The Coldest Case

An Instagram influencer vanishes from an island near the U.S.–Canada border in Wegert’s atmospheric sixth case for New York State investigator Shana Merchant (after Devil at the Door). It’s the coldest February on record in Lake Ontario’s Thousand Islands Archipelago, where a pregnant Shana is stationed with her husband, fellow investigator Tim Wellington. Shana’s unit responds to a call indicating trouble on Running Pine, an island made up of 5,000 acres of dense woodland and eight full-time residents. Two of those residents are newcomers: influencer couple Cary Caufield and Sylvie Lavoy, who’ve been documenting their yearlong stay on Running Pine. Cary has gone missing after a morning fishing trip, and a frantic Sylvie insists that Shana handle the case. As Shana digs into Cary’s disappearance, she discovers frightening echoes of an unsolved serial killer case she worked on four years earlier in New York City. Wegert effectively shifts between the island case and the Manhattan investigation, taking both to surprising places. The real draw, however, is Shana, whose toughness is both inspirational and refreshingly understated. Series fans will be satisfied. Agent: Chris Bucci, Aevitas Creative Management. (Nov.)