A BOX OF FROGS

Family secrets and lies seize center stage in this complex Canadian techno-noir thriller.

The story opens with the funeral of Canadian ex-senator, cabinet minister, and conspiracist Miles “The Tank” Valentine. Attendees include his grandson, Mason Valentine, who initially accepts the official account of the eccentric centenarian’s demise, which says that he fell onto an electric fence at his lavish estate, Highclere. However, it seems suspicious; after all, how could such an event happen in the middle of a blackout? All hell breaks loose when Miles’ stepdaughter, Laverna Clifton-Lehrman, produces a letter, purportedly written by Miles, ordering the Valentine children off the property. The surprise document certainly cements Miles’ reputation for helter-skelter impulsivity; as Mason’s second cousin, Cordelia “Cici” Bradshaw, summarizes it, the late politician was “crazier than a box of frogs.” It also sends Cici’s and Mason’s suspicions into overdrive—especially because Laverna and her mother, Aida, seem poised for a secure future with no real effort on their part. The chaotic nature of Miles’ finances also draws the pair’s interest, especially after they learn that Highclere is sitting above “a toxic soup of chemicals and poison.” In Hellyer’s skillful hands, what initially seems like a simple case of blackmail to spur a quick estate sale soon reveals itself as a much more complicated scheme of revenge and concealment. It’s one that requires close attention, however—a point that's driven home by the inclusion of a map of the setting and a three-page list of characters at the start. The author weaves a deft tapestry of tech-heavy detection, as Mason uses AI in his pursuit of the truth as he digs through Miles’ digital life; scenes of white-knuckled action should keep genre fans engaged. It all barrels toward a resolution that many readers won’t see coming.

An intricately plotted mystery with determined heroes and narcissistic villains.