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This fourth, fast-paced PI Roland Ford novel (after The Last Good Guy, 2019) is guaranteed to challenge the reader to keep up. Ford takes on a missing-person case for a decorated fellow marine, politician Dalton Strait, whose wife has vanished. Strait is already beset by an all-consuming election campaign and beleaguered by random bombings of government buildings in his Southern California district. The marine code of semper fi obliges Ford to go beyond the call of duty for his fellow vet, and he finds that the missing wife may have run away from a troubled marriage, that Strait’s finances may be corrupt, and that his family, known to law enforcement as “the dire Straits,” leads a criminal cartel. Soon Ford is reliving his combat nightmares in real time after the bombings intensify; an anarchist group called the Chaos Committee claims responsibility for the attacks and may be behind the kidnapping. The atmospheric SoCal setting provides a brilliant contrast to what Ford calls a “republic of violence,” rife with grievances and a gun in every hand to address them.

Publishers Weekly
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In bestseller Parker’s outstanding fourth Roland Ford novel (after 2019’s The Last Good Guy), the San Diego, Calif., PI takes on the case of state legislator Dalton Strait, whose wife, Natalie, has disappeared in the midst of a challenging reelection campaign. Natalie has run away before—she has a history of mental illness—but this time her abandoned car is found with the word HELP scrawled in lipstick on the back of the front seat. Meanwhile, the San Diego area is rocked by increasingly deadly terrorist attacks. A group called the Chaos Committee claims responsibility with a disturbing anarchist manifesto that takes aim at California’s elected officials at multiple level, inciting widespread violence. Ford’s investigation takes him into the heart of Strait’s prominent family, including his sister, an entrepreneur in the California marijuana business (legalized, but still threatened by Mexican cartels), as well as the larger social issues of the Chaos Committee and the community of wounded war veterans. The plot is as well crafted as it is thought provoking. Parker writes with confidence, insight, and real humanity. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media. (Aug.)

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A war vet–turned–private eye hunts for a fellow vet’s missing wife and a mad bomber to boot. Rising political star Dalton Strait hires fellow Iraq War veteran Roland Ford to find his missing wife, Natalie. The Straits are a notorious clan of petty criminals, but Dalton’s military record has helped him gain success in the California Assembly. Roland, who narrates in a relaxed first person, also gets a call from FBI Special Agent Mike Lark, asking for an assist in investigating the recent bombing of city hall by the so-called Chaos Committee. Uncertain whether Natalie has been the victim of foul play, Roland talks to people who know the couple. Natalie’s sister Ash Galland describes them as happy. Even if there was marital discord, could Natalie leave her two sons? The complexion of the case changes when Natalie’s abandoned car is discovered, a plea for help scrawled in lipstick on the upholstery. Dalton’s sister, Tola, runs a marijuana business; their hard-drinking granddad Virgil proudly shows Roland his collection of scorpions; neither seems concerned about the disappearance of Natalie, who blew through hundreds of thousands of dollars gambling and shopping. Seeking reelection against a formidable candidate, Dalton faces a further challenge: a controversial bill for veterans aid he’s sponsoring. When more bombings occur, Roland has to ask why. Since he didn’t serve in Iraq with Dalton, he consults Harris Broadman, who did and who presents a far darker picture of Dalton Strait. How do all these jagged pieces fit into a coherent puzzle? Parker’s incisive character portraits and smooth, confident prose make his latest thriller taut and engaging. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.