Chantal is a woman who will bring Scotia business, but who will also bring a lot of trouble - trouble that stretches clear to the other side of the Atlantic.

Chantal hires Scotia to find her husband, Forbes Cameron. At least Chantal thinks he's her husband, she doesn't recall receiving a final divorce decree, though Forbes is certainly gone and with most of Chantal's assets. Scotia agrees to locate the con man, but it isn't long before she finds a long trail of aliases and ex-wives, all of which lead right to Forbes Cameron.

When the death of the PI Chantal hired begins to look suspicious and women connected to Forbes begin turning up dead, Scotia knows she is in over her head. A visit from an FBI agent and a British MI-6 agent make Scotia wonder who she is looking for, and if Chantal, a woman with strong Muslim ties, has an ulterior motive for finding Forbes.

The Dead Wives Society finds Scotia with one of the most complicated, far-reaching cases ever. Following the trail of Forbes’s aliases is not especially difficult, but very tedious, especially when women who were fooled by him are reluctant to talk. Even though Forbes's current conquest is easy to spot, it is tucked away from the main story enough that the realization of who his next victim will be does not intrude in the investigation.

Scotia is also restless with two personal issues in this book, the mother who abandoned her as a toddler - but with whom she has maintained a relationship her entire life - is coming for a visit, and seems interested in putting the past behind. She wants to clear the air and even learn a bit about the woman Scotia has become, and the life she has chosen to lead. Scotia also has another bought of jealousy, most likely brought on after the complications that arose with Nick and his ex-wife during the last mystery. She is a bit uncertain of Nick's steadfastness and doesn't rule out the possibility of journalist Jared standing in for Nick. All this is done in a way that doesn't leave Scotia in a negative light, but a human side of a woman who presents a tough as nails appearance professionally.

Scotia has come into her own in this third mystery and is a likable, well-developed character. This mystery is by far the most engaging thus far, with several different threads, not all of which are neatly tied up in the end, yet still the conclusion is very satisfying. Anyone meeting Scotia for the first time will be eager to seek out her earlier cases and will look forward to more from the misty Northwest.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry