2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Investigative reporter Max Revere has cracked many cases, but the one investigation she's never attempted is the mystery from her own past. Her mother abandoned her when she was nine, sending her periodic postcards, but never returning to reclaim her daughter. Seven years after the postcards stop coming, Martha Revere is declared legally dead, with no sign of what may have happened to her. Until now.

With a single clue―that her mother’s car disappeared sixteen years ago in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay―Max drops everything to finally seek the truth. As Max investigates, and her mother's story unfolds, she realizes that Martha teamed up with a con man. They traveled the world living off Martha’s trust and money they conned from others.

Though no one claims to know anything about Martha or her disappearance, Max suspects more than one person is lying. When she learns the FBI has an active investigation into the con man, Max knows she’s on the right path. But as Max digs into the dark secrets of this idyllic community, the only thing she might find is the same violent end as her mother.

Setting
Cape Haven, Virginia

Prologue
35 Chapters

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Recurring Characters
Maxine (Max) Revere: Investigative reporter and host of the cable show Maximum Exposure. She’s 5’10” with dark red hair.
Ryan Maguire: FBI special agent, specializing in art theft. He was assigned to the Truman case. He’s tall with dark hair.
David Kane: Max’s full-time assistant and as-needed bodyguard. He’s a former Army Ranger. He has a 12-year old. daughter, Emma, and is divorced from Brittney.
Emma Kane: David’s 12-year old daughter.
Ben Lawson: Max’s friend since college and producer of her show. He was Karen’s boyfriend.
Nick Santini: Detective Max met in California during her last investigation. They’re seeing each other long distance. He’s divorced from Nancy with a son, Logan.
Marco Lopez: Max’s recently ex-boyfriend, a supervisor all FBI special agent.
Lucia (Lucy) Kincaid: Youngest of the Kincaid siblings. She’s completed her training at the FBI academy and is now an agent in the Violent Crimes Squad in San Antonio. She’s a rape survivor and married to Sean Rogan. She’s 25-years old and has long black hair and brown eyes.
Sean Rogan: The youngest of the Rogan siblings, he was formerly a partner at Rogan-Caruso-Kincaid (RCK) and is married to Lucy. He was a consultant and followed Lucy to San Antonio but is now returning to RCK. He and Patrick Kincaid opened the Washington, DC office.
Dillon Kincaid: Lucy’s brother who she lived with when she was in Washington, DC. He’s a forensic psychiatrist and civilian consultant for the FBI. He’s married to Kate and is Jack’s fraternal twin brother.
Kate Donovan: FBI agent specializing in e-crimes. She’s married to Dillon. She was critical in locating Lucy following her abduction. She has short, white blond hair and blue eyes.
Karen Richards: Max’s college roommate who was killed.
Martha Revere: aka D. Jane Sterling. Max’s mother, presumed dead.
Eleanor Sterling Revere: Max’s grandmother.
James Revere: Max’s grandfather, Eleanor’s husband. He’s deceased.
Genevieve (Genie) Sterling: Max’s great-grandmother, Eleanor and Archer’s mother.
Archer Sterling: Max’s great uncle, Eleanor’s brother. He’s married to Delia.
Delia Jane Sterling: Max’s great aunt, married to Archer.
Brooks Revere: Max’s uncle, William’s father.
Joanne Revere: William’s mother, Brooks’s ex-wife.
William Revere: Max’s cousin. He’s married to Caitlin.
Caitlin Talbot Revere: William’s wife and a former friend of Max’s group from high school. She’s in an institution for the criminally insane.
Tyler Revere: William and Caitlin’s oldest son.
Talbot Revere: William and Caitlin’s youngest son.
Catherine Crossman: Co-owner of NET along with her husband, Rob.
Rob Crossman: Co-owner of NET along with his wife, Catherine.
Arthur Ullman: Retired forensic psychiatrist.

Non Recurring Characters
William (Bill) Bartlett: Northampton County sheriff.
Marcel Lipsky: Sheriff’s investigator.
Gabriel Truman: Navy veteran who now owns a boat charter business attached to Havenly, a resort. He’s Jimmy’s younger brother.
Genevieve (Eve) Truman: Gabriel’s 16-year old daughter.
Emily Truman: Gabriel and Jimmy’s mother who died of cancer. She was a high school English teacher.
James (Jimmy) Truman: aka James Masters, J. J. Sterling. Martha’s lover who is a con artist. He’s Gabriel’s older brother.
Phillip Colter: CEO of Boreal and a wealthy scion. He’s suspected of being an art thief. He’s also an investor in Havenly.
Brian Cooper: Co-owner of Havenly. He’s married to Annie.
Garrett Henderson: Owner of Henderson Farms who discovered Martha’s car.
Gary Henderson: Garrett’s son who runs the farm. Married to Beth. They have eight children.
Beth Henderson: Married to Gary. They have eight children.
Garth Henderson: Gary and Beth’s oldest son.
Richard Henderson: Gary and Beth’s son who’s in college working on his masters.
Molly Henderson: Gary and Beth’s daughter.
Wyatt Henderson: Gary and Beth’s son.
Abel Parsons: Caretaker of the Boreal spread.
Stephen Galbraith: President of the Haven Point Sailing Club.
Vance DuBois: Colter’s body man.
(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Eve Truman is Martha’s daughter, Max’s half sister. It’s suspected that her father was Jimmy Truman but Phillip Colter believed he was her father based on her birthdate. Martha herself wasn’t sure.

Gabriel came home on leave from the Navy to find his mother caring for Eve. Emily was in poor health so Gabriel resigned and claimed Eve as his daughter since neither Martha or Jimmy returned to take her.

Gabriel’s partner in Havenly was in bed with Phillip Colter who was an art thief and he murdered Martha after he discovered her betrayal (she stole his Degas).

Max discovered where Martha hid the missing painting and Colter kidnapped Eve after having been caught in Max’s cottage by David, who he shot. He tried to escape by boat and after Gabriel and Max were able to get onboard, he shot and killed Gabriel. Colter was killed by a coast guard sniper immediately after.

Eve is moving to New York to stay with Max and Ryan is transferring to New York to head up the art fraud division in the FBI. They are in a serious relationship.

Martha and Jimmy are both dead (Colter just makes reference to having killed him). Max still doesn’t know who her father is and Eve’s is also in question. (hide spoiler)]

Are we reading this and Too Far Gone (Lucy Kincaid #14)?

No, according to the schedule, Too Far Gone is in March.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks. I thought I read this already. I think I have Abandoned in Death on my mind.

Maybe so! This is the last of Max Revere.

I'm sad that this is the last Max Revere book. I would have loved to see how solving her mother's disappearance impacted how Max went forward with her life. Unfortunately, Brennan's publishers didn't feel the same :-(

I’m hoping she shows up in some of Lucy’s books.

That would be great, but I'm not expecting it to happen.

I have reserved it from public library.

I'm sorry this is the end of the Max Revere series. I like her too. I think that Sean might call on Max in a future book. It feels like something he would do.

That’s a great thought, Sharon!!