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In 1988 Gwen Lindstrom disappeared, leaving her estranged photographer husband Matt suspected of her murder. Eventually, as friendships crumble and suspicion mounts, Matt starts a new life in a new town. He has a small boat charter business, and a few friends but it’s a lonely life. So when fourteen years later, an anonymous caller tells him his wife is alive and well and living in Cyanide Wells, a former mining community in California, Matt determines to find her, clear his name, and maybe exact a little revenge. Arriving in nearby Talbot Mills armed with the knowledge that Gwen is now living under an assumed name, Ardis Coleman, Matt is soon able to locate and observe her from a distance. He has a lucky break when there is an opening for a photographer on the local paper, the Soledad Spectrum, where Ardis has recently worked. Her articles on the murder of two local men won the Pulitzer Prize, however questions remain about the identity of their killer. But before Matt confronts Ardis, she disappears again. Matt teams up with Carly McGuire who owns and edits the Spectrum, and is a friend of Ardis, to search for her. Why did Ardis leave this time, and is it connected to the book she has been writing about the murders? Is she really as awful as she seems? And why was Matt told where to find her now, and by whom? Written mainly in the third person, the book subtly shifts perspective between Matt and Carly, giving us some additional insight into their backgrounds and characters. Carly was the more interesting for me; a strong woman with a harsh upbringing and some thinly disguised secrets of her own. Initially I found more enjoyment in reading her story, but as the plot gathered pace and the teamwork and empathy between Matt and Carly grew, this distinction faded. As a long time fan of Ms Muller’s, I wasn’t surprised by the strong female characters of Carly and Ardis, nor that the multi- stranded plot was intelligent and original. I’d like to read more about Carly McGuire, and it would be possible to build a new series on her, although I don’t believe it is intended. So I think it is time I stopped saving them up, and resumed reading the wonderful Sharon McCone series again.
Reviewed by Bridget Bolton, June 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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