A Wrongful Death (Barbara Holloway Series #10) » (Reprint)

Kate Wilhelm has published numerous novels as well as collections of short fiction. Kate and her husband, Damon Knight, live with their family in Eugene, Oregon.

Who knew that being a Good Samaritan would lead Barbara Holloway to face her biggest challenge ever: being named prime suspect in a high-profile kidnapping?

Barbara's peace at her retreat on the Oregon coast is shattered when a terrified young boy leads her to a cabin in the woods where his battered mother has clearly been left for dead. Barbara runs for help, but by the time she returns both mother and son are gone.

The puzzle deepens when Barbara learns the boy she met is the grandson of a prominent family…and they have accused her of aiding his disappearance.

With the help of her father, Frank, she delves into the mystery, only to realize the kidnapping is a ruse for a more sinister plan—one that pits the meaning of family against cold hard cash.

Troubling obstacles thwart Barbara's every move—from the

justice system that employs her to the false identities of those around her. Yet none will compare with the shocking murder scene that awaits her.

Publishers Weekly

Wilhelm's sharp ninth Barbara Holloway legal thriller (after 2006's Sleight of Hand) proves compelling action can take place outside a courtroom. A not entirely welcome marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Darren, inspires Barbara to head to a remote California cabin for some time to herself. Her getaway is interrupted by a boy seeking help for his injured mother. Barbara goes to get help and comes back to find that the two have vanished. They turn out to be Elizabeth and Jason Kurtz, on the run after discovering Elizabeth's ex-husband's family business, the Diedricks Corp., has been involved in illegal activities that could derail a planned billion-dollar Swiss buyout. When Elizabeth resurfaces in Eugene, Ore., Barbara agrees to meet her, only to find Elizabeth has been shot dead and Jason is missing. Barbara comes under increasing scrutiny from the Kurtz family and the police as she struggles to solve the bewildering puzzle. Wilhelm's smooth style, sans graphic violence or sex, provides a cool alternative to overheated blockbusters. (Sept.)