Cheatgrass

Set in Nevada ranching country, Paul’s stunning sequel to 2013’s Under Tower Peak brings back his tough but reflective hero, Sgt. Tommy Smith, and evokes a sense of place that seems almost timeless. When Dave Cathcart, the father of Tommy’s ex-girlfriend Sarah Cathcart, goes missing from his ranch, Tommy, who has recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, joins the search for Dave. In the process, Tommy finds that Sarah is estranged from her husband, Kip, whose behavior is becoming threatening; that pressure on ranchers to sell water rights is causing tension in the community; and that he and Sarah still have feelings for each other. But romance has to wait as Sarah’s tormentor ups his game, and she and Tommy take to the desert to draw him out in a taunting game of hare and hound. Each plot reveal feels simultaneously shocking and inevitable. High tension and gorgeous Americana make this a standout. Agent: Jessica Kaye, Kaye & Mills. (Mar.)