Once upon a time, Emily Locke had a happy life with her husband and little girl. Now her husband is dead, murdered by the men who kidnapped her daughter for an adoption scheme. And although Annette was returned safely, she now thinks of the couple who ended up adopting her as her real parents, setting up a delicate and painful triangle.

Emily now works with Richard Cole, a private investigator in Houston. Their new client, socialite Claire Gaston, is accused of murdering a local plastic surgeon, and immediately annoys Emily with her arrogant attitude. But when Claire confesses her fear about losing her children to a nasty ex-husband, Emily sees behind the façade and can certainly empathize. Then she discovers that Claire's attorney is the same lawyer who successfully defended her husband's killer -- a bit of intel that Richard conveniently omitted when briefing her.

Despite her loathing for Mick Young and her complete lack of experience moving in the world of the rich and powerful, Emily is determined to help Claire, even when it becomes clear she was never a candidate for Mother of the Year. Along the way Emily must juggle entertaining her flighty friend Jeannie, who's more interested in manicures than mysteries; bonding with Annette in the few hours she can spend with the little girl; and spending some quality time with her new boyfriend, Vince.

I enjoyed this mystery, the second in a series; mostly because Emily is someone I would like to get to know. Even with her tragic backstory, she's refreshingly down to earth and practical. Her exasperation with Jeannie (and Jeannie's "help" with the case) provides some lighter moments; the scenes with Annette tug at the heartstrings; and the heat slowly builds with Vince -- all of which combine for a nice blend of personal story and mystery that kept me entertained, as well as intrigued.