"In Harm's Way"

"In Harm's Way" is Ridley Pearson's 4th Walt Fleming novel.  Sun Valley sheriff Fleming has his hands full running the police department and trying to make a home life for his twin daughters who divide their time between his home and where his ex-wife lives with one of his deputies.  Although Fleming is still coping with the aftermath of his divorce, he has feelings for Fiona Kenshaw, a local photographer who assists in taking crime scene pictures for his department.  As he acts on those feelings (which are reciprocated), both their lives are unexpectedly churned upside down when an out-of-town sport celebrity (who has just been released from prison) is killed and Fleming must investigate.

This case may have ties to a homicide in Seattle which brings Lou Boldt, a legendary homicide sergeant from Seattle, to the area.  Fleming and Boldt develop a good working rapport and continue to compare notes when Boldt returns to Seattle -- trying to connect the two cases and solve both of them.

In the meantime, Fleming is concerned about Fiona's change of behaviour and the fact that a young woman (former victim of sexual assault) who Fiona has taken under her wing, seems to be missing from around the time of the murder.  For the first time in his career, he finds himself wanting to ignore some of the evidence in the case because it might point the finger at one of them being involved.

As usual, Pearson weaves a complex tale with an unexpected turn near the end that helps both he and Boldt solve their cases.  I wouldn't miss one of Pearson's books and hope he has another Walt Fleming sequel in the works.  pazt