Killing Kin

No-nonsense Washington, D.C., cop Leigh Ann Warren, out on disability because of an injured knee, returns home to find a dead body in her apartment. Clues link the corpse to Leigh's ex-fianc , Det. Dillon Upshur Kennedy, affectionately called Duck. His partner, Eddie Grimes, informs Leigh that Duck (who has turned in his badge and disappeared) swiped some drugs and a mysterious piggy bank, found when a notorious drug dealer was killed in a car accident, and that she has four days before he's reported to Internal Affairs. Leigh's search leads her to Sanctuary, a tiny artists' community in western Maryland, where she finds that the locals are less than anxious to answer her questions. West (Sunrise) has a knack for creating colorful yet realistic characters and witty dialogue. This pulsing mystery will keep readers guessing to the end--which, albeit a bit fuzzy, will leave them wanting more of smart, gutsy Leigh Warren. (July)