Mission Canyon - Meg Gardiner

Mission Canyon
An Evan Delaney Novel
Meg Gardiner
Obsidian

Suspense/Thriller

A year after the events of CHINA LAKE, Evan Delaney and Jesse Blackburn are counting down to their wedding when events from the past intrude. Three years ago, Jesse and his friend, Isaac Sandoval, were biking in the hills of Mission Canyon when a hit-and-run driver ended Isaac’s life and put Jesse in a wheelchair for the rest of his. The driver, Franklin Brand, fled the country and lived on his offshore bank accounts, beyond the reach of US law. Now, shockingly, he’s back in Santa Barbara.

Obviously, Jesse and Evan want justice. And, just as obviously, Franklin claims he’s innocent. He claims he’s back to clear his name. But why now? Determined to get to the truth, the two attempt to track down Brand and turn him in to the police. The trail gets murky, though, when Evan begins to delve more deeply into the events that led up to the hit-and-run.

Meg Gardiner writes a great book. The trail that Evan follows is truly labyrinthine, yet, in the end, everything makes sense. There are surprises around every corner, but nothing seems contrived. Evan is no superhero, just a woman trying to get justice. Isaac’s brother, Adam, is heart-breakingly realistic as the surviving brother who only wants ‘right’ to win. And Jesse, once an athlete, is very realistic in his struggle with anger and longing for justice tinged with revenge. It’s no exaggeration to say that I lost some sleep over this novel. This one works quite nicely as a stand-alone, but if you like this kind of novel, you won’t want to miss CHINA LAKE.

Rating: 8 ½
July 2008

ISBN# 978-0-451-22472-9 (paperback)