A vast cast of characters comes together for the explosive resolution to Lund’s mystery series.

When a shocking and brutal murder leaves Detective Lincoln Barnes reeling and stuck managing the fallout, she’s thrust back into the orbit of her former lover, Robin Gildemeister. Their reunion starts off fraught with tension as they navigate the fragile terrain of a relationship that’s changed in ways neither fully understands, but the pair quickly settles into a comfortable and tender romance, providing Lincoln with the support she needs to move forward. But there’s little time to dwell on personal matters as mysteries begin to stack up at a rapid pace; what starts as one violent crime quickly spirals into a web of interconnected puzzles, including missing money from a trust fund with suspicious ties, a couple who vanished without a trace during a cruise, and a string of deaths that all seem to circle back to Natalie Brinkman, a wealthy, manipulative sociopath with a penchant for destruction. Adding to the chaos is a reckless driver in a bright yellow Lamborghini, whose presence may cause more problems than can be predicted. Returning series favorites like Sam MacDonald, the steadfast Lake County sheriff, and his wife, Hallie Bell MacDonald, the sharp and resourceful county attorney, provide a sense of community and continuity. Other familiar faces from previous installments join the fray as new characters add fresh intrigue. With a cast of more than a dozen significant players, newcomers may find themselves scrambling to keep track, but the relentless, electric suspense and solid, reassuring chemistry between Lincoln and Robin make it impossible to put the book down. Lund’s propensity for long and hyper-detailed descriptions and backstories makes for an atmospheric read as the investigation hurtles toward its climax. Long-time readers will savor the satisfying resolution—the nail-biting tension ensures that every page feels full of new information leading to an inevitable conclusion.

An electrifying finale that untangles a spiderweb of mysteries.

In this installment of Lund’s Lake Superior Mystery series, a detective’s investigation uncovers a complex tapestry of secrets and lies.

Det. Lincoln Barnes has moved to Lake County after leaving the Minneapolis Police Department following a murder investigation that irrevocably changed her life. She’s now been assigned to find the murderer of Oscar Fawcett, who was run off the road in a collision that resulted in his decapitation. Oscar had previously donated a kidney to his mother Rebecca’s then-fiance, Paul Barton. Following the operation, Paul ended the engagement with Rebecca and married his mistress, which had clearly been his plan all along. Oscar and Rebecca sued Paul, who settled but was greatly angered by them taking legal action against him. In what initially appears to be an unrelated incident, Larry Osgood, the CEO of a mining company, is kidnapped and later found murdered in a remote cabin. Matters are further complicated when Paul Barton and his wife are poisoned. Meanwhile, Paul’s friend Jack Whitman grows close to his paralegal and begins an affair with her, but she may not be who she seems. If all that wasn’t enough, Lincoln can’t let go of her memories of Judge Robin Gildemeister as she questions whether he was the monster his journal made him out to be (“The contents of the diary were proof that the former judge had murdered the president of the Minneapolis City Council or proof that he was deeply disturbed, or maybe both”). Lund returns to his Lake Superior Mystery series with a stunning sequel that raises the bar already set high by the first installment, Who Are You? (2022).Lincoln continues to tackle cases with her grounded approach and admirable personality, bringing a human element to the overall analytical tone. Including chapters from Whitman’s point of view adds an intriguing element to the story, allowing the reader to see clues Lincoln is not aware of and illustrating the complexity of characters whose actions are less favorable than the honorable detective’s.

A fast-paced, twisted mystery with a thoroughly enjoyable solution.  

One detective must find justice for a dead teenager and a murdered city council president and figure out if her new romantic interest is a psychopath.

Det. Lincoln Barnes is a good, caring detective with a great track record and a trustworthy partner in Warren Lindquist. They are assigned to investigate the violent murder of Kathryn Patterson Bagley, president of the Minneapolis City Council. The council member was jogging around Lake Harriet when someone stabbed her in her forehead and chest. Lincoln and Warren’s detective work naturally takes them to the murdered woman’s husband, Paul. Kathryn had an open relationship with Paul and was rumored to have been sleeping with Mayor Marcus Sampson, though there’s no evidence of their relationship. Her chief policy aid, Natalie Brinkman, divulges an enormous amount of information that makes both Paul and Marcus look suspicious, but Natalie has her own dark secrets and possibly her own agenda. Meanwhile, Lincoln is simultaneously investigating the murder of a transgender teen girl who was abandoned by her unaccepting parents. In her downtime, Lincoln jogs around Lake Harriet, and during one of her runs, she meets Judge Robin Gildemeister. Sparks immediately fly, and Lincoln can’t help but fall for the man. But she quickly discovers he’s also harboring secrets. As Lincoln delves deeper into the case of the dead councilwoman and the judge’s past, she finds the two may have been connected in ways she never expected. Lund has created a fantastic mystery that has thrilling plot twists and a standout cast. Lincoln, a believable, grounded detective, is easy to care about. Other characters, like Natalie and Robin, are equally layered and make fantastic counterparts to Lincoln. The first in a promising series.

An absorbing, Minneapolis-set mystery.