Desert Rage: A Lena Jones Mystery

In Webb’s tough, moving eighth Lena Jones mystery (after 2012’s Desert Wind), 14-year-old Ali Cameron and her boyfriend, Kyle Gibbs, confess to the murders of Ali’s parents and her 10-year-old brother, who were all beaten to death by a baseball bat in their Scottsdale, Ariz., home. When Rep. Juliana Thorsson asks PI Lena to look into Ali and Kyle’s claim, Juliana reveals a secret to the cheeky, good-hearted Lena—Ali is the ambitious politician’s biological daughter. The unhappy lives of Ali and Kyle and several other people Lena encounters during her investigation remind her of her own bad experiences growing up. Determined to find the real killer and help these two kids, Lena persists in scrutinizing the many possible suspects, despite hostility and physical threats. Several red herrings arise along the road to a surprising and satisfying ending. (Oct.)