Treacherous Waters by Dan Walsh

Treacherous Waters by Dan Walsh
Series: Joe Boyd Suspense Book Four
Publisher: Bainbridge Press; October 28, 2022

REVIEW BY JOAN HALL

Lieutenant Joe Boyd with the Culpepper Georgia Police Department and his partner, Hank Jensen have been assigned to review the city’s unsolved cold cases. Having solved several, the two of them are reviewing the files to determine which to work on next. An unsolved hit-and-run tops the list. Just as they are about to decide, a citizen who was fishing in a remote pond comes into the department with a rusted side view mirror he snagged, convinced there is a car at the bottom of the deep water.

Both Joe and Hank believe his theory is possible, and present it to the chief, who agrees. They enlist two divers who discover a mid-1980s model Camaro Z28. What’s more, there is a body inside.

The person’s death appears to be an accident until the medical examiner finds a bullet hole in the skull. It turns out to be a college senior Brew McFarland, who disappeared in 1986, five days after the space shuttle Challenger exploded.

The two men set out to solve the case. An old camera, purchased from an estate sale with undeveloped film still inside, provides valuable evidence. The investigation takes Joe and Hank from the streets of Culpepper to Los Angeles, California.

Only three of the photos had people in them. Looked like three college students, all males. Perhaps the photographer was also a friend because they didn’t look like portraits. In one, it appeared the young men didn’t even know a picture was being taken. Obviously, the photographer wasn’t shown in any. Back then, no one took selfies. He wished way fewer people took them now.

Dan Walsh, Treacherous Waters

I’ve read many of Dan Walsh’s works over the years, including the entire Joe Boyd Suspense Series. Treacherous Waters just might be my favorite of the series. Readers learn early in the book who is likely responsible for the young man’s murder. The motive, as well as how to obtain enough evidence to make an arrest, isn’t known until the end.

Treacherous Waters is enjoyable and easy to read.

I give this one four fish.

I read the Kindle version of Treacherous Waters through Kindle Unlimited.