Eve Duncan's relentless search for her kidnapped little girl, Bonnie, has led her to New Orleans and a man from both her and Bonnie's father's past. As she and her cohorts—longtime boyfriend, detective Joe Quinn, CIA agent Catherine Ling, and Bonnie's father—investigate the background of this man, they uncover psychiatric memory experimentation, government cover-ups, and bribery. Only when Eve's life is in mortal danger does a priest who knows the secrets of the man they are looking for agree to help. This third and final installment in the Eve Duncan trilogy (Eve; Quinn) drags on for about 100 pages too long and loses the success of its earlier parts with too many twists that are remedied too easily. VERDICT Johansen's fans will be excited to have a definitive ending to Eve's story. However, this title lacks the punch of a work of suspense or a thriller. [See Prepub Alert, 4/25/11.]—Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA

Bestseller Johansen's riveting conclusion to her special Eve Duncan trilogy that began with Eve and Quinn explores the darkest side of humanity. Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and her long-term partner, Det. Joe Quinn, continue to search for Eve's daughter, Bonnie, who disappeared years before on a school outing in Atlanta when she was seven years old. Assisting Eve and Joe in their hunt, which takes them from the Louisiana bayous to rural Georgia, are Bonnie's mentally unstable father, John Gallo, an ex-Army man who was previously a prime suspect in Bonnie's murder, and CIA agent Catherine Ling, who struggles with her attraction to Gallo. While Bonnie's spirit appears in visions to Eve, providing guidance and solace, an unlikely new suspect takes the pursuers in a new direction, complete with a multitude of twists and turns. A stunning finale will move series fans and newcomers alike. (Oct.)