Hiring Ellen Summer, a former partying friend of Munch’s, just out of jail, makes Munch nervous, but she remembers that someone gave her a chance and decides to give Ellen the same chance. Little does she know how much these two events will change the next few weeks for her.

Immediately, Munch is sorry she hired Ellen when she comes home and finds Ellen and the limo gone before she is on the company’s insurance policy. Munch is pretty sure that Ellen has picked up Raleigh so as not to lose a job, but then things begin to spin out of control. Ellen, the limo and her passengers disappear south of the border, somewhere near Tijuana, the two girls Raleigh had Munch pick up the night before are found dead. Munch finds her safety and her daughter’s safety compromised and even her custody of Asia comes into question.

Working quickly, with the help of Detective Mace St. John and his wife, Munch’s former caseworker, Caroline, Munch locates her limo and follows Ellen’s trail - which leads right to a serial killer and an international conspiracy.

Unwanted Company is a fast-paced thriller with a strong and gutsy heroine. Munch has overcome a lot to get where she is and fiercely protects her new life. She has a good support system with the St. Johns and now seems ready to try and help others. Ellen is a very hard character to figure out. She seems as if she wants to make a fresh start, but doesn’t fight the urge to backslide too hard.

While the atmosphere and characters are tough, the language is very rough at times, some times it seems inappropriately so. The story is set just before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and though it is explained why this is an important point, it seems to fade into the background as the story progresses. The serial killer is easy to identify and any tension comes from tracking Ellen and Raleigh and trying to figure out what else Raleigh is up to. Unwanted Company is a quick read without a lot of the gore that usually accompanies a serial killer.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry