No Safe Ground

Reynolds “Pack” Packard, the lead in this stand-alone from Pomeroy (Cold Moon Home), is not your average protagonist: he’s grizzled, antisocial, and lives off the grid in a rundown cabin. A limo driver in rural New York State, he is close only to his cousin Millie, a transgendered ex-state trooper. Out of the blue, Pack’s estranged daughter, Vida, shows up. An Iraq veteran, she’s gone AWOL after being wounded in an IED attack that she says an American helped carry out. Vida claims she’s in danger and being pursued—but Pack turns her away. After she leaves, Pack feels remorseful, and with Millie’s help, begins searching for her, unaware he’s two steps behind a ruthless killer. After Vida is implicated in a brutal murder, the two cousins try to clear her name. Pomeroy’s characters are rough around the edges but expertly drawn, making this fast-paced thriller both intriguing and believable. Agent: Richard Parks, Richard Parks Agency. (Feb.)