Hazel and her mom melded into the Holt family when she was young. Perry Holt was the main detective who kept his small town functioning. A strait-laced, honest-to-goodness, salt of the earth, GOOD man who claimed Hazel as his own daughter. But was he?

Her mother disappeared when she was young, a criminal known for disappearing in a cloud, leaving a wake of criminal activity. After her father’s death, Hazel returns to town. The lake she grew up on has evaporated from drought and a submerged car is found in its depths. Along with its discovery are more questions than answers and Hazel questions the facts she’s been fed. Who can she trust? Who is sneaking around the house at night? What was her dad trying to tell her? And what actually happened to her mom?

I devoured this book. There was potential for romantic development that I think would have elevated the story, but it kept me engaged at every turn.