Synopsis
(AUTHOR PHOTO ON BACK COVER)
YOU NEVER MISS YOUR WATER—TILL YOUR TIME RUNS OUT...
For Em Hansen, things couldn't be better professionally and personally. She's got a full-time gig with the Utah Geological Survey; she's the go-to forensic geologist for state law enforcement—and a long-simmering acquaintance with a handsome pilot is turning into more than friendship. But when she's called in to investigate how a massive quarry wall collapsed, she's shocked to discover that the viciously-mutilated body that was trapped beneath belongs to none other than Em's old colleague, Afton McWain, an oil tycoon-turned-controversial geological consultant.
It doesn't take much digging for Em to uncover a deluge of motives for Afton's murder—from his scandalous "three's company" private life...to his one-man investigation into a mysterious water shortage and a billion-dollar real-estate fraud. And with adversaries as treacherous as a sudden canyon flood, Em also must employ her cutting-edge skills to explore the dark territory of the heart, where love and loyalty are the most deadly mirages of all...
"Compelling."
—Dallas Morning News
"Another engaging chapter in a rock-solid series."
—Booklist
Publishers Weekly
When a corpse with its fingerprints removed is found crushed under a gravel-pile avalanche, Em Hansen gets on the case in Andrews's 10th mystery to feature the Utah forensic geologist (after 2004's Earth Colors). An unmistakable tattoo allows Em to identify the victim as Afton McWain, but what was the eccentric Colorado environmental activist doing in Salt Lake? Em hitches a ride with Fritz Calder, a charter-plane pilot friend, to Colorado, where McWain's ex-wife and current live-in "nature girl" reside. No love is lost between the suspicious pair, who both consider themselves heir to McWain's off-the-grid ranch, which is surrounded by hungry developers whose financial interests don't mesh with his findings about water availability in this drought-stricken region. As Em and Fritz weather their way through missed romantic signals, ominous clouds gather over the ranch, where Em collects evidence. Andrews may wander from scientific dissertations to romantic reveries and inadequately fleshed-out subplots, but fans of information-packed suspense should be satisfied. (Dec.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.