In this outing a young woman is missing and believed murdered by the crazed leader of a sex cult. Her father has attempted to cash in on an insurance policy taken out on his daughter, and this leaves Brandstetter in considerable doubt, especially since the father himself is no where to be found. He sets out to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place.
This is my favorite so far of the series. It's an absorbing read from beginning to its (literally) explosive ending and is much more gory and gruesome than previous entries. All the Hansen felicities are here: terrific pace, expert characterization, snappy dialogue, and absolutely flawless depictions of scene and atmosphere. An extra treat is the sidelight on Dave's love life, his growing relationship with TV journalist Cecil Harris, thirty years Dave's junior and with ambitions of his own. Their rocky relationship shows a tender side to Dave glimpsed only fleetingly in earlier books.
Hansen is a rare bird among writers of all stripes: he's a stylist who can also tell a story that grips you. Read him, enjoy him, savor him.