A timely, tightly wound thriller of disappearance and power.
In this urgent political thriller, Terhaar explores what happens when due process quietly disappears. Detained despite her lawful status, Ariana Wilkinson is quietly transferred out of reach, leaving her husband, Colonel Joseph Wilkinson, to search for answers. When former NYPD detective Dan Burnett joins the hunt, the question becomes unavoidable: who decides when due process no longer applies?
Much of the book’s tension comes from its alternating perspectives. Ariana’s controlled, restrained chapters focus on survival, while memories of Afghanistan deepen the novel’s moral tension. Burnett’s methodical investigation advances the story through legwork and gradual revelation. Joseph’s status as a decorated military officer complicates the novel’s exploration of loyalty and belonging. His effort to care for his children while a system ignores his wife’s legal standing adds urgency. The novel’s greatest strength is its plausibility, replacing spectacle with procedural erasure. A political thriller at heart, it favors urgency over subtlety and feels disturbingly close to the present moment.
Fans of taut, socially urgent thrillers with clear moral stakes will find plenty to appreciate.
Pub date January 6, 2026
Hat City Publishing
ISBN 979-8990036291
Price $15.99 (USD) Paperback, $5.99 Kindle edition
