From Publishers Weekly

Novak's latest Stillwater novel (after Dead Giveaway) revisits the small Mississippi town, where journalist/newspaper owner Madeline Barker is still seeking closure two decades after the disappearance of her father, a town minister. When police find her missing father's Cadillac submerged in a quarry outside of town, Maddy is determined to discover, finally, what really happened. Maddy hires L.A. private eye Hunter Solozano to solve the case, but neither expects to find romance: Hunter is an embittered divorcé, and Maddy recently broke up with a domineering boyfriend. While their relationship simmers, Hunter discovers some disturbing truths about Maddy's father and his domestic life; before long, a series of sinister phone calls and a botched robbery raise the stakes. Strong characters bring the escalating suspense to life, and the mystery is skillfully played out. Novak's smooth plotting makes for a great read, but the conclusion, though organic, has perhaps too much shine and not enough surprise. (Aug.)
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From Booklist

Twenty years ago Reverend Lee Barker drove away from the small Mississippi town of Stillwater, never to be heard from again. Everyone thought that Barker's stepson Clay had something to do with the good reverend's disappearance, except Barker's daughter Madeline. When her father's car finally turns up in an abandoned quarry, it seems to prove that someone wanted him dead. To clear Clay's name, Madeline hires California private investigator Hunter Solozano, but someone wants old secrets to remain buried and is determined to stop Hunter's investigation, even if it means killing Madeline. Novak brings her dark-edged, quietly intense, and completely enthralling Dead trilogy to a truly thrilling conclusion with this superbly crafted tale of romance and suspense. Charles, John