Kinsey Milhone's adventures keep her fairly local in this 10th volume of the popular series by Sue Grafton. She is hired by her former imployer, insurance company California Fidelity, to look into what might be the reappearance of Wendell Jaffe, a man with questionable business tactics who supposedly committed suicide five years earlier as a result of business deals gone bad. CF just recently paid out a $500,000 claim on his death after he was declared dead. He had actually sailed his boat out to sea only to disappear, leaving everyone to think he was dead.

After a former employee of CF sees and recognized Jaffe while on vacation in Mexico, Kinsey is brought on and rushes down to see if she can get a positive ID on him. It is just the start of an intriguing investigation that will draw her into the troubled Jaffe family that has struggled to overcome the consequences of what Wendell did years ago as one of his sons has his own issues with the law, his other son starts a new family, and his wife struggles to pay the bills and start a successful dinner as a wedding planner.

This case also reveals a glimpse into Kinsey's own pass as she learns that she might not be the lonely orphan she always thought she was. This subplot is nicely weaved into the mysterious investigation of Wendell and his troubles.

I found myself on the edge of my seat as Kinsey must sort out who is telling the truth and who is just out for themselves as she faces down gunfire, jaunts at sea, and one really nasty series of commutes between her own Santa Theresa and neighboring communities.

This is definitely a fun addition to the series. K can only lead to more information about Kinsey's long missing family.