Last Breath

Eleanor Barnum dies in a fire the morning after her family comes together to celebrate her 65th birthday. The fire proves to be arson, and an investigation raises questions as to whether Eleanor or the contents of her garage were the target. Even more puzzling, with damage limited to the garage area of the house, why doesn’t Eleanor survive?

St. Paul homicide investigators Pete Culnane and Martin Tierney must answer those questions and more. Cover-ups and deception characterize the investigation, as they construct an accurate picture of the victim. In the process, they discover a plethora of people with possible motives.
Time is of the essence. Pete’s long-awaited wedding to Katie is days away, and he fully intends to give that special day his complete attention. Everyone knows that will be a challenge for a guy like Pete, if the case isn’t yet solved.