THE MIRROR IN THE RIVER

In Lovin’s crime thriller, a wealthy woman disappears following a high-profile party for America’s elite, so an FBI agent must search through the dark corridors of corruption in the wealthy upper class.

When beautiful and wealthy Christine Reynolds is kidnapped after a dinner party, a tangled web of corruption, sex crimes and exploitation unfurls. The story, told mostly in scene-setting and dialogue, follows a mysterious set of characters including a lawyer, a police officer and two shadowy business partners. While off duty, FBI agent Brad Walker visits a remote fishing lodge and discovers, to his horror, the beginning of a blood-soaked trail leading back to a group of horrific criminals. He stumbles upon a cabin full of evidence that links politics to crime and sadism. While the suspense builds as law enforcement agents search for Christine’s body, more clues lead Brad and his colleagues toward solving the greater mystery of the novel—the uncovering of a kingpin and his ring of underage sex workers. While the pacing sometimes grows awkward due to confusing dialogue, the plot’s direction and the characters’ greater desires never fade from the bloody horizon. Lovin imbues characters with authentic pressures and motivations to produce a thick story full of tension and, eventually, shock. Even grotesque characters with the vilest minds are given human features, emotions and struggles. Lovin’s depiction of criminals and their shrewd dealings all ring realistic and disturbingly believable, probably because of his extensive experience in the FBI.

A gripping story that leaves the reader painfully aware of the corrupt, darker side of wealth.