The First Victim

"Impeccably paced" this "thoughtful and exciting" thriller from a "top-notch practitioner of the genre" features cops investigating human trafficking (Publishers Weekly). When a female reporter disappears—purportedly at the hands of the Chinese Triad—while investigating a story on illegal aliens, Lou Boldt and John LaMoia of the Seattle Police Department embark on an investigation that leads them from Seattle's docklands to the offices of the INS in search of answers. What they discover is a vicious band of smugglers who traffic in human labor. "Pearson puts the reader smack in the middle of a complex undercover police sting and delivers delectable characters . . . Inventive plotting and strong dialog build gripping suspense." —Library Journal "Pearson builds suspense incrementally, brilliantly amassing details until his plot reaches critical mass at just the right moment." —Booklist