Devil's Claw (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 8)

Sheriff Joanna Brady is about to be married and is dealing with her preteen daughter, meddlesome mother, and new in-laws. The sudden death of her dear friend Clayton Rhodes creates further turmoil and makes Joanna the target of Clayton's irate daughter, who makes accusations of a murder cover-up. Amidst the uproar, an Indian woman -- recently released from prison after serving time for the manslaughter killing of her husband -- is found shot to death. Her fifteen-year-old daughter Lucy is missing. The death at first appears to be a case of domestic violence -- the troubled teen runaway may be a victim or a cold-blooded killer. As Joanna deals with the long-standing troubles of Rhodes's family and digs deeper into the life of Lucy's people, her investigation leads her down a twisted trail of hatred and greed -- and into a dangerous world where violence is the first response and long-buried secrets are a reason to kill...or die. As always, Sheriff Joanna Brady brings the setting to life with the sensitivity, spirit, and intense passion for justice that makes Jance novels ring with authenticity.