Braking Points: A Kate Reilly Mystery

Kaehler’s second Kate Reilly mystery (after 2011’s Dead Man’s Switch) races through a packed plot and skillful dialogue nearly as expertly as driver Kate threads her way through a racecourse. When Kate collides with Miles Hanson, a wildly popular NASCAR driver, on Wisconsin’s Elkhart Lake track, she earns the enmity of his huge fan club. Coincidentally—or not—a blogger with the handle “Racing’s Ringer” begins relentlessly taking pot shots at “Calamity Kate.” Kate tries to remain focused on her work as the drivers and crew head to Petit Le Mans in Georgia, but she can’t help worrying about her safety, especially after she’s the near victim of a hit-and-run. She’s suspicious that the misogynistic pit reporter Felix Simon is the source of her misery, but after Felix is murdered, the campaign against her becomes even more bewildering and frightening. A few too many suspects—including crazed, potentially dangerous fans everywhere—don’t spoil the fast-paced fun. (Apr.)