When a teenage girl's body is found hanging by a belt in
the closet of an unfinished condo unit still under
construction, the general consensus is suicide, but things
don't look right about the scene to Los Angeles homicide
detective Elouise (Lou) Norton. Even though her new
partner, Colin Taggert, recently transferred from the
police department in Colorado Springs, doesn't agree with
Lou, he knows he has a lot to learn from this seasoned L.A.
cop, who grew up in the neighborhood. The body is soon
identified as 17-year-old Monique (Monie) Dowler, who lived
close to the construction site. And it's soon determined
the death was murder, not suicide.
When Lou learns the owner of the condominium project is
Napoleon Crase, she's immediately suspicious. Over 30 years
ago, Lou's sister Tori vanished shortly after being caught
shoplifting in Crase's neighborhood store. Lou has always
believed that Crase had something to do with Tori's
disappearance and probable death. Now, she's even more
convinced. As she starts her wide-ranging investigation
into Monie's murder, she uncovers even more connections to
all the people involved in this case. But a vicious killer
is keeping close tabs on Lou as she gets ever closer to the
truth of the connection between the two cases. But the
person responsible has some shocking revelations for Lou.
Will she be able to find justice for Monie and Tori before
she loses her own life?
LAND OF SHADOWS is an outstanding crime thriller by
Rachel Howsell Hall with a believable cast of
characters and a gripping storyline with nicely developed
plot twists. Knowledgeable narrative of L.A. neighborhoods
gives readers a great sense of time and place in LAND OF
SHADOWS. Hopefully, we can look forward to more intelligent
investigations from the dynamic homicide detective Elouise
Norton.
Along the ever-changing border of gentrifying Los Angeles,
17-year-old Monique Dowler is found dead at a condominium
construction site, hanging in the closet of an unfinished
unit. Homicide detective Elouise "Lou" Norton's new
partner, Colin Taggert, fresh from the comparatively
bucolic Colorado Springs police department, assumes it's a
teenage suicide. Lou isn't buying the easy explanation.
For one thing, the condo site is owned by Napoleon Crase, a
self-made millionaire…and the man who may have murdered
Lou's missing sister, Tori, 30 years ago. As Lou
investigates the death of Monique Darson, she uncovers
undeniable links between the two cases. But her department
is skeptical.
Lou is convinced that when she solves Monique's case she
will finally bring her lost sister home. But as she gets
closer to the truth, she also gets closer to a violent
killer. After all this time, can he be brought to justice…
before Lou becomes his next victim?