Publisher's Weekly Review
What starts, in Thoft's dazzling first novel, as a missing-persons case for Boston PI Fina Ludlow-the search for her sister-in-law, Melanie-swells through layers of familial secrets, lies, and betrayals to something approaching Greek tragedy. The Ludlows' dysfunctionality is no secret to Fina, the lone surviving daughter and nonlawyer in this clan of high-powered ambulance-chasers, for whom she works as an in-house investigator. When Fina digs into Melanie's troubled marriage to her brother Rand, she begins to discover disturbing-and dangerous-links to the city's criminal underbelly, from mobster Mark Lamont to Back Bay madam Bev Duprey. Fina's two hunky friends with benefits, Det. Cristian Menendez and exotic masseur Milloy, join her on an adrenaline-pumping chase. Although Thoft tips her big bombshell too soon, readers will be eager to see more of smash-mouth Fina, a hard-boiled throwback equally comfortable shooting from the hip or the lip. Agent: Helen Brann, the Helen Brann Agency. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Fina Ludlow is a law school dropout who now works as an investigator for her Boston family's high-profile personal injury firm. When she's summoned to the office by her father, who rules firm and family with an iron fist, he gives her the news that her sister-in-law, Melanie, is missing. Fina begins to suspect the worst when days go by and Melanie doesn't turn up. Her father and her three brothers want to keep this from the police and the media, which eventually proves impossible. As Fina uses her considerable contacts to dig deeper, she begins to suspect that her family might be more involved with Melanie's disappearance than she initially thought. Events soon turn very dangerous for Fina, and she begins to question how far she'll go to protect her family. VERDICT Thoft's promising debut introduces a significantly flawed but tough new PI and offers up compelling suspense, while the smooth prose keeps things moving right along. Some readers may question some of Fina's decisions and methods, but this mystery wrapped in family drama should please fans of contemporary suspense of the more hard-boiled sort.-Kristin Centorcelli, Denton, TX (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.