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JadeAnne Stone, an investigative journalist whose main interest is human trafficking, is being hunted by the devious Anibal and ruthless cartel members who wish to retrieve her and fifteen-year-old Lily after their escape. With the help of JadeAnne’s biological father, Quint, the two females are hiding out with an array of security. However, how can one know who to trust in a country where law enforcement is easily bought off, and even government agents may not be trustworthy? Though the two are American citizens, they find no help from the American Embassy and must find another way to return to the States safely. The handsome Dr. Dylan Porras and his family become involved as he and JadeAnne begin a budding romance. With the help of friends and colleagues, they eventually create a feasible but dangerous escape plan. However, the question remains: Who can they really trust?
In this fourth book of her JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventure series, Manwaring picks up the story after JadeAnne and Lily escape from a life of sexual servitude and torture. The novel’s action is fast-paced as JadeAnne must evade vicious cartel members. Nowhere is safe, and the author does a wonderful job of describing the tension and terror that pervades JadeAnne’s life. The protagonist, a headstrong woman who sometimes balks at being kept hidden inside, is at times at odds with her father, Quint, adding to the underlying tension. JadeAnne’s beloved dog, Pepper, and Lily’s dog, Maya, with her five one-month-old pups, also offer moments of suspense and stress with their dangerous but necessary trips outside. This novel, with its backdrop of human trafficking, is a riveting read that puts one into the center of Mexican culture with its descriptive narrative of landmarks and cuisine.