Illusion of Truth

Detective Emily Hunter of the Sacramento police department must stop someone targeting fellow officers, and it’s personal, in L’Etoile’s latest thriller. Her boyfriend, Brian Conner, is one of several officers sent to stop a riot near a church, but when they arrive, they see nobody around. Shortly after inspecting the area, the silence is pierced by two explosions, one under a police vehicle and the other from a donation box near the church entrance. Conner saves the life of one of the officers but takes the brunt of the blast. Hunter vows to find out who’s responsible for putting Conner on death’s door. Her pursuit of justice will entangle her with her boss, the mayor, and other fellow officers, while she constantly worries that Conner, if he lives, will never be the same. There’s a reason L’Etoile has been winning awards for his writing, and this series highlights why. Like the best of Michael Connelly, L’Etoile has created characters readers care about while also crafting a twisty and compelling story. Fans of police procedurals and heart-stopping thrillers should consider L’Etoile an essential addition to their reading pile.