Death’s Last Run: A Clare Vengel Undercover Novel

In Spano’s engaging third Clare Vengel Undercover novel (after 2011’s Death Plays Poker), FBI agent Claire poses as amateur skier Lucy Lipton in Whistler, British Columbia, while investigating the suspicious death of New York Senator Martha Westlake’s daughter, Alexandra “Sacha” Westlake. Though local authorities consider the death a bizarre suicide, few believe the vibrant 23-year-old had reason to take her own life. Since the senator is running for the Republican nomination to the U.S. presidency, Canadian and American officials have hastily pulled together a joint task force, and Clare is their star player. As Lucy, Clare moves in with Sacha’s best friend, Jana Riley, and immediately meets a number of eccentric 20- and 30-something suspects, most of whom are involved in peddling a potent new form of LSD across the border. Spano weaves what could have been a far-fetched plot into a believable tale of estrangement, love, lust, greed, power, and revenge. Agent: Sally Harding, Cooke Agency (Canada). (May)