Lamont’s enticing third mystery featuring animal rights investigator Jude Brannock (after The Trap) finds Jude working for the Kinship, an animal rights organization. Her responsibilities include planning and running covert operations to obtain evidence of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, which governs the use of animals in lab experiments. Jude’s current target is Vermont’s Amaethon Industries, a prior offender aiming to test a new drug on dogs and rodents, to whom she’s dispatched a new team member, Tim Mains, to work undercover. She becomes increasingly concerned when she’s unable to contact Tim after he sends her an email stating that he’s on to something big. Since Jude slept with Tim before he went off on his mission, her concern is also personal. Jude eventually heads to Vermont to look for him, posing as his sister to maintain his cover. Lamont continues to deepen the characterization of her flawed lead in the service of an engrossing plot. Readers will look forward to Jude’s further adventures. (BookLife)