Stone Cross

Bestseller Cameron’s intricate, multilayered sequel to 2019’s Open Carry finds Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki, his partner on the Alaska Fugitive Task Force, reluctantly escorting a federal judge, who has received a death threat, to the rural village of Stone Cross for the judge’s protection. What should have been a routine, if not easy, assignment takes a chilling turn when they learn at Stone Cross that a local couple have gone missing and their handyman murdered. Cut off from any immediate help due to inclement weather, Cutter and Lola must either brave freezing snow and ice to go after a killer and probable kidnapper or stay warm in the small town and ensure the judge’s safety. Cameron populates his suspenseful tale, which builds to a satisfying, if violent, conclusion, with fully realized characters, each with their own believable backstory. His understanding of the ins and outs of small Alaskan communities makes for a rich sense of time and place. Readers can only hope they won’t have long to wait for Cutter’s third outing. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Apr.)