Blind Faith

The 1995 disappearance of Fr. Michael Leary, co-pastor of St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral in Billings, Mont., propels Beckman’s convoluted sophomore effort (after Bitterroot Lake). Father Mike was last seen at a service station in Billings, “reportedly on his way to minister to a dying parishioner.” Then, in 2016, Father Mike’s wallet, “the first piece of evidence to surface in years,” turns up in a box of junk in an old house and winds up in the hands of attorney Lindsay Keller, who knew Father Mike as her beloved childhood priest. The photo of a girl inside the wallet could be a clue to what happened to him. Meanwhile, in Portland, Ore., Carrie Matheson, who also knew Father Mike in her youth, is researching her family history. The discovery of some forgotten documents takes her to back to Billings and into contact with Lindsay and a police detective determined to crack the cold case. Beckman does a good job of making her characters feel like real people, but following the various name changes and keeping track of the plot as it jumps back and forth over the decades can be difficult. Readers have to pay close attention to appreciate this one. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Oct.)