Sometimes the Wolf

At the start of this riveting mystery set in the Pacific Northwest from Waite (The Carrion Birds), Patrick Drake, a former sheriff turned drug smuggler, leaves prison on parole. Patrick’s son, Deputy Bobby Drake, whose marriage is already strained, reluctantly takes his father into his home. Patrick’s past criminal activities force Bobby, whose life is generally in shambles, to figure out whether to trust Patrick and whether he can overcome his deep anger at his father. Meanwhile, Bobby participates in a rescue mission to find and save the life of the first wolf to be seen in the area for 50 years before it’s killed by ranchers worried about their livestock. Like the wolf, Patrick, too, is being hunted. Whether this threat will be the ruin of Bobby’s life provides the foundation for an engrossing, adventure-packed ride. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber Associates. (Oct.)