““If you like riveting suspense and plenty of action, try this up-and-coming young author who knows how to create an entertaining thriller with interesting characters.”
—MyShelf”
Karin Schaeffer and Mac MacLeary have settled into their lives in Brooklyn where they share a brownstone with their five-year-old son Ben and newly adopted thirteen-year-old daughter Dathi.
In what was seems like a routine job, Mac is hired by Cathy Millerhausen to investigate her billionaire husband's suspected infidelity. But by the look of it, Godfrey Millerhausen is faithful to his wife: the case is a dud. So when Mac is offered a high-paying "quickie" assignment in London, he wraps up the Millerhausen case to take what evolves into a family vacation culminating in a home exchange on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy along with their friend and assistant Mary Salter, and her teenage son Fremont.
Karin and Mac spend a few days together in England while Mary travels ahead to Italy with the three children. After completing the London job, Karin and Mac arrive at the Sardinia house where they find their family's belongings, but no trace of Mary or the kids.
A missing persons investigation is launched by the local police, whose low-key approach to law enforcement unnerves Karin and Mac. They decide to conduct their own investigation. When it occurs to them that the seemingly innocuous Millerhausen case could have something to do with their missing family, Mac returns home while Karin stays in Sardinia to keep searching.
With the help of his friend Detective Billy Staples, Mac follows the money into some surprising corners of Godfrey Millerhausen's life, barely surviving an elevator explosion when he gets too close to the truth. Back in Sardinia, Karin is nearly run off a cliffside road in a harrowing high-speed car chase. It becomes clear that someone is going to great lengths to try to stop Karin and Mac from unearthing details about the elusive billionaire.
By the end, Godfrey's misdeeds are darker than anyone imagined, involving an international conspiracy that summons law enforcement from around the globe.
When Karin and Mac return home with the family, they face a harsh new set of realities that both expands their family and challenges their faith in their own instincts. In a final blow, they learn that the real perpetrator of the crimes is someone they never suspected.
Book 4 in the Karin Schaeffer series
““The Money Kill is a edge of your seat suspense filled book that will grab a hold and will not let go. The story will take readers on a trip around the globe, to dark corners of Italy and the glittering towers of London, to the alleyways of New York and the peaceful, uber wealthy Connecticut suburbs. The characters are enchanting and multifaceted, and will reveal many deep layers to readers...For anyone seeking a heart pounding international mystery involving money, kidnapping, murder, blackmail and more, this book delivers. The Money Kill will not disappoint.”
—Night Own Reviews”
““This high-stakes suspense novel boasts fast-paced action and intriguing characters. The tension increases as the truthfulness of more and more contacts comes into question, leaving the investigators with no one to trust. Lief illustrates the complexities of family life and societal inequalities with a deft hand.”
—Roseann Marlett, RT Reviews”