Brutality

In Thoft’s captivating third Fina Ludlow novel (after 2014’s Identity), the feisty Boston PI tries to find out who attacked Liz Barone, a researcher at New England University, in her Hyde Park home, putting her in Mass. General Hospital with a severe subdural hematoma and a slim chance of recovery. Fina thinks the assault may have been provoked by the lawsuit Liz filed against New England University blaming them for the mild cognitive impairment she was experiencing, allegedly the result of injuries sustained when she played on the university’s soccer team 20 years earlier. In the course of the investigation, Fina must overcome university politics, the petty rivalries among the employees of the research lab where Liz worked, and a strained relationship with the police, who resent her interference in their case. Fina uncovers a host of secrets as she confronts a myriad of potential suspects, including Liz’s husband and the university officials opposing the lawsuit, en route to the satisfying conclusion. Agent: Helen Brann, Helen Brann Agency. (June)