Worth Killing For

January 15, 2018
A journalist's childhood experiences continue to color her life, and not in a good way.Julia Gooden's father, Duke, was a con man and her mother, Marjorie, an alcoholic whose parenting skills left much to be desired. Eventually they deserted Julia, her older sister, Sarah, and her brother, Ben, who protected Julia until he was kidnapped, tearing the sisters apart. The mystery of his disappearance was never solved, but Julia still hopes that he somehow survived. Now that Julia's cheating husband is dead, she's returned to her first love, police officer Ray Navarro, but is taking it slow to protect the feelings of her traumatized boys (Duplicity, 2017, etc.). On her way to a murder scene, she suddenly recognizes her father at a gas station. Shaken, she hurries on to the crime scene, where Chief John Linderman gives her a sneak peek at the body of Angel Perez, killed by an arrow. Navarro's partner tells her that there have been similar crimes over a long span of time, never publicized as serial killings. Meanwhile, Julia's not the only one who knows her father is back in town. His former criminal associates are determined to retrieve something he stole from them when he skipped. They follow Julia hoping she'll lead them to Duke, who comes to her rescue when she's attacked but refuses to tell her anything. Julia visits her sister, a recovering addict who's back in town trying to change her life. She's approached by Phoenix Pontiac, who asserts that Ben is still alive and gives Julia the bracelet Ben gave her as a child as proof. That's the good news. The bad news is that Duke's former associates are even more dangerous than she'd imagined. Unless she can plumb the tangled web of murder and deceit, her whole circle may end up victims of the serial killer who's somehow connected to Duke's enemies.A complex, highly suspenseful tale of murder, revenge, and redemption.

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February 19, 2018
In Haseldine’s alluring third mystery featuring Detroit crime reporter Julia Gooden (after 2017’s Duplicity), Julia’s editor assigns her to cover the bow-and-arrow murder of college kid Angel Perez. Then, at a gas station near where Perez’s body was found, Julia is certain that she spots her estranged father, small-time grifter and con man Duke Gooden, even though she was only seven when he vanished 30 years earlier. Julia drops everything and renews her intensive search for clues to the near-simultaneous disappearance of her nine-year-old brother, Ben, which the reader knows from the first chapter is related to Angel’s murder. The brief encounter with Duke may or may not have been planned, but it resurrects Julia’s seething obsession with her brother’s whereabouts. Inevitable run-ins with killers plus clashes with law enforcement, including main squeeze Detroit police detective Ray Navarro, ensue as Julia wends a circuitous route to help solve more than one crime. Fans are certain to enjoy the complex plot and Julia and Ray’s evolving relationship. Agent: Priya Doraswamy, Lotus Lane Literary.

March 1, 2018
Recently widowed Detroit crime reporter Julia Gooden is taking it one day at a time, raising two sons and proceeding slowly in a rekindled relationship with cop Raymond Navarro. Then one day a city councilman's nephew is killed with a bow and arrow, and Julia sees her father, who walked out on the family 30 years ago. Coincidences compound when Julia learns that there were several other bow-and-arrow killings 30 years ago?right around the time her father left, and her nine-year-old brother, Ben, was abducted. Is there a chance Ben is still alive? This exciting third installment in the series (following Duplicity, 2017) effectively mixes gritty crime and involving domestic drama.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)