In Altman’s crime novel, a troubled lawyer uncovers disturbing secrets surrounding the death of a teenage girl.

The story takes place in the town of Samhill, Washington, in 1994. After being fired as city attorney, 46-year-old lawyer Jed Hartman volunteers to defend an accused pedophile despite his personal misgivings; in the midst of a divorce, drinking heavily, and dealing with a slump in business, Hartman is in need of money. When the body of a 16-year-old girl named Dakota Cloud is found at a full-scale replica of Stonehenge that sits on the shore of the Columbia River, Hartman is asked by her family members to keep an eye on the police investigation. Initially, it seems as though someone belonging to the outlaw motorcycle clubs in town for the Memorial Day Stonehenge Run may be responsible for the suspicious death. (They have been implicated in a murder before.) However, Hartman soon learns that Dakota had been seen in the company of Frank Kirkwell, the city manager, shortly before her death; Hartman’s soon-to-be-ex-wife is about to move in with Kirkwell, along with their three children. As the chief booster of a contentious landfill project, Kirkwell is already a controversial figure in town, and Hartman is involved in the effort to block his plans. Hartman’s 14-year-old daughter, Piper, was a lifelong friend of Dakota and strongly dislikes the man; she begins making alarming accusations against Kirkwell regarding inappropriate behavior. Hartman soon becomes deeply concerned for Piper’s welfare. The author vividly renders the setting and characters, and the novel’s plot is well constructed and thoroughly engaging—though often heart-wrenching—from start to finish. Altman’s prose is very skillful, packed with colorful descriptions and cutting observations (“Anthony Steel coupled his ignorance of technique with a peculiar, personal style seemingly designed to offend as many potential jurors as possible while obtaining the least amount of useful information”). Fans of the genre will find this a compelling, page-turning read.

A well-wrought crime novel full of enticing twists and turns.