investigating the long unsolved murder of an Arizona State University coed. Now, after nearly half a century of silence, the one person who can shed light on that terrible incident is willing to talk. Meanwhile, Walker's wife, Diana Ladd, is reliving memories of a man whose death continues to haunt her. As these crimes threaten to tear apart three separate families, the stories and traditions of the Tohono O'odham people remain just beneath the surface of the desert, providing illumination to events of both self-sacrifice and unspeakable evil.
A brutal act of violence in the Arizona desert forces a young girl into the center of a dangerous investigation that links past and present crimes. Dr. Lani Walker and Iraq war veteran Dan Pardee must protect the traumatized child while navigating the complex landscape of the Tohono O'odham Nation. Simultaneously, retired detective Brandon Walker pursues a cold case involving a decades-old murder at Arizona State University. The narrative weaves these threads together, exploring how long-buried secrets and the weight of history impact the lives of three distinct families.
This novel reflects the established style of the author, focusing on procedural detail and the intersection of personal histories with criminal investigations. The narrative relies on the interplay between the harsh desert setting and the internal lives of the characters to build tension. Readers familiar with the Walker family series will find consistent character development and thematic continuity throughout the plot. The story suggests a methodical approach to mystery, prioritizing the slow accumulation of evidence and the gradual revelation of long-held secrets over rapid-fire action sequences.
Page Count:
400
Publication Date:
2010-06-01
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
0007384319
ISBN-13:
9780007384310
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