In this suspense thriller from the author of Time Release, a California cop investigates a developer’s murder as his world catches fire.

The dry season has hit the Inland Empire of California, depleting the ponds and revealing the muddy grave of Paul Dwyer. Dwyer lorded over Los Colmas, a small town he aspired to make big by building mansions for wealthy LA commuters. Some viewed him as a savior, providing construction jobs for locals. Others believed he was ruining their beautiful, close-knit community. But who was angry enough to kill him?
Local cop Ron Starke is overwhelmed by the list of suspects and plagued by a difficult captain who is demanding results. Starke investigates Paul Dwyer’s dirty money and handshake deals gone wrong. Then there’s Dwyer’s widow, Shelby, who has quite a few secrets, like who her husband really was behind closed doors. And what she knows about the murder…
As the season’s wildfires intensify to historic levels and surge towards Los Colmas, Starke must discover who killed Dwyer before all the evidence burns and the whole town is erased.

“A page-turner with a kicker at the end…Intricately plotted and full of character, this one is a great ride that burns with the intensity of a California wildfire.”—Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times–bestselling author

“Fast as a bullet and bristling with suspense. Part Hitchcock, part Law and Order, all terrific.”—T. Jefferson Parker, New York Times–bestselling author of The Room of White Fire
As the season’s wildfires intensify to historic levels and surge towards Los Colmas, Starke must discover who killed Dwyer before all the evidence burnsand the whole town is erased.
«Combustion is exactly what I love in a mystery—fast as a bullet and bristling with suspense. Part Hitchcock, part 'Law and Order,' all terrific.»—T. Jefferson Parker, New York Times bestselling author of The Room of White Fire

Straw Men