Beamon is called in on a case which will have serious ramifications on his life. A wealthy car dealer has apparently shot his wife and then killed himself. What concerns Beamon is their missing daughter, fifteen-year-old Jennifer. An investigation shows that Jennifer, adopted by the couple, is the granddaughter of Albert Kneiss, founder of the internationally powerful Church of the Evolution. Kneiss is dying, and some nefarious church leaders have plans for Jennifer.

The murder/suicide of Jennifer's parents, done in her presence, is the beginning of her nightmare. She finds herself the pawn in the Church's struggle for power. Drugged for most of her ordeal, she soon realizes that her 'higher purpose' will be to serve as a human sacrifice, done so to cement the domination of some of the powerful leaders. With her grandfather's and her death, the new church leaders can unimpededly assume power.

Well, yes, they could . . . except for Beamon. When his superiors tell him to quit pursuing the Kneissian connection, he sees a pattern forming that's really bothersome. The church is using its all-encompassing power to smear Beamon and demean his credibility. Soon his bank account is seized by the IRS, he's accused of being a pedophile and a Arizona newspaper runs an exposé on him. Beamon won't quit his investigation and is finally suspended. Does he stop? Not for a minute. Now he's doing some extra-curricular work on Jennifer's kidnapping. His help, a wonderful cast of supporting characters, includes a grumpy, retired wire tapper, an ex-member of the Church and a young, eager agent.

Mills successfully leads us through a labyrinth of corruption and idealism run amok. In the aftermath of the Branch Dividians, Ruby Ridge and the Heaven's Gate members in San Diego who committed mass suicide, this is a timely story which cuts powerful high-profile religious groups no slack. It's not so kind to top government leaders, either.

Beamon is a different sort of hero, a very human one. At one point, he essentially gives up. He assumes that he can't rescue Jennifer, so he's making plans to catch her murderers. That human, but defeatist attitude left me feeling less than kind toward Beamon. The plot is rather simplistic and the resolution pedestrian, but I do see how Beamon could be a character you'd come to like. It took me a while to like Harry Bosch, so I figure there's hope for Beamon, too.

Bottom line: Plot that soon loses its sizzle, a hero who acts less than heroic, pedestrian resolution. The foundation has been laid, though, for future possibilities.

--Linda Mowery