Canaan's Gate

April 26, 2010
A possible embezzlement case occupies inquiry agent Bay Tanner in Wall's suspenseful 10th puzzler set in South Carolina's Lowcountry (after 2009's "Covenant Hall"). Cecelia Dobbs, a low-level employee at First Coast Bank of the Carolinas, consults Bay because she suspects caregiver Kendra Blaine has swindled elderly Thomas and Rebecca Castlemain of Canaan's Gate, a wealthy Hilton Head island community, out of $1 million with the connivance of another First Coast employee. After Rebecca suddenly dies of a heart attack, the Castlemains' movie-star handsome grandson, Nick Potter, retains Bay's services. Nick suspects Kendra lent Rebecca a helping hand into her grave. The plot thickens alarmingly after Cecelia goes missing. Meanwhile, Bay and her restless new husband, Red, debate their working relationship at Simpson & Tanner, Inquiry Agents. Some stormy surprises lead to a cliffhanger ending. "(May)" .

May 1, 2010
Bank employee Cecelia Dobbs contacts Bay Tanners inquiry agency because she believes the companion of an elderly couple, the Castlemains, is stealing money from them, with the help of a teller. She hesitates to take the matter to her boss because she cant prove it, looking for Bay to provide the evidence she needs. When Mrs. Castlemain unexpectedly dies and Cecelia disappears, Bay continues her investigation even though she is working without a client. In her personal life, Bay must deal with her husband, who works for her agency but feels he doesnt have enough to do, and with her recently discovered half-sister. This tenth in the series features a vividly described Hilton Head Island setting, well-drawn secondary characters, and the principled Bay, who is just settling into married life when her new husband drops a bombshell that may radically change their lives. Bay Tanner fans may also enjoy Julia Spencer-Flemings Clare Fergusson series, set in the Adirondacks, with its lovingly detailed setting and strong female main character.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)