THE EMPTY KAYAK

The investigation of a mysterious accident puts a fragile friendship at risk in Millman’s thriller.

In this third installment of the Queen City Crimes series, Det. Ebony Jones is assigned to the case of a man who disappeared after a severe storm popped up while he was kayaking on the Hudson River. The identity of the missing kayaker comes as a blow to Ebony—he’s Kyle Emory, the ex-boyfriend of Ebony’s estranged best friend, attorney Jessie Martin, and the father of Jessie’s daughter, Lily. Ebony has to deliver another shock to Jessie, now reunited with her true love, Judge Hal Samuels: Kyle was engaged to Olivia Vargas, a much-younger social media influencer. Ebony first has to confirm whether Kyle is missing or dead; if he’s dead, she must determine whether his death was an accident, a suicide, or murder. If Kyle is a homicide victim, Ebony will have no shortage of suspects, including Olivia, who’s now entitled to half of Kyle’s life insurance payment; Olivia’s debt-ridden brother, Auggie; and Olivia’s current husband, Raul Esperanza, whom she hasn’t yet divorced. Ebony’s investigation is complicated by her fractured relationship with Jessie and by Jessie’s insistence on conducting her own off-the-books inquiry. The author impressively juggles several viewpoints (including those of Ebony, Jessie, and new district attorney Cindie Tarrico) of the same complex case. She also deftly illustrates the fraught political landscape that the police must navigate when dealing with the wealthy Vargas family (“Carlos Vargas’ words contained the undertone of a command rather than a request, and it was apparent he was used to controlling the situation”) and vividly conveys the breakneck pace of the investigation. Millman creates relatable, flawed characters: There’s Ebony, who is so tentative about reaching toward the future, both in her work and her personal life, and Jessie, who should be looking forward to a future with Hal but instead wallows in her past with Kyle. The tension between the two former close friends effectively raises the stakes of the narrative.

An involving whodunit with strong characters who must find a way to work together.