Portrait of vengeance /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"Rich characters, a forensic artist's eye for detail, and plot twists--Carrie Stuart Parks hits all the right notes!" --Mary Burton, New York Times bestselling author

An unsolved case. A tempest of memories. The future's at stake--and time is running out . . .

Gwen Marcey has done a good job keeping the pain of her past boxed up. But as she investigates the case of a missing child in Lapwai, Idaho, details keep surfacing that are eerily similar to her childhood traumas. She doesn't believe in coincidences. So what's going on here

No one knows more about the impact of the past than the Nez Perce people of Lapwai. Gwen finds herself an unwelcome visitor to some, making her investigation even more difficult. The questions keep piling up, but answers are slow in coming--and the clock is ticking for a missing little girl. Meanwhile, Gwen's ex-husband is threatening to take sole custody of their daughter.

As Gwen's past and present collide, she's in a desperate race for the truth. Because only truth will ensure she still has a future.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

In her fourth and final outing (after When Death Draws Near), forensic artist Gwen Marcey realizes that the clues in the case of a missing child in Idaho are similar to a traumatic event she suffered in her youth. With the intermingling of the crimes, past and present, her colleagues wonder if she can still do the job without getting too personally involved. Meanwhile, Gwen's ex-husband threatens to take sole custody of their daughter. Parks (herself a well-known forensic artist) is a seasoned writer of inspirational 'edge-of-your-seat' suspense and mystery. Her latest title is a carefully researched and thoughtfully executed novel that will leave readers begging for more. VERDICT Fans of Dee -Henderson, -DiAnn Mills, and Brandilyn Collins will flock to this suspenseful series.Shondra Brown, Wakarusa P.L., IN © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Parks (A Cry from the Dust) takes readers on another crime-solving spree with forensic artist Gwen Marcey, newly hired at the Interagency Major Crimes Unit, a privately run, government-funded investigative unit. Gwen picks up an investigation into a double homicide and missing child because it reminds her of elements of her past. Gwen cancels a weekend getaway with her boyfriend and heads to Lapwai, Idaho, where she is met with hostility, sabotage, and attempts on her life. Creating forensic sketches proves difficult in the Native American town, as the citizens distrust government officials, especially nontribal officers, partly due to the Nez Perce War, which left 80 tribe members dead. With the help of her best friend Beth, who happens to be a skilled researcher, Gwen attempts to solve the case by following the clues the killer has left. In addition to getting closer to the killer, she also finds herself seeking resolution to a childhood tragedy she has tried to put behind her that happened not far from the crimes. Parks has created an intriguing female sleuth with depth, courage, and grit. The well-developed characters are complemented by a unique setting. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.