Who knew that being a Good Samaritan would lead Barbara Holloway to face her biggest challenge ever: being named prime suspect in a high-profile kidnapping?

The peace and quiet of Barbara's retreat on the Oregon coast is shattered when a terrified young boy calls to her as she walks along a deserted beach. Frantically he leads her to a cabin deep in the woods where his mother lies senseless and battered—clearly left for dead. Barbara runs for help, but by the time she returns with the police and medics both mother and son are gone.

The puzzle only deepens when, back in the city, Barbara learns that the boy she met is the grandson of a wealthy and prominent family— and that they have accused her of aiding and abetting his disappearance.

With the help of her father, Frank, Barbara delves into the mystery of the missing child, only to realize that the kidnapping is a ruse for a more sinister plan—a plan that pits the meaning of family against cold hard cash.

But the more she learns, the more questions she has, and troubling obstacles continue to thwart her every move—from the justice system that employs her, to the false identities of those around her. Yet none of these things compares to the shocking murder scene that awaits her.

"'Wilhelm's sharp ninth Barbara Holloway legal thriller (after 2006's Sleight of Hand) proves compelling action can take place outside a courtroom. A not entirely welcome marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Darren, inspires Barbara to head to a remote California cabin for some time to herself. Her getaway is interrupted by a boy seeking help for his injured mother. Barbara goes to get help and comes back to find that the two have vanished. They turn out to be Elizabeth and Jason Kurtz, on the run after discovering Elizabeth's ex-husband's family business, the Diedricks Corp., has been involved in illegal activities that could derail a planned billion-dollar Swiss buyout. When Elizabeth resurfaces in Eugene, Ore., Barbara agrees to meet her, only to find Elizabeth has been shot dead and Jason is missing. Barbara comes under increasing scrutiny from the Kurtz family and the police as she struggles to solve the bewildering puzzle. Wilhelm's smooth style, sans graphic violence or sex, provides a cool alternative to overheated blockbusters. (Sept.)' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

After a terrified young boy seeks Barbara's help for his battered mother, and then disappears, the boy's family accuses her of aiding in his disappearance. As Barbara delves into the mystery of the missing child, troubling obstacles continue to thwart her every move.

Wilhelm, the bestselling author of "Sleight of Hand," who has been hailed as one of the masters of psychological fiction ("San Francisco Chronicle"), offers a new legal thriller featuring Barbara Holloway.