Kate calls with an offer from Richard Burbank of Houston Oil who will pay $100,000 for her to fly to Houston for a meeting regarding the disappearance of his adopted daughter Emily. He has come to believe that if anyone can find out what happened when Emily was traveling in Central West Africa four years prior to this, that it will be Vanessa, often doing business as Michael.

The trail could not be colder, but a multimillion dollar contract and her empathy for the missing Emily makes Munroe pause before rejecting the offer. She had never involved herself with a missing person and knows she has no expertise in the area; additionally the job comes with the requirement that Miles Bradford accompany her, not only to protect Burbank's investment with Munroe, but also to guard her in a violent and troubled area of Africa.

Munroe finally accepts with the sub rosa understanding with Bradford that she is calling the shots. Having been born in the area where it is believed that Emily disappeared and blessed with an incredible linguistic ability she makes it clear as they travel that her survival skills are probably without equal in that area. The focus of her attention becomes Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Gabon as they head toward that area.

Starting in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Munroe approaches the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and makes the standard inquiries accompanied by a photo of Emily. After several days she is handed Emily's death certificate the Minister managed to acquire. Her familiarity with the country dictates the reality that it is a fake, and a convenient one. Before she can leave town she is drugged and kidnapped and revives on a ship on the west coast of Bioko Island. Escaping from her would-be killers; she reaches land and starts her search for Francisco Beyard a figure from her past. Francisco is a classic expediter, drug and cigarette smuggler and well acquainted with the underbelly of humanity.

Francisco had played a large part in Munroe's past and that very troubled time of her life is slowly revealed. These explanations go a long way in justifying her present personality, her lack of trust and her superior skills with knives and martial arts.

This story is very fast paced, but flows logically to completion. The author makes exquisite use of her obvious knowledge of the area and its present day customs as well as its present day problems. Her character development varies in approach with each of the major players, reaching different levels of depth with each. Dialog is always spot on even as Munroe switches from Vanessa to Michael in her dealings with the world.

In her private life, her feelings for Francisco sort themselves out in spiraling sexual awareness as this chapter in her life draws to conclusion. The author is writing the next Vanessa Munroe novel, one this reviewer is anticipating with enthusiasm.

--Thea Davis