Lying Blind by Dianne Emley is the sixth book in the “Nan Vining” mystery series. Publisher: Alibi, February 28, 2017

Homicide detective Nan Vining finds her world rocked when a murder investigation becomes chillingly personal in this hard-edged thriller for fans of Patricia Cornwell, Tana French, and Lisa Gardner.

In a breathtaking infinity pool on a sprawling Pasadena estate, the naked body of a beautiful young woman floats facedown in a drift of rose petals blowing on the breeze. Police sergeant Jim Kissick responds instantly, pulling the dead victim from the water. When his longtime girlfriend, Detective Nan Vining, arrives on-scene, she’s full of questions, and not just about the Jane Doe. Why did the homeowner text Jim instead of calling 911? Jim’s explanation—that he’s simply an old friend of Teddy and Rebecca Sexton’s—doesn’t sit well with Nan. A survivor of a bizarre murder attempt herself, Nan’s instincts for deception are acute. She senses that they’re all hiding something—including Jim, which plunges a wedge deep into their once steadfast relationship.

Then a drought-ravaged lake in a bucolic Central California town reveals a grisly secret. Soon two local detectives arrive in Pasadena to interview Jim and his wealthy friends about a mysterious death from years back, and Nan realizes she has good reasons for her suspicions. Jim’s always been her rock, but suddenly he’s become a stranger. And once Nan identifies her Jane Doe, events careen out of control as darkness from the past threatens to consume the life that Nan has worked so hard to rebuild.

I love books that immediately grabs my attention and pull me in and this one tops the list. Dianne has written one of the best book in her series where the two deaths, one in the past and one in present day, wreak havoc on Nan’s relationship with Jim, especially when certain facts come into play. Taking a step back, opens up too much history for them both and I liked how the author handled that portion of the story with enough details that sets the tone for the rest of this intriguing and suspenseful tale. The narrative of this fast-paced drama was staged perfectly putting me in the middle of all the action as I followed along with Nan as each clue took us both closer to the person responsible. And that surprising twist with the reveal of the killer’s identity, that was nicely done. Boasting a wonderful cast of characters and engaging dialogue, this book kept me enraptured from beginning to end with a conclusion that left me wondering how will this outcome affect Nan’s decision and based on that, I can’t wait for the next book in this terrific series.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.