INDELIBLE

A battered ex-cop seeking a new life runs smack into his past in this philosophical thriller.

In this series opener, Buchanan introduces readers to former cop Sean “Mick” McPherson, still recovering from a past trauma. His partner, Sam, was killed by a sniper in an ambush. But Sam may have been the lucky one. In the car crash following the death of Sam, who was driving, Mick was left temporarily paralyzed. While he regained mobility, he has been wracked by survivor’s guilt for the past five years. That’s why he retired and has been working at the Pines & Quill writers retreat, run by his older sister, Libby, and her husband, Niall MacCullough. This month’s group of writers includes psychic Cynthia Winters; bitter, divorced Fran Davies; wheelchair-bound potter Emma Benton; and standoffish Jason Hughes. Something changes in Mick when he meets Emma. She finds herself falling for him as well. But Mick doesn’t realize that he has a tie to Jason, a serial killer who comes to the retreat with revenge in mind. Cynthia picks up on Jason’s malice; fearing her abilities, he decides to kill her. But resident dog Hemingway comes to her rescue. After narrowly avoiding death, Jason decides to abduct Emma and use her as bait to lure Mick. Then it’s a race for Mick to rescue Emma in time. Buchanan, a retired holistic health practitioner and life coach and the author of The Business of Being (2018), has made a strong transition from nonfiction to fiction with her first novel. Yes, her former jobs leak through with mentions of therapeutic methods. But that truly doesn’t affect the narrative. The author has created a stable of likable, well-rounded characters, starting with the damaged Mick. Especially winning is Irish wolfhound Hemingway, who speaks volumes without saying a word. Jason is an unhinged, single-dimensional loon, to use a nonpsychological term, and is easy to root against. Buchanan’s narrative is well paced, flying right along. But the book ends abruptly, with the author hanging on to certain elements, such as Jason’s accomplice, for use in the series’ sequel. This leaves the volume with a slightly unfinished feel. Still, overall, the author has delivered an exciting beginning to an intriguing series.

This tale offers a promising foundation for a series featuring a strong, complicated investigator.