DEAD MAN'S SWITCH

A driver earns her place on an American Le Mans team the hard way: by finding the body of a rival under the wheel of her Jeep Cherokee.

Left motherless at an early age, Kate Reilly started racing go-karts at age 12 under the watchful eye of her Gramps, an expert mechanic. Now 26, she’s already been third driver in extra-long Petit Le Mans races at Sebring, and she’s looking for a full-time ride. When Sandham Swift driver Wade Becker turns up dead at Lime Rock Park two days before the finale of the New England Grand Prix, Jack Sandham asks Kate to take Wade’s place in Sandham Swift’s number 28 car, alternating with experienced racer Mike Munroe. Kate already knows how to play nice with tool guys like brake specialist Alex Hanley and talented amateurs like Lars Pierson and Seth Donohue, who pay for the privilege of driving Sandham’s number 29 car. But handling media types like SPEED Channel’s Zeke Andrews and Sandham publicist Tom Albright strains Kate’s people skills. So does charming sponsors like Charles and Susanah Purley of Racegear.com, True Color’s Paul Trimble and his drop-dead-gorgeous son Marcus, who’d rather handle racecars than paint chips. Kate’s greatest challenge, though, is dealing with rumors that she bashed Becker for his ride—rumors that lead her to question everyone about everything that might help her find the real killer. Kaehler’s debut wraps the reader in layers of racing detail and, like Kate’s fire-retardant Nomex long johns, smothers any spark the mystery plot might have ignited.