Private Investigator, Tom Casey, better known as Hawkman, took on a fifteen year old cold case presented to him by Becky Simpson. Her father had just passed away without ever revealing why her mother deserted the family or why they never heard from her again.

Hawkman thought the case sounded like a challenge, but little did he realize the twists and turns this investigation would take. As he delved into the lives of Al and Carole Simpson, he found many people reluctant to talk, who only gave surface answers. When he searched for relatives of the nanny, Carmella Jones, who’d taken care of Becky and her younger brother, Cory, a new lead surfaced through the woman’s stepbrother, Ed Barnett. The more Hawkman dug, threatening phone calls and notes came to Becky and himself. This indicated he was getting very close to something.

After talking with a longtime neighbor, Mavis Watkins, Hawkman decided to dig up the rose garden at the Simpson house. He came upon a startling discovery, which brought in the police. With the information Hawkman had collected and the help of his friend, Detective Williams, they brought the killer to the front.

REVIEW

After Becky Simpson’s father dies, she has a strong urge to find out what happened to her mother. Carole Ann Simpson has been missing for over fifteen years with no real explanation for her disappearance, and no one seemed to even care. Her brother warns her that she might not like what she finds after digging into old and forgotten family problems.

Becky hires Private Investigator Tom Casey, better known as Hawkman. It’s a cold case, and more difficult to solve, but the case intrigues him so he takes her on as a client. As Hawkman questions the neighbors, he finds out Carole Ann wasn’t much liked, and everyone prefers to keep their noses in their own business. Most people think she simply ran off because of her husband’s affair with another woman. But why wouldn’t she contact her children in all that time?

When both Hawkman & Becky start getting threatening messages, warning them to back off, Hawkman becomes certain something much more sinister happened to Carole Ann Simpson all those years ago.

Ms. La Pierre has outdone herself with #10 in the Hawkman Series. Grave Web is a complex web of secrets and lies, keeping you guessing right up to the shocking unveiling. I didn’t have a clue how the mystery would be solved, so I was both surprised and delighted with the very plausible ending. Baffle me, and you go on my shelf of great mystery writers. Ms. La Pierre has won her place there with Grave

EXCERPT

Becky Simpson stood at the edge of the open grave. Long strands of soggy hair clung to her face as tears slid down her cheeks. Her lightweight jacket dripped water as the rain pelted against her slim body. Thunder rumbled in the distance while the coffin slowly descended into the gapping hole. Cory sidled up next to her and placed an arm around her waist.

“Come on, Sis. You’re getting soaked. It’s time to go. ”

He gently led her toward the big black limousine, helped her into the seat, then scooted in beside her.

“What am I going to do without him?” She said, her voice quivering as she took the handkerchief he offered, and dabbed the water from her face.

“You’ll be fine. Now you can do the things you always wanted to do.”

“Do you realize without Dad, I’m all alone. You’ve at least got a wife and a child on the way. I’ve got no one.”

He gave her a squeeze. “Hey, you’re still young. You have plenty of time to find the right man.”

She glanced at her brother. “You know what I’d really like to do?”

He shook his head. “No, what?”

“Find out what happened to our mother.”

Cory straightened and removed his arm from around her shoulders. “Why do you want to go digging into the past trying to find the whereabouts of Mom? She left years ago and never made contact with either of us.”

A slight smile curled the corners of Becky’s lips. “I’ve dreamed of her many times. I can still see her cleaning the house and humming a cheerful tune. She always seemed so happy.” Clasping her hands in her lap, Becky stared longingly out the rain streaked window. “There’s bound to be a reason she left. I know she loved us. Why would she just disappear without a word?”