A Matter of Trust by Lis Wiehl

Weaving mystery, suspense and a young widow’s attempt to rebuild her life, Lis Wiehl has crafted a novel that is hard to put down.  Mia Quinn has returned to her job as prosecutor at the district attorney’s office.  Not only does she juggle several law cases, but she also must deal with massive debts left by her husband whose financial lapses were discovered after his death.  Mia must also single parent her two children.  Gabe is fourteen and facing teenage issues of body image and peer pressure.  Brooke is a four year old who awakens in the night screaming.  Along with her personal problems, and another demanding case of a teen’s suicide, Mia decides she must take on the case of her best friend who was brutally murdered.  Teamed with Detective Charlie Carlson, Mia dives into an investigation that eventually places herself and her children in grave danger.

The characters are realistic and identifiable. Mia is the working mom who agonizes over her children’s problems while she searches for clues in an empty house.  Gabe is a modern teenager caught between a desire to fit in with a crowd that raids convenience stores and a desire to keep his little sister safe. Nate Dane is the chain-smoking father whose son committed suicide after being bullied on social media. Colleen Miller, the victim, is the ex-wife of a man whose new wife wants more money.

The plot of this novel moves swiftly with numerous unexpected twists and turns, but it lacks the profanity and sordid detail of other modern fiction.  Just when you think you have identified the killer, the plot takes another direction. The ending is unexpected but not disappointing.  This novel is contemporary; it deals with today’s problems. It was a fascinating read and one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher to review. I was not required to write a positive review and the comments on the book are my own.