A veteran Marine and an ex-convict find themselves on opposite sides of the law in this propulsive new thriller from award-nominated suspense master and "powerhouse writer" Owen Laukkanen ( Kirkus Reviews**).**
*Could your closest friend be a killer? *
When a body washes up outside Deception Cove, Washington, Jess Winslow-once a US Marine, now a trainee sheriff's deputy-is assigned to investigate. But when she realizes it's "Bad" Brock Boyd, a hometown celebrity lately fallen from grace, things become complicated. The last person seen with Boyd was her own boyfriend, Mason Burke.
An ex-convict and newcomer in town, Mason is one of the only people who can understand Jess's haunting memories of her time in Afghanistan-and her love for Lucy, her devoted service dog. Finding one another in Deception Cove has been the best thing to happen to either of them in years. So Jess knows Mason could never be guilty of murder-doesn't she?
As the facts of the case point ever more squarely at Mason, Jess must face that everything she thinks she knows about him might be wrong. A thrilling sequel to Deception Cove , and a heart-pounding adventure all its own, Lone Jack Trail pushes Jess and Mason to a shocking confrontation and will test everything they've come to love and trust in Deception Cove.
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Review
βLaukkanen brilliantly integrates psychological depth into a suspenseful whodunitβ¦The sophisticated characterizations elevate this above similarly themed books. This thriller ranks with the best work of Reed Farrel Coleman and Michael Koryta.ββPublishers Weekly (starred review)
βThey complement each other perfectly: the veteranβs toughness, the ex-conβs humanity, and the dogβs unconditional adoration of both. All of Laukkanenβs crime novels have tense action and layered characters.ββKirkus Reviews (starred review)
PRAISE FOR OWEN LAUKKANEN
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"Owen Laukkanen sure as hell knows how to tell a story." βNick Petrie , national bestselling author of The Drifter
"Laukkanen is a damn fine storyteller."βKirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Owen Laukkanen is a powerhouse writer... Intimate and cinematic at the same time. A must-read."βAlex Segura, author of Blackout
"In Deception Cove , Owen Laukkanen gives you everything you could want in a thriller -- rich setting, breakneck pacing, thrilling action, a ton of heart, and a great dog. This is a cancel-your-plans-so-you-can-stay-in-to-read book."βRob Hart, author of The Warehouse
About the Author
Owen Laukkanen' s Stevens and Windermere novels have been nominated for the Anthony, Barry, Edgar and Thriller Awards. A graduate of the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing program, Laukkanen spent three years in the world of professional poker reporting before turning to fiction. He currently lives in Vancouver with his dog, Lucy.