PERISH

By Lisa Black

This new Gardiner and Kenner thriller jumps directly into the world of high finance.

We begin at the scene of a pretty brutal murder. Although the home is about as stunning as you can get, the entire ambiance of the place is completely blown by the never-ending blood that now covers the marble floor.

We are in Cleveland, Ohio, and it’s here that Joanna Moorehouse has been attacked, gutted, and left to bleed out. She’s not only the owner of the home, but she is also the founder of Sterling Financial. In other words, whether it be clients she may have robbed or employees she may have completely angered, there’s most likely a list a mile long as to who would want to kill her in such a violent way.

Forensic expert, Maggie Gardiner, finds out some things about her co-worker, Homicide Detective Jack Renner, when it comes to his approach to the world of finance. Maggie and Jack know that, to solve this case, the two of them have to learn the ins-and-outs of this horrific industry. Yet with every move they make, they keep coming across people who literally are trying to “make a killing.” Narrowing it down to one who actually did turn that proverbial cash killing into a murder, is going to be harder than they thought.

But what’s worse is that in a series of completely unrelated killings that are taking place in Cleveland, an officer just so happens to uncover evidence that may link Joanna Moorehouse’s life with something readers will never see coming.

As always with Black, this psychological suspense is incredible. And her way of describing the financial world makes you want to run out, take any money you have invested, cash it in and place it under your pillow instead.