Life Without Parole (#5)
Fans of J.A. Jance and Lisa Gardner will love this exploration of the little-known job of death investigator in small-town Missouri where Angela Richman finds herself investigating the lives and secrets of the one percenters in Chouteau Forest.
Chouteau Forest’s wealthy are being targeted by the Ghost Burglars, who’ve carried out twelve burglaries over two weeks. So far, there’s been no bloodshed . . . until Tom Lockridge is brutally slain inside his marble mansion during the latest raid.
Angela Richman, death investigator for Chouteau County, is called to assess the scene and the body by Detective Jace Budewitz. As they investigate, Jace becomes obsessed with proving the Ghost Burglars weren’t involved in the murder.
Can the burglars be ruled out so easily? Is there more to Cynthia Lockridge, Tom’s wife, seeking solace in the arms of the ambitious local lawyer Wesley Desloge? What about Tom’s long-suffering daughter, or his loose-lipped housekeeper or office manager? Everyone is keeping secrets, but whose erupted into violence that fateful night?
Reviews
"Colorful characters match the crafty plot twists. Viets consistently entertains."
"Richly framed by details of death investigations from the moment the investigator arrives at the scene through the autopsy and the criminal case itself, this fast-paced series entry will appeal to fans of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs."Booklist
"Viets’ fans should enjoy her latest corpse-filled outing."Kirkus
"Viets delivers an entertaining story that delves into the culture of the elite, small-town politics and entitlement while showing an understanding of what motivates people."
"Angela’s wry humor and wit make even the darkest of moments entertaining, and Viets has the ability to enrage readers with the unfairness of class structure without being preachy. A suspenseful conclusion has Angela putting together the puzzle pieces while risking her life and her job, but a happy future looks to be on its way for readers and our heroine."