2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

The woman is kneeling at a gravestone, her hair blowing in the breeze, a bunch of wilting yellow daffodils on the grass beside her. Her eyes are fixed on the ground and her mouth is parted in a silent prayer. But the wax dripping from her cold blue lips means it’s already too late to save her…

On her first day back with the Denton PD after a major trauma, Detective Josie Quinn is on the hunt for a missing woman, Krystal Duncan, the mother of one of five children killed in a devastating school bus crash. Hours later, Josie finds Krystal’s body beside her daughter’s grave, her lips sealed together forever with wax.

Forensics match the wax to one of the candles lit in memory of the sweet little souls who died, giving Josie her first lead to a support group made up of the parents who lost children in the crash. Painstakingly dissecting the lives of these grieving couples, it’s clear to Josie that each of them is hiding something about the day of the accident—but whose secret is worth killing for?

The case takes an agonizing turn when the body of another young mother is found near the site of the bus crash. Someone connected to the accident is out for revenge. As the members of the support group are picked off one by one, every second counts for Josie to save the lives of these loving parents who have already suffered the loss of those they treasured most…

Settings
Denton, Pennsylvania

46 Chapters

Character List
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Recurring Characters
Josie Quinn: Denton Police Department detective. She stepped down as chief.
Lisette Matson: Josie’s grandmother who raised her since she was 14-years old. She’s a resident of Rockview Ridge, a nursing home.
Eli Matson: Lisette’s son who was believed to be Josie’s father. He died when Josie was six-years old.
Noah Fraley: Denton Police Department detective and Josie’s second in command.
Gretchen Palmer: Denton Police Department detective hired by Josie.
Finn Mettner: Denton Police Department detective, former head of ERT.
Dan Lamay: Denton Police Department desk sergeant.
Bob Chitwood: Denton police Chief hired by the mayor.
Anya Feist: Alcott County medical examiner.
Ramon: Alcott County medical examiner assistant.
Hummel: Head of ERT (Evidence Response Team) for the Denton Police Department. Former Denton Police Department patrol officer, he replace Finn.
JennyChan: New officer hired into ERT.
Mitch Brownlow: Denton City Emergency Services.
Sawyer Hayes: Dalrymple Township Emergency Services.
Heather Loughlin: Pennsylvania State Police investigator.
Tara Charleston: Denton mayor.
Amber Watts: New police press liaison.
Paige Rosetti: Psychologist.
Carrieanne Creighton: Luke’s sister.
Misty Derossi: Ray’s former girlfriend, a stripper, working at Foxy Tails. She’s the mother of their son, Harris, born via IVF after Ray’s death.
Harris Quinn: Misty’s six-month old son by Ray.
Cindy Quinn: Ray’s mother, Harris’s grandmother.
Trinity Payne: Television news reporter, Josie’s twin sister.
Drake Nally: FBI special agent in the New York office and the man Trinity is dating.
Shannon Payne: Josie and Trinity’s mother, married to Christian.
Christian Payne: Josie and Trinity’s father, married to Shannon.
Vanessa Anabelle Payne: Trinity’s twin sister who died in a fire.
Patrick Payne: Josie and Trinity’s younger brother.
Brenna: Patrick’s new girlfriend.
Andrew Bowen: Sophia and Malcolm’s adopted son (Josie arrested Sophia for murder). He’s a criminal defense attorney.
Wayland Harris: Former Denton chief of police who died saving Josie.
Ray Quinn: Josie’s ex-husband. He was a Denton Police Department sergeant who died helping Josie rescue Isabelle Coleman.
Luke Creighton: Josie’s former fiancé. He’s was a Pennsylvania state trooper.
Lila Jensen: aka Belinda Rose. Woman who abducted Josie as a baby and raised her as her daughter. She’s now in prison and dying from cancer.
Colette Fraley: Noah’s mother who was murdered by her son-in-law.
Theo Fraley: Noah’s older brother.
Lucy Fraley-Hall: Noah’s older sister. She was married to Grady who murdered her mother. She’s a vice president at Sutton Stone Enterprises.
Grady Hall: Lucy’s ex-husband. He murdered Colette.
Lance Fraley: Colette’s ex-husband and father of their three children. He’s estranged from them all.
Andi Fraley: Lance’s wife.
Deirdre Hayes: Sawyer’s mother, deceased.
Larry Ezekiel (Zeke) Fox: aka Needle. One of Belinda’s former drug friends who sometimes protected Josie.
Trout: Josie and Noah’s new rescue, a Boston terrier.
Pepper: Misty’s dog.
Poppy: Gretchen’s cat, rescued from Alice’s room.

Non Recurring Characters
Krystal Duncan: Missing woman who was found dead in the cemetery in a kneeling position. She was one of the parents who lost a child, Bianca, in the bus accident. She worked for a law firm.
Bianca Duncan: Krystal’s daughter who died in the bus accident.
Dee Tenney: Woman who discovered Krystal’s body in the cemetery. She also lost her daughter Gail in the bus accident. Married to Miles but separated.
Miles Tenney: Married to Dee but separated. They lost their daughter Gail in the school bus accident.
Gail Tenney: Dee and Miles daughter who died in the school bus crash.
Heidi Byrne: Corey’s daughter and the sole survivor of the school bus crash. She’s fourteen years old and Dee looks out for her after school while Corey travels for work.
Corey Byrne: Heidi’s father.
Nathan Cammack: Divorced from Gloria and they lost their two children in the school bus crash.
Gloria Cammack: Divorced from Nathan and they lost their two children in the school bus crash. She’s the CEO of All Natural Family and Child.
Wallace Cammack: Nathan and Gloria’s son who died in the school bus crash.
Frankie Cammack: Nathan and Glorias’s daughter who died in the school bus crash.
Sebastian Palazzo: Married to Faye, they lost their son Nevin in the school bus crash. He owned a pharmacy and recently sold it to new owners.
Faye Palazzo: Married to Sebastian, they lost their son Nevin in the school bus crash. She’s a former model.
Nevin Palazzo: Sebastian and Faye’s son who died in the school bus crash.
Virgil Lesko: Driver of the school bus that crashed. He was high on opiates and had consumed alcohol. His trial is coming up.
Ted Lesko: Virgil’s son.
Leon Tartaglia: Intruder at Miles’ apartment.
Joseph Bruno: Intruder at Miles’ apartment.
Marilyn House: Alpaca farm owner.
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Spoiler Info
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Wallace Cammack was called Pritch. . (hide spoiler)]